Word for the Soul

“This is my covenant with you: I will make you the father of a multitude of nations! What’s more, I am changing your name. It will no longer be Abram. Instead, you will be called Abraham, for you will be the father of many nations.” Genesis 17:4-5 NLT

Your name is significant. It identifies you. It may have a special meaning or be in honor of one of your parents or someone nestled in your family tree. Overall it is unique to you even if others have the same name. There is a purpose for it, and that purpose is you, it is your name. Imagine having your name changed at age ninety-nine. Imagine living until age ninety-nine. Abram was quite alive when he was ninety-nine years old and he had his name change by the Lord God. There was a special purpose for it, Abram was about to Abraham, the father of many nations.

“When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, ‘I am El-Shaddai—‘God Almighty.’ Serve me faithfully and live a blameless life.’ (Gen.17:1 nlt) It had been thirteen years since Ishmael was born, Sarai’s and Abram’s plan to have a child through Hagar, Sarai’s servant. Abram was commanded to live a blameless life by the Lord ‘El-Shaddai’ which means ‘God almighty, nothing is impossible with God.’ Abram must respond in obedience to receive God’s promises for him. Abram fell down to the ground as the Lord spoke to him about the covenant He would make with him.

The Lord God told Abram He was going to make him the father of many nations. He then said to Abram that his name would change from Abram (Exalted Father) to Abraham meaning (father of many nations). God promised that Abraham’s descendants would be fruitful and become many nations with many kings. This covenant would be an everlasting covenant lasting throughout the generations and the Lord promised He will always be his God and the God of his future descendants.

God also said, “And I will give the entire land of Canaan, where you now live as a foreigner, to you and your descendants. It will be their possession forever.” (Gen.17:8 nlt) The Lord includes the earlier covenant He made with Abram in chapter 15 here in chapter 17. The Lord promised the land where Abram was standing would be his descendants forever. Abram was to walk through it and claim it. This everlasting covenant is still in effect today and beyond. It does not end. The Lord God has promised that land to Israel.

Abraham had one responsibility in this covenant along with all his future descendants and that was to conduct the sign of the covenant, circumcision. “From generation to generation, every male child must be circumcised on the eighth day after his birth. This applies not only to members of your family but also to the servants born in your household and the foreign-born servants whom you have purchased. All must be circumcised. Your bodies will bear the mark of my everlasting covenant.” (Gen.17:12-13 nlt) Circumcision was common in Abram’s day. It was carried out by various people groups. The most common reason was for hygienic purposes. Here God uses it as a symbol of cutting away sin and being cleansed, and it served as signifying consecration to the Lord.

Sarai also gets a new name. “Then God said to Abraham, ‘Regarding Sarai, your wife—her name will no longer be Sarai. From now on her name will be Sarah.” (Gen.17:15 nlt) Both Sarai and Sarah mean ‘princess’ although ‘Sarai’ includes ‘my princess.’ This name change would emphasize Sarah would be the mother of many nations as Abraham’s wife, for she will bear a child to him and serve God’s purposes. “And I will bless her and give you a son from her! Yes, I will bless her richly, and she will become the mother of many nations. Kings of nations will be among her descendants.” (Gen.17:16 nlt) Abraham could not believe what he heard and laughed to himself, after all he would be one hundred years old and Sarah ninety.

Abraham seeks a simpler solution that is right in front of him again. He once again asks God for Ishmael serve as his heir. But again God says ‘No!’ Sarah will have a son and you will name him Issac, meaning ‘he laughs.’ Abraham did laugh, if only to himself. God said that He will confirm His covenant with Issac and his descendants for he is the covenant child of promise, not Ishmael. But God does indeed bless Ishmael and his descendants. Abraham will be the father of many nations and Ishmael descendants will help fulfill that promise. The Lord God said,
“As for Ishmael, I will bless him also, just as you have asked. I will make him extremely fruitful and multiply his descendants. He will become the father of twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation.” (Gen.17:20 nlt)

On that very day when the Lord left Abraham he immediately obeyed God by fulfilling his responsibility by circumcising his son Ishmael and all the male servants in his household. “Both Abraham and his son, Ishmael, were circumcised on that same day, along with all the other men and boys of the household, whether they were born there or bought as servants. All were circumcised with him.” (Gen.17:26-27 nlt) Abraham obeyed God. He did not delay by thinking about it. He had faith that God would do what he had promised even though it may seem impossible. Abraham’s faith is an example for all of us. May Abraham’s faith be contagious to us in our day to catch his faith through the help of the Holy Spirit because El-Shaddai is God Almighty wherein nothing is impossible.

