Posts Tagged ‘sleep’

Fear God…an appropriate response but not if He knows you.

Thursday, March 14th, 2013

Temple of God, March 14

…God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,
who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.

1 Thessalonians 5:9-10, www.solascriptura.com

Father, indeed, we who love You with all our heart, mind and soul and love our neighbor as ourselves, are not appointed to Your wrath. We know that does not mean that we are protected from the wrath of mankind, where people are capable of heinous crime.

We are protected from Your wrath and most theologians take that to mean we will not endure Armageddon, because we will have been caught up in the clouds, either before the 7 years of tribulation, in the middle of the 7 years or at the end of the 7 years. You have chosen to not make it perfectly clear whether we should hold a pre-trib, mid-trib or post-trib view but You have made it clear we should be “ready.” If we are ready we will be taken to Your side and we will not endure the final trials that will occur.

You have appointed us to salvation. Your grace called us and Your Son took away our sin. Help us, today, to respond to Your love and mercy. Being protected by You, for eternity, is Your promise.

When we do experience the wrath of man, help us know that the suffering of this present time is not worthy to be compared to what You have prepared for us. We are Yours, forever, not just for this extremely brief moment of time (a finite number is incomparable to an infinite number) but for eternity. If we live less than three score and ten, we graduate early (to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord) and if we live longer we get to serve longer. Bless us this day, we pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Bruce Caldwell

The Sola Scriptura Project, P.O. Box 302, Franklin TN 37064

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Posted in Christianity, God's Children, Temple of God, faith, salvation | 21 Comments »

How can little mistakes here cost us eternity?

Saturday, October 6th, 2012

Industriousness, October 6

LORD, You have been our dwelling place in all generations.
Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.
You turn man to destruction, and say, “Return, O children of men.”
For a thousand years in Your sight are like yesterday when it is past, and like a watch in the night.
You carry them away like a flood; they are like a sleep. In the morning they are like grass which grows up:
In the morning it flourishes and grows up; in the evening it is cut down and withers.
For we have been consumed by Your anger, and by Your wrath we are terrified.
You have set our iniquities before You, our secret sins in the light of Your countenance.
For all our days have passed away in Your wrath; we finish our years like a sigh.
The days of our lives are seventy years; and if by reason of strength they are eighty years, yet their boast is only labor and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.
Who knows the power of Your anger? For as the fear of You, so is Your wrath.
So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
Return, O LORD! How long? And have compassion on Your servants.
Oh, satisfy us early with Your mercy, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days!
Make us glad according to the days in which You have afflicted us, the years in which we have seen evil.
Let Your work appear to Your servants, and Your glory to their children.
And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands for us; yes, establish the work of our hands.
 
Psalm 90:1-17, www.solascriptura.com

Father, for these Holy and wise words we are grateful. Help us O’ God to fulfill Your expectations and to use each day to Your glory. Life is truly finite; we see the end approaching quickly for ourselves or for others and we realize that our opportunities to serve You and others, on this earth, will be gone.
 
Help us Father, make the most of what You have given us. Point us to a reunion, to an eternal life, with all those who love you and in the meantime help our work be meaningful and joyful. In Christ’ name, amen.

Bruce Caldwell

The Sola Scriptura Project, P.O. Box 302, Franklin TN 37064

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Posted in Christianity, God's Gift, Industriousness, Providence of God, Religion | 36 Comments »

We seek you by day, you seek us by night, mysteriously

Sunday, September 30th, 2012

Mind of Christ, September 30

In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls upon men, while slumbering on their beds,
Then He opens the ears of men, and seals their instruction.
I will bless the LORD who has given me counsel; my heart also instructs me in the night seasons.
You will show me the path of life…
Who has put wisdom in the mind? Or who has given understanding to the heart?
Who can number the clouds by wisdom? Or who can pour out the bottles of heaven…
 
Job 33:15-16, Psalm 16:7,11, Job 38:36-37, www.solascriptura.com

Father, when we seek You during the day, You are telling us here that You seek us by night, as we sleep. You open our ears to new knowledge, to new possibilities of service to You. You instruct us in the night seasons in a vision, dreams of mysterious origin which exceed our understanding. Father, when Your Spirit teaches and leads our spirit, it is a gift of immeasurable value, a true act of love from You to us.

Job reminds us that Your wisdom and Your power simply exceed our understanding and experience.  Father, when You teach us as we sleep and when we turn to Your Holy word, during the day, You are giving us access to the mind of Christ. What a magnificent gift. Forgive us for the times we fail to listen and awaken us to new possibilities, directly from the treasure of Your wisdom.

Guide us in paths of righteousness, this day, in Jesus’ name, amen.

Bruce Caldwell

The Sola Scriptura Project, P.O. Box 302, Franklin TN 37064

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Posted in Christianity, God's Gift, Hope, Inspirtation, Mind of Christ, peace, wisdom | 39 Comments »

The ultimate safety net, the keeper of our souls, our Lord.

Friday, August 31st, 2012

Providence of God, August 31

I will lift up my eyes to the hills—from whence comes my help?
My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.
He will not allow your foot to be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber.
Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.
The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is your shade at your right hand.
The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.
The LORD shall preserve you from all evil; he shall preserve your soul.
The LORD shall preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth, and even forevermore.

