Courage, April 12

Courage, April 12

... though I might desire to boast, I will not be a fool; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, lest anyone should think of me above what he sees me to be or hears from me.
And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure.
Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me.
And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

2 Corinthians 12:6-10 www.solascriptura.com

Father, Paul was a lot like us. He wanted to boast of his good works in Your name but he knew that was not Your will. You allowed him to experience many difficulties and You told him it was for his own good.

We too do not always have smooth sailing in our Christian walk. The difference between us and Paul is immense, in terms of outreach and effectiveness, but he too experienced physical weakness and pain. It is his Spiritual strength that captures our attention.

You, at the same time, gave him challenges and successes and taught him and now us, that his successes, even in a weakened physical condition, are proof that You can use anyone, no matter how weak they are as long as they trust in You.

Jesus, we are weak, in so many ways. Here we learn that it is in our recognition of our inadequacies, that You empower us to serve. It is in Your strength that we go forward. How else could it be without our pride becoming a burden? Take away any trace of arrogance in our lives, we pray in Your Holy name, amen.

Bruce Caldwell

Courage, March 20

Courage, March 20

... I ..., after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints,
do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers:
that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him,
the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,
and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power
which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,
far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.

Ephesians 1:15-21 www.solascriptura.com

Jesus, this is the perfect prayer that we should offer for each other. Paul says he continues in prayer for these children of God. Can we do less? Help us today to focus on praying for each other and to encourage each other in the faith.

Paul says witness of who Jesus was and why He matters in your life. His name is above every name! We pray that His name and our Lord's Holy name is only spoken in fear and reverence. Forgive those who believe Your name, O' God, is an exclamation point. How Father did we become so irreverent?

Have mercy on the souls of those who are disobedient, we pray. Amen.

Bruce Caldwell

Courage, March 13

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.

Psalms 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 are 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

Courage, February 19

Courage, February 19

... God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind
Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.
Let all that you do be done with love.

2 Timothy 1:7, 1 Corinthians 16:13-14 www.solascriptura.com

Father, we seldom experience the kind of fear that is being felt by those who are in war zones and those who are being discriminated against, every day. We pray for them, we pray that You will give them peace and comfort. Where death prevails, life eternal is promised for all those that love You Jesus.

We know from Your word that perfect love casts out fear. That is why, Father, we can approach You and the challenges of life with confidence. Help us remember that neither man nor evil circumstance can do anything that would destroy Your love for us or our love for You.

Help us to be helpful, kind, considerate and loving so that Your love for us shines through. We pray in Jesus' Holy name, amen.

Bruce Caldwell

Courage, January 24

Courage, January 24

Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world.
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.

I John 4:17-18 www.solascriptura.com

Jesus, if we were to visualize what it will be like to stand in Your presence on judgment day, will we feel bold? How can we possibly be bold before You, given our sin? We know the answer and the Apostle John affirms it; if we have sincerely and humbly sought to be as You Jesus, in this life, from the moment of rebirth forward, then we stand before You, wrapped in Your righteousness, not ours and that enables us to do so boldly.

Because of Your love for us, we will not experience the torment of fear and trembling nor grinding and gnashing of teeth, which is what You say will be the experience of those who do not love You.

You teach us that fear is a result of separation from You and that our boldness comes from our dependence upon You. How else could it be? Bless us this day, we pray. We pray in Jesus' Holy name, amen.

Bruce Caldwell

Courage, December 21

Courage, December 21

Be surety for Your servant for good; do not let the proud oppress me.
My eyes fail from seeking Your salvation and Your righteous word.
Deal with Your servant according to Your mercy, and teach me Your statutes.
I am Your servant; give me understanding, that I may know Your testimonies.

Psalms 119:122-125 www.solascriptura.com

Father, You are our guarantor, the One who stands in the gap for us, the One who lifts us up in times of trouble.

Oh if it were true that our eyes failed us as a result of our continually seeking Your word and Your righteousness.

We beg of You, teach us Your statutes. Help us, today, to know that the initiative to learn is ours. The truths, Your statutes, lie before us. Give us understanding, peel back the uncertainty and reveal Yourself afresh, we pray in Jesus name, amen.

Bruce Caldwell

Courage, December 6

Courage, December 6

I opened my mouth and panted, for I longed for Your commandments.
Look upon me and be merciful to me, as Your custom is toward those who love Your name.
Direct my steps by Your word, and let no iniquity have dominion over me.
Redeem me from the oppression of man, that I may keep Your precepts.
Make Your face shine upon Your servant, and teach me Your statutes.
Rivers of water run down from my eyes, because men do not keep Your law.

Psalms 119:131-136 www.solascriptura.com

Father, will we ever open our mouth and pant, as one trying to sustain life while in pursuit of Your commandments? Here the Psalmist does so, begging You to fulfill his need for Your instruction, presence and compassion.

If in a moment of gasping for Your air, Your mercy lies ahead of us, would it not be when the end seems near, when fear has taken hold of us? Do we need to wait Father for dire circumstances before we seek the refreshment of Your Holy Spirit? No, Father, it is frequently in times of despair that we turn our eyes to You. If we only look to You when we are in trouble, what pitiful Christians we would be. Help us today to make you the center of all our experiences, not just when things are not going well. We look to You because there is no other perfect Friend.

The Psalmists laments, with tears, because men do not keep Your law. Give us a heart for the lost, Father, and help us, this day, to show Your love to others. We pray in Jesus' Holy name, amen.

Bruce Caldwell

Courage, November 22

Courage, November 22

It is time for You to act, O LORD, for they have regarded Your law as void.
Therefore I love Your commandments more than gold, yes, than fine gold!
Therefore all Your precepts concerning all things I consider to be right; I hate every false way.
Your testimonies are wonderful; therefore my soul keeps them.
The entrance of Your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.

Psalms 119:126-130 www.solascriptura.com

Father, sometimes we want You to raise Your hand against the enemy of Your people, now, right now! We know You will, but we see evil conquering good, too often. Give us patience as You allow or cause events to happen on Your timetable.

We love Your commandments and because we do, we dislike evil. Help us know that evil will be dealt with and help us in the meantime to pray for the salvation of all souls.

We pray, Father, that the entrance of Your word floods our lives with light and understanding this day. Bless us as we seek to serve You, in Jesus' name, amen.

