Loring Schultz

Be happy in your work

July 17, 2024July 16, 2024 Loring Schultz

“When you shall eat of the fruit of your hands, You will be happy and it will be well with you.” Psalm 128:2 NASB

The average person spends about one-third of their life working at a job. Some less and some maybe more. I’ve fallen into the ‘more’ category but I’m not complaining. Much of it was time well spent and some of it not so much, but it was where the Lord placed me. I can’t say I was always happy, but I was content most of my working days. Most of my enjoyment can be summed up in Psalm 128:2, “When you shall eat of the fruit of your hands, You will be happy and it will be well with you.” (nasb) One of my favorite verses especially during long hard days has always been from the book of Ecclesiastes, “There is nothing better for a man than to eat and drink and tell himself that his labor is good. This also I have seen that it is from the hand of God.” (Ec.2:24 nasb) That verse got me through a lot of difficult days as I anticipated the meal that was waiting for me at home my wife had prepared.

Being happy in your work is a lot more than looking forward to an evening meal. It encompasses all the fruits of your labor. Providing for yourself and your family, using your resources to help others in need and supporting measures to spread the Gospel are some of the many reasons to be happy in your work. Not all workplaces have a positive environment, but if you are going to spend eight hours a day there, you might as well make the best of it. One of the most important benefits you can receive that is not part of your employer’s benefit package is the benefit of building friendships and relationships with those you toil and sweat with sharing bits and pieces of your lives. If done right, they last a lifetime.

The bottom line is, are you happy in your work? No, we are not always going to be, but when you add up the benefits of your labor you will find joy and contentment in the fruit that has been produced knowing that the Lord’s Hand was in it. As the song goes, ‘Be happy.’

Read: Psalm 128 NASB – Blessedness of the Fear of the LORD. – Bible Gateway

Devotionals

What Makes You Tremble?

July 16, 2024July 15, 2024 Loring Schultz

“Great peace have those who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble.” Psalm 119:165 NIV

Photo by Ioann-Mark Kuznietsov on Unsplash

This past weekend on Saturday July 13, 2024, the core of the United States was shaken and most of the world with it as it witnessed an assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump during a campaign rally. The former President escaped with minor injuries, but a man in the crowd was killed and two others were seriously wounded from gunshots fired into the crowd. It was a moment that made one tremble at hearing the news. As the events unfolded that evening and through the weekend there developed a realization of what was speculated may happen, did happen. There is now an unsettling anticipation for the days ahead. People are looking for relief from the trembling they feel, calling for all to tamp down the temperature of political rhetoric. The feeling of trembling by most Americans is understandable and should not be ignored. But there is a great equalizer when we shift our trembling away from the things of a fallen world to the eternal God and His Word.

What most Americans felt this past weekend was true legitimate fear and anxiety. The 119^th Psalm speaks of another true legitimate fear but without the anxiety that makes our hearts tremble, and that is the Word of God. “Rulers persecute me without cause, but my heart trembles at your word.” (Ps.119:161 niv) The psalmist trembles, fears, dreads, and is in awe, of God’s Word. He does not fear as when government rulers persecute him for their power is no match for God and His Word. He trembles and is awe of the power of the Scriptures and the promises it holds for all who believe in God. “I rejoice in your promise like one who finds great spoil.” (Ps.119:162 niv)

People in the United States will experience uncharted territories the next few months. There may be more times of trembling here in America along with the current unrest in the world. But hear what the psalmist says and be encouraged, “Great peace have those who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble.” (Ps.119:165 niv) We may tremble at the evil in the world, but we can stand firm in great peace, not stumbling as we shift our trembling to the Lord and His Word.

Read: Psalm 119:161-168 NIV – ש Sin and Shin Rulers persecute me – Bible Gateway

Devotionals

I Am the Greatest

July 15, 2024July 10, 2024 Loring Schultz

“At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, ‘Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’” Matthew 18:1 NIV

In 1964 before his heavy weight title fight against Sonny Liston, Muhammad Ali, then known as Cassius Clay, made his famous pronouncement, ‘I am the greatest.’ Backing up his claim he went on to defeat Liston by a TKO after six rounds. No one can deny Ali’s greatness in the ring throughout his career; retiring in 1981 with 56 wins, only 3 loses, and 3 world titles. Many consider him to be the G.O.A.T (greatest of all time) at least in the boxing realm and that may indeed be true. Desiring to be the best in your sport, even considered great by working hard at it is an admirable endeavor, but be careful not to let pride get in the way.