Psalm 105:15, Psalm 108:12-13, www.solascriptura.com

Father, You have taught us to “look up” as we seek You, that Your glory is in the heavens. There is a lot of stuff to look at as we look down, but even the beautiful flowers will wither. We appreciate the beauty of all Your creation, but help us as we seek to focus on the eternal, the heavenly reward that has been prepared for those who love You.

Here You teach us that in heaven, the sun will not strike us in the day or the moon by night. You have taught us elsewhere that there will be no night and day in eternity. You, Father, will be the Light eternal in this place of eternal joy.

We also learn that in that place we will not encounter evil, our souls will be preserved forever and Your hand will protect us as we move about in this place of eternal peace.

Thank You Father for slipping Your testimony about heaven into a Psalm, teaching us that we must study all of Your word to get the complete picture of what You have prepared for us. You have greatly blessed us and we thank You. In Jesus Holy name we pray, amen.

Bruce Caldwell

The Sola Scriptura Project, P.O. Box 302, Franklin TN 37064

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Posted in Christianity, Fidelity, Providence of God, Religion | 52 Comments »

Poverty creeps into the life of a lazy person like a prowler

Tuesday, August 28th, 2012

Industriousness, August 28

Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy.
He who continually goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him. Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, which, having no captain, overseer or ruler,
Provides her supplies in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest.
How long will you slumber, O sluggard? When will you rise from your sleep?
A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep–
So shall your poverty come on you like a prowler, and your need like an armed man.
A worthless person, a wicked man, walks with a perverse mouth;
He winks with his eyes, he shuffles his feet, he points with his fingers;
Perversity is in his heart, he devises evil continually, he sows discord.
Therefore his calamity shall come suddenly; suddenly he shall be broken without remedy.

Psalm 126:5-6, Proverbs 6:6-15, www.solascriptura.com

Father, Help us learn from the lowly ant. He who would eat, must work. We know Father of the exceptions for those who can not work physically but even in their case you have provided a capacity to love and to receive love. Help us not only to be industriousness as we are able but to do everything knowing that You are noticing our motives and efforts.

Father, if we could just do “all things as unto You” the quality and consistency of the days of our lives would be improved. We know we can only be our best when it is You in us, guiding and teaching us. We indeed have our bad moments. Forgive us and renew us this day. In Christ’s presence and power we pray. Amen.

Bruce Caldwell

The Sola Scriptura Project, P.O. Box 302, Franklin TN 37064

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Posted in Christianity, Courage, Industriousness, Perseverance, Religion | 93 Comments »

Rescued by the very hand of God

Sunday, August 19th, 2012

Courage, August 19

The LORD by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding He established the heavens;
By His knowledge the depths were broken up, and clouds drop down the dew.
My son, let them not depart from your eyes—keep sound wisdom and discretion;
So they will be life to your soul and grace to your neck.
Then you will walk safely in your way, and your foot will not stumble.
When you lie down, you will not be afraid; yes, you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet.
Do not be afraid of sudden terror, nor of trouble from the wicked when it comes;
For the LORD will be your confidence, and will keep your foot from being caught.

Proverbs 3:19-26, www.solascriptura.com

Father, the magnificence of Your creation is constantly before us. You tell us that the clouds are as dust to Your feet and that You have named every star. Solomon advises us to never lose sight of Your omnipotence, Your omniscience and Your omnipresence. You have created every thing that exists, You are in complete control.

The wonder of it all is as grace to our neck, as a gentle refreshing breeze.

Solomon tells us that our love of You will keep us from failing, from falling prey to wickedness. We know that means that our relationship with You will keep us from the sort of fear that grips non-believers. We will fear evil and embrace goodness and You, Father, will help us through even the worst of circumstances here and You will deliver us to Your side, forever. Bless us we pray, amen.

Bruce Caldwell

The Sola Scriptura Project, P.O. Box 302, Franklin TN 37064

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Posted in Christianity, Courage, God's Gift, Heaven, Inspirtation, Providence of God, Religion, wisdom | 7 Comments »

Is working hard part of what God expects of us?

Wednesday, July 18th, 2012

Industriousness, July 18

I went by the field of the lazy man, and by the vineyard of the man devoid of understanding;
And there it was, all overgrown with thorns; its surface was covered with nettles; its stone wall was broken down.
When I saw it, I considered it well; I looked on it and received instruction:
A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest;
So shall your poverty come like a prowler, and your need like an armed man.

Be diligent to know the state of your flocks, and attend to your herds;
For riches are not forever, nor does a crown endure to all generations.
When the hay is removed, and the tender grass shows itself, and the herbs of the mountains are gathered in,
The lambs will provide your clothing, and the goats the price of a field;
You shall have enough goats’ milk for your food, for the food of your household, and the nourishment of your maidservants.

Proverbs 24:30-34, Proverbs 27:23-27, www.solascriptura.com

Father, Solomon observed and made logical deductions. Give us the wisdom to do the same. We know that endeavor, in Your name, is rewarded, but as clear as we are on that fact, we sometimes think that what we have personally accomplished will endure.

Help us not overly value the transitory. Help us see that our industriousness here is simply one more important part of Your plan for our lives.

We sometimes work hard here but our treasure is there, with You, forever. Strengthen our resolve to do the right thing, every day. In Christ’ name we pray, amen.

Bruce Caldwell

The Sola Scriptura Project, P.O. Box 302, Franklin TN 37064

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Posted in Courage, Fidelity, God's Gift, Industriousness, Law of God, Perseverance, wisdom | 36 Comments »