Law of God, April 15
Law of God, April 15 Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience' sake.
For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God's ministers attending continually to this very thing.
Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.
Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.
For the commandments, "You shall not commit adultery," "You shall not murder," "You shall not steal," "You shall not bear false witness," "You shall not covet," and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."
Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. Romans 13:5-10 www.solascriptura.com Father, Paul again reminds us to pay taxes, and to honor and respect those You have allowed to be in authority. Here he also reminds us to support those who minister unto us. Help us Father to not compromise in this responsibility. Paul also says not to covet. You have taught us, repeatedly, that the assets You give us are intended to enhance our ability to serve You and others. Lead us, we pray, in wisdom as we seek to glorify You and serve others. Father, You are love and we who say we love You must love others as well. It is not easy Father to love the person who would and does do us harm, yet, that is the command. We know that when we, in Your stregth, extend compassion or concern to someone that clearly does not "deserve" it, that it confounds them. We pray that circumstance leads to sorrow and that their disgust with their own actions, leads to repentance. Help us, this day, to see the bigger picture and to know that our witness is empty if we do not love others. We will need Your strength, Your presence, in the daily events of our lives to do so. In Jesus Holy name, we pray, amen. Bruce Caldwell
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Law of God, March 23
Law of God, March 23 "This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them,"
then He adds, "Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more."
Now where there is remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin.
Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus,
by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh,
and having a High Priest over the house of God,
let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, Hebrews 10:16-22, 26, www.solascriptura.com Father, the promise You have made to us concerning the law being written upon our hearts is a gift of immeasurable value. We are never far from the truth. All we need to do is to seek You and You will shed Your light on our souls and teach us afresh of that which we have sensed from the beginning. You say that if we but ask, you will forgive. Such grace and mercy, so undeserved, is an incomparable gift. "Thank You for going to the cross that our sins might be forgiven Jesus" seems like a totally inadequate statement. The suffering You endured is beyond our understanding. Help us this day not to sin intentionally. It is not a wonder to us Jesus that You would be extremely disappointed if we intentionally sin. It would be like asking You to return to the cross, repeating the sacrifice, for each of us who consciously choose to sin. We need to walk with You, fully aware of Your presence in all matters. Bless us we pray, in Your name, amen. Bruce Caldwell
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Law of God, February 23
Law of God, February 23 "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.'
"But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.
"If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also.
"And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. Matthew 5:38-41 www.solascriptura.com Jesus, this teaching goes against our nature. We seek revenge when we are wronged, as a natural instinct of the flesh. Why, Jesus, would You have us act in this way? The answer is clear enough in all of Your teaching; one can not say they love You and continue hating their brethren. Jesus, only by Your strength in us can we behave as You have instructed. We must set aside our fleshly instinct and rely upon Your Spirit for guidance. Your word tells us that when we befriend someone that does not deserve it, that person feels a weight upon them. Our supportive actions confuse them and they feel as though our kindness is as "coals of fire heaped upon their head".
Jesus, we do not intend for our kindness to those who do not deserve it, to be an act that brings glory to us. Help us to say "I live, yet not I, but You live in us" so we can endure praise without falling victim to pride. We know this is a "love your neighbor as yourself" circumstance. We will need Your Spirit in us to do so. In Your Holy name we pray, amen. Bruce Caldwell
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Law of God, February 22
Law of God, February 22 ...we know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully,
knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,
for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine,
according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God which was committed to my trust.
And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry,
although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.
And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.
This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. 1 Timothy 1:8-15, www.solascriptura.com Father, Paul is teaching us, in this letter to his young protégé, Timothy, that the law, when adhered to, does not present a problem. It is law breakers that will feel the rod of correction, sometimes physically, and sometimes in ways that simply convict us and make us feel terrible. We know that the wages of sin is death and that we all have sinned. Thank You, Jesus, for making it possible to have every sin that we have ever committed to be expunged from our record, gone forever. Every one of us, Father, can say, with Paul, "I am a sinner and except for You, Jesus, my sins are still with me." But thank You God, that the confession of our sins, in all humility and contrition, and our will to sin no more, separates our sin from us as far as the east is from the west. What a relief to stand before You, Father, as if we had never sinned. Your mercy and grace make it so. In Jesus Holy name, we pray, amen. Bruce Caldwell
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Law of God,January 28
Law of God,January 28 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.
For He who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not murder." Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.
So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty.
