Posts Tagged ‘soul’
Thursday, April 18th, 2013
Prayer, Part I, April 18
Hear my prayer, O LORD, give ear to my supplications! In Your faithfulness answer me, and in Your righteousness.
Do not enter into judgment with Your servant, for in Your sight no one living is righteous.
For the enemy has persecuted my soul; he has crushed my life to the ground; he has made me dwell in darkness, like those who have long been dead.
Therefore my spirit is overwhelmed within me; my heart within me is distressed.
I remember the days of old; I meditate on all Your works; I muse on the work of Your hands.
I spread out my hands to You; my soul longs for You like a thirsty land. Selah
Answer me speedily, O LORD; my spirit fails! Do not hide Your face from me, lest I be like those who go down into the pit.
Psalm 143:1-7, www.solascriptura.com
Father, we know that King David and others suffered as they sought to fulfill Your expectations. We seldom suffer as we seek to do Your will. Perhaps we are less overt in our efforts and we are spared suffering because we do not engage in the battle. Help us this day to run the risk of being persecuted as a result of our declared love for You.
We do not seek persecution Father, but if it comes as a result of our efforts to serve You, so be it. Strengthen our resolve to be Your person in the midst of a sinful world and allow Your enemies to become as was always intended, Your children.
Give us love and wisdom in our witness. We pray in Jesus’ name, amen.
Bruce Caldwell
The Sola Scriptura Project, P.O. Box 302, Franklin TN 37064
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Tags: darkness, dead, distressed, enemy, faithfulness, judgment, Lord, meditate, muse, persecuted, Prayer, Psalm 143:1-7, righteousness, servant, soul, Spirit, supplications, thirsty
Posted in Christianity, Holy Spirit, Hope, Prayer, faith | 6 Comments »
Sunday, April 14th, 2013
Prayer, Part 2, April 14
The LORD has said to Me, ‘You are My Son, today I have begotten You. You have heard my voice: “Do not hide Your ear from my sighing, from my cry for help.”
You drew near on the day I called on You, and said, “Do not fear!”
O Lord, You have pleaded the case for my soul; you have redeemed my life.
Psalm 2:7, Lamentations 3:56-58, www.solascriptura.com
Father, Just as You declared Jesus, as Your only begotten Son, You assure us that we can cry out as Jeremiah did, for Your help. We know Father that Jesus made it possible for us to come into Your presence, cleansed, and prepared to speak to You.
We can stand before You without fear, though we shall surely be overwhelmed when we do so. You have provided a Lamb, a perfect stand-in for our sins and we joyfully accept Your gift of life but at the same time we feel so unworthy. The fact that Jesus “pleads our case” places it all in perspective. He is the perfect Advocate!
Help us today to see that our worthiness is not a result of our works but of our faith in You, Jesus and Your grace and love to us, Father.
Lead us this day to be like You, Jesus, we pray, amen.
Bruce Caldwell
The Sola Scriptura Project, P.O. Box 302, Franklin TN 37064
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Tags: begotten, fear, help, hide, Lord, pleaded, Prayer, Psalm 2:7, redeemed, sighing, Son, soul
Posted in Christianity, Hope, Prayer, Providence of God | 14 Comments »
Wednesday, April 3rd, 2013
Temptation, April 3
”If there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he gives you a sign or a wonder,
”and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, ‘Let us go after other gods’—which you have not known—‘ and let us serve them,’
”you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for the LORD your God is testing you to know whether you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
”You shall walk after the LORD your God and fear Him, and keep His commandments and obey His voice, and you shall serve Him and hold fast to Him.
… You, O God, have tested us; you have refined us as silver is refined.
Deuteronomy 13:1-4, Psalsm 66:10, www.solascriptura.com
Father, teach us the truth and help us not to be drawn into schemes or ideas that are contrary to Your word and Your revealed will. Help us turn to You for counsel being aware that the Holy Spirit utters prayers on our behalf of which we are unaware.
Keep us from trying to relate to so-called secret religious groups who feel there are hurdles one must leap in order to be associated with them. Help us not to be intrigued by those claiming to have some special knowledge, only available to them, and to members of their group. Help us never add or subtract a single word from Your Holy word.
Dear God, let us listen to Your word diligently (read, read, read, as a man dying of thirst) that we may never be led astray. In Jesus Holy name, we pray, amen.
Bruce Caldwell
The Sola Scriptura Project P.O.Box 302 Franklin TN 37064
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Tags: commandments, dreamer, dreams, fear, God, heart, Lord, prophet, refined, sign, silver, soul, temptation, testing, wonder
Posted in Christianity, Fidelity, Law of God, faith | 30 Comments »
Tuesday, March 26th, 2013
Prayer, Part I, March 26
Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning, for in You do I trust; cause me to know the way in which I should walk, for I lift up my soul to You.
