Temptation #7

Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, "Has God indeed said, 'You shall not eat of every tree of the garden'?" And the woman said to the serpent, "We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; "but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.'" Then the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die. "For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.

Genesis 3:1-7, www.solascriptura.com

Father, thank You for sharing this account of "original sin". Some blame Eve for enticing her husband Adam to eat and some say Adam was responsible for being obedient, enticement or not.

You have taught us that it is from this point forward that all men are guilty of sin, born of the flesh; none, no not one, is perfect. You have taught us that it is only in Jesus' perfect atonement that our sins are forgiven and our spirit is witnessed to by Your Spirit. Yes Father, we are no longer in the Garden of Eden, but You have told us of Your plan to restore the Garden of Eden, in heaven.

We now realize our sinful state and our need for redemption from our sin. That is, provided we have confessed our sin and with a humble and contrite heart, have asked You for forgiveness and cleansing. By Your grace, through faith in Jesus Christ, we are saved. Due to the presence of the Holy Spirit, we need never lose the battle to sin again although perfection remains ahead of us. We seek to apprehend perfection but we find it is a race, all the way to the end. We pray for Your strength in us, constantly. In Jesus Holy name, we pray, amen.


Bruce Caldwell

Sanctification #1

you... are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. ...you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

1 Pet 2:5, 9 www.solascriptura.com

Father, we all face various trials and sometimes they are very severe. We read here that they are a test of the genuineness of our faith. Jesus, we have not seen You but we love You. We do not have blind faith, but faith based upon knowledge and experience. You are there for us, over and over.

The world has long awaited Your coming and now it has happened, as it was promised. You have redeemed those who love You. Our salvation is no longer in question. We await Your glorious return, with a reverent fear and joyful expectations. Breathe upon us afresh with the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. We pray in Jesus' Holy name, amen.

Hope #2

This is long and terribly important! This is the wisdom given to a fisherman by the power of the Holy Spirit. It was preserved for you.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls. Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things which angels desire to look into. Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy." And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, because "All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls away, But the word of the Lord endures forever." Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you.

Peter 1:3-25www.solascriptura.com

Amen and amen.

Bruce Caldwell