Bruce Caldwell

Courage, November 9

Courage, November 9

Righteous are You, O LORD, and upright are Your judgments.
Your testimonies, which You have commanded, are righteous and very faithful.
My zeal has consumed me, because my enemies have forgotten Your words.
Your word is very pure; therefore Your servant loves it.
I am small and despised, yet I do not forget Your precepts.
Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and Your law is truth.
Trouble and anguish have overtaken me, yet Your commandments are my delights.
The righteousness of Your testimonies is everlasting; give me understanding, and I shall live

Psalms 119:137-144 www.solascriptura.com

Father, the Psalmist proclaims his love and loyalty and then laments over the loneliness of his circumstance because his enemies do not seek You and love You.

Father, give us courage when we feel that our witness is not well received. Give us understanding in the face of rejection, when it occurs. In the eyes of many, we are insignificant. If it were not for Your approval we would feel out of step, not always fitting in.

Help us, today, to know that our purpose in seeking You rises above any earthly, transitional concerns we may have. Encourage us and bless us we pray, in Jesus' name, amen.

Bruce Caldwell

Courage, October 24

Courage, October 24

I cry out with my whole heart; hear me, O LORD! I will keep Your statutes.
I cry out to You; save me, and I will keep Your testimonies.
I rise before the dawning of the morning, and cry for help; I hope in Your word.
My eyes are awake through the night watches, that I may meditate on Your word.
Hear my voice according to Your lovingkindness; O LORD, revive me according to Your justice.
They draw near who follow after wickedness; they are far from Your law.
You are near, O LORD, and all Your commandments are truth.

Psalms 119:145-151 www.solascriptura.com

Father, we see that the Psalmist cries out to You, with his whole heart. When God, have we felt such anguish, such concern? Jesus Himself talks about the times he "rose up early" to talk to You, to cry out for the needs of Your people. Here the Psalmist does the same and is sometimes awake through the entire night, meditating on Your word.

O' God, it seems the Scriptures point to a people that earnestly sought You, day and night and their words are here before us now. Would You have us be more like them, more diligent and courageous? You are truly near to us and Your commandments are truth. Help us appropriately respond to Your love. We pray in Jesus' Holy name, amen.

Bruce Caldwell

Courage, October 15

Courage, October 15

Concerning Your testimonies, I have known of old that You have founded them forever.
Consider my affliction and deliver me, for I do not forget Your law.
Plead my cause and redeem me; revive me according to Your word.
Salvation is far from the wicked, for they do not seek Your statutes.
Great are Your tender mercies, O LORD; revive me according to Your judgments.
Many are my persecutors and my enemies, yet I do not turn from Your testimonies.
I see the treacherous, and am disgusted, because they do not keep Your word.

Psalms 119:152-158 www.solascriptura.com

Father, the Psalmist reminds us that he has known for a long time that Your testimony to us, the Holy Scriptures, will last forever. Father, there is so little in our lives that will last forever. It all seems so transitional as we move through life with constant change ever present. Thank You for being the same, forever.

You, Jesus are our anchor, You plead our cause. What a magnificent truth. Our advocate is the Son of God!

The Psalmist says a person is wicked if they do not seek Your statutes. That is such a harsh statement but please, Father, have it not apply to any of us. Draw us unto You and Your word every day. Grant us Your tender mercies this day We pray in Jesus' Holy name, amen.

Bruce Caldwell

Courage, September 26

Courage, September 26

Consider how I love Your precepts; revive me, O LORD, according to Your lovingkindness.
The entirety of Your word is truth, and every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever.
Princes persecute me without a cause, but my heart stands in awe of Your word.
I rejoice at Your word as one who finds great treasure.
I hate and abhor lying, but I love Your law.
Seven times a day I praise You, because of Your righteous judgments.
Great peace have those who love Your law, and nothing causes them to stumble.

Psalms 119:159-165 www.solascriptura.com

Father, the Psalmist says he loves your teachings; they revive him and us, because the entire Bible is Your truth. What a great gift You have given us. We know the initiative is ours. We must reach out and seek You and Your word. Help us to do so, we pray.

Father, it is so hard, especially for busy parents, to take time to be alone with You, but when we do, we rejoice in the Light You shed upon us. Father, help us as parents to find a way to open the Scriptures with our children, frequently. Help them grow up seeing our commitment to You.

The Psalmist prays to You seven times a day. Help us grasp the fact that Your thoughts toward us exceed number, thus our response, though diligent, is meager in relation to Your focus on us. There are literally millions of angels watching after us and every child has their own angel assigned to them (Matthew 18:10). You are never absent! Grant us a special moment with You, this day. We pray in Jesus' Holy name, amen.

Bruce Caldwell

Courage, September, 7

Courage, September, 7

Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; you will stretch out Your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and Your right hand will save me.
The LORD will perfect that which concerns me; your mercy, O LORD, endures forever; do not forsake the works of Your hands.

Psalms 138:7-8 www.solascriptura.com

Dear God, we all have various kinds of difficult situations, troubles that seem to come at us, whether deserved or not. When we are within Your will, we know we will still have difficulties and troubles, but the Psalmist says You will stretch out Your hand against our enemies.

Father, losing at least some battles here is almost guaranteed. Help us not to get discouraged, not to give up hope in You. You allow us to be tested; You put us in situations that cause us to exercise our spiritual strength and our powers of discernment. Help us, today to know that we need to rely on You if we intend for our actions please You.

The Psalmist has it right, "The Lord will perfect that which concerns me". You will cause every challenge, met in Your strength, to end up in victory, either here or there. We commit ourselves to seeking Your will in good times and bad times. Bless us this day, amen.

Bruce Caldwell

Courage, August 19

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 make us feel 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

Courage, July 30

Courage, July 30

The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion.
Those who forsake the law praise the wicked, but such as keep the law contend with them.

The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe.

Proverbs 28:1, 4, 29:25, www.solascriptura.com

Father, Solomon teaches us something that is not always obvious. The wicked know they are being wicked and they are always looking over their shoulder, worrying about getting caught!

Those who love You prefer to seek You in righteousness and obedience and we know that when we do, we are comforted by You, not apprehended by the law.

The wicked applaud the wicked and in spite of the fact that each of them know they are sinning, they look away from Your impending judgment. Help us never develop a hardened heart, one that tries to dismiss You, God. We know, Father that even with the clear evidence that sin will be harshly judged, men and women ignore You and go on sinning.

