Word for the Soul

“Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.” John 3:3 NLT

Summer has officially arrived in the northern hemisphere as the summer solstice arrived early Sunday morning here in the northeastern United States. We had our longest day of sunlight on Sunday as the days will slowly become shorter as summer wears on. With the extended sunlight there are many pleasurable summer activities taking place. Emergency management crews, fire departments, and rescue teams are warning of the dangers in accessing the local rivers this time of year as many people take advantage of the warm days for recreational activity. The day before summer arrived local rescue teams issued warnings as they conducted water rescue drills on the rivers. Sadly, on the very first day of summer a person was pulled from the river and died. It was the second fatality in four days.

Every accident has its own circumstances and all the facts are not always clear, but what is clear are the warnings and caution needed when entering moving waters. Precautions must be taken by heeding the warnings. Each one of us has been given a spiritual warning concerning our eternal existence after this life is over. That warning is given to us by the Lord Jesus Himself when He says, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.” (Jn.3:3 nlt) You may have heard that many times from preachers, family members, and friends choosing to ignore it as religious babbling, but they got it from Jesus’ own words recorded in the Bible.

Jesus does not issue false warnings. He is preparing us for what is ahead and warning us of the dangers of not being born again by accepting Him as savior. The warning continues to be given today as to where you will spend your eternal life. Rescue teams are out spreading the good news of Jesus Christ and eternal life. Don’t get caught by not heeding the warning!

Devotionals

Imperfect Faith

June 22, 2026June 21, 2026 Loring Schultz

‘“Yes, come,’ Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. ‘Save me, Lord!’ he shouted. Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. ‘You have so little faith,’ Jesus said. ‘Why did you doubt me?’” Matthew 14:29-31 NLT

Man struggling in turbulent ocean waves reaching out with one hand

There are many who have heard the story of Jesus walking on the water. Some even comment to their own frailty when praise by others by saying, ‘I don’t walk on water.’ But how many of us forget that a mere human did walk on water. He was Peter, one of Jesus’ disciples. This, of course, did not come about by Peter’s fishing skills, but by the supernatural power of Jesus as Peter put his faith in Him.

The occasion was a stormy night in which the disciples were sent ahead by Jesus to the other side of the lake as He took time to pray by Himself up in the hill country. Scripture says the disciples were in trouble fighting the waves from the fierce winds. At about three o’clock in the morning, Jesus came walking to them on the sea. Calming their fears from the wind and waves, and the fact that they thought he was a ghost, Jesus said to them, “Don’t be afraid, Take courage. I am here!” Peter then displayed a tremendous amount of faith in asking Jesus if he could join him by walking to Him on the water. Jesus granted his request and if you know the rest of the story, Peter walked on the water, but he did not get very far.

Have you ever stepped out in faith by asking the Lord to open a door for you and he opens it, you go through it, but you do not get very far? Peter asked in faith to walk on water despite the effects of the wind and waves due to his great faith in Jesus. But once out on the water, Peter panicked after seeing his surroundings forgetting that Jesus was right in front of him, and he began to sink. Of course, Jesus did not let him sink, but did rebuke him by saying, ‘You have so little faith, Why did you doubt me?’ Peter’s doubt resulted from having an imperfect faith.

Our Lord wants to do remarkable things through us. If He has put a desire in your heart, push that desire through by taking a risk in faith. Once out on the water with all its effects continue moving forward with Jesus as your guide and you will accomplish what He has planned for you.

“This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD, your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9 NLT

Bible Studies

“How to Pray” – The Lord’s Prayer, Jesus’ Teaching on Prayer

June 21, 2026June 19, 2026 Loring Schultz

The Lord's Prayer text on aged parchment with a candle and a wooden rosary on a wooden table

Over the next six weeks we will learn how to pray from Jesus’ teaching on prayer. There are many prayers recorded in the pages of scripture. Without a doubt, the most familiar prayer is the Lord’s Prayer found in the gospels of Matthew and Luke. It is a model prayer Jesus taught His disciples when they asked Him to teach them how to pray. The disciples evidently saw something in Jesus concerning His prayer life. He would leave them for hours spending time with His Father in prayer. They realized the importance of prayer even as John the Baptist taught his disciples to pray and now, they were witnessing Jesus’ prayer habits. It was a marked influence on them, for they did not ask Him to teach them to perform miracles or anything else spectacular, but they asked Him; teach us to pray.