Next week a son is promised to Sarah and Abraham pleads with God……..

God of Eternal Hope

April 11, 2026April 6, 2026 Loring Schultz

“I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13 NLT

We have just come out of the Easter weekend holiday. I heard messages last weekend of hope, peace, light and other necessary needs for our present world made possible through Jesus Christ rising from the dead. His resurrection gives us all hope for the day in which we live was expounded in their sermons. These words came from some of the world’s renowned and most respected Christian leaders. But there are serious flaws in their messages. It was not what was said, but what was not said.

I will not take away anything from those who pray for peace in this world, we need more spiritual leaders to be part of this. Their Easter message of hope and peace is available to all because of Christ’s resurrection but only through the saving grace of God as one accepts Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection for their sins does it apply. It is a personal experience. The main message of Christ’s resurrection has been replaced by a general one-size-fits-all secular version of hope and peace for this world neglecting the true reason why Christ came; to lay down His life for sinners. Jesus Christ came to save us all who are dead in our sins and believe on Him for salvation saving us from eternal punishment of hell’s fire.

It is true that those who accept Christ as savior from their sin have received joy, peace, and the light of Christ in this dark world that shines for all to see. That alone brings some peace to the world but realize it is a changed person who is now alive and has the Holy Spirit within them because of Christ’s resurrection. The hope of the resurrection we celebrate is future, an eternal hope. Christians who truly know the Lord as savior have the assurance (hope) of being resurrected on the last day and assured of eternal life. That is the true message of Easter (Resurrection Sunday) from the true God of eternal hope.

Devotionals

Hold your money loosely

April 10, 2026April 7, 2026 Loring Schultz

You may be thinking today’s title is not wise advice and I would agree if I were walking the streets of New York city. I would be sure to have a secure grip on my wallet. Another thing that sounds strange is that money is not that important. Paul tells Timothy that money is ‘so unreliable.’ For the Christian, our trust should be in God and not in our money.

Holding on to our money too tight makes it harder for us to let it go. It gives us a false sense of security and blinds us to the needs of others around us. We are to trust God for our security because He supplies all our need with money left over to enjoy life. When we trust God with our finances we find there will be money left over to share with others. But if we hold tight that money in our hands we will never find out.

The Lord wants us to use our money wisely, ‘to do good’ with it. We are to be generous to those in need with our money but also in good works giving our time in whatever need others may have. Holding our money loosely and relying on God to meet our needs will not only bless us but those around us in need.

And there is nothing wrong in investing for the future. In fact it is wise. But while we are investing the same rule applies. Hold your investments loosely so you have money left over to invest in the kingdom of God. Make it a good deposit storing up treasures in heaven.

1 Timothy 6:17-19 NLT

“Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others. By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life.”

Devotionals

The Truth about Jesus

April 9, 2026April 7, 2026 Loring Schultz

Read: John 5:19-30 NLT – So Jesus explained, “I tell you the – Bible Gateway

“I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life.” John 5:24 NLT

The truth about Jesus has been debated for centuries. Theologians for the past two thousand years have studied Scripture and the works of fellow scholars to know all they can about Jesus Christ. Each one produces their view with most of them are in agreement with what they discover. There are however differing opinions among some, especially in the last one hundred and fifty years, as to Jesus’ deity and His authority. When these subjects are in question, all hope of our salvation, eternal life, and coming judgment for unbelievers lie in the balance. The best way to understand the truth is to read Jesus’ words for ourselves and hear what He has to say.

Our reading for today will help clear up these issues concerning Jesus’ deity and authority. The religious Jewish leaders were criticizing Jesus and questioning His authority for breaking Sabbath rules and making Himself equal with God. Jesus claimed His deity when He said, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does..…For just as the Father gives life to those he raises from the dead, so the Son gives life to anyone he wants.”(Jn.5:19, 21 nlt) Yes, Jesus is making Himself equal with God the Father for He is God the Son.

Jesus then proves He has authority when He says, “In addition, the Father judges no one. Instead, he has given the Son absolute authority to judge…..And he has given him authority to judge everyone because he is the Son of Man.” (Jn.5:22, 27 nlt) Our culture today through some of the modern-day theologians and progressive leaning pastors are stripping away Jesus’ deity and His right to judge by preaching a watered-down version of Jesus taking away the true reason why He came. As today’s key verse indicates Jesus came to bring salvation and eternal life for all who hear His message and believe. That is the truth, the truth about Jesus.