Your word teaches us that eventually, on judgment day, they will drop to their knees and confess, they will be overtaken with fear and they will plead for Your mercy. We hear Solomon say "...whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe". Help us trust You and to stop willfully sinning if any of us are doing so. Grant us Your mercy. Oh how we pray for Your mercy. We pray in Jesus' Holy name, amen.

Bruce Caldwell

Courage, July 10

Courage, July 10

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.'
"Behold, all those who were incensed against you shall be ashamed and disgraced; they shall be as nothing, and those who strive with you shall perish.
You shall seek them and not find them—those who contended with you. Those who war against you shall be as nothing, as a nonexistent thing.

For I, the LORD your God, will hold your right hand, saying to you, 'Fear not, I will help you.'

Isaiah 41:10-13 www.solascriptura.com

Dear God, what powerful promises these are. Even in the midst of fear, You lift us up, You extend Your hand to us, in a very personal way. You are our God!

You clearly teach that those who choose to try and bring us down, to upset our faith, will be as non-existent. Their taunts and derisive comments will be silenced and we who endure, through faith in You, will know eternal peace.

Father, even though these words are true, we pray for the enemy; we seek to experience the truth of the New Covenant, wherein Your truth is written upon our hearts. Yes, if the enemy chooses to remain Your enemy as well, they will perish but help us to help them.

Give us a heart to love those who do not deserve our love just as we, when we came to You as sinners, did not deserve Your love. Strengthen us. We can never be as You in our own strength. Amen.

Bruce Caldwell

Courage, June 15

Courage, June 15

"I, the LORD, have called You in righteousness, and will hold Your hand;

"For the Lord GOD will help Me; therefore I will not be disgraced; therefore I have set My face like a flint, and I know that I will not be ashamed.
He is near who justifies Me; who will contend with Me? Let us stand together. Who is My adversary? Let him come near Me.
Surely the Lord GOD will help Me; who is he who will condemn Me? Indeed they will all grow old like a garment; the moth will eat them up.
"Who among you fears the LORD? Who obeys the voice of His Servant? Who walks in darkness and has no light? Let him trust in the name of the LORD and rely upon his God.

Isaiah 42:6, 50:7-10 www.solascriptura.com

Father, this first verse capitalizes "You". We know, therefore, that the prophet was saying that You, God, will hold the hand of Jesus during His time with us. Then we notice that all of these verses pertain to Jesus except the last one, wherein You address us.

We are to obey the voice of Your Servant, Jesus. We are to rely upon You God, in the same way Jesus did.

It is You Jesus who will not be disgraced or ashamed in the eyes of the Father; it is You that God justifies. Who can contend with You, who is Your adversary? You Jesus will judge us; You will uphold those that seek You. You and the Father are one and we can be one with You. That is empowerment and a bit beyond our understanding. We simply acknowledge that it is true. In Jesus' name we come to you, Amen.

Bruce Caldwell

Courage, May 27

Courage, May 27

...we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees?
But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.

Romans 8:24-25 www.solascriptura.com

Father, the Apostles walked with Jesus and we can see from a very large body of evidence that he did indeed live among the people and that they saw the miracles and experienced the teachings of Jesus first-hand.

We base our faith and our hope in things that we did not see nor experience. It is so hard, Father, to be certain in our faith, at times, because we simply can not understand ethereal and spiritual things, perfectly, from this earthly viewpoint. We confess the unevenness of our faith and pray that you will breathe upon us afresh, strengthening our resolve to go forward in hope.

There are some things, Jesus, which we can directly experience. We can experience the renewal of our lives, the uplifting of the Spirit and the counsel of Your Holy word. Yes, Jesus, You do love us, You do hear our prayers and You do attend to our needs. To whom else can we turn? Our hope in is You. Amen.

Bruce Caldwell

Courage, May 5

Courage, May 5

... let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel,
and not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that from God.

For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame."

Philippians 1:27-28, Romans 10:11, www.solascriptura.com

Jesus, as Paul toured the area and preached he appealed to his listeners to be diligent, whether he was present with them or not. We know many did faithfully follow his teaching concerning You and some lost hope.

Unlike Paul, who could only be in one city at a time, Your Spirit, Jesus, is everywhere. You are always present, always aware of our thoughts, actions and words. May we bravely proclaim You when we might be inclined to keep silent. Jesus, help us to be Your good and faithful servants, constantly.

Empower, us this day, to access the depth of Your presence, Your support and Your love. You are, at the same moment, our Friend, our Lord and our Protector. Bless us as we seek to serve You this day. Amen.

Bruce Caldwell

Courage, April 12

Courage, April 12

... though I might desire to boast, I will not be a fool; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, lest anyone should think of me above what he sees me to be or hears from me.
And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure.
Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me.
And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

2 Corinthians 12:6-10 www.solascriptura.com

Father, Paul was a lot like us. He wanted to boast of his good works in Your name but he knew that was not Your will. You allowed him to experience many difficulties and You told him it was for his own good.

We too do not always have smooth sailing in our Christian walk. The difference between us and Paul is immense, in terms of outreach and effectiveness, but he too experienced physical weakness and pain. It is his Spiritual strength that captures our attention.

You, at the same time, gave him challenges and successes and taught him and now us, that his successes, even in a weakened physical condition, are proof that You can use anyone, no matter how weak they are as long as they trust in You.

Jesus, we are weak, in so many ways. Here we learn that it is in our recognition of our inadequacies, that You empower us to serve. It is in Your strength that we go forward. How else could it be without our pride becoming a burden? Take away any trace of arrogance in our lives, we pray in Your Holy name, amen.

Bruce Caldwell

Courage, March 20

Courage, March 20

... I ..., after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints,
do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers:
that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him,
the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,
and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power
which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,
far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.

Ephesians 1:15-21 www.solascriptura.com

Jesus, this is the perfect prayer that we should offer for each other. Paul says he continues in prayer for these children of God. Can we do less? Help us today to focus on praying for each other and to encourage each other in the faith.

Paul says witness of who Jesus was and why He matters in your life. His name is above every name! We pray that His name and our Lord's Holy name is only spoken in fear and reverence. Forgive those who believe Your name, O' God, is an exclamation point. How Father did we become so irreverent?