For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment. James 2:10-13, www.solascriptura.com Jesus, here we have Your brother, James, clarifying that sin is sin and that there is no hierarchy of sin. Whether we have committed relatively small sins or grievous sins, we are all in the same place. We need Your forgiveness and cleansing and we need to show mercy to others as You have shown mercy to us. Jesus, James tells us, that we who have been born again now stand in the law of liberty, a position in which "mercy triumphs over judgment". Yes, Jesus, we are cleansed but our renewal is constant and Your mercy is constant because we need forgiveness every day for every action and thought that disappoints You. Father, You have taught us that "being saved" is a moment in time wherein we acknowledge Your grace, mercy and calling to us and when we proclaim our love of Jesus and the gift of the Holy Spirit that enables us to be led by You. We also know that You, Father, will judge we who are Christians, by our deeds. What we do after we are born again, matters. We will be forgiven for our imperfections but help us today to endeavor to be obedient and to increasingly mature in our faith. Help us be like You Jesus. Our fleshly instincts must decrease but our willingness to serve You and be led by You must increase. It would be great to say "I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me" and have it be truer for every tomorrow than it is today. In Your Holy name, we pray, amen. Bruce Caldwell
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Law of God, January 1
Law of God, January 1 "If you love Me, keep My commandments." John 14:15 www.solascriptura.com Jesus, this straightforward instruction teaches us of Your expectations. It is by our love that we are known as Your disciples. When we love You and then disobey it is a contradiction that needs correcting. Help us "to trust and obey for there is no other way to be happy in You but to trust and obey." That old hymn restates John 14:15 in a perfect way. Father, we have made many "New Year's" resolutions before. Help us today to focus on a resolution that will change everything, forever. We pray that we will be able to love You with all our hearts, mind and soul, every day of this New Year. There is no downside to that resolution; it is a vow we must keep and by looking to the power of the Holy Spirit, we will be able to overcome temptation. That is our prayer, that we, in your strength respond perfectly to Your commandments. The second resolution we want to keep this New Year, is to love our neighbor as ourselves. There is another great old hymn that says it well, "They will know we are Christians by our love, by our love, yes they will know we are Christians by our love." We know Father that these two "love" commandments encompass the 10 commandments. If we can fulfill these two commandments, we fulfill the entire law. It is only by Your grace that we can do so. Thank You for placing Your law on our hearts and guiding us in all the details of our life. We want nothing more Father than to please You and we know that everything that we do that is right in Your eyes, accrues to our own benefit. We are able to enjoy Your blessings now and for eternity. This day, Jesus, fill us with the joy of serving You and others. Allow our spirit to be witnessed to by Your Spirit that we might know Your peace, kindness and joy. We pray in Your Holy name, amen. Bruce Caldwell
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Law of God, December 31
Law of God, December 31 "if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. II Chronicles 7:14, www.solascriptura.com Father, this oft quoted verse quotes a truth for all generations and all nations. We have had Your hand of grace and mercy extended to us and now we hear a pivotal word that enables or disables our relationship with you; "if". We read many times in the Bible about conditional promises. If we will do such and such, then You will fulfill a promise. Father, here you give us some very specific instructions; if we humble ourselves, if we pray, if we seek Your face and if we turn from our wicked ways, then You will hear, You will forgive our sins and You will heal our land. We know that the healing of our land will happen sooner if our individual hearts are healed. Father, as we wind up a year of activity and we are about to embark upon a New Year, we want to claim Your promise by obeying You. We, by Your grace and mercy, can receive a new heart, we are able to be forgiven as a result of Jesus most humbling and painful sacrifice, made for us and next year can be better than the last year. We know, Father, that is Your perfect will for us. You want us to respond to the enabling power that accompanies obedience. Help us we pray to love and obey, better than ever before. Bring us to Your word and continue to reach out and teach us, we pray. Give us, this day, the resolve to make each day a better day, one in which we feel the gentle touch of Your Spirit lifting us up. In Jesus' name we pray, amen. Bruce Caldwell
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Law of God, December 23
Law of God, December 23 "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not commit adultery.'
"But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
"If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.
"And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.
"Furthermore it has been said, 'Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.'
"But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery. Matthew 5:27-32 www.solascriptura.com Jesus, again, Your teachings are not unclear; demanding but not unclear. Why Jesus do You place such emphasis on fidelity? Is it because marriage between a man and woman, where two become as one, is a parallel of our fidelity to You, where Your Spirit lives in us and if we were to show infidelity towards You, it would be a great offense? We know that infidelity towards You, after Your Spirit has been united with our spirit, is the only unforgivable sin. Jesus, many have failed in keeping their marriage vows and You teach here that it is Your will that marriages be sustained and that families remain in tact. Jesus, we know that infidelity to one another is one of the worst things that can happen to a relationship. Where we have failed, forgive us. Renew in us a will to be persons of faith and integrity, now, even if we have failed before. Jesus, sexual sin is pervasive in our times. Help us flee from such persons and activities. Turn our eyes, not to matters of the flesh of others, but to our marriage mates, the only persons with whom we have perfect sexual freedom. If we could but adhere to Your expectations Jesus, our marriages to each other would last and our fidelity to You and what You have taught us would endure. Lead us to perfection in You we pray. Where we have failed to be obedient before, now cleanse us and lead us in paths of righteousness. What a miracle, that You are willing to do so, regardless of our past. In Your Holy name we pray, amen. Bruce Caldwell
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Law of God, December 8
Law of God, December 8 "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.
"For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.
"Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
"For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.
Matt 5:17-20 www.solascriptura.com Jesus, we sometimes think of the Law as being something that Moses received, as a Jew, for the Jews, carved in stone a long time ago. We see that our entire culture more or less rejects large portions of that Law. Here Jesus, You tell us that, no, the Law is not based on ancient traditions but that it is alive today and that we are to obey it to the very letter. Worse, perhaps, than not obeying is to teach others that the Law no longer applies. Then You tell us that if we adhere to the Law and teach others to do so as well, that we will be honored by You and welcomed into Your eternal kingdom.
Finally we see that people who "keep the Law" but whose hearts remain unhealed are a people whose judgment awaits. Help us this day to not only trust and obey but to do so in the strength of Your Spirit. In Your Holy name we pray, amen. Bruce Caldwell
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Law of God, November 24
Law of God, November 24 "Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.'
"But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God's throne;
"nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.
"Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black.
"But let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No.' For whatever is more than these is from the evil one. Matthew 5:33-37, www.solascriptura.com Jesus, You have taught us that the same mouth should not praise You and curse men. We know that swearing an oath is a mistake unless we are certain we can unerringly perform that oath. But swearing has become a way of life in these times. We hear people say "By God, I will do such and such" (it pains me to even quote such persons). You teach us that this is an oath from an empty headed, hard hearted person in terms of their walk with You. Father, having spoken such harsh words, I am embarrassed. Most people who swear oaths in that manner have no idea they are greatly offending our Holy Father. Help each of us to be gentle in our response, pointing the way by example, not by criticism. Others say, "I swear by all that is Holy, I will get even, etc." You teach us here that we should not utter an oath (except to love You with all of our hearts, mind, soul and strength, since if we fail in that oath, we utterly fail). Help us today to simply not swear or to utter oaths when a simple yes or no will do. In Your Holy name we pray, amen. Bruce Caldwell
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Law of God, November 11
Law of God, November 11 Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying,
"Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread."
"Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying:
'These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.
And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.' "
"Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated?
"But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man.
"For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.
"These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man." Matt 15:1-2, 7-9, 17-20, www.solascriptura.com Jesus, these verses remind us of the phrase "you strain at a gnat and swallow a camel" wherein we focus on obedience in some small matter, in almost a compulsive way, believing that such obedience earns us points with You. Here You teach us that doing the right thing, such as washing our hands before we eat, does not offset doing the wrong thing; keeping perfunctory rules and failing to understand how these actions mean nothing if we do not declare our love for You. It is sort of like, "no love for You, no credit for our good behavior", at least in the eternal sense. Pride is such a subtle sin! Help us this day to learn "that which proceeds from the mouth" is pivotal in evaluating our relationship to You. We pray that obedience from a faithful heart marks us as Yours. In Your Holy name we pray, amen. Bruce Caldwell
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Peace, November 10
Peace, November 10 A wicked man hardens his face...
If a wise man contends with a foolish man, whether the fool rages or laughs, there is no peace. Proverbs 21:29, 29:9 www.solascriptura.com Father, our countenance sometimes tells everything about us. Help us today to try to be as You Jesus. We pray that our countenance will reflect love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. We know that list embodies the "fruits of the Spirit". If we could but genuinely feel that we are as a tree, a Christian tree, bearing unmistakably good, plentiful fruit. We know it confuses our acquaintances when we bear good fruit one day and bad fruit the next. It is consistency for which we pray. Help us to do the right thing, even when we simply do not feel like it. Keep our feelings from dictating our actions, we pray. We know, Father, that we will begin to feel better when we are doing Your will and that when we fail to do Your will, it makes us feel awful. You also teach us that when we contend with a foolish man there is no peace. Help us today to focus on presenting ourselves as one who is not contending, but as one who is caring. Caring will seldom get us in trouble and we thank You for teaching us how to bear good fruit. Bless us this day, in Jesus' name, amen. Bruce Caldwell
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Words of our mouth, November 8
Words of our mouth, November 8 "... there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known.
"Therefore whatever you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.
"Also I say to you, whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God.
"But he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God. Luke 12:2-3, 8-9, www.solascriptura.com Father, Your word has a lot to say about our mouths and how they tend to get us in trouble with others and with You. Here we are reminded by You, Jesus, that there are no secrets concerning what we have thought and what we have said. Every thought, word and deed will be revealed. That is very scary Jesus because not one of us has failed to make errors in this regard. Sometimes Father, we realize we have said something stupid when we should have been silent. Here we find that what we said will be proclaimed from the housetops, making our bad judgment even more embarrassing. Help us today Jesus to resolve to think more carefully before we speak, asking ourselves if we are speaking as You might if You were in our place. Finally, and far more importantly Father, we see that whoever confesses Jesus, that Jesus Himself will proclaim that fact before Your angels. On the other hand Jesus, You tell us if we deny You before men, then you will deny us before the angels of God. That is a simple, direct fact that should motivate us all to proclaim You this day! In Your Holy name we pray, amen. Bruce Caldwell
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Law of God, September 29
Law of God, September 29 When they had come, they said to Him, "Teacher, we know that You are true, and care about no one; for You do not regard the person of men, but teach the way of God in truth. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?
"Shall we pay, or shall we not pay?" But He, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, "Why do you test Me? Bring Me a denarius that I may see it."
So they brought it. And He said to them, "Whose image and inscription is this?" And they said to Him, "Caesar's."
And Jesus answered and said to them, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." And they marveled at Him.
Mark 12:14-17, www.solascriptura.com Jesus, we thank You for teaching us about being obedient both to the laws of man and to Your laws. You do direct us to pay our taxes, when due, and to know that rendering to man what is man's is our duty as citizens and it is Your requirement. At the same time Jesus, You tell us to render to You that which is Yours, the first fruits of our labor. Help us understand that payments of tithes and offerings accrue to our own benefit. It is our privilege to lay up treasures in heaven, knowing that our treasures here will not endure.
Thank You for our many blessings which generally exceed our needs. Help us be generous with others whose basic needs are not being met. In Your Holy name we pray, amen. Bruce Caldwell
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Law of God, September 9
Law of God, September 9 Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, "Which is the first commandment of all?"
Jesus answered him, "The first of all the commandments is: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.
'And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment.
"And the second, like it, is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."
So the scribe said to Him, "Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth, for there is one God, and there is no other but He.
"And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices."
Now when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, He said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God."... Mark 12:28-34 www.solascriptura.com Jesus, the scribe (lawyer) in this quotation of Your words, is often referred to as being a member of a group that doubted that You were the Son of God. Here the scribe says to You, after You answered his question, "well said Teacher". Jesus, help us to never speak to You as if You were a mere man, offering our opinion of Your words, as though we were in a position to evaluate what You say. Yet, You say to the scribe who endorses Your words, "you are not far from the kingdom of God." Jesus, we know that knowing the truth, such as the two greatest commandments, which summarize the 10 commandments, is not the entire issue. Help us today to be filled with the Holy Spirit so that the truth can become a pivot point for a daily commitment to love You with our whole heart and to love our neighbor as ourselves.