Devotionals

Jesus Stopped

April 8, 2026April 6, 2026 Loring Schultz

Read: Mark 10:46-52 NIV – Blind Bartimaeus Receives His Sight – Bible Gateway

“Jesus stopped and said, ‘Call him.’ So they called to the blind man, ‘Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.’” Mark 10:49 NIV

Have you ever called out to someone for help and they failed to stop? We have seen tragic reports of accidents and violence towards people where others move along as if nothing was happening or they stand by watching while they video the scene on their cell phones. They don’t want to get involved even if they have the ability to help. Yes, discernment is needed in current days but all too often helping never is considered as people just turn away. Jesus never turns away; in fact Jesus always stops when we call out to Him.

As Jesus left Jericho on His way to Jerusalem for His final days before His crucifixion, Jesus stopped. He stopped for Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, who was calling out for Him. The man was shouting “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” (Mk.10:47 niv) Bartimaeus was in his usual position of sitting along the side of road looking for alms from the passers-by as Jesus passed by. He knew it was Jesus by the reaction and noise of the crowd that were traveling with Him. The crowd rebuked him telling Bartimaeus to be quiet but he shouted out all the more. Bartimaeus wasn’t looking for alms but for healing. He knew Jesus was able to heal him because he knew Jesus was the Messiah, he called Him the ‘Son of David.’

Bartimaeus wasn’t going to miss his chance, he cried out for Jesus to have mercy on him. Jesus always stopped for people in need all throughout His three years of ministry and He stopped here for Bartimaeus asking what he wanted Him to do for him. Of course Bartimaeus wanted to receive his sight and the Lord healed him.

This same Jesus will stop today and listen to your cry for help when you call Him. Others may pass you by but our Lord is always there to help us in our time of need. Don’t neglect to call upon Him, He will stop!

Uncategorized

Geocaching

April 7, 2026April 6, 2026 Loring Schultz

Read: Jeremiah 29:10-14 NLT – This is what the LORD says: “You will – Bible Gateway

“If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.” Jeremiah 29:13 NLT

Photo by Du01b0u01a1ng Nhu00e2n on Pexels.com

A few of my family members are into the outdoor recreational activity of ‘geocaching.’ I have not gotten the bug yet. In reality it is an outdoor treasure hunt game, not that there are valuable treasures to be found, but the value is in the hunt. Developed twenty-five years ago, hunters search for items using their GPS devises hidden in the most remote places. These items called ‘geocaches’ are containers with a logbook to sign proving you found it along with little trinkets of some kind to share, you then place in your little surprise. At last reporting in 2023, geocaching is taking place in 191 countries around the world with over 3 million active caches. That’s a lot of trinkets.

This may indeed be more of than game. Perhaps, most games are. In geocaching the primary focus is the search and the reward of finding the cache. This reveals a deep truth about human nature. Deep down all of us are searching for something whether we realize it or not. Games such as geocaching and other activities quench that desire for the moment, but there is always that need to go back. Nothing totally fulfills that empty desire. We need to be constantly engaged in filling that void in our lives through what we find enjoyable and it is the search that keeps us going.

The prophet Jeremiah wrote the Lord’s words to the Jewish exiles in Babylon who were now searching for meaning in their lives. The Lord God said to them, “If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.” (Jer.29:13 nlt) The Lord promised them a future, He would restore them once again and told them to look for Him. God will hear their prayers and they will find Him right where they are.

If you haven’t accepted Christ as your savior and are still searching, it’s time to end the search. Jesus will meet where you are. Place your trust in Him by finding the cache with the only logbook that matters. (the Lamb’s Book of Life-Rev.21:27) You will receive a true treasure of total fulfillment in Christ’s salvation and eternal life.

Devotionals

A Call to Holy Living

April 6, 2026April 5, 2026 Loring Schultz

Read: 1 Peter 1:13-16 NLT – A Call to Holy Living – So prepare your – Bible Gateway

“But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, ‘You must be holy because I am holy.’” 1 Peter 1:15-16 NLT

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez 🇨🇦 on Unsplash

God calls every Christian to holy living. In fact, He says ‘you must be holy.’ Don’t allow God’s statement to alarm you. He is not calling you to be perfect as He is without a trace of sin. We all know that is not possible, and if anyone knows that is not possible it is God. So, what does God mean when He gives us this command, we must be holy. He is calling us to holy living and not to a perfect sinless life without any flaws or defects. And is this possible, yes!