Have mercy on the souls of those who are disobedient, we pray. Amen.

Bruce Caldwell

Persecution, March 13

Persecution, 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.

Psalms 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 are 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

Courage, February 19

Courage, February 19

... God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind
Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.
Let all that you do be done with love.

2 Timothy 1:7, 1 Corinthians 16:13-14 www.solascriptura.com

Father, we seldom experience the kind of fear that is being felt by those who are in war zones and those who are being discriminated against, every day. We pray for them, we pray that You will give them peace and comfort. Where death prevails, life eternal is promised for all those that love You Jesus.

We know from Your word that perfect love casts out fear. That is why, Father, we can approach You and the challenges of life with confidence. Help us remember that neither man nor evil circumstance can do anything that would destroy Your love for us or our love for You.

Help us to be helpful, kind, considerate and loving so that Your love for us shines through. We pray in Jesus' Holy name, amen.

Bruce Caldwell

Courage, January 24, 2009

Courage, January 24, 2009

Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world.
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.

I John 4:17-18 www.solascriptura.com

Jesus, if we were to visualize what it will be like to stand in Your presence on judgment day, will we feel bold? How can we possibly be bold before You, given our sin? We know the answer and the Apostle John affirms it; if we have sincerely and humbly sought to be as You Jesus, in this life, from the moment of rebirth forward, then we stand before You, wrapped in Your righteousness, not ours and that enables us to do so boldly.

Because of Your love for us, we will not experience the torment of fear and trembling nor grinding and gnashing of teeth, which is what You say will be the experience of those who do not love You.

You teach us that fear is a result of separation from You and that our boldness comes from our dependence upon You. How else could it be? Bless us this day, we pray. We pray in Jesus' Holy name, amen.

Bruce Caldwell

Courage, December 21, 2008

Courage, December 21, 2008

Be surety for Your servant for good; do not let the proud oppress me.
My eyes fail from seeking Your salvation and Your righteous word.
Deal with Your servant according to Your mercy, and teach me Your statutes.
I am Your servant; give me understanding, that I may know Your testimonies.

Psalms 119:122-125 www.solascriptura.com

Father, You are our guarantor, the One who stands in the gap for us, the One who lifts us up in times of trouble.

Oh if it were true that our eyes failed us as a result of our continually seeking Your word and Your righteousness.

We beg of You, teach us Your statutes. Help us, today, to know that the initiative to learn is ours. The truths, Your statutes, lie before us. Give us understanding, peel back the uncertainty and reveal Yourself afresh, we pray in Jesus name, amen.

Bruce Caldwell

Courage, December 6, 2008

Courage, December 6, 2008

I opened my mouth and panted, for I longed for Your commandments.
Look upon me and be merciful to me, as Your custom is toward those who love Your name.
Direct my steps by Your word, and let no iniquity have dominion over me.
Redeem me from the oppression of man, that I may keep Your precepts.
Make Your face shine upon Your servant, and teach me Your statutes.
Rivers of water run down from my eyes, because men do not keep Your law.

Psalms 119:131-136 www.solascriptura.com

Father, will we ever open our mouth and pant, as one trying to sustain life while in pursuit of Your commandments? Here the Psalmist does so, begging You to fulfill his need for Your instruction, presence and compassion.

If in a moment of gasping for Your air, Your mercy lies ahead of us, would it not be when the end seems near, when fear has taken hold of us? Do we need to wait Father for dire circumstances before we seek the refreshment of Your Holy Spirit? No, Father, it is frequently in times of despair that we turn our eyes to You. If we only look to You when we are in trouble, what pitiful Christians we would be. Help us today to make you the center of all our experiences, not just when things are not going well. We look to You because there is no other perfect Friend.

The Psalmists laments, with tears, because men do not keep Your law. Give us a heart for the lost, Father, and help us, this day, to show Your love to others. We pray in Jesus' Holy name, amen.

Bruce Caldwell

Courage, November 22, 2008

Courage, November 22, 2008

It is time for You to act, O LORD, for they have regarded Your law as void.
Therefore I love Your commandments more than gold, yes, than fine gold!
Therefore all Your precepts concerning all things I consider to be right; I hate every false way.
Your testimonies are wonderful; therefore my soul keeps them.
The entrance of Your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.

Psalms 119:126-130 www.solascriptura.com

Father, sometimes we want You to raise Your hand against the enemy of Your people, now, right now! We know You will, but we see evil conquering good, too often. Give us patience as You allow or cause events to happen on Your timetable.

We love Your commandments and because we do, we dislike evil. Help us to know that evil will be dealt with and help us in the meantime to pray for the salvation of all souls.

We pray, Father, that the entrance of Your word floods our lives with light and understanding this day. Bless us as we seek to serve You, in Jesus' name, amen.

Bruce Caldwell

Courage, November 9, 2008

Courage, November 9, 2008

Righteous are You, O LORD, and upright are Your judgments.
Your testimonies, which You have commanded, are righteous and very faithful.
My zeal has consumed me, because my enemies have forgotten Your words.
Your word is very pure; therefore Your servant loves it.
I am small and despised, yet I do not forget Your precepts.
Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and Your law is truth.
Trouble and anguish have overtaken me, yet Your commandments are my delights.
The righteousness of Your testimonies is everlasting; give me understanding, and I shall live

Psalms 119:137-144 www.solascriptura.com

Father, the Psalmist proclaims his love and loyalty and then laments over the loneliness of his circumstance because his enemies do not seek You and love You.

Father, give us courage when we feel that our witness is not well received. Give us understanding in the face of rejection, when it occurs. In the eyes of many, we are insignificant. If it were not for Your approval we would feel out of step, not always fitting in.

Help us, today, to know that our purpose in seeking You rises above any earthly, transitional concerns we may have. Encourage us and bless us we pray, in Jesus' name, amen.

Bruce Caldwell

Courage, October 24, 2008

Courage, October 24, 2008

I cry out with my whole heart; hear me, O LORD! I will keep Your statutes.
I cry out to You; save me, and I will keep Your testimonies.
I rise before the dawning of the morning, and cry for help; I hope in Your word.
My eyes are awake through the night watches, that I may meditate on Your word.
Hear my voice according to Your lovingkindness; O LORD, revive me according to Your justice.
They draw near who follow after wickedness; they are far from Your law.
You are near, O LORD, and all Your commandments are truth.

