Author: Loring Schultz

Christian Devotional Writer
Bible Studies

“Pray for Everything” Conquering New Territory: The Book of Joshua (….through faith, courage, obedience, and devotion to the Word of God)

Loring Schultz

“So the Israelites examined their food, but they did not consult the LORD.” Joshua 9:14 NLT

            In a fallen world there are many forms of deception. I believe in the 21st century where we are living, we have seen the most ingenious methods to deceive even the most intelligent unsuspecting candidate. Most, if not all, scammers are one step ahead of many of their victims. They have nothing to do all day but to plan their next great deceptive scheme. There have been tragic results over the years of people losing everything they ever own by deception. Some were naïve in trusting what they thought they knew, others were taken in by scams that gave the impression they are from creditable, even official government sources, and then there are those who are taken in by their own greed looking to make that fast buck in a ‘guaranteed’ investment. The greatest tragedy is not having consulted the Lord God in prayer about any decision no matter how small it is, or think you can handle it on your own. The Lord wants you to confide in Him in prayer as He continually directs you in your new territory.

            Joshua and the leaders of Israel failed to consult the Lord on a matter they thought they were able to handle without His guidance. They forgot the Lord God was leading them, and He was the one in charge. Joshua was leading the people, but God was leading Joshua and the nation of Israel as a whole. Perhaps overconfidence played a part due to their recent victory at Ai when they were approached by a delegation from Gibeon six miles down the road presenting themselves as coming from a foreign nation in a far distant land. They had come to seek a peace treaty with Israel after Jericho and Ai were destroyed and figured they were next. Their deception was well thought out. Joshua 9:12-13 describes the great lengths they went to deceiving Israel, “This bread was hot from the ovens when we left our homes. But now, as you can see, it is dry and moldy. These wineskins were new when we filled them, but now they are old and split open. And our clothing and sandals are worn out from our very long journey.” (NLT) Israel fell to the deception by what they saw. They felt no need to ask God for His guidance after observing their clothing, food rations and speaking with the delegation. However, not everything is as it seems.

            Failure to pray about every situation that comes into our lives will have devastating consequences, especially when we are still adjusting to our new space. Don’t forget, God brought you to your current place and He is not done leading you, nor will He ever be. Israel forgot that and made a treaty with the people of Gibeon who they were to destroy. “Then Joshua made a peace treaty with them and guaranteed their safety, and the leaders of the community ratified their agreement with a binding oath. Three days after making the treaty, they learned that these people actually lived nearby!” (Jos. 9:15-16 NLT) Israel was deceived.

            After Joshua found out the truth of who the Gibeonites were and they were neighbors, he made them servants tending to carrying water and woodcutting. Since the treaty was made in the name of Jehovah, it was sacred and could not be broken. Joshua honored the treaty allowing them to live.

            Some Bible passages are hard for us to understand, but if we ask for the Lord’s help as we search the scriptures He will give great insights. We have seen many insights we can apply to our lives from Joshua and Israel conquering their new territory. Today see the importance of praying for everything. There are a lot of matters we handle ourselves without falling into a trap of deception. With that being said, in conclusion I leave you with an excerpt from a yesteryear devotional from the late Dr. Robert A. Cook;

“Pray your way through the day. Pray when you wake up so you won’t greet the family with a snarl. Pray on your way to school or to work. Pray before you tackled the first job of the day, whatever it may be. Pray before you answer the phone…. .Pray before you open a letter…… Pray before you make a decision. Pray before you hire a person and before you fire one, if you have to. Pray before you enter a business deal……Pray your way through the day.” (1)

            Praying our way through the day makes good sense, that way we cover everything both large and small. Remember you haven’t been here before, allow God to make decisions for you. ‘Pray for everything’. He will make it clear what to do and you won’t be deceived.

