Author: Loring Schultz

Christian Devotional Writer
Devotionals

Advent 2025: Preparing a Place

Loring Schultz

“Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.” John 14:1-3 NASB

Jesus’s love for us is such that He wants us to be with Him throughout all eternity. He has been preparing a place for us for two thousand years. His love for us is such that He left His heavenly place in order to make it possible for us to be in that place with Him. Sound confusing? It’s not really! Jesus, God the Son, left heaven’s throne coming down to earth to redeem those who will put their trust in Him for Salvation. Let’s just say the necessary arrangements needed to be made for us to enter eternity with the Lord Jesus.

The incarnation of Christ is part of God’s plan of Salvation for mankind. We are all in a lost state, sinners from birth, and cannot stand or live in the presence of God. Our society today tells us that God is a God of love and He would not condemn anyone. It is true God is a God of love, but He is also a Holy God who cannot accept sin. Sin against a Holy God must be dealt with and there is nothing we can do to make it right. Isaiah 64:6 says, “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteous nesses are as filthy rags.” (nkjv) As much as we try and as careful as we are to live a clean life doing what is right, the Bible says that our very best is as ‘filthy rags.’

So where is our hope this Christmas? Our hope is in Jesus, the Christ child, who lived a perfect life, and laid down that perfect life for us to accept Him for Salvation. We can then stand before God in Christ’s righteousness and live in eternity in the place He has been preparing for you and me these past two thousand years.

Devotionals

How to lose a guilty conscience

Loring Schultz

Read: Psalm 32:1-7 ESV – Blessed Are the Forgiven – A Maskil of – Bible Gateway

“I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,’ and you forgave the iniquity of my sin.” Psalm 32:5 ESV

Photo by Nik Shuliahin 💛💙 on Unsplash

The three most common words used in the Old Testament for evil thoughts and actions are sin, iniquity, and transgressions. Although these words are not so common today, evil thoughts and actions are still quite popular. Perhaps a reason why these words are not used is because they are never considered applicable to us. They are words in the Bible that condemns and we want no part of them, for we are not like that. We may make mistakes and mess up, but evil thinking and evil acts, well, that’s not us.

 Well, if that is the case, have you ever had a guilty conscience? Has there ever been a feeling you just can’t shake off no matter how hard you try? You trace it back to something you said or did or both. You may not want to admit it, but it was wrong even in your eyes. Your feelings are feeding your conscience and vice versa. You are able to say with David in Psalm 32, “For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.  For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer.” (Ps.32:3-4 esv) Your words or actions were also wrong in the eyes of your creator, the Lord God. That’s why you feel the way you do.

But there is a sure way to lose that feeling, that guilty conscience. Admit your guilt (sin) before the Lord, and don’t try to hide your (iniquity). You are able to fool some people, but not God. Confess your (transgressions) to the Lord. These words do apply. They bring a realization to our fallen state, but we don’t need to live in it. When we confess our sin, the Lord forgives us. He cleanses us, restores us to a right relationship with Himself and gets rid of our guilty conscience.

Devotionals

We didn’t get there 

Loring Schultz

Read: Romans 15:23-29 NLT – Paul’s Travel Plans – But now I have – Bible Gateway

“I will come to see you on my way to Spain. And I am sure that when I come, Christ will richly bless our time together.” Romans 15:28-29

Photo biblestudy.org

In Paul’s letter to the church in Rome, he told them to expect a visit from him on his way to Spain. Paul had confided to them how eager he was to spend some time with them. He first needed to make his way back to Jerusalem to deliver a gift to the poor Christians that was collected for them by the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. His plans where then to set out for Spain by way of Rome.

Paul’s good intentions didn’t work out as he thought. He did make it to Rome, but not in the manner he had planned. He went there as a prisoner when he made his appeal to the emperor after being brought up on charges by the Jewish leaders. (Acts 25) Paul was able to meet with many people during his first imprisonment in Rome, but he never made it to Spain.