Psalms 119:145-151 www.solascriptura.com

Father, we see that the Psalmist cries out to You, with his whole heart. When God, have we felt such anguish, such concern? Jesus Himself talks about the times he "rose up early" to talk to You, to cry out for the needs of Your people. Here the Psalmist does the same and is sometimes awake through the entire night, meditating on Your word.

O' God, it seems the Scriptures point to a people that earnestly sought You, day and night and their words are here before us now. Would You have us be more like them, more diligent and courageous? You are truly near to us and Your commandments are truth. Help us appropriately respond to Your love. We pray in Jesus' Holy name, amen.

Bruce Caldwell

Courage, October 15, 2008

Courage, October 15, 2008

Concerning Your testimonies, I have known of old that You have founded them forever.
Consider my affliction and deliver me, for I do not forget Your law.
Plead my cause and redeem me; revive me according to Your word.
Salvation is far from the wicked, for they do not seek Your statutes.
Great are Your tender mercies, O LORD; revive me according to Your judgments.
Many are my persecutors and my enemies, yet I do not turn from Your testimonies.
I see the treacherous, and am disgusted, because they do not keep Your word.

Psalms 119:152-158 www.solascriptura.com

Father, the Psalmist reminds us that he has known for a long time that Your testimony to us, the Holy Scriptures, will last forever. Father, there is so little in our lives that will last forever. It all seems so transitional as we move through life with constant change ever present. Thank You for being the same, forever.

You, Jesus are our anchor, You plead our cause. What a magnificent truth. Our advocate is the Son of God!

The Psalmist says a person is wicked if they do not seek Your statutes. That is such a harsh statement but please, Father, have it not apply to any of us. Draw us unto You and Your word every day. Grant us Your tender mercies this day We pray in Jesus' Holy name, amen.

Bruce Caldwell

Courage, September 26, 2008

Courage, September 26, 2008

Consider how I love Your precepts; revive me, O LORD, according to Your lovingkindness.
The entirety of Your word is truth, and every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever.
Princes persecute me without a cause, but my heart stands in awe of Your word.
I rejoice at Your word as one who finds great treasure.
I hate and abhor lying, but I love Your law.
Seven times a day I praise You, because of Your righteous judgments.
Great peace have those who love Your law, and nothing causes them to stumble.

Psalms 119:159-165 www.solascriptura.com

Father, the Psalmist says he loves your teachings; they revive him and us, because the entire Bible is Your truth. What a great gift You have given us. We know the initiative is ours. We must reach out and seek You and Your word. Help us to do so, we pray.

Father, it is so hard, especially for busy parents, to take time to be alone with You, but when we do, we rejoice in the Light you shed upon us. Father, help us as parents to find a way to open the Scriptures with our children, frequently. Help them grow up seeing our commitment to You.

The Psalmist prays to You seven times a day. Help us to know that Your thoughts toward us exceed number, thus our response, though diligent, is meager in relation to Your focus on us. There are literally millions of angels watching after us and every child has their own angel assigned to them (Matthew 18:10). You are never absent! Grant us a special moment with You, this day. We pray in Jesus' Holy name, amen.

Bruce Caldwell

Courage, September, 7, 2008

Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; you will stretch out Your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and Your right hand will save me.
The LORD will perfect that which concerns me; your mercy, O LORD, endures forever; do not forsake the works of Your hands.

Psalms 138:7-8 www.solascriptura.com

Dear God, we all have various kinds of difficult situations, troubles that seem to come at us, whether deserved or not. When we are within Your will, we know we will still have difficulties and troubles, but the Psalmist says You will stretch out Your hand against our enemies.

Father, losing battles here is almost guaranteed. Help us not to get discouraged, not to give up hope in You. You allow us to be tested; You put us in situations that cause us to exercise our spiritual strength and our powers of discernment. Help us, today to know that we need to rely on You if we intend for our actions please You.

The Psalmist has it right, "The Lord will perfect that which concerns me". You will cause every challenge, met in Your strength, to end up in victory, either here or there. We commit ourselves to seeking Your will in good times and bad times. Bless us this day, amen.

Bruce Caldwell

Courage, August 19, 2008

Courage, August 19, 2008

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 make us feel 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

Courage, July 30, 2008

Courage, July 30, 2008

The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion.
Those who forsake the law praise the wicked, but such as keep the law contend with them.

The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe.

Proverbs 28:1, 4, 29:25, www.solascriptura.com

Father, Solomon teaches us something that is not always obvious. The wicked know they are being wicked and they are always looking over their shoulder, worrying about getting caught!

Those who love You prefer to seek You in righteousness and obedience and we know that when we do, we are comforted by You, not apprehended by the law.

The wicked applaud the wicked and in spite of the fact that each of them know they are sinning, they look away from Your impending judgment. Help us never to develop a hardened heart, one that tries to dismiss You, God. We know, Father that even with the clear evidence that sin will be harshly judged, men and women ignore You and go on sinning.

Your word teaches us that eventually, on judgment day, they will drop to their knees and confess, they will be overtaken with fear and they will plead for Your mercy. We hear Solomon say "...whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe". Help us to trust You and to stop willfully sinning if any of us are doing so. Grant us Your mercy. Oh how we pray for Your mercy. We pray in Jesus' Holy name, amen.

Bruce Caldwell

Courage, July 10, 2008

Courage, July 10, 2008

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.'
"Behold, all those who were incensed against you shall be ashamed and disgraced; they shall be as nothing, and those who strive with you shall perish.
You shall seek them and not find them—those who contended with you. Those who war against you shall be as nothing, as a nonexistent thing.

For I, the LORD your God, will hold your right hand, saying to you, 'Fear not, I will help you.'

Isaiah 41:10-13 www.solascriptura.com

Dear God, what powerful promises these are. Even in the midst of fear, You lift us up, You extend Your hand to us, in a very personal way. You are our God!

You clearly teach that those who choose to try and bring us down, to upset our faith, will be as non-existent. Their taunts and derisive comments will be silenced and we who endure, through faith in You, will know eternal peace.

Father, even though these words are true, we pray for the enemy; we seek to experience the truth of the New Covenant, wherein Your truth is written upon our hearts. Yes, if the enemy chooses to remain Your enemy as well, they will perish but help us to help them. Give us a heart to love those who do not deserve our love just as we, when we came to You as sinners, did not deserve Your love. Strengthen us. We can never be as You in our own strength. Amen.

Bruce Caldwell

Courage, June 15, 2008

Courage, June 15, 2008

"I, the LORD, have called You in righteousness, and will hold Your hand;

"For the Lord GOD will help Me; therefore I will not be disgraced; therefore I have set My face like a flint, and I know that I will not be ashamed.
He is near who justifies Me; who will contend with Me? Let us stand together. Who is My adversary? Let him come near Me.
Surely the Lord GOD will help Me; who is he who will condemn Me? Indeed they will all grow old like a garment; the moth will eat them up.
"Who among you fears the LORD? Who obeys the voice of His Servant? Who walks in darkness and has no light? Let him trust in the name of the LORD and rely upon his God.

Isaiah 42:6, 50:7-10 www.solascriptura.com

Father, this first verse capitalizes "You". We know, therefore, that the prophet was saying that You, God, will hold the hand of Jesus during His time with us. Then we notice that all of these verses pertain to Jesus except the last one, wherein You address us.

We are to obey the voice of Your Servant, Jesus. We are to rely upon You God, in the same way Jesus did.

It is You Jesus who will not be disgraced or ashamed in the eyes of the Father; it is You that God justifies. Who can contend with You, who is Your adversary? You Jesus will judge us; You will uphold those that seek You. You and the Father are one and we can be one with You. That is empowerment and a bit beyond our understanding. We simply acknowledge that it is true. In Jesus' name we come to you, Amen.

Bruce Caldwell

Courage, May 27, 2008

Courage, May 27, 2008

...we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees?
But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.

Romans 8:24-25 www.solascriptura.com

Father, the Apostles walked with Jesus and we can see from a very large body of evidence that he did indeed live among the people and that they saw the miracles and experienced the teachings of Jesus first-hand.

We base our faith and our hope in things that we did not see nor experience. It is so hard, Father, to be certain in our faith, at times, because we simply can not understand ethereal and spiritual things, perfectly, from this earthly viewpoint. We confess the unevenness of our faith and pray that you will breathe upon us afresh, strengthening our resolve to go forward in hope.

There are some things, Jesus, which we can directly experience. We can experience the renewal of our lives, the uplifting of the Spirit and the counsel of Your Holy word. Yes, Jesus, You do love us, You do hear our prayers and You do attend to our needs. To whom else can we turn? Our hope in is You. Amen.

Bruce Caldwell

Courage, May 5, 2008

Courage, May 5, 2008

... let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel,
and not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that from God.

For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame."

Philippians 1:27-28, Romans 10:11, www.solascriptura.com

Jesus, as Paul toured the area and preached he appealed to his listeners to be diligent, whether he was present with them or not. We know many did faithfully follow his teaching concerning You and some lost hope.

Unlike Paul, who could only be in one city at a time, Your Spirit, Jesus, is everywhere. You are always present, always aware of our thoughts, actions and words. May we bravely proclaim You when we might be inclined to keep silent. Jesus, help us to be Your good and faithful servants, constantly.

Empower, us this day, to access the depth of Your presence, Your support and Your love. You are, at the same moment, our Friend, our Lord and our Protector. Bless us as we seek to serve You this day. Amen.

Bruce Caldwell

Courage, April 12, 2008

Courage, April 12, 2008

... though I might desire to boast, I will not be a fool; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, lest anyone should think of me above what he sees me to be or hears from me.
And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure.
Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me.
And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

2 Corinthians 12:6-10 www.solascriptura.com

Father, Paul was a lot like us. He wanted to boast of his good works in Your name but he knew that was not Your will. You allowed him to experience many difficulties and You told him it was for his own good.

We too do not always have smooth sailing in our Christian walk. The difference between us and Paul is immense, in terms of outreach and effectiveness, but he too experienced physical weakness and pain. It is his Spiritual strength that captures our attention. You, at the same time, gave him challenges and successes and taught him and now us, that his successes, even in a weakened physical condition, are proof that You can use anyone, no matter how weak they are as long as they trust in You.

Jesus, we are weak, in so many ways. Here we learn that it is in our recognition of our inadequacies, that You empower us to serve. It is in Your strength that we go forward. How else could it be without our pride becoming a burden? Take away any trace of arrogance in our lives, we pray in Your Holy name, amen.

Bruce Caldwell

To be removed click here:

http://app.icontact.com/icp/mmail-mprofile.pl?r=10466934&l=19402&s=O8UL&m=162877&c=207588

Courage, March 20, 2008

Courage, March 20, 2008

... I ..., after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints,
do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers:
that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him,
the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,
and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power
which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,
far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.

Ephesians 1:15-21 www.solascriptura.com

Jesus, this is the perfect prayer that we should offer for each other. Paul says he continues in prayer for these children of God. Can we do less? Help us today to focus on praying for each other and to encourage each other in the faith.

Paul says witness of who Jesus was and why He matters in your life. His name is above every name! We pray that His name and our Lord's Holy name is only spoken in fear and reverence. Forgive those who believe Your name, O' God, is an exclamation point. How Father did we become so irreverent?

Have mercy on the souls of those who are disobedient, we pray. Amen.

Bruce Caldwell

To be removed click here:

http://app.icontact.com/icp/mmail-mprofile.pl?r=10466934&l=19402&s=O8UL&m=161548&c=207588

Courage #1

Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.

I John 4:17-18 www.solascriptura.com

Jesus, if we were to visualize what it will be like to stand in Your presence on judgment day, will we feel bold? How can we possibly be bold before You, given our sin? We know the answer and the Apostle John reaffirms it; if we have sincerely and humbly sought to be as You Jesus, in this life, from the moment of rebirth forward, then we stand before You, wrapped in Your righteousness, not ours and that allows us to do so boldly.

Because of Your love for us, we will not experience the torment of fear and trembling nor grinding or gnashing of teeth, which is what You say will be the experience of those who do not love You.

You teach us that fear is a result of separation from You and that our boldness comes from our dependence upon You. How else could it be? Bless us this day, we pray. We pray in Jesus' Holy name, amen.

Bruce Caldwell

Courage

Conscience #2

... God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind

Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. Let all that you do be done with love.