Read Joshua 9, The Gibeonites Deceive Israel: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Joshua%209&version=NLT

  • Cook, Robert. Today With The King, Wheaton, Scripture Press, 1985.
A Christian Perspective

America needs people to ‘Stand in the Gap’

Loring Schultz

“I looked for someone who might rebuild the wall of righteousness that guards the land. I searched for someone to stand in the gap in the wall so I wouldn’t have to destroy the land, but I found no one. So now I will pour out my fury on them, consuming them with the fire of my anger. I will heap on their heads the full penalty for all their sins. I, the Sovereign LORD, have spoken!” Ezekiel 22:30-31 NLT

Photo by Karolina Grabowska on Pexels.com

            The United States of America is still the greatest, most prosperous nation in the world today. Cemented on Judeo-Christian values from the pages of Holy Scripture by the founding Fathers, the United States has been blessed as no other nation for the undivided attention given to God’s commands and the truth given to us from our creator. But, I’m afraid those days may be coming to an end. The United States as a country has abandon God and we are starting to see the beginning of the end of our freedom unless radical change back to God is made very soon.

            It is impossible for anyone to not be aware of the deterioration of the very fabric of our nation. Even the casual observer of the news is confronted with, political turmoil, ever increasing crime, hatred towards others, racism, scandals within our government institutions, attempts to silence free speech, discrimination, churches turning away from the truths of God’s Word, and the spending of the Federal government causing the rising debt ceiling. The hard fact is, although being aware of the crisis in in our country, many are either uninterested or simply don’t care, others are too busy with their own concerns, some are part of the problem, and then there are others who do care but only complain and never take the initiative of getting involved to help in any way they can, even praying for the country.

            The Lord speaking through the prophet Ezekiel was looking for someone to intercede on behalf of the people of Jerusalem who was about to be taken captive and the city destroyed. Their continued sinning by turning their back on God, who had blessed them overwhelmingly, is about to unleash the consequences. Sadly, the Lord found no one to ‘stand in the gap’ rebuilding the wall of righteousness. There was no one to teach repentance and return to the Lord their God. Jerusalem was destroyed and the people were taken to Babylon in captivity.

            The United States must heed this warning from the Old Testament book of Ezekiel. If the Lord God did not spare His own people from destruction due to their sin, what makes us think He will spare the United States of America? “So now I will pour out my fury on them, consuming them with the fire of my anger. I will heap on their heads the full penalty for all their sins. I, the Sovereign LORD, have spoken!” (Ez. 22:31 NLT) Who will help rebuild the wall of righteousness, the sacred Judeo-Christian values that established the United States of America, and stand in the ‘stand in the gap?’ Will it be you? Will it be me?

Devotionals

Living in the Last Days

Loring Schultz

“Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son” Hebrews 1:1-2a ESV

“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law” Galatians 4:4 ESV

            Now that Thanksgiving is over, the Christmas season is officially upon us. You have the green light to start decorating, shopping, listening to Christmas music, and turning off the annoying Christmas music. Preparing for Christmas has been rushed over the years mainly by retailers seeking an early advantage over the competition. These early displays of gift ideas, Black Friday deals, and lawn decorations are succeeding as more people are buying into rushing into the season. On a road trip last weekend, I was amazed of how many homes are fully decorated for Christmas including a tree prominently displayed in the front window. We have all been doing our share in pushing forward the season.

            That first Christmas 2,000 years ago in the city of Bethlehem was anything but rushed. God the Father had planned it out perfectly when He would send His Son Jesus to be born. Paul writes in the book of Galatians, “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son.” (4:4a ESV) But in a way, we could say Biblically, the season was rushed or pushed forward. The author of the book of Hebrews writes, “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets.” (1:1 ESV) The Lord spoke His Word through the prophets during the Old Testament days previewing of the coming of Christ, the Messiah. The Jewish people knew the term ‘last days’ indicated the coming of the Messiah. Jesus, the Jewish Messiah, had come and we have been in the ‘last days’ since His birth.

            The prophets of the Old Testament paved the way for our understanding the birth of Jesus as the Messiah who was to come. The Old Testament indeed speaks of God’s redemptive plan of salvation through the Messiah. God’s spoken revelation in the Old Testament was through the prophets, but now Jesus the Messiah, God the Son, has come speaking of God’s plan of redemption in these last days. (Heb. 1:2a)

            Jesus told His disciples the night before His crucifixion God’s plan of salvation, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (Jn. 14:6 ESV) Just before these words to them, He said, “…I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” (Jn. 14:3 ESV) Jesus has declared He is coming back again as the prophets of the Old Testament spoke of His first coming. We do not know the date so we better prepare for His coming as we prepare for each Christmas season ahead of time for we are ‘living in the last days.’