Move us, Jesus, from agreeing with You to being empowered by You, to be renewed by your strength, mercy and grace as people committed to fulfilling Your laws. In Your Holy name we pray, amen. Bruce Caldwell Bruce Caldwell
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Law of God, August 22
Law of God, August 22 "The law and the prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it.
"And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tittle of the law to fail. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. "... let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins;
"and by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses. John 1:17, Luke 16:16-17, Acts 13:38-39 www.solascriptura.com Jesus, again You teach us that the law, given to Moses, has not changed. The 10 commandments count! Now we are reminded that through You, Father, comes grace and truth. The law counts but since every man has sinned, absent Your grace and forgiveness, we are lost. Jesus, help us not to look past the fact that Your word is truth. Cause us to seek the truth, daily, as we seek to know You on a personal basis, one that leads to our spending eternity with You and those that love You. We know, Jesus, that as we love God, completely, and our neighbors as ourselves, that we are no longer judged by the law but we are judged by You. The straight edge of the law magnifies our sins and we need to stop sinning, but Jesus we can not do so in our own strength and wisdom. We seek to serve You and be led by You, every day. In Your Holy name, we pray, amen. Bruce Caldwell
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Law of God, August 1
Law of God, August 1 Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another—to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God.
For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death.
But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter. Rom 7:4-6, www.solascriptura.com Father, here the Apostle Paul is telling us how the law, if enforced to the letter, leaves us all guilty. He says that when we were "in the flesh" and were not Spiritually born again, that the law was convicting us and that our flesh was bearing fruit unto death. We know Father that our flesh will perish and that only our spirit, united with Your Spirit will survive. This marriage, the union of our spirit and Yours, allows us to bear fruit unto life, life eternal. It is Your will that our old nature die and that the fruits of the Holy Spirit, mark us as Yours. Help us to commit this list of the fruits of the Spirit, not only to memory, but to a reality, daily; love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.(as a mnemonic device, think, love, joy and peace and then say "PKGFGS", package figs; patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control) What a perfect way to live. Help us to do so, every day, forever. In Jesus Holy name, we pray, amen. Bruce Caldwell
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Law of God, July 12
Law of God, July 12 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, "You shall not covet."
But sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all manner of evil desire. For apart from the law sin was dead.
I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died.
And the commandment, which was to bring life, I found to bring death.
For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it killed me.
Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.
Has then what is good become death to me? Certainly not! But sin, that it might appear sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful. Romans 7:7-13 www.solascriptura.com Father, help us not to recoil from difficult teaching such as this. We know that everything written in the Bible has a purpose and that we should seek to understand. Here, Paul is emphasizing that if the law did not exist, we would not know that we were breaking the law. But when the law was given to Moses, it became our judge and we were all guilty. The law, Father, can never save us. It convicts us and only by dying to the dominance of our fleshly instincts can we be saved. Paul asks; how can something good, like the law, destroy us? You have taught us that it is because our flesh is disobedient and can never be obedient, to the letter of the law, and that we need forgiveness and cleansing by the power of the Holy Spirit, sent by You. Father, if Jesus had never come and if He had not died for us, becoming a sacrifice for our sins, then our sins would still be with us. We do not trust in our obedience to the law for our salvation. Only by the redeeming blood of Jesus, shed for us, can we ever hope to stand in Your Holy presence. That Father is what separates Christianity from every other belief system. We can not enter into Your presence stained by sin and Jesus takes away our sin, forever. Such a simple fact should not be ignored by other faiths. Without Jesus there is no cleansing and forgiveness. Help us to understand, we pray, In His name, amen. Bruce Caldwell
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Law of God, June 17
Law of God, June 17 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin.
For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do.
If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good.
But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.
For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find.
For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. Romans 7:14-19, www.solascriptura.com Father, we are reminded that You appointed Paul to be a minister to the Gentiles. He was a Jew and a friend of Jews but found that the Jews largely rejected Jesus as Savior. Paul knew the law having been a student of Gamaliel, the great Jewish scholar. Father, You have taught us that it was Paul's strong belief, before his encounter with Jesus, that it was possible and proper to adhere to the law. Father, here Paul is teaching us that there is a great struggle going on in the heart of man. Man knows that what is right and true yet he does things that are clearly wrong, as judged by the law. We know that Jesus is the answer to the struggle. It is His Spirit in us that enable us to bring our hopes to action. Father, we know that adherence to the law is good and we know that we can not do so without Your power in us. Thank You for cleansing us of our past sins, by the redeeming love of Jesus, for us, and help us, this day, to know that You would have us sin no more. In Jesus Holy name, we pray, amen. Bruce Caldwell
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Law of God, May 8
Law of God, May 8 Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.
Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.
For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same.
For he is God's minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God's minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. Romans 13:1-4, www.solascriptura.com Father, these words of Paul lead us to know that nothing that goes on in this universe is outside of Your control. An evil person would not draw his first breath if You did not allow it to be so and a king is not a king unless You have allowed it to be so. You have taught us that those in authority, who You have permitted to be in authority, are those we must respect and to the extent that we obey the laws of the land we will not be subject to the penalties of enforcement. We also know Father, that if the governing authority asks us to deny You and to follow them that we are authorized to resist, even unto death. Help us to be good and to do good because we know we will be seldom punished for being obedient to those You have allowed to be in power. They, if they err in their leadership, can sometimes be voted against but more importantly, they answer to You. Give us a trusting spirit in knowing You are ultimately in charge and that You will love and protect Your children from evil consequences. Trials will come but we know You are the final authority. We pray for wisdom in this matter. In Jesus Holy name, we pray, amen. Bruce Caldwell
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Law of God, April 15
Law of God, April 15 Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience' sake.
For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God's ministers attending continually to this very thing.
Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.
Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.