2 Timothy 1:7, 1 Corinthians 16:13-14 www.solascriptura.com

Father, we seldom experience the kind of fear that is being felt by those who are in war zones and those who are being discriminated against, every day. We pray for them, we pray that You will give them peace and comfort.

We know from Your word that perfect love casts out fear. That is why, Father, we can approach You with confidence. Help us to remember that neither man nor evil circumstance can do anything that would destroy Your love for us or our love for You. Help us to be helpful, kind, considerate and loving so that Your love for us shines through. We pray in Jesus' Holy name, amen.

Bruce Caldwell

Courage #3

... I ..., after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.

Ephesians 1:15-21 www.solascriptura.com

Jesus, this is the perfect prayer that we should offer for each other. Paul says he continues in prayer for these children of God. Can we do less? Help us today to focus on praying for each other and to encourage each other in the faith.

Paul says witness of who Jesus was and why He matters in your life. His name is above every name! We pray that His name and our Lord's Holy name is only spoken in fear and reverence. Forgive those who believe Your name, O' God, is an exclamation point. How Father did we become so irreverent? Have mercy on the souls of those who are disobedient, we pray. Amen.

Bruce Caldwell

Courage #4

... though I might desire to boast, I will not be a fool; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, lest anyone should think of me above what he sees me to be or hears from me. And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

2 Corinthians 12:6-10 www.solascriptura.com

Father, Paul was a lot like us. He wanted to boast of his good works in Your name but he knew that was not Your will. You allowed him to experience many difficulties and You told him it was for his own good.

We too do not always have smooth sailing in our Christian walk. The difference between us and Paul is immense, in terms of outreach and effectiveness, but he too experienced physical weakness and pain. It is his Spiritual strength that captures our attention. You, at the same time, gave him challenges and successes and taught him and now us, that his successes, even in a weakened physical condition, are proof that You can use anyone, no matter how weak they are as long as they trust in You.

Jesus, we are weak, in so many ways. Here we learn that it is in our recognition of our inadequacies, that You empower us to serve. It is in Your strength that we go forward. How else could it be without our pride becoming a burden? Take away any trace of arrogance in our lives, we pray in Your name, amen.

Bruce Caldwell

Courage #5

... let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel, and not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that from God.

For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame."

Philippians 1:27-28, Romans 10:11, www.solascriptura.com

Jesus, as Paul toured the area and preached he appealed to his listeners to be diligent, whether he was present with them or not. We know many did faithfully follow his teaching concerning You and some lost hope.

Unlike Paul, who could only be in one city at a time, Your Spirit, Jesus, is everywhere. You are always present, always aware of our thoughts, actions and words. Jesus, help us to be Your good and faithful servants, constantly.

Empower, us this day, to access the depth of Your presence, Your support and Your love. You are, at the same moment, our Friend and our Lord. Bless us as we seek You this day. Amen.

Bruce Caldwell

Courage #6

...we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.

Romans 8:24-25 www.solascriptura.com

Father, the Apostles walked with Jesus and we can see from a very large body of evidence that he did indeed live among the people and that they saw the miracles and experienced the teachings of Jesus first-hand.

We base our faith and our hope in things that we did not see nor experience. It is so hard, Father, to be certain in our faith, at times, because we simply can not understand ethereal and spiritual things, perfectly, from this earthly viewpoint. We confess the unevenness of our faith and pray that you will breathe upon us afresh, strengthening our resolve to go forward in hope.

There are some things, Jesus, which we can directly experience. We can experience the renewal of our lives, the uplifting of the Spirit and the counsel of Your Holy word. Yes, Jesus, You do love us, You do hear our prayers and You do attend to our needs. To whom else can we turn? Our hope in is You. Amen.

Bruce Caldwell

Courage #7

"I, the LORD, have called You in righteousness, and will hold Your hand;

"For the Lord GOD will help Me; therefore I will not be disgraced; therefore I have set My face like a flint, and I know that I will not be ashamed. He is near who justifies Me; who will contend with Me? Let us stand together. Who is My adversary? Let him come near Me. Surely the Lord GOD will help Me; who is he who will condemn Me? Indeed they will all grow old like a garment; the moth will eat them up. "Who among you fears the LORD? Who obeys the voice of His Servant? Who walks in darkness and has no light? Let him trust in the name of the LORD and rely upon his God.

Isaiah 42:6, 50:7-10 www.solascriptura.com

Father, this first verse capitalizes "You". We know, therefore, that the prophet was saying that You, God, will hold the hand of Jesus during His time with us. Then we notice that all of these verses pertain to Jesus except the last one, wherein You address us.

We are to obey the voice of Your Servant, Jesus. We are to rely upon You God, in the same way Jesus did.

It is You Jesus who will not be disgraced or ashamed in the eyes of the Father; it is You that God justifies. Who can contend with You, who is Your adversary? You Jesus will judge us; You will uphold those that seek You. You and the Father are one and we can be one with You. That is true empowerment and a bit beyond our understanding. We simply acknowledge that it is true. Amen.

Bruce Caldwell

Courage #8

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.' "Behold, all those who were incensed against you shall be ashamed and disgraced; they shall be as nothing, and those who strive with you shall perish. You shall seek them and not find them—those who contended with you. Those who war against you shall be as nothing, as a nonexistent thing.

For I, the LORD your God, will hold your right hand, saying to you, 'Fear not, I will help you.'

Isaiah 41:10-13 www.solascriptura.com

Dear God, what powerful promises these are. Even in the midst of fear, You lift us up, You extend Your hand to us, in a very personal way. You are our God!

You clearly teach that those who choose to try and bring us down, to upset our faith, will be as non-existent. Their taunts and derisive comments will be silenced and we who endure, through faith in You, will know eternal peace.

Father, even though these words are true, we pray for the enemy; we seek to experience the truth of the New Covenant, where Your truth is written upon our hearts. Yes, if the enemy chooses to remain Your enemy as well, they will perish but help us to help them. Give us a heart to love those who do not deserve our love just as we, when we came to You as sinners, did not deserve Your love. Strengthen us. We can never be as You in our own strength. Amen.

Bruce Caldwell

Courage #9

The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion. Those who forsake the law praise the wicked, but such as keep the law contend with them.

The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe.