In Matthew’s recording of the Lord’s Prayer notice Jesus began His teaching with how not to pray. There are many bad examples in how not to pray. The key point to remember is the Lord’s Prayer is an example to follow in praying, and it is a good one. Jesus instructs His disciples and us. “When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them.” (Mt. 6:5 nlt) Praying is not a spectator sport to show others how holy you are. Jesus also said, “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again.” (Mt. 6:7 nlt) This is not a condemnation towards long prayers, but of excess meaningless verbiage just to be heard. Repetition is not a bad thing when in earnest prayer, and crying out to God concerning your sorrow and needs. We need to take comfort that God knows exactly what we need. Jesus says, “Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!” (Mt. 6:8 nlt) Daniel Henderson in his book ‘Transforming Prayer’ writes the following, “Our Father is completely dialed-in and capable. He is all-knowing and sovereign. He does not need the persuasion of our words or vigorous religious performances in order to know and meet our needs.”

Jesus’ instructions on how to pray begin with, “But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private.” (Mt. 6:6 nlt) This is a reminder that God looks on the heart and not outward appearance. He will meet with us in private and not in the public square. This is not a prohibition against public prayer. Jesus Himself prayed publicly and corporate prayer within the church is vital to its existence. But let us keep in mind, “Private praying is the finest training ground for public prayer.” (Wycliffe Bible Commentary)

As we move forward in the coming weeks being taught by Jesus on how to pray may we heed the two rules of prayer by R.C. Sproul, “Remember to whom you are speaking, and remember who is doing the speaking.”

A Christian Perspective

Baseball, Hot Dogs, Apple Pie, and Pride Night

June 20, 2026June 19, 2026 Loring Schultz

Full disclosure before I begin, of all the major sports, baseball has been my all-time passion. Major League Baseball has done a solid job over the years promoting the sport and recovering from past mistakes as the gambling scandal in 1919 World Series, racial segregation of the early 20^th century, and the steroid era of the 1990’s. But there is another misstep (and is saying it lightly) MLB has made that if not corrected will leave a longer lasting scar than any of the previous three I have mentioned. The game itself is a great game and nothing can change that. A perfect example of this is the current NCAA College World Series. The game is the game, and it unites us in ways that are unimaginable. But MLB is about to destroy all that for the sake of bowing to the political pressure of the culture.

By now if you have not heard three San Francisco Giants players were warned officially by MLB of a violation they committed and no such incident in the future would be tolerated. The three players wrote Bible verse on their ‘Pride Night Theme’ caps. “The writing on the cap violates our rules, and consistent with normal practice, we have warned the players about future violations,” MLB chief communications officer Pat Courtney told the Athletic and Outsports in a statement.” (1) The three players were expressing what the rainbow colors mean to them by displaying ‘Genesis 9:12-16.’ Landen Roupp, “When speaking to media postgame, Roupp said the message was meant to point people to ‘God’s covenant and the promise that He makes to us.’ (2) With that the San Francisco Giants offered an apology to their fans saying, “We understand that the choices by individual players has caused pain and anger to many in the LGBTQ+ community and we are sorry for that.” (3) It is hard to understand that God’s covenant and His promises caused pain and anger among some of the fans, but that is what they say. I guess it didn’t matter to those ball players that wearing that cap may have caused them pain.

I applaud these players for taking a stand and we need more of them. There has been much support in their direction, but there needs to be more. This is not going away soon. Where it goes from here is any ones guess. If MLB continues to please less than 10% of its fans by making 90% feel uncomfortable with nothing that relates to the game of baseball, this is a train heading over a cliff which they have built themselves. It is time to correct this wrong as in the past. Failure to do so will result in tearing away the very fabric that made this game what it is today. America’s National Pastime, Baseball, Hot Dogs, and Apple Pie.

(1) https://www.nbcsportsbayarea.com/mlb/san-francisco-giants/landen-roupp-bible-pride-warning/1943585/

(2) https://www.foxnews.com/outkick-sports/san-francisco-giants-pitcher-writes-bible-verse-hat-defiance-pride-night

(3) https://abc7news.com/post/san-francisco-giants-players-draw-backlash-writing-bible-verses-pride-night-caps/19305024

Devotionals

Fake Christians

June 19, 2026June 18, 2026 Loring Schultz

Read: 1 John 2:3-6 NLT – And we can be sure that we know him if – Bible Gateway

“Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.” 1 John 2:6 NLT

‘Fake’ defined in Webster’s New World Dictionary is ‘to make (something) seem real, etc. by deception.’ ‘Christian’ defined by Webster is ‘a believer in Jesus as the prophesied Messiah, or in the religion based on the teachings of Jesus.’ Put the two words together and what do you have, ‘one who claims a faith in Jesus who does live as Jesus lived.’ You are thinking, no one can live as Jesus did. He is the sinless Son of God and you are right. But John writes if we claim to know God we should obey His commandments. Ok, so where do we start?

Let us start with God’s Ten Commandments. I am sure most of us cannot quote all Ten Commandments when asked on the spot, but most of us have heard of God’s Ten Commandments given to Moses in the book of Exodus. Upon hearing them recited they come to mind once again, and upon hearing them it’s time to obey. But an important note to remember is that obeying the Ten Commandments does not make you a Christian. In fact, you are unable to obey any of the commandments fully without the help of God through His Holy Spirit.