Devotionals

Truly Thankful

Loring Schultz

“One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine?” Luke 17:15-17 NIV

Photo by Anna Tukhfatullina Food Photographer/Stylist on Pexels.com

            Every year as we approach Thanksgiving Day, many people make out their list for what they are thankful for. Who cannot help but smile with some of the answers children make when asked what is on their list, sometimes for grownups as well. We all have trivial items we are grateful for and there is nothing wrong in giving thanks for even the simplest things in life. 

            But on the other hand we need to careful not to simplify or casually treat all our thanks to the Lord in this manner. The blessings we receive on a daily are often taken for granted. Major life events appear to be treated as happenstance without giving thought to divine intervention from our Lord. Answers to prayer are given lip service; “Thank the Lord” “The Lord is good” etc. But do we go beyond speaking the words, do the words come from our hearts, and do we truly express a heart of gratitude? Are we Truly Thankful?

            Jesus, travelling to Jerusalem, entered a village and was met by ten men who had leprosy. They shouted from a distance due to their disease, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” Jesus responded by telling them to go show themselves to the priests. (Luke 17:13-14) As they were healed on the way, one of them came back to personally thank Jesus by glorifying God and falling down at His feet. Jesus questioned where the others were, after all they were all healed. They may have all been thankful in some degree, but one was Truly Thankful.

            Let us examine our hearts this Thanksgiving and be Truly Thankful.

Devotionals

Live Life to the Fullest

Loring Schultz

“Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD. Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies. Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.” Psalm 34:11-14 NIV

Photo by Brett Jordan on Pexels.com

            I haven’t come across many people who do not desire the good things in life. The good things of life may differ between individuals and between cultures, what is good for you may not be good for me and vice versa. But each of us desires to live life to the fullest in our cultural surroundings wherever they may be. Struggling to get the most out of life; good health, financial success, close friends, family, satisfying employment, plenty of leisure time, and other deeming qualities of a good life come up short many times. But does coming up short disqualify us from the good things in life?  Is there anything we can do to prevent missing out on these good things?

            King David gives us a couple of suggestions in helping us live the good life. His advice is based on having the right character qualities. One whose character is free from slander, speaking falsely, participating in shady things, or causing trouble goes a long way in having a good life. David writes, “Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies. Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.” (Ps. 34:12-14 NIV)

            We think we are not that bad saying, ‘I don’t tell any white lies or make up stories to hurt someone, and I certainly don’t gossip!’ We also say, ‘I am not an evil person’ and that may be true in comparison with others, but God looks at all sin as evil. And when we say we should all live in peace and love one another, are we truly pursing it as we pursue trying to live our lives to the fullest?

            None of us is able to live life to the fullest on our own. God has given us His Word to show us how to live a fulfilled life by obeying it. And more importantly, God sent His Son to save us and reconcile us to God. Therefore it is impossible to live a totally fulfilled life without Christ. Jesus says, “….. I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (Jn. 10:10b NIV)

Devotionals

Something to be thankful for

Loring Schultz

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16 KJV

During the Thanksgiving season local and national news outlets will asked people what they are thankful for. You will hear a variety of responses of family, good health, employment and meaningful accomplishments throughout the year. There will also be those who respond with a destitute spirit, not having much to be thankful for and not seeing any bright hope for the future.

But there is one thing every person can be thankful for; God sending His Son Jesus into the world to take away our sins by dying on the cross. “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29) This is not universalism as taught by some teachers today (don’t worry about it, it’s all good, everyone gets into heaven.) You must personally come to God, acknowledge and confess your sin, ask for forgiveness and accept Jesus’s sacrifice as the full payment for your sin.

If you simply put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ for Salvation you will be saved and not perish having everlasting life. Now that’s something to be thankful for.

Devotionals

Your Resting Place

Loring Schultz

“Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, ‘Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?’” Mark 4:38 NIV

            Have you ever been so exhausted that you can sleep through anything? A violent thunderstorm just outside your window doesn’t even make you flinch, if you do hear it, it is music to your ears. Spending the night in unfamiliar surroundings with strange noises have no effect on you, it is as if you are in the comfort of your own bed at home. You are beat down tired, weary, exhausted, and you are looking only for a place to rest. You are not concerned with the accommodations for you have found, what you are looking for is a resting place.