For the commandments, "You shall not commit adultery," "You shall not murder," "You shall not steal," "You shall not bear false witness," "You shall not covet," and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."
Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. Romans 13:5-10 www.solascriptura.com Father, Paul again reminds us to pay taxes, and to honor and respect those You have allowed to be in authority. Here he also reminds us to support those who minister unto us. Help us Father to not compromise in this responsibility. Paul also says not to covet. You have taught us, repeatedly, that the assets You give us are intended to enhance our ability to serve You and others. Lead us, we pray, in wisdom as we seek to glorify You and serve others. Father, You are love and we who say we love You must love others as well. It is not easy Father to love the person who would and does do us harm, yet, that is the command. We know that when we, in Your stregth, extend compassion or concern to someone that clearly does not "deserve" it, that it confounds them. We pray that circumstance leads to sorrow and that their disgust with their own actions, leads to repentance. Help us, this day, to see the bigger picture and to know that our witness is empty if we do not love others. We will need Your strength, Your presence, in the daily events of our lives to do so. In Jesus Holy name, we pray, amen. Bruce Caldwell
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Law of God, March 23
Law of God, March 23 "This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them,"
then He adds, "Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more."
Now where there is remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin.
Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus,
by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh,
and having a High Priest over the house of God,
let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, Hebrews 10:16-22, 26, www.solascriptura.com Father, the promise You have made to us concerning the law being written upon our hearts is a gift of immeasurable value. We are never far from the truth. All we need to do is to seek You and You will shed Your light on our souls and teach us afresh of that which we have sensed from the beginning. You say that if we but ask, you will forgive. Such grace and mercy, so undeserved, is an incomparable gift. "Thank You for going to the cross that our sins might be forgiven Jesus" seems like a totally inadequate statement. The suffering You endured is beyond our understanding. Help us this day not to sin intentionally. It is not a wonder to us Jesus that You would be extremely disappointed if we intentionally sin. It would be like asking You to return to the cross, repeating the sacrifice, for each of us who consciously choose to sin. We need to walk with You, fully aware of Your presence in all matters. Bless us we pray, in Your name, amen. Bruce Caldwell
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Law of God, February 23
Law of God, February 23 "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.'
"But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.
"If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also.
"And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. Matthew 5:38-41 www.solascriptura.com Jesus, this teaching goes against our nature. We seek revenge when we are wronged, as a natural instinct. Why, Jesus, would You have us act in this way? The answer is clear enough in all of Your teaching; one can not say they love You and continue hating their brethren. Jesus, only by Your strength in us can we behave as You have instructed. Your word tells us that when we befriend someone that does not deserve it, that person feels a weight upon them. Our supportive actions confuse them and they feel as though our kindness is as "coals of fire heaped upon their head".
Jesus, we do not intend for our kindness to those who do not deserve it, to be an act that brings glory to us. Help us to say "I live, yet not I, but You live in us" so we can endure praise without falling victim to pride. We know this is a "love your neighbor as yourself" circumstance. We will need Your Spirit in us to do so. In Your Holy name we pray, amen. Bruce Caldwell
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Law of God, February 22
Law of God, February 22 ...we know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully,
knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,
for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine,
according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God which was committed to my trust.
And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry,
although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.
And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.
This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. 1 Timothy 1:8-15, www.solascriptura.com Father, Paul is teaching us, in this letter to his young protégé, Timothy, that the law, when adhered to, does not present a problem. It is law breakers that will feel the rod of correction, sometimes physically, and sometimes in ways that simply convict us and make us feel terrible. We know that the wages of sin is death and that we all have sinned. Thank You, Jesus, for making it possible to have every sin that we have ever committed to be expunged from our record, gone forever. Every one of us, Father, can say, with Paul, "I am a sinner and except for You, Jesus, my sins are still with me." But thank You God, that the confession of our sins, in all humility and contrition, and our will to sin no more, separates our sin from us as far as the east is from the west. What a relief to stand before You, Father, as if we had never sinned. Your mercy and grace make it so. In Jesus Holy name, we pray, amen. Bruce Caldwell
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Law of God,January 28, 2009
Law of God,January 28, 2009 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.
For He who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not murder." Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.
So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty.
For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment. James 2:10-13, www.solascriptura.com Jesus, here we have Your brother, James, clarifying that sin is sin and that there is no hierarchy of sin. Whether we have committed relatively small sins or grievous sins, we are all in the same place. We need Your forgiveness and cleansing and we need to show mercy to others as You have shown mercy to us. Jesus, James tells us, that we who have been born again now stand in the law of liberty, a position in which "mercy triumphs over judgment". Yes, Jesus, we are cleansed but our renewal is constant and Your mercy is constant because we need forgiveness every day for every action and thought that disappoints You. Help us be like You Jesus. We must decrease but You must increase. In Your Holy name, we pray, amen. Bruce Caldwell
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Law of God, January 1, 2009
Law of God, January 1, 2009 "If you love Me, keep My commandments." John 14:15 www.solascriptura.com Jesus, this straightforward instruction teaches us of Your expectations. It is by our love that we are known as Your disciples. When we love You and then disobey it is a contradiction that needs correcting. Help us "to trust and obey for there is no other way to be happy in You but to trust and obey." That old hymn restates John 14:15 in a perfect way. Father, we have made many "New Year's" resolutions before. Help us today to focus on a resolution that will change everything, forever. We pray that we will be able to love You with all our hearts, mind and soul, every day of this New Year. There is no downside to that resolution; it is a vow we must keep and by looking to the power of the Holy Spirit, we will be able to overcome temptation. That is our prayer, that we, in your strength respond perfectly to Your commandments. The second resolution we want to keep this New Year, is to love our neighbor as ourselves. There is another great old hymn that says it well, "They will know we are Christians by our love, by our love, yes they will know we are Christians by our love." We know Father that these two "love" commandments encompass the 10 commandments. If we can fulfill these two commandments, we fulfill the entire law. It is only by Your grace that we can do so. Thank You for placing Your law on our hearts and guiding us in all the details of our life.