We all can relate when our plans don’t materialize as we thought. My wife and I had planned to visit family over a period of time but do to circumstances we were not able to do so. It may not be we won’t get together, just not in the way we had anticipated. Proverbs 16:9 says, “We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps.” (nlt) Paul found this out as he planned to visit the church in Rome and then the people of Spain. Paul made his plans, but the Lord directed according to His will.

Let this not hinder us from making plans, we should continue to be engaged in planning our future events according to God’s will, just remember we may not get there.

Devotionals

Is your word good enough?   

Loring Schultz

“All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’” Matthew 5:37 NIV

Photo by Kampus Production on Pexels.com

Promises are broken every day so they say. Promises are made to be broken they also say. Promise makers are not always promise keepers. Although some promises are broken intentionally others are not. Unintentional broken promises are no fault of the promise maker who had given their word. Their word was good enough to assure the one promised that the pledge would be honored. Then there are those who know they will not keep the promise they are agreeing to as they are making the promise. Their deception is in making an oath by swearing in the name of someone or something usually of a sacred or personal nature. Their word was not good enough for complete trust and honesty. They had to pad it with an oath.

Jesus’s word to us from the Sermon on the Mount is this, “But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King.  And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black.” (Mt. 5:34-36) People in Jesus’s day thought they could break an oath if it wasn’t sworn in the name of God without consequences. Today we would call that ‘an out” or “a loophole.” But Jesus confirms that everything falls under God and His name. God’s throne is in heaven, He created the heavens and the earth, and He created us. There is nothing belonging to ourselves that is able to back up an oath. Jesus says, “All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’” and then He adds these words, “anything beyond this comes from the evil one.” (Mt. 5:37)

So, what about you? Is your word good enough to secure a promise or do you need to add some assurance in order to be believed? For the Christian our word should be taken at face value, which should be the reflection of the Lord Jesus in our lives. In the world in which we live others should expect our word to be nothing more than a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ as good enough for the Jesus follower.

Bible Studies

Advent 2025: In the midst of plunder; a promise of peace  

Loring Schultz

Read: Isaiah 9:1-7 NLT – Hope in the Messiah – Nevertheless, – Bible Gateway

“The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine.” Isaiah 9:2 NLT

Photo by Mick Haupt on Unsplash

A very familiar passage of the coming Messiah is found in Isaiah chapter 9. Part of this passage reads, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given.” (kjv) The child Jesus was born. God’s Son Jesus was given for us. This is a fulfilment of Old Testament prophecy concerning Jesus Christ, but not the only prophecy fulfilled in this portion of scripture. There is a backstory we should also glean from it.

The prophet Isaiah was prophesying to the ten tribes of Israel of their coming destruction  by the Assyrian king and his army. Having disobeyed God repeatedly after constant warnings, Israel was now about to be plundered and taken captive by Assyria. But the announcement of their pending doom also comes with a promise of peace. The land will once again be filled with glory. “Nevertheless, that time of darkness and despair will not go on forever. The land of Zebulun and Naphtali will be humbled, but there will be a time in the future when Galilee of the Gentiles, which lies along the road that runs between the Jordan and the sea, will be filled with glory.” (Is.9:1 nlt)

Zebulun and Naphtali were the most northern tribes on the northeast border of the Sea of Galilee. Isaiah addressed them as they will be the first ones to encounter the invading Assyrian army. Dark days are ahead of them, but light is coming in the promised Messiah walking and preaching through the land of Galilee. Matthew records this fulfillment of prophecy, “In the land of Zebulun and of Naphtali…… the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light. And for those who lived in the land where death casts its shadow, a light has shined.” (Mt.4:15-16 nlt) This same light shines on our dark souls plundered by sin. It is the promise of peace and reconciliation with God through our Lord and savior, Jesus Christ. God has fulfilled His promise of peace to us, have you accepted His Son who was given.