            Our Lord Jesus found such a place. The occasion is recorded for us in the gospel of Mark. One evening after a long day of teaching, Jesus and His disciples left for the day. They got into a boat and proceeded to cross over the Sea of Galilee. It was customary to keep a pillow under the coxswain’s seat. One can imagine Jesus in his weariness spotting that pillow and grabbing it for the trip across the sea.  It is hard for us at times to remember that Jesus Himself got weary. After all He is God the Son, but He was also a man. Fully God and fully man, the God-man. Jesus experience physical weariness and exhaustion as we all do.

            This should serve as a comfort to us in our exhausting moments. Jesus knows firsthand how it feels to be worn-out and tired, He’s been there. But not only does He feel your pain, He is able to do something about it. Jesus says in Matthew 11:28, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

            Are you tired, weary, and in need comfort and rest? Reach out to Jesus who will hand you the pillow from His coxswain’s seat, for He is navigating the boat, ‘Your Resting Place.’.

Read the rest of the story:

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+4%3A35-41&version=NIV
Bible Studies

“Restoration” Conquering New Territory: The Book of Joshua (….through faith, courage, obedience, and devotion to the Word of God)

Loring Schultz

“Then the LORD said to Joshua, ‘Point the spear in your hand toward Ai, for I will hand the town over to you.’ Joshua did as he was commanded……… Then Joshua built an altar to the LORD, the God of Israel, on Mount Ebal.” Joshua 8:18, 30 NLT

            There may be times in your life you wish you could turn around and go back either to a previous job, a former place of residency, a school you transferred from, or to anything other than being in the military. You have come to the conclusion that you have made a mistake. I have been there several times in my life, but one sure thing I found out is if God has lead me all the way, I didn’t make a mistake. Understand you haven’t either if you truly know the Lord. Last week in our reading of Joshua 7, Israel had thought it was a mistake to enter the Promised Land, their new territory. They were defeated in battle by a much smaller fighting force from the city of Ai. Joshua, in particular cried out, “Oh, Sovereign LORD, why did you bring us across the Jordan River if you are going to let the Amorites kill us? If only we had been content to stay on the other side!” (Jos. 7:7 NLT) What Joshua didn’t know at the time their defeat was due to their sin and not due to a mistake in entering the land. If we look hard enough, myself included, I’m sure we can find some losing battles in our new territory that were cause by sin and not as a result of a mistake.

            The Lord knows what we are made of; “For he knows how weak we are; he remembers we are only dust.” (Ps. 103:14 NLT) He also knows of our sin nature; “All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own.” (Is. 53:6a NLT) Yet the Lord forgives us of our sin as we confess to Him and continues to lead us in the path He has set for us. The apostle John writes the most memorable verse for confession of sins in 1 John 1:9, “But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.” (NLT) It is the Lord’s desire that we follow Him and are successful in our new territory. We can say with the Psalmist King David, “You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.” (Ps. 16:11 NLT)

            Yes, God will discipline us as we go our own way. He only wants the best for us as any parent does for their children, especially when they are embarking upon something new. God wanted the best for Israel in the land He led them to and He wants the best for us where He is leading us.  The best for Israel and for us today is total obedience to God Almighty who has done such great things for us. As we acknowledge His greatness recognizing it is only through Him we have blessings we never thought we would have, we begin to understand it is only by His leading we are in the place we are today.

            God restored his blessing to Israel upon them getting rid of the sin before them. We read in the beginning of chapter 8 after the disaster of chapter 7, “Then the LORD said to Joshua, ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged. Take all your fighting men and attack Ai, for I have given you the king of Ai, his people, his town, and his land.’” (Jos. 8:1 NLT) The Lord not only guaranteed victory, but permitted them to take the plunder and the livestock for themselves. An important insight here is the Lord does not hold back any good thing from His people. If Achan had only waited on the Lord and not coveted, stealing the material goods he would have received in God’s timing, Israel would have not been defeated and Achan would be around to enjoy the spoils of victory.

            If you have overstepped and gone ahead of God by going about things your own way and it didn’t turn out so good. God is in the restoration business. He knows we are sheep and go our way. Confess it to God, restore your fellowship with Him, and be obedient in the future with faith and courage in His leading.