Jesus’s disciples were eagerly waiting the Messianic kingdom He was about to bring into existence. They were also anxious about their role in the kingdom asking Jesus which of them would be the greatest. The disciples were concerned because certain ones were selected over others for specific tasks. They were more concerned with having prominence in the kingdom than what Jesus had assigned for them. They wanted to insure a favorable position, one that would meet their expectations. But they had it all wrong.

This became a teachable moment for the disciples and for us today. Jesus sat a little child before them and said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” (Mt.18:3-4) Jesus is saying entrance into the kingdom of God is not of our own works, but by the lowly position of simple faith in Him and that constitutes the greatest in the kingdom.

Let us not be prideful in our accomplishments here on earth but give the glory to God. Let us take the lowly position of childlike faith in accepting Jesus Christ as Lord, and be able to proclaim in the kingdom, ‘He is the greatest.’

Bible Studies

I AM THE VINE: Jesus’ seven “I AM” statements – 7

July 14, 2024July 9, 2024 Loring Schultz

“I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5 ESV

Jesus’ seventh “I am” statement in John’s gospel is “I am the vine,” meaning He is the life. He proceeds to tell us we “are the branches,” meaning no life; for “the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine.” A branch off the vine dries up and dies, whatever fruit may have been on it will eventually rot. Jesus tells us that if we abide in Him we will bear fruit, in fact He says “much fruit.” But take note what He says next, “for apart from me you can do nothing.”

The word “abide” appears ten times in the first eleven verses of John 15. The idea is to “remain” in Christ. If your Christian life is just there going through the motions having no recognizable changes in your life, perhaps there is a separation with the vine. It is truly amazing what Christ can do for us as we remain in Him through daily Bible reading and prayer. Do not let worldly distractions keep you from what is truly important, abiding in Christ and bearing fruit.

Are you bearing fruit? Are you growing in your spiritual walk with Jesus Is your Christian life evident to those around you? Jesus said, “I am the (life) vine; you are the (dead) branches” when you do not abide in Me. Jesus says remember, “apart from me you can do nothing.” Are you abiding in Him?

Read: John 15:1-11 ESV – I Am the True Vine – “I am the true – Bible Gateway

A Christian Perspective

Hope for the Future begins with the Truth

July 13, 2024July 10, 2024 Loring Schultz

“Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life…………An unreliable messenger stumbles into trouble, but a reliable messenger brings healing.” Proverbs 13:12, 17 NLT

The 2024 election in the Untied States is the most divided in my lifetime and certainly most recently. One can debate if it is the most divided in the history of the country. The division has not been this strong since the Civil War era. The debate of “Make America Great Again” is driving one side and “Democracy Is at Stake” fueling the other. There seems to be no area where both sides can get together for the sake of those they govern. And that is just as well, because before that would happen both sides need the glue to fasten them together with the American people, the “Truth.”

The book of Proverbs says, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick……(and)…. An unreliable messenger stumbles into trouble.” The message of ‘hope’ has been a part of several Presidential campaigns for years, and yet all hope seems to be lost. When “hope” keeps getting pushed back the hearts of the people sink. Every election cycle they hear the same thing with the same results, no hope but despair. The reason why they are in despair is due to the lies they have been told repeatedly. There is a desperate need for truth. King Solomon, who wrote most of the book Proverbs knew a thing or two about governing a nation. First, he had God as his king. Second, he understood unreliable messengers could not be trusted, but they stumbled into trouble. There are many unreliable messengers in government positions today, along with those seeking government positions, and of course the news media aiding and abetting the lies, or misinformation as some refer to it. Either way it is not the truth.

Hope for the future of America rests on whether truth will prevail wherever it leads. All in government, journalists, and every news media outlet must put aside partisan politics for the sake of the people and the safety of the United States. Then and only then reliable messengers will bring healing and people will have a dream fulfilled. Only time will tell.

Devotionals

Nurture your Spiritual Gift

July 12, 2024July 8, 2024 Loring Schultz

“I’ve waited three years, and there hasn’t been a single fig! Cut it down. It’s just taking up space in the garden.” Luke 13:7 NLT

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez 🇨🇦 on Unsplash

I am not much of a gardener, never have been, but I’m learning little by little the last few years. Planting a few pepper and tomato plants with my wife and caring for them has been a new experience for me. Of course, I pay particular attention to my variety of hot pepper plants, which weren’t planted until this novice got involved. One thing I do know is that if a plant does not produce its fruit, or very little, it hasn’t performed up to the potential for which it was planted. Now I realize part of the fault falls on the gardener, but I’m still learning.