We want nothing more Father than to please You and we know that everything that we do that is right in Your eyes, accrues to our own benefit. We are able to enjoy Your blessings now and for eternity. This day, Jesus, fill us with the joy of serving You and others. Allow our spirit to be witnessed to by Your Spirit that we might know Your peace, kindness and joy. We pray in Your Holy name, amen. Bruce Caldwell
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Law of God, December 23, 2008
Law of God, December 23, 2008 "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not commit adultery.'
"But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
"If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.
"And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.
"Furthermore it has been said, 'Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.'
"But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery. Matthew 5:27-32 www.solascriptura.com Jesus, again, Your teachings are not unclear; demanding but not unclear. Why Jesus do You place such emphasis on fidelity? Is it because marriage between a man and woman, where two become as one, is a parallel of our fidelity to You, where Your Spirit lives in us and if we were to show infidelity towards You, it would be a great offense? We know that infidelity towards You, after Your Spirit has been united with our spirit, is the only unforgivable sin. Jesus, many have failed in keeping their marriage vows and You teach here that it is Your will that marriages be sustained and that families remain in tact. Jesus, we know that infidelity to one another is one of the worst things that can happen to a relationship. Where we have failed, forgive us. Renew in us a will to be persons of faith and integrity, now, even if we have failed before. Jesus, sexual sin is pervasive in our times. Help us flee from such persons and activities. Turn our eyes, not to matters of the flesh of others, but to our marriage mates, the only persons with whom we have perfect sexual freedom. If we could but adhere to Your expectations Jesus, our marriages to each other would last and our fidelity to You and what You have taught us would endure. Lead us to perfection in You we pray. Where we have failed to be obedient before, now cleanse us and lead us in paths of righteousness. What a miracle that You are willing to do so, regardless of our past. In Your Holy name we pray, amen. Bruce Caldwell
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Law of God, December 8, 2008
Law of God, December 8, 2008 "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.
"For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.
"Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
"For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.
Matt 5:17-20 www.solascriptura.com Jesus, we sometimes think of the Law as being something that Moses received, as a Jew, for the Jews, carved in stone a long time ago. We see that our entire culture more or less rejects large portions of that Law. Here Jesus, You tell us that, no, the Law is not based on ancient traditions but that it is alive today and that we are to obey it to the very letter. Worse, perhaps, than not obeying is to teach others that the Law no longer applies. Then You tell us that if we adhere to the Law and teach others to do so as well, that we will be honored by You and welcomed into Your eternal kingdom.
Finally we see that people who "keep the Law" but whose hearts remain unhealed are a people whose judgment awaits. Help us this day to not only trust and obey but to do so in the strength of Your Spirit. In Your Holy name we pray, amen. Bruce Caldwell
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Law of God, November 24, 2008
Law of God, November 24, 2008 "Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.' "But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God's throne; "nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. "Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. "But let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No.' For whatever is more than these is from the evil one. Matthew 5:33-37, www.solascriptura.com Jesus, You have taught us that the same mouth should not praise You and curse men. We know that swearing an oath is a mistake unless we are certain we can unerringly perform that oath. But swearing has become a way of life in these times. We hear people say "By God, I will do such and such" (it pains me to even quote such persons). You teach us that this is an oath from an empty headed, hard hearted person in terms of their walk with You. Father, haven spoken such harsh words, I am embarrassed. Most people who swear oaths in that manner have no idea they are greatly offending our Holy Father. Help each of us to be gentle in our response, pointing the way by example, not by criticism. Others say, "I swear by all that is Holy, I will get even, etc." You teach us here that we should not utter an oath (except to love You with all of our hearts, mind, soul and strength, since if we fail in that oath, we utterly fail). Help us today to simply not swear or to utter oaths when a simple yes or no will do. In Your Holy name we pray, amen. Bruce Caldwell
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Peace, November 23, 2008
Peace, November 23, 2008 Happy is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gains understanding;
For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver, and her gain than fine gold.
She is more precious than rubies, and all the things you may desire cannot compare with her.
Length of days is in her right hand, in her left hand riches and honor.
Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.
She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, and happy are all
who retain her.
Proverbs 3:13-18, www.solascriptura.com Father, we know that Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, asked You for the gift of wisdom and You granted it. Here we listen to Solomon praising wisdom, using the feminine gender, and considering wisdom in the same nurturing way as a mother is with a child. The gift of wisdom is a great comfort, a reassuring touch from You. Father, we too seek wisdom, Your wisdom about earthly and spiritual matters. We often feel inadequate and unwise, but we know that as we turn to You that You lead us and teach us, as only You can.
These verses teach us that wisdom is more precious than any jewel, any riches or any earthly assets. It is a gift to be desired, a gift that enlightens us and gives meaning to the pursuit of life, whether we are rich or poor. Father, the challenges of life are too much for us, too often. Grant us Your peace and wisdom this day. In Jesus' Holy name, we pray, amen.