Deliver me, O LORD, from my enemies; in You I take shelter.
Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God; your Spirit is good. Lead me in the land of uprightness.
Revive me, O LORD, for Your name’s sake! For Your righteousness’ sake bring my soul out of trouble.
In Your mercy cut off my enemies, and destroy all those who afflict my soul; for I am Your servant
Psalm 143:8-12, www.solascriptura.com
Father, if King David, a man after Your own heart, said, “teach me, lead me, revive me”, we surely want to look to his example and do the same. Our lives are so full of decision-making opportunities from very minor things to life-changing things, that we confess we need Your direction, Your counsel.
We are knocked about by evil influence and angry people. Our souls are troubled and our faith is tested by the circumstances of our lives. Help us O’God to know that You are present, every moment and give us peace as we go about Your business this day. We say “Your business” because our lives ultimately have no enduring meaning if we do not seek to do Your will.
Show us today what we can do to draw nearer to You and surely You will draw nearer to us. In Jesus Holy name, we pray, amen.
Bruce Caldwell
The Sola Scriptura Project, P.O. Box 302, Franklin TN 37064
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Tags: deliver, enemies, Lord, lovingkindness, Prayer, Psalm 143:8-12, shelter, soul, Spirit, teach, trust, uprightness
Posted in Christianity, God's Children, Hope, Inspirtation, Prayer, faith, peace | 192 Comments »
Wednesday, March 13th, 2013
Courage, March 13
… do not hide Your face from Your servant, for I am in trouble; hear me speedily.
Draw near to my soul, and redeem it; deliver me because of my enemies.
Psalm 69:17-18, www.solascriptura.com
Father, You tell us, over and over, that if we draw near to You, You will draw near to us. Yet, when facing difficult circumstances, we cry out for your help, forgetting at times, that You completely understand the anguish we are feeling.
We pray God for Your comfort and counsel in times of trouble. Distress seems to be as certain as the sunrise in some of our lives, far too often. Why Father must we endure tests, permitted by You? Are the tests intended to strengthen us? Could a muscle grow stronger that is never tested? Of course not Father but as much as we want to be in strong physical condition we now see that our spiritual strength must be developed by testing.
When we are tested we do resent the enemy that is tempting us to give up hope, to buckle under the pressure of the moment. Father, You have taught us that this life is as a vapor that quickly disappears. Help us today not to overly focus on the transitional but to see it as a very short trial that leads to an eternal triumph. Hear us, speedily, we pray and encourage us in every way; in Jesus name, amen.
Bruce Caldwell
The Sola Scriptura Project, P.O. Box 302, Franklin TN 37064
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Tags: Courage, deliver, enemies, hide, redeem, servant, soul, speedily, trouble
Posted in Christianity, Courage, Hope, Inspirtation, Perseverance, faith | 5 Comments »
Thursday, February 21st, 2013
Prayer, Part 2, February 21
Preserve me, O God, for in You I put my trust.
O my soul, you have said to the LORD, “You are my Lord, my goodness is nothing apart from You.”
As for the saints who are on the earth, “They are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.”
Their sorrows shall be multiplied who hasten after another god
O LORD, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup; you maintain my lot.
The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; yes, I have a good inheritance.
Psalm 16:1-6, www.solascriptura.com
Father, we know that our goodness, absent the presence of the Holy Spirit in our hearts, is more than just inadequate. When our fleshly instincts take over, we know we are running away from Your presence. Your word tells us that You delight in your saints, a designation none of us feel able to accept, yet it remains Your expectation. What is a saint, Father, but one whose life reflects Jesus? Help us this day to be more consistent in our walk with You.
You, Father, are not a transitory, undependable, father made of flesh. You are our permanent Heavenly Father, thus we do have a good inheritance. We are, gratefully, Your children. Your love for us exceeds human boundaries. What a wonderful designation….Your child. Amen and Amen.