Read Joshua 8, The Israelites Defeat Ai; https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Joshua%208&version=NLT

A Christian Perspective

Warning Signs

Loring Schultz

“And He was giving orders to them, saying, ‘Watch out! Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.’” Mark 8:15 NASB

            Warning signs are put into place to protect one from falling into danger. They appear on roads and bridges, on pedestrian walking and biking trails. They are posted in restricted areas, and even your neighbor may have a “beware of the dog” sign on their front door. There are also verbal warnings by way of instruction to warn us of potential dangers we encounter as part of our daily lives. Jesus gave His disciples such a warning recorded for us in the gospel of Mark.

            Jesus’s warning was given as instruction, or giving orders when He said, “Watch out! Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” The warning was of a spiritual nature, but the disciples missed it entirely as we also so often do today. The disciples were exclusively living in the moment of their physical and tangible needs. They couldn’t see past the immediate future as to Jesus’s words having a deeper meaning. They had just witnessed Jesus’s second miracle of feeding thousands of people with a few loaves of bread and a couple of fish. When Jesus said to “Beware of the leaven (or yeast)” they wrongly reasoned that He was referring to the fact that they forget to take along bread for their journey. How wrong they were.

            How wrong we are today in our assumptions that all warning signs from our heavenly Father refer only to our physical or material needs at the moment. God’s instructions through His Word to us who believe in Him is to beware of the false teachers who claim to know the truth and who claim to preach Christianity but conveniently ignored certain passages of His Word. He also warns us to watch out for those who hide their hypocrisy, preaching the truth of God’s Word and then engaging in the opposite. This is the leaven of the Pharisees.

            The leaven of Herod refers to the world system of increasing secularism. Sadly, we have seen the moral decline of our world throughout the centuries, but never more so rapidly as in the last few decades. Jesus tells us today, as He told His disciples, “Watch out! Beware.” It is far too easy in our day to get caught up with false teaching and in the effects of the world system.

            The truth is in God’s Word, the Bible. As we read it, study it, and meditate on it, ‘all of it’, we will know the truth and the truth will set us free from false teaching and the secularism of the world through God’s ‘warning signs’!  

Devotionals

In Everything Give Thanks

Loring Schultz

“in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18 NASB

            As Thanksgiving Day is rapidly approaching, have you thought about what are you thankful for? Perhaps you need a moment or two to collect your thoughts? Perhaps you have already prepared a long list for all the things you are thankful for. It could be you have a short list with one or two very special items of thanksgiving. What constitutes an item making your thanksgiving list? I’m sure all the blessings and good fortune that you have accumulated throughout the year would make the list such as recovery from serious illness, along with those special blessings and incidents that have protected you from harm. But have you ever thought of making it simple by being thankful for everything? In everything give thanks and that means everything!

            The Old Testament prophet Daniel demonstrates what it looks like to give thanks for everything. Daniel lived most of his life in captivity after being captured as a teenager by the Babylonians. He was schooled and trained in the culture of his new surroundings in order to serve in the government by order of the king. During his lifetime, Daniel never wavered from his commitment to his God, the Lord God of Israel. The Lord blessed Daniel over the years due to his faithfulness and preserving his identity as a Jew as he worked in an ungodly government. In his old age Daniel was serving Darius the Mede as one of three commissioners over the kingdom. His two colleagues wanted to get rid of him as he was about to be promoted. They devised a plan that would see his end not only in the administration, but his life. A law was put into effect that anyone who prayed to any god, divine or human, besides King Darius would be thrown into the lion’s den. Daniels co-workers knew he would be found guilty. They knew they would find him praying, and they did.

            There is so much more to this story, but the point here is Daniels’s attitude in prayer and being thankful for all things in all circumstances. It is written in the book of Daniel, “Now when Daniel knew that the document was signed, he entered his house (now in his roof chamber he had windows open toward Jerusalem); and he continued kneeling on his knees three times a day, praying and giving thanks before his God, as he had been doing previously.” Daniel 6:10 NASB Daniel faced certain death by being obedient to God and yet gave thanks to Him. Are we able to do the same, In Everything Give Thanks?

Read the story of Daniel in the lion’s den: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Daniel+6&version=NASB1995