So how can we fully obey God and live our lives as Jesus did? Jesus came to fulfill the Law. There were many laws in the Old Testament days to obey and no one was able to obey them all but failed repeatedly. A sacrifice was needed to forgive and cover sin, therefore the many animal sacrifices that were performed in those days. Jesus took care of all the sacrifices needed for sin by laying down His life as the perfect sacrifice once for all. (Heb.10:12) When we accept Christ as our savior we receive His Holy Spirit to dwell within us helping us to walk in obedience to God.

The only way you can say you live in God is when God truly lives in you through the Holy Spirit when you accept Jesus Christ. There are many fake Christians in the world today claiming to know Jesus, but they are not walking as He walked because they do not have His Holy Spirit. Don’t be a fake Christian but truly walk as Jesus walked by knowing Him as your personal savior and Lord.

Exodus 20:1-17 KJV – And God spake all these words, saying, – Bible Gateway

Devotionals

God Given Natural Resources

June 18, 2026June 17, 2026 Loring Schultz

“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17 NLT

Illustration of natural resources including flora and fauna, land and minerals, water and marine resources, and energy and renewable resources. — Illustration showing different types of natural resources supporting life on Earth.

Scripture says, “The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it.” (Ps.24:1 nlt) It’s all His for in the book of Genesis it says God created the earth. Our God has given us the earth to live in, manage it, and enjoy it. We could not do this on our own if God had not supplied us with natural resources created for our benefit. Just think of the natural resources that are vital for our survival. They fall into two categories, renewable and non-renewable resources.

Where would we be without the renewable resources God gave to each of us such as, plants, animals, freshwater, topsoil, and solar and wind energy created by the light of the sun and moving air currents. Not to forget coal, oil, and natural gas the non-renewable resources that has become a necessity in the 21^st century. These natural resources were created by God for us to use and be able to live in and manage the earth. Without them we would not survive.

God has given us another natural resource that is vital to our physical lives, but more importantly vital for our spiritual lives, His Holy Word, the Bible. Neglecting the use water, vegetation, and all the other resources God has supplied us with will end in death. Neglecting God’s Word will end in spiritual death for those who refuse to accept God’s love for us through His Son. His Word was given to us to show us the way of salvation and how to live after accepting Christ as savior. The Bible continues to be a vital spiritual natural resource for every Christian. We cannot live without it. It was given to us for that purpose.

Bible Studies

The Father’s Discipline

June 17, 2026June 15, 2026 Loring Schultz

Read: Luke 15:11-24 ESV – The Parable of the Prodigal Son – And – Bible Gateway

“A few days later this younger son packed all his belongings and moved to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money in wild living.” Luke 15:13 NLT

Man in ragged clothes kneeling and embracing older man in blue robe outside stone house

One of the most favorite passages in all of scripture is found in Luke’s gospel. It is one of the many parables spoken by Jesus, The Parable of the Prodigal Son. Other names include, The Parable of Two Brothers, the Lost Son, the Forgiving Father, or my favorite The Parable of the Father’s Love. It is well represented in many sermons on Father’s Day each year. The loving father anxiously awaiting the return of his son who has left him is an example of God the Father who waits anxiously for us to return. All of us in one way or another take a step or two, or even a mile away from our heavenly Father. But we can rest assured that when we come to our senses, as the prodigal son did, our heavenly Father is there to greet us and forgive us. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9 esv)

But what about the other side of the coin, the Father’s discipline? We have no indication if the prodigal son was punished after the fattened calf celebration. But that was not Jesus’s point in telling this parable. Along with the demonstration of the father’s love for his son is the demonstration that the lost can be found. But we are also confident of the father’s love especially through discipline. The writer of the book of Hebrews sets forth from the Old Testament, “And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? ‘My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.’” (Heb. 12:5, 6 ESV) He continues, “…..but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” (Heb.12:10b, 11 esv)

We have a heavenly Father who loves us enough to forgive us and restore us back to fellowship with Him, and we have a heavenly Father who loves us enough to discipline us in order that we may share His Holiness. May we cherish both.

Devotionals

A Golden Opportunity

June 16, 2026June 14, 2026 Loring Schultz

“But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.” Job 23:10 NIV

Occasionally, in our lives we come across the opportunity of a lifetime. Whether it is a dream job, an exotic vacation, meeting a celebrity or favorite sports figure, a scholarship to a major university or being appointed to a high-level government position, we look at it as a golden opportunity. Opportunities may come about by chance with no effort on our part or by arduous work through blood, sweat, and tears. Whatever the case, we are grateful for the opportunity and do not take it for granted.