Bruce Caldwell
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Law of God, November 11, 2008
Law of God, November 11, 2008 Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying, "Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread." "Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: 'These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.' " "Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? "But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. "For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. "These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man." Matt 15:1-2, 7-9, 17-20, www.solascriptura.com Jesus, these verses remind us of the phrase "you strain at a gnat and swallow a camel" wherein we focus on obedience in some small matter, in almost a compulsive way, believing that such obedience earns us points with You. Here You teach us that doing the right thing, such as washing our hands before we eat, does not offset doing the wrong thing; keeping perfunctory rules and failing to understand how these actions mean nothing if we do not declare our love for You. It is sort of like, "no love for You, no credit for our good behavior", at least in the eternal sense. Pride is such a subtle sin! Help us this day to learn "that which proceeds from the mouth" is pivotal in evaluating our relationship to You. We pray that obedience from a faithful heart marks us as Yours. In Your Holy name we pray, amen. Bruce Caldwell
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Law of God, October 26, 2008
Law of God, October 26, 2008 "Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.
"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'
"But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,
"that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
"For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?
"And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so?
"Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. Matthew 5:42-48 www.solascriptura.com Jesus, These verses, from the Sermon on the Mount, are Your direct, personal teaching to us. We are not reading and listening to the words of man, but of You. We know that when You call us to perfection that it does not mean, even as we take on the mantle of Your Spirit in dealing with others, that there will be no rain, no difficulty, in our lives.
Help us, with Your counsel and guidance, to persist in doing good, even when our fleshly nature is pulling us in the opposite direction. We could never be as You without humbly and contritely dedicating our lives to Your service. We pray for the refreshment of the Holy Spirit in our lives, every day. In Your Holy name we pray, amen. Bruce Caldwell
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Law of God, October 17, 2008
Law of God, October 17, 2008 Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, "Which is the first commandment of all?"
Jesus answered him, "The first of all the commandments is: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.
'And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment.
"And the second, like it, is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."
So the scribe said to Him, "Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth, for there is one God, and there is no other but He.
"And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices."
Now when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, He said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God."...
Mark 12:28-34 www.solascriptura.com Jesus, the scribe (lawyer) in this quotation of Your words, is often referred to as being a member of a group that doubted that You were the Son of God. Here the scribe says to You, after You answered his question, "Well said Teacher". Jesus, help us to never speak to You as if You were a mere man, offering our opinion of Your words, as though we were in a position to evaluate what You say. Yet, You say to the scribe who endorses Your words, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." Jesus, we know that knowing the truth, such as the two greatest commandments, which summarize the 10 commandments, is not the entire issue. Help us today to be filled with the Holy Spirit so that the truth can become a pivot point for a daily commitment to love You with our whole heart and to love our neighbor as ourselves. Move us, Jesus, from agreeing with You to being empowered by You, to be renewed by your strength, mercy and grace as people committed to fulfilling Your laws. In Your Holy name we pray, amen.
Bruce Caldwell
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Law of God, September 29, 2008
Law of God, September 29, 2008 When they had come, they said to Him, "Teacher, we know that You are true, and care about no one; for You do not regard the person of men, but teach the way of God in truth. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? "Shall we pay, or shall we not pay?" But He, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, "Why do you test Me? Bring Me a denarius that I may see it." So they brought it. And He said to them, "Whose image and inscription is this?" And they said to Him, "Caesar's." And Jesus answered and said to them, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." And they marveled at Him. Mark 12:14-17, www.solascriptura.comJesus, we thank You for teaching us about being obedient both to the laws of man and to Your laws. You do direct us to pay our taxes, when due, and to know that rendering to man what is man's is our duty as citizens and it is Your requirement. At the same time Jesus, You tell us to render to You that which is Yours, the first fruits of our labor. Help us to know that payments of tithes and offerings accrue to our own benefit. It is our privilege to lay up treasures in heaven, knowing that our treasures here will not endure.
Thank You for our many blessings which generally exceed our needs. Help us to be generous with others whose basic needs are not being met. In Your Holy name we pray, amen. Bruce Caldwell
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Law of God, September 9, 2008
Law of God, September 9, 2008 Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, "Which is the first commandment of all?"
Jesus answered him, "The first of all the commandments is: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.
'And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment.
"And the second, like it, is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."
So the scribe said to Him, "Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth, for there is one God, and there is no other but He.
"And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices."
Now when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, He said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God."... Mark 12:28-34 www.solascriptura.com Jesus, the scribe (lawyer) in this quotation of Your words, is often referred to as being a member of a group that doubted that You were the Son of God. Here the scribe says to You, after You answered his question, "well said Teacher". Jesus, help us to never speak to You as if You were a mere man, offering our opinion of Your words, as though we were in a position to evaluate what You say. Yet, You say to the scribe who endorses Your words, "you are not far from the kingdom of God." Jesus, we know that knowing the truth, such as the two greatest commandments, which summarize the 10 commandments, is not the entire issue. Help us today to be filled with the Holy Spirit so that the truth can become a pivot point for a daily commitment to love You with our whole heart and to love our neighbor as ourselves.
Move us, Jesus, from agreeing with You to being empowered by You, to be renewed by your strength, mercy and grace as people committed to fulfilling Your laws. In Your Holy name we pray, amen.
Bruce Caldwell
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Law of God, August 22, 2008
Law of God, August 22, 2008 "The law and the prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it.
"And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tittle of the law to fail. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. "... let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins;
"and by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses. John 1:17, Luke 16:16-17, Acts 13:38-39 www.solascriptura.com Jesus, again You teach us that the law, given to Moses, has not changed. The 10 commandments count! Now we are reminded that through You, Jesus, comes grace and truth. The law counts but since every man has sinned, absent Your grace and forgiveness, we are lost. Jesus, help us not to look past the fact that Your word is truth. Cause us to seek the truth, daily, as we seek to know You on a personal basis, one that leads to our spending eternity with You and those that love You. We know, Jesus, that as we love God, completely, and our neighbors as ourselves, that we are no longer judged by the law but we are judged by You. The straight edge of the law magnifies our sins and we need to stop sinning, but Jesus we can not do so in our own strength and wisdom. We seek to serve You and be led by You, every day. In Your Holy name, we pray, amen. Bruce Caldwell
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Law of God, August 1, 2008
Law of God, August 1, 2008 Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another—to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God.