The same is true for a Christian who has had a spiritual gift planted in them by the heavenly gardener. The Lord God gives a spiritual gift to every believer to be cultivated and grow for service in His church. He is the master gardener and has given us the Holy Spirit, His Word, access to Him through prayer, and encouragement of other Christians to help us reach our full potential in administering our spiritual gifts. However, failure in not producing fruit is not the fault of the master gardener, but the believer in Jesus Christ. Every Christian is responsible to nurture their spiritual lives and grow spiritually with the resources the Lord God has given us.

Jesus told a parable of a barren fig tree in the gospel of Luke. He said, “A man planted a fig tree in his garden and came again and again to see if there was any fruit on it, but he was always disappointed. I’ve waited three years, and there hasn’t been a single fig! Cut it down. It’s just taking up space in the garden.” (Lk.13:6-7 nlt) This is a sad example of many Christians who never mature beyond their initial acceptance of Jesus as savior. The Lord comes looking for fruitful lives but there is no fruit to be found. Their spiritual gifts lie dormant, not nurtured but neglected. It is as if Jesus said in the parable, ‘they are just taking up space in my church.’

The caretaker was told to cut down the tree by the master gardener, but a second chance was given. The Lord God gives each of us, second, third, and even fourth chances. In fact, His grace is limitless. His desire is for us to grow in Him, bearing fruit, and nurture our spiritual gifts. God wants us to live up to our full potential in serving Him in the church and to do that, we must be nurturing the spiritual gifts He has planted in us.

Read: Luke 13:6-9 NLT – Parable of the Barren Fig Tree – Then – Bible Gateway

Devotionals

A Guiding Light through a Dark World

July 11, 2024July 9, 2024 Loring Schultz

“Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.” Psalm 119:105 NLT

The first moments of a power outage occurring after sunset are sudden darkness. Whether in the comforts of your own home or in a public building, you can almost feel the darkness before the emergency lighting kicks in. I’ve had plenty of those experiences working in the public, and it is not fun especially when the emergency lighting doesn’t come on due to a faulty generator. Guiding people through a dark building to the exits was challenging. To be fair, in later years it got a lot easier to escort people out with light illuminating from cell phones. I thanked the Lord for modern technology, only if the generator could have gotten on the same page.

Going through life without the light of God’s Word is like trying to exit a building in the dark. You simply don’t know where you are going as you lose your direction. Bumping into things and other people is dangerous. There is no viable way to walk through safely unless you stand still and wait. Standing still in life is not an option, so without proper guidance from your creator you will stumble into areas you should avoid not seeing the warning signs ahead. The dangers we should avoid in life is clearly spelled out for us in the Bible. It may have been written thousands of years ago, but the dangers back then were the same dangers we have now. Ours are only modernized.

The psalmist realizes God’s Word is the light needed to navigate in this dark world. He writes, “Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path………I will obey your righteous regulations. I have suffered much, O LORD; restore my life again as you promised. LORD, accept my offering of praise, and teach me your regulations.” (Ps.119:105-108 nlt) God’s Word is filled with many life experiences relevant to our day. Proper lessons can be learned and applied in today’s dark world to keep us from stumbling and falling as we are guided by the light of God’s Word.

Read: Psalm 119:105-112 NLT – Nun Your word is a lamp to guide my – Bible Gateway

Devotionals

Give to those who ask

July 10, 2024July 9, 2024 Loring Schultz

“Give to those who ask, and don’t turn away from those who want to borrow.” Matthew 5:42 NLT

One of Jesus’ teachings in His Sermon on the Mount is to give to those who ask. Our world in 2024 has changed from Jesus’ day, but one thing remains true we still have the poor among us. Jesus predicted this in Mark 14:7 when He said, “You will always have the poor among you, and you can help them whenever you want to.” (nlt) We certainly have plenty of opportunity to give to the poor when they ask. But this is not limited only to the poor. For if anyone has need of anything and asks, Jesus tells us to give it to them. Even those who want to borrow from us, it is not for us to say no. Jesus said, let them borrow.

Christ followers are to obey His teachings, which are really commands from our Lord. Will that subject us to be taken advantage of by being deceived by some? Yes, that is very possible. But Jesus said to give to those who ask. The Lord is judge and He will weigh the balances. When it is in our control to give or lend to someone that we have no reason to suspect, we are to follow our Lord’s commands. Christians are to be the hands and feet of Jesus, to give as we have received.

Jesus also said later in that sermon, “Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal.” (Mt.6:20 nlt) Giving to those in need, whether the poor, or a friend or stranger who needs a helping hand is storing up treasures in heaven. It is investing in the Lord’s work with a guaranteed return both here on earth and in heaven. Let us not neglect the Lord’s work and give to those who ask.