The biblical figure ‘Job’ is often referenced in describing those who are suffering or have suffered due to some personal tragedy in their lives. Job is the perfect example in these circumstances as it is said in comparison, ‘no one has suffered more next to Job.’ Job had lost his entire family, save his wife, all his livestock, and his servants in one day by Satan’s hand as he questioned Job’s integrity before God. God then permitted Satan to afflict Job with painful sores over his entire body, knowing the He could again trust Job to remain faithful. The Lord did permit the attacks on Job proving to Satan Job’s faithfulness. Job would not curse God and God gave Job a golden opportunity.

On the surface, Job’s suffering does not look like a golden opportunity. Job himself, throughout the book of Job questions why the suffering, but is convinced he did nothing wrong. Job relays to his three friends that God knows of his conduct and is testing him, not to refine him by purifying him of his sins, but to prove his innocence and he will come forth as gold. (Job 23:10 niv)

Does God test His children today? Yes, I am afraid He does. But He puts us to the test to draw ourselves closer to Him, to increase our faith in Him, to trust His plan for us, and to show ourselves as true followers of Jesus to others in need. It may be hard at the time, but may we thank the Lord for each golden opportunity to be used for His glory.

Devotionals

Stay Active and Keep Moving

June 15, 2026June 13, 2026 Loring Schultz

Read: Hebrews 6:9-12 NKJV – A Better Estimate – But, beloved, we – Bible Gateway

“Do not become sluggish but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” Hebrews 6:12 NKJV

People praying and exercising in a gym with Christian signs and a crucifix — A group engages in prayer and exercise at a gym emphasizing spiritual and physical strength.

The one piece of advice I received repeatedly before retiring was to ‘stay active and keep moving.’ I knew that to be true for in my working years as a retail store manager, I have spent more time on the floor than in the office, despite what others might say. A sudden stop in physical activity would not end well. For the most part I have maintained a regular schedule that keeps me moving physically. But I admit there are times when sluggishness sets in from missing the gym and the accumulation of late-night snacks. Thankfully, I recognize the need to stay active with frequent visits back to the gym to become sluggish free.

Staying active and moving is not only for our physical health, but also for our spiritual health. In fact the apostle Paul writes, “Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.” (1Tim.4:8 nlt) When we let our spiritual life lay dormant and are absorbing the junk food of the world there is no other outcome but to become sluggish or spiritually unhealthy. Without a correction this will lead to all kinds of spiritual problems and create a chasm between you and God.

Just as physical exercise and staying active keeps us healthy and not in a sluggish state, spiritual exercise such as Bible reading, prayer, worship, sharing the gospel, helping others, and having Christian friends will keep us active and moving in our Christian life. Age does not matter. Young, old, and in-between, we all need spiritual exercise. If you’re feeling a bit sluggish, it’s time to hit ‘God’s Gym.’

Bible Studies

“Final Thoughts” – The Story of Abraham

June 14, 2026June 11, 2026 Loring Schultz

Read: Genesis 22:15-18 NLT – Then the angel of the LORD called again – Bible Gateway

This week we come to the end of our study of Abraham in Sunday’s Biblical Insights. This man of great faith gave us much to admire and many examples to follow both good and bad. Although Abraham was a great man, he was also human and needed God in his life to direct him in all that God wanted him to do. Abraham was chosen by God to leave his family and homeland to a land God promised to give him and his descendants. Abraham would become the father of the Jewish people. So, Abraham set out for the Promised Land with his wife Sarai and his nephew Lot. That, indeed, took a lot of faith.

As we noted in our study, Abraham was not only the father of Jews but is known as the father of all who believe. Abraham received the good news that salvation for all would come through him. The Lord told Abraham in Genesis chapter 12, “All the families on earth will be blessed through you.” (Gen.12:3 nlt) Jesus Christ, the Messiah, came through Abraham’s seed. God’s salvation for sinners came through Abraham. The gospel of Matthew in the New Testament begins with the words, “This is a record of the ancestors of Jesus the Messiah, a descendant of David and of Abraham.” (Mt.1:1 nlt)

Last week we witnessed Abraham’s ultimate test of faith. God had told him to kill and sacrifice his son Issac on Mount Moriah. This great man of faith didn’t waver, at least not by an outward appearance that we can see, but proceeded with faith that God would raise him up from the dead or provide a substitute for his son. In this scene we discovered a foreshadowing of Jesus’ crucifixion in Issac’s willingness and the Lord supplying a substitute. A sacrifice was needed for our sin and God provided a substitute for all who believe in His name, Jesus Christ, God the Son.

Of everything we covered in our study of Abraham, this is the most important connection to your life that you can make. Abraham makes a wonderful story. It is God’s story of redeeming mankind through the seed of one man He chose to become the father of the Jewish people. From the line of King David of the tribe of Judah, the Messiah, Jesus Christ, the savior of the world, was born. All you need to do is have the faith to believe it. “God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.” (Eph.2:8 nlt)