The Lord is calling us away from our old way of living before we were saved. Dr. John MacArthur notes, “Holiness essentially defines the Christian’s new nature and conduct with his pre-salvation lifestyle.” We are called to live separately from the sinful ways of the world as the new Christ-like nature takes over. Being holy, in essence, is being separated from the world and not living in accordance with the world systems. Christians are to be set apart from sin and impurity and set apart to God.

Habakkuk 1:13 says, “But you are pure and cannot stand the sight of evil.” (nlt) The hearts and minds of every Christian should continually reflect on the purity of God. Our goal is to live in purity and recognize God cannot stand the sight of evil. When we fail, which will be often, the Lord offers forgiveness when we confess and He gives us grace to see us through as we continue on with our call to holy living.

Bible Studies

“The Birth of Ishmael part 2: God hears” – The Story of Abraham

April 5, 2026April 2, 2026 Loring Schultz

Read: Genesis 16 NLT – The Birth of Ishmael – Now Sarai, – Bible Gateway

“And the angel also said, “You are now pregnant and will give birth to a son. You are to name him Ishmael (which means ‘God hears’), for the LORD has heard your cry of distress.” Genesis 16:11 NLT

Plans made outside the will of God never work out. In fact most of the time they turn into a disaster. Abram and Sarai found this out the hard way when they planned Abram’s heir would come from a union between Sarai’s servant and Abram. Early evidence of the disaster to come was Hagar’s contempt for her mistress Sarai after she knew she had become pregnant. Their relationship was broken, not to mention the relationship between Sarai and her husband will be forever strained. Sarai blames Abram and Abram tells Sarai to work it out for herself. “Look, she is your servant, so deal with her as you see fit.” (Gen.16:6 nlt) Not exactly how a husband and wife should work out their problems, but Sarai did handle it her way. “Then Sarai treated Hagar so harshly that she finally ran away.” (Gen.16:6 nlt)

You may have heard the saying, ‘no one sins alone’ meaning the results of one’s sins affects others as much as the sinner. Innocent people often get hurt, and in this case Hagar was the innocent party. Yes, Hagar did flaunt the fact that she was carrying Abram’s child causing ill feelings for Sarai. Yet the situation she was in was not of her devise. Sin always has unforeseen consequences which surface after the deed is done. Abram and Sarai found this out.

Hagar was running away not knowing where she is going. Her direction indicates she was heading to her home country of Egypt but we cannot be sure. What we do know is that “The angel of the LORD found Hagar beside a spring of water in the wilderness, along the road to Shur.” (Gen.16:7 nlt) Shur was south of Palestine and east of Egypt where the angel met her. This is the first time ‘the angel of the LORD’ appears in Scripture and most scholars interpret this as the preincarnate manifestation of Christ. The angel of the LORD has a question and a message for Hagar. ‘“…..where have you come from, and where are you going?’ ‘I’m running away from my mistress, Sarai,’ she replied. The angel of the LORD said to her, ‘Return to your mistress, and submit to her authority.’” (Gen.16:8-9 nlt) Hagar confirmed she was only running away from Sarai with no pre-determined plan in mind. We may question why the Lord would instruct her to go back into an abusive relationship, but it is not as it looks. These instructions come with a promise.

The Lord then said to Hagar, “I will give you more descendants than you can count. You are now pregnant and will give birth to a son. You are to name him Ishmael (which means ‘God hears’), for the LORD has heard your cry of distress.” (Gen.16:10-11 nlt) Hagar is promised she will become the mother of many, even more descendants than she can count. Her son Ishmael would become the head of an important tribe. Ishmael became the father of the Arab people. The Lord gave Hagar a promise of protection when she returned to Sarai and a promise of great blessing in the multiple descendants that would come through Ishmael, for God hears.

The Angel of the LORD describes the character of Ishmael and the life he would live. Evidently God had a plan for Ishmael even though it wasn’t Abram’s or Sarai’s plan. Ishmael is the first person in the Bible to be given a name before he was born. His name means ‘God hears.’ The Lord God heard Hagar’s cry when she was on the run from her mistress. The Lord tells Hagar what the future holds for her son, “This son of yours will be a wild man, as untamed as a wild donkey! He will raise his fist against everyone, and everyone will be against him. Yes, he will live in open hostility against all his relatives.” (Gen.16:12 nlt) An untamable wild donkey in those days was considered a valuable animal. Ishmael’s descendants, the Ishmaelites were fierce and combative.