For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death.
But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter. Rom 7:4-6, www.solascriptura.com Father, here the Apostle Paul is telling us how the law, if enforced to the letter, leaves us all guilty. He says that when we were "in the flesh" and were not Spiritually born again, that the law was convicting us and that our flesh was bearing fruit unto death. We know Father that our flesh will perish and that only our spirit, united with Your Spirit will survive. This marriage, the union of our spirit and Yours, allows us to bear fruit unto life, life eternal. It is Your will that our old nature die and that the fruits of the Holy Spirit, mark us as Yours. Help us to commit this list of the fruits of the Spirit, not only to memory, but to a reality, daily; love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.(as a mnemonic device, think, PKGFGS, package figs, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control) What a perfect way to live. Help us to do so, every day, forever. In Jesus Holy name, we pray, amen. Bruce Caldwell
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Law of God, July 12, 2008
Law of God, July 12, 2008 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, "You shall not covet."
But sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all manner of evil desire. For apart from the law sin was dead.
I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died.
And the commandment, which was to bring life, I found to bring death.
For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it killed me.
Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.
Has then what is good become death to me? Certainly not! But sin, that it might appear sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful. Romans 7:7-13 www.solascriptura.com Father, help us not to recoil from difficult teaching such as this. We know that everything written in the Bible has a purpose and that we should seek to understand. Here, Paul is emphasizing that if the law did not exist, we would not know that we were breaking the law. But when the law was given to Moses, it became our judge and we were all guilty. The law, Father, can never save us. It convicts us and only by dying to the dominance of our fleshly instincts can we be saved. Paul asks; how can something good, like the law, destroy us? You have taught us that it is because our flesh is disobedient and can never be obedient, to the letter of the law, and that we need forgiveness and cleansing by the power of the Holy Spirit, sent by You. Father, if Jesus had never come and if He had not died for us, becoming a sacrifice for our sins, then our sins would still be with us. We do not trust in our obedience to the law for our salvation. Only by the redeeming blood of Jesus, shed for us, can we ever hope to stand in Your Holy presence. That Father is what separates Christianity from every other belief system. We can not enter into Your presence stained by sin and Jesus takes away our sin, forever. Such a simple fact should not be ignored by other faiths. Without Jesus there is no cleansing and forgiveness. Help us to understand, we pray, In His name, amen. Bruce Caldwell
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Law of God, June 17, 2008
Law of God, June 17, 2008 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin.
For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do.
If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good.
But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.
For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find.
For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. Romans 7:14-19, www.solascriptura.com Father, we are reminded that You appointed Paul to be a minister to the Gentiles. He was a Jew and a friend of Jews but found that the Jews largely rejected Jesus as Savior. Paul knew the law having been a student of Gamaliel, the great Jewish scholar. Father, You have taught us that it was Paul's strong belief, before his encounter with Jesus, that it was possible and proper to adhere to the law. Father, here Paul is teaching us that there is a great struggle going on in the heart of man. Man knows that what is right and true yet he does things that are clearly wrong, as judged by the law. We know that Jesus is the answer to the struggle. It is His Spirit in us that enable us to bring our hopes to action. Father, we know that adherence to the law is good and we know that we can not do so without Your power in us. Thank You for cleansing us of our past sins, by the redeeming love of Jesus, for us, and help us, this day, to know that You would have us sin no more. In Jesus Holy name, we pray, amen. Bruce Caldwell
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Law of God, May 29, 2008
Law of God, May 29, 2008 Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.
I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good.
For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man.
But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?
I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin. Romans 7:20-25, www.solascriptura.com Father, The apostle Paul says that he delights in Your law yet he knows that the temptations of the flesh are real and persistent. Is it that way with each of us Father? Do we see that righteousness is better than sin, love better than hate, an unclouded mind better than drunkenness and worshipping You better than serving evil? And having made our choices do we yet struggle to be in the center of Your will for our lives? Unfortunately, the answer is yes Father, we remain in this perpetual testing ground as long as we are in our flesh and we witness and experience the impact of sin in our lives and the lives of those we know. Paul points us to You Jesus as the One who can lift us up, cleanse us and forgive us. Help us to sin less and less and to choose rightly when confronted by evil desires, those things which are an anathema to you, something You loathe. Thank You for clarifying for us the clear difference between evil and righteousness and for empowering us, by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, to cope with the continual waves of sinful circumstance that come at us daily. We choose to serve You this day. Amen. Bruce Caldwell
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Law of God, May 8, 2008
Law of God, May 8, 2008 Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.
Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.
For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same.
For he is God's minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God's minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. Romans 13:1-4, www.solascriptura.com
Father, these words of Paul lead us to know that nothing that goes on in this universe is outside of Your control. An evil person would not draw his first breath if You did not allow it to be so and a king is not a king unless You have allowed it to be so. You have taught us that those in authority, who You have permitted to be in authority, are those we must respect and to the extent that we obey the laws of the land we will not be subject to the penalties of enforcement.
We also know Father, that if the governing authority asks us to deny You and to follow them that we are authorized to resist, even unto death. Help us to be good and to do good because we know we will be seldom punished for being obedient to those You have allowed to be in power. They, if they err in their leadership, can sometimes be voted against but more importantly, they answer to You. Give us a trusting spirit in knowing You are ultimately in charge and that You will love and protect Your children from evil consequences. Trials will come but we know You are the final authority. We pray for wisdom in this matter. In Jesus Holy name, we pray, amen. Bruce Caldwell
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