Proverbs 28:1, 4, 29:25 www.solascriptura.com

Father, Solomon teaches us something that is not always obvious. The wicked know they are being wicked and they are always looking over their shoulder, worrying about getting caught!

Those who love You prefer to seek You in righteousness and obedience and we know that when we do, we are comforted by You, not apprehended by the law.

The wicked applaud the wicked and in spite of the fact that each of them know they are sinning, they look away from Your impending judgment. Help us never to develop a hardened heart, one that tries to dismiss You, God. We know, Father that even with the clear evidence that sin will be harshly judged, men and women ignore You and go on sinning.

Your word teaches us that eventually, on judgment day, they will drop to their knees and confess, they will be overtaken with fear and they will plead for Your mercy. We hear Solomon say "...whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe". Help us to trust You and to stop willfully sinning if any of us are doing so. Grant us Your mercy. Oh how we pray for Your mercy. We pray in Jesus' Holy name, amen.

Bruce Caldwell

Courage #10

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 make us feel 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

Courage #11

Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; you will stretch out Your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and Your right hand will save me. The LORD will perfect that which concerns me; your mercy, O LORD, endures forever; do not forsake the works of Your hands.

Psalms 138:7-8 www.solascriptura.com

Dear God, we all have various kinds of difficult situations, troubles that seem to come at us, whether deserved or not. When we are within Your will, we know we will still have difficulties and troubles, but the Psalmist says You will stretch out Your hand against our enemies.

Father, losing battles here is almost guaranteed. Help us not to get discouraged, not to give up hope in You. You allow us to be tested; You put us in situations that cause us to exercise our strengths. Help us, today to know that we need to rely on You if we intend for our actions please You.

The Psalmist has it right, "The Lord will perfect that which concerns me". You will cause every challenge, met in Your strength, to end up in victory, either here or there. We commit ourselves to seeking Your will in good times and bad times. Bless us this day, amen.

Bruce Caldwell

Courage #12

Consider how I love Your precepts; revive me, O LORD, according to Your lovingkindness. The entirety of Your word is truth, and every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever. Princes persecute me without a cause, but my heart stands in awe of Your word. I rejoice at Your word as one who finds great treasure. I hate and abhor lying, but I love Your law. Seven times a day I praise You, because of Your righteous judgments. Great peace have those who love Your law, and nothing causes them to stumble.

Psalms 119:159-165 www.solascriptura.com

Father, the Psalmist says he loves your teachings; they revive him and us, because the entire Bible is Your truth. What a great gift You have given us. We know the initiative is ours. We must reach out and seek You and Your word. Help us to do so, we pray.

Father, it is so hard, especially for busy parents, to take time to be alone with You, but when we do, we rejoice in the light you shed upon us. Father, help us as parents to find a way to open the Scriptures with our children, frequently. Help them grow up seeing our commitment to You.

The Psalmist prays to You seven times a day. Help us to know that Your thoughts toward us exceed number, thus our response, though diligent, is meager in relation to Your focus on us. There are literally millions of angels watching after us and every child has their own angel assigned to them (Matthew 18:10). You are never absent! Grant us a special moment with You, this day. We pray in Jesus' Holy name, amen.

Bruce Caldwell

Courage #13

Concerning Your testimonies, I have known of old that You have founded them forever. Consider my affliction and deliver me, for I do not forget Your law. Plead my cause and redeem me; revive me according to Your word.

Salvation is far from the wicked, for they do not seek Your statutes. Great are Your tender mercies, O LORD; revive me according to Your judgments. Many are my persecutors and my enemies, yet I do not turn from Your testimonies. I see the treacherous, and am disgusted, because they do not keep Your word.

Psalms 119:152-158 www.solascriptura.com

Father, the Psalmist reminds us that he has known for a long time that Your testimony to us, the Holy Scriptures will last forever. Father, there is so little in our lives that will last forever. It all seems so transitional as we move through life with constant change ever present. Thank You for being the same, forever.

You, Jesus are our anchor, You plead our cause. What a magnificent truth. Our advocate is the Son of God!

The Psalmist says a person is wicked if they do not seek Your statutes. That is such a harsh statement but please, Father, have it not apply to any of us. Draw us unto You and Your word every day. Grant us Your tender mercies this day We pray in Jesus' Holy name, amen.

Bruce Caldwell

Courage #14

I cry out with my whole heart; hear me, O LORD! I will keep Your statutes.

I cry out to You; save me, and I will keep Your testimonies.

I rise before the dawning of the morning, and cry for help; I hope in Your word.

My eyes are awake through the night watches, that I may meditate on Your word.

Hear my voice according to Your lovingkindness; O LORD, revive me according to Your justice.

They draw near who follow after wickedness; they are far from Your law.

You are near, O LORD, and all Your commandments are truth.

Psalms 119:145-151 www.solascriptura.com

Father, we see that the Psalmist cries out to You, with his whole heart. When God, have we felt such anguish, such concern? Jesus Himself talks about the times he "rose up early" to talk to You, to cry out for the needs of Your people. Here the Psalmist does the same and is sometimes awake through the entire night, meditating on Your word.

O' God, it seems the Scriptures point to a people that earnestly sought You, day and night and their words are here before us now. Would You have us be more like them, more diligent and courageous? You are truly near to us and Your commandments are truth. Help us to appropriately respond to Your love. We pray in Jesus' Holy name, amen.

Bruce Caldwell

Courage #15

Righteous are You, O LORD, and upright are Your judgments. Your testimonies, which You have commanded, are righteous and very faithful. My zeal has consumed me, because my enemies have forgotten Your words. Your word is very pure; therefore Your servant loves it. I am small and despised, yet I do not forget Your precepts. Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and Your law is truth. Trouble and anguish have overtaken me, yet Your commandments are my delights. The righteousness of Your testimonies is everlasting; give me understanding, and I shall live

Psalms 119:137-144 www.solascriptura.com

Father, the Psalmist proclaims his love and loyalty and then laments over the loneliness of his circumstance because his enemies do not seek You and love You.

Father, give us courage when we feel that our witness is not well received. Give us understanding in the face of rejection, when it occurs. In the eyes of many, we are insignificant. If it were not for Your approval we would feel out of step, not always fitting in.

Help us, today, to know that our purpose in seeking You rises above any earthly, transitional concerns we may have. Encourage us and bless us we pray, in Jesus' name, amen.

Bruce Caldwell