Hagar realized the angel of the LORD who spoke to her was God. She called Him ‘You are the God who sees me.’ She had confidence in His protection as she went back to Sarai and had faith in His promise for Ishmael and his descendants. She returned to Abram and Sarai. Hagar gave birth to a baby boy giving Abram a son. Abram named him Ishmael as the Angel of the LORD told Hagar. Abram would now become the father of two groups of people, Ishmaels descendants, the Arabs, and Issac’s descendants, the Jews. The hostility that started between Sarai and Hagar has lasted until our current day. The impatience of Abram and Sarai has bred trouble for thousands of years. No one sins alone, but may we thank the Lord that He still hears.

Next week Abram and Sarai get a name change………..

A Christian Perspective

Which Cross Are You On?

April 4, 2026March 31, 2026 Loring Schultz

Read: Luke 23:33-43 NLT – When they came to a place called The – Bible Gateway

“Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.’ And Jesus replied, ‘I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.’” Luke 23:42-43 NLT

On a spring morning outside Jerusalem three men are sentenced to death by crucifixion by the authority of the Roman government. Crucifixion was the most barbaric and tortuous form of execution known to man. The horrors of the pain involved is accompanied by shame and humiliation all in public view. Of the three crucified that morning, two were clearly guilty of crimes deserving of death. But the man in the middle, Jesus, clearly was not. Although Jesus was not deserving of death, as confirmed by Pontius Pilate, His being on Calvary’s Hill that day with the two criminals is a picture of God’s love, God’s mercy, God’s grace, and a picture of all of us.

We may not want to admit it, but the two criminals are a picture of each and every one of us. All of us are deserving of death due to our sin. Born with a sin nature, we are sinful creatures living in a fallen world and will die physically as a result. The Bible is clear, “And just as each person is destined to die once.” (Heb. 9:27a) We deserve to die physically due to our sin. The two criminals on the cross deserved to die physically for their sins and specifically on that day for actions committed against humanity for which they are guilty.

Another picture we see in the three crosses, pertaining to the two criminals, is a picture of the world in their acceptance or rejection of Christ. The two criminals each had a choice to make about Jesus. One wanted nothing but to escape from his present condition, the other acknowledging his sin, realizing his spiritual condition, called out to Jesus in his time of real need asking to be with Him in paradise. It is a true picture of the world today.

God’s love is on full display as He sent His Son to die undeservedly for those who deserve to die. The picture of His mercy and grace is evident by Jesus’s words to the one criminal, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.” The choice is yours and mine. Which cross next to Jesus are you on?

Devotionals

Access to God

April 3, 2026March 31, 2026 Loring Schultz

Read: Matthew 27:33-54 ESV – And when they came to a place called – Bible Gateway

“And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit. And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split.” Matthew 27:50-51 ESV

For the religious Jews of Jesus’s day the tearing of the curtain (veil) in the temple should have been a revelation of who Jesus is and His purpose in dying on the cross. Scripture says the curtain was torn at the moment Jesus died, yielding up His spirit. It was torn from top to bottom indicating no human could have done it, it was clearly an act of God. The curtain that was torn was the inner curtain that separated the holy place from the most holy place in the Temple. It separated God who is Holy from sinful man and it contained the Ark of the Covenant and the law of God.

Entrance into the most Holy place, the Holy of Holies, was only once a year on the Day of Atonement. This was the most solemn holy day of all the feasts and festivals on the Jewish calendar. The High Priest would enter the Holy of Holies after offering a bull sacrifice for his own sins. He would then enter and sprinkle some of the blood on the Ark of the Covenant to atone for the sins of the people. Forgiveness and covering of sin was only through a blood sacrifice and repeated every year on the Day of Atonement.

The events that took place on the first Good Friday are many. They started in the early morning hours past midnight with the unjust trials of Jesus, and after being condemned to die, mocked, beaten, he was finally nailed to a cross later in the morning. Darkness covered the earth from twelve noon until three in the afternoon, the time Jesus died. At that moment, the last event, access to God was made possible to all through Jesus’s sacrifice and shedding of His blood. The curtain was torn in two, no more need for a yearly animal sacrifice to cover sin. A permanent sacrifice for sin was provided. “For the death he died he died to sin, once for all.” (Ro.6:10 esv) We have access to God the Father through the blood of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Have you accepted the sacrifice of Jesus in not just covering your sins but in taking them away completely? Access to God, Salvation, and eternal life is only possible through the blood of Jesus Christ as we repent, confess our sins, and accept Him as our Savoir. This Good Friday make sure you have ‘Access to God.’