Bruce Caldwell
The Sola Scriptura Project, P.O. Box 302, Franklin TN 37064
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Tags: excellent, God, goodness, inheritance, Lord, Prayer, preserve, Psalm 16:1-6, saints, sorrows, soul, trust
Posted in Christianity, God's Gift, Hope, Inspirtation, Prayer, Providence of God, faith | 15 Comments »
Sunday, February 10th, 2013
Hope, February 10 My soul, wait silently for God alone, for my expectation is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defense; I shall not be moved. In God is my salvation and my glory; the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us… Psalm 62:5-8, www.solascriptura.com Father, as we look about and decide who it is we can depend upon and who it is we can trust, our hearts and mind turn to You. You are the unchanging, ever-present force in our lives. Our expectations and hopes are centered upon You, not upon transitional persons or images made by man. You alone are our rock and our salvation. We look to You in times of trouble and we love it when You make our heart joyful with incomparable blessings; eternal blessings! We pour our heart out to You in hope and in praise. Help us today not to become depressed by the sin and pain all around us but to instead seek You and Your will for the lives of all the persons in the world. We love You in good times and in difficult times and we know Your eyes are constantly upon us. We pray in the Holy name of Jesus. Amen. Bruce Caldwell The Sola Scriptura Project, P.O. Box 302, Franklin TN 37064
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Tags: expectation, glory, God, Hope, refuge, rock, salvation, soul, trust
Posted in Christianity, God's Gift, Providence of God, faith | 53 Comments »
Wednesday, February 6th, 2013
Providence of God, February 5 Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life. …If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small. Deliver those who are drawn toward death, and hold back those stumbling to the slaughter. If you say, “Surely we did not know this,” does not He who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, does He not know it? And will He not render to each man according to his deeds? My son, eat honey because it is good, and the honeycomb which is sweet to your taste; So shall the knowledge of wisdom be to your soul; if you have found it, there is a prospect, and your hope will not be cut off. Proverbs 4:23; 24:10-14, www.solascriptura.com Father, Solomon, according to Your word, was the wisest man who ever lived. We know his wisdom was a gift from You. He tells us that “from our heart” all the issues of life come forward. He says that we must warn others and that You notice when we do not. We read that if we faint when we encounter adversity, something You promise will persist, then we are weak. We pray that as we face challenges this day, and is there ever a day that we do not face challenges, that we will remember that it is Your strength in us and available to us that will carry the moment. Father, the wisdom from You, freely given to those who ask, makes witnessing of Your love, a sweet experience. We read of our individual accountability and ask You to help us O’God to seek and to do Your will every day. In Jesus Holy name, we pray, amen. Bruce Caldwell The Sola Scriptura Project, P.O. Box 302, Franklin TN 37064
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Tags: adversity, death, diligence, heart, hearts, honey, issues, Proverbs 4:23; 24:10-14, soul, strength, stumbling, sweet, weighs, wisdom
Posted in Christianity, Law of God, Providence of God, faith | 53 Comments »
Saturday, January 19th, 2013
God’s Gifts, January 19
For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Hebrews 4:12, www.solascriptura.com
Father, there may not be another single verse in the Bible that says so much about how powerful the Bible is. Thank You for giving it to us.
Your word is a two edged sword bringing both salvation and judgement. It does cut both ways, revealing truth to Your children and a stern warning to those who doubt You and disobey You.
Your word is alive, it is dynamic. The more we learn of You the more we realize there is so much more to know and to experience. It is powerful, persuasive and permanently true. At the same time, it is gentle, loving and comforting.
Your word pierces to the depth of our soul, it discerns our thoughts and measures the intent of our hearts. What a tragedy it would be to have our Bibles taken from us, something You promise will happen during the Great Tribulation. Will we have stored Your word in our hearts?
Help each of us commit to spending more and more time in Your Holy, inspiring word this day and every day. We pray in Jesus’ name, amen.
Bruce Caldwell
The Sola Scriptura Project, P.O. Box 302, Franklin TN 37064
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Tags: discerner, gifts, God, heart, Hebrews 4:12, living, marrow, piercing, powerful, sharper, soul, Spirit, sword, word
Posted in Christianity, God's Gift, Inspirtation, Law of God, Providence of God | 16 Comments »
Monday, January 7th, 2013
Industriousness, January 7
Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back,
let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.
”… My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD.
”For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.
”For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.
”For you shall go out with joy, and be led out with peace; the mountains and the hills shall break forth into singing before you, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
James 5:19-20, Isaiah 55:8-12, www.solascriptura.com
Father, witnessing of Your love for us is our privilege but let us not take lightly the possibility that our witness may cause a sinner to return to You for an eternal reward. We have seen the joy of redemption; we have seen lives changed. A changed heart is a miracle to behold.
Your thoughts are higher than ours, Your ways beyond our complete understanding. You are indeed omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient.
You have told us that Your word does not return void. No one, having heard it or read it, can cancel it. It is indelible! Your word is truth. Thank You for the following words of wisdom from Hebrews 4:12:
For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Bruce Caldwell
The Sola Scriptura Project, P.O. Box 302, Franklin TN 37064
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Tags: brethern, death, earth, error, heavens, Industriousness, Isaiah 55:8-12, sinner, sins, soul, thoughts, truth, wanders
Posted in Christianity, Conscience, Fidelity, Industriousness, Law of God, Religion | 1 Comment »