Devotionals

Hated by All

July 9, 2024July 8, 2024 Loring Schultz

“And you will be hated by all because of My name” Matthew 10:22a NASB

I don’t know anyone who enjoys being hated by others. Even the slightest dislike upon us will put a damper on our emotions. Humans have the need to be loved and be accepted. We do not want others to think of us as weird, annoying, or out of touch with society. We desire to be accepted among those we have interactions with on a daily basis. The problem for Christians is this is not entirely possible if one is consistently living for Christ. Jesus Himself said, “And you will be hated by all because of My name” (Mt.10:22a nasb) ‘Hated by all’ is a powerful, all-inclusive statement. But if Jesus said it, I’ll take Him at His word. We will be hated by all.

It is important to understand who the ‘all’ are. It is all those outside of Christ, all those in need of the saving knowledge of the Savior. We are not hated by our brothers and sisters in Christ, although unfortunately we have a tendency to dislike some of them. The hatred comes from those who see us as a threat to their way of living, those who feel they have no need of ‘religion’ as they say. It comes from those who see us as judgmental for believing and obeying the scriptures. It comes from those who condemn us for believing that Jesus Christ is the only way to the Father. Taking a stand for Christ and His Word will indeed cause some friction between us and others, even those closest to us.

Being hated or disliked by others can be avoided through the art of compromise. If you have sensed that others do not have a disregard for you concerning your belief and walk with Jesus, then perhaps you are already administrating the art of compromise. The desire to be accepted by our peers opens the door to be silent or accept alternative views on Jesus and the Bible. Sadly there are also many churches who are being silent and accepting the things of world through compromise. It is time for us to evaluate ourselves individually and as the church. Are we hated by all, hated by some, or not hated at all? Jesus said we will be ‘hated by all’.

Read: Matthew 10:16-22 NASB – A Hard Road Ahead of Them – “Behold, – Bible Gateway

Devotionals

To An Unknown God, who made the world and everything in it

July 8, 2024July 5, 2024 Loring Schultz

“‘To an Unknown God.’ This God, whom you worship without knowing, is the one I’m telling you about. He is the God who made the world and everything in it.” Acts 17:23b-24a NLT

On his second missionary journey, Paul arrived in Athens ahead of his companions, Silas and Timothy, as he was distancing himself from Jews who were stirring up trouble everywhere he went. As Paul walked around the city, he noticed shrines and idols erected for the many gods they worshiped in that ancient Greek culture. To make sure no gods were missed or there was a god they didn’t know about, there was an alter with the inscription, ‘To an unknown god.’ Paul took advantage of their sincerity in the gods and philosophy of their culture by telling them the one they worship in ignorance is the one true God who made the heavens, the earth and everything in it.

Today there are people who worship many gods without worrying if they need an inscription to an unknown god. They think they have it all covered. Allow me to illustrate three scenarios. The first one; as the ancient Greeks did, people today worship at the altar of idols they have created but not realizing they are idols. The difference is that they do not consider them as gods, but a part of life. These gods consume and control them with the pleasantries of this life. They are the gods of money, pride, luxuries, fame, power, entertainment, drugs, alcohol, and sexual pleasure. With these idols as their gods, the true God of heaven is unknown to them, and they have no desire to see if there is something missing.

The second scenario are those who follow the religions of the world as one of many gods or ways to the true God. Even some of those who profess Christianity do not know God and his plan of salvation but rely on their good deeds. They are confident they are secure, but the God of the Bible is unknown to them, and do not realize He is missing.

And third, others follow the gods within themselves, claiming their inner spirit is a god within them connecting themselves to their charitable work, kindness, pursuit for justice, and claiming love and peace across the world. All good qualities that should be pursued by every Christian who truly knows God. But to the one spends their entire life on such endeavors, they too think they have it all covered.

If you find yourself in any of these scenarios hear the Apostle Paul. Each of these scenarios has a god, a religion, that is being followed as the ancient Greeks, but it’s not the true God. Paul says “He is the God who made the world and everything in it. Since he is Lord of heaven and earth, he doesn’t live in man-made temples, and human hands can’t serve his needs—for he has no needs. He himself gives life and breath to everything, and he satisfies every need.” (Acts 17:24-25 nlt) If God is unknown to you, know this; There is only one true God and He is the God of the Bible. Get to know Him!

Read: Acts 17:22-31 NLT – So Paul, standing before the council, – Bible Gateway