A Christian Perspective

Jerusalem: the city of God

Loring Schultz

Read: Psalm 87 NLT – Psalm 87 – A song. A psalm of the – Bible Gateway

“I will count Egypt and Babylon among those who know me—also Philistia and Tyre, and even distant Ethiopia. They have all become citizens of Jerusalem!” Psalm 87:4 NLT

Photo by Anton Mislawsky on Unsplash

The city of Jerusalem is a much-disputed city today in 2025. It is the holy city of the three major religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Each claim a historic site within the city. The western wall known as the Temple Mount is the remains of the second temple built after the exile under the leadership of Zerubbabel. The church of the Holy Sepulchre, is believed by Christians as the site where Jesus was crucified, buried, and resurrected. Islam notes that The Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa Mosque is where Muhammad is believed to have ascended to heaven. 

The city not only has territorial disputes, but disputes based on religion which tie into the territorial disputes. All three of these major religions have a belief in God, but again there is a dispute among them as to their interpretation of God, and His plan of salvation, and His plans for the world. To add to this, many nations across the world have a deep hatred for Israel and the Jewish people. They also have the same hatred towards Christians who name the name of Christ as the only way of salvation.

One thing that might be worth mentioning is there are no disputes over Jerusalem with God, because Jerusalem is the city of God. “On the holy mountain stands the city founded by the LORD. He loves the city of Jerusalem more than any other city in Israel. O city of God, what glorious things are said of you!” (Ps.87:1-3 nlt) It is the Lord’s city. It is where He chose to place His name. And one day Jesus Christ, God the Son, will rule the world from the city of Jerusalem.

Psalm 87 is a celebration of Jerusalem, the city of God, and it forecasts the millennial kingdom when Christ will rule on the earth. There may be disputes today over Jerusalem, but it is God’s city and always has been. One day all people in every nation will come to realize that when the Lord Jesus returns to rule on the earth. That day may be sooner than we think. Although Jerusalem is a divided city today, it will not be in the future as it will serve as the capital of the world under Jesus Christ.

Photo by Lisa Forkner on Unsplash
Devotionals

How deep are your roots?      

Loring Schultz

“The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word.” Matthew 13:20-21 NLT

Photo by Sigmund on Unsplash

Deep strong roots are vital to a tree’s survival in storms with heavy winds. The deep seeded roots prevent the tree from falling over and at the same time are growing stronger by the wind during a storm by pulling and stretching. Throughout the life of a tree, the roots are working its way downward in search of water and nutrients. For a tree to flourish and survive its roots must continue to grow stronger by absorbing what is necessary; fertile soil with the proper nutrients and just enough wind to keep them stretching from the swaying of the tree.

In Jesus’ Parable of the Soils, He gives us four examples of different types of soil the farmer incurs as he is planting seed. Some seed fell by the wayside, or foot paths along the border of a field. Some seed fell on rocky places or shallow soil. Others fell among thorns and still others on fertile soil. The seed represents the Word of God (the gospel) that is planted in the hearts of people. There are many who hear the gospel in various forms. Some take to it enthusiastically as soon as they hear it representing the shallow soil. Then there are those who hear it but do not understand for the seed never penetrated into their hearts, and still others hear the word, but also hear the word of worries of this life and accumulating wealth crowding out the truth of the gospel. Then there are those who truly hear and understand the gospel representing the good soil.

As Christians, we are to live our lives in a manner that will draw individuals to Jesus Christ. We are to take advantage of every opportunity to share the gospel message. Jesus’ Parable of the Soils informs us of the possible reactions of each one who hears the Word. Not all will respond in the same way, and some not at all. We are only called to be faithful in presenting the gospel and allow the Holy Spirit to do the work.

The seed falling on rocky and shallow soil can be taken a step further for Christians who have already accepted the salvation of the Lord. How deep are your roots? Believers today need strong deep roots to carry on God’s plan for them. Just as a tree planted in fertile soil needs water, nutrients, and winds to develop deep roots, Christians need to drink from the well of living water, feast on the nutrients of God’s Word, join in prayer with other believers, and receive with joy the winds of change in their lives which help develop deep roots.