Author: Loring Schultz

Christian Devotional Writer
Devotionals

Going from last to first

Loring Schultz

“So those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first will be last.” Matthew 20:16 NLT

            Today is Thursday September 7,2023. This date has been marked on the calendar of many football fans since last year’s Super Bowl. It is the start of the NFL season with renewed hope for discouraged fans of low performance teams and continued enthusiasm for the highly successful ones. Week 1 starts with every team equal in the standings. With no games played, every team is in first place and you can say every team is also in last place. But as the season unfolds there will be separation and the cream will rise to the top.

            A major topic in sports talk radio podcasts leading up to opening weekend is which teams, if any, will rise from last place to first place this coming season. There were only two that caught my ear as being possible contenders, one being the New York Jets with the arrival of future Hall of Famer Aaron Rogers, and the other the Atlanta Falcons in a division with not much competition. Going from last to first in the NFL is a major accomplishment through the hard work of physical training, dedication, coaching, discipline, patience, and focusing on one game at a time. Not many have done it, but it has been done.

            Jesus had a few things to say about those who are last and those who are first. He, of course, was not referring any sporting event but to service in the work of the Lord. Jesus used the Parable of the Vineland Workers to illustrate that faithfulness in serving Him will be rewarded. There were the first in line workers who agreed to work for the landowner for a day at a specific rate of pay. Others were hired by the landowner throughout the day right up to 5 PM, but for no specific rate of pay. As the wages were paid out, those who were hired first were upset that those who worked only part of the day received the same amount of pay. Jesus’s point was those who agreed to work for the said amount received what was due, and those who received the same payment were recipients of the landowners reward to them for their faithfulness.

            All who have accepted Christ as Savior, either as a young child, a teenager, young adult, middle age, or senior citizen will be rewarded eternal life. God rewards faithfulness in service to Him according to the ability and the time each one has to serve Him. Some have more opportunity to serve the Lord than others, but all will receive the full day’s pay of eternal life.

            Going from last to first in a NFL season will get you a reward, going from first to last will get you fired. In the Kingdom of God the reward is the same for all who receive Christ as Savior for Salvation, eternal life. “So those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first will be last.”    Read the Parable of the Vineyard Workers: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+20%3A1-16&version=NLT

Devotionals

Recurring Sin

Loring Schultz

“Moses answered the people, ‘Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again.’” Exodus 14:13 NIV

            Is there a sin in your life that you just can’t seem to get rid of? It keeps recurring as if you have never dealt with it before. Could it be that you don’t want to be free from it? As the late modern day theologian R. C. Sproul use to say, “We sin because it’s pleasurable.” But deep down it our souls, if we are honest with ourselves and truly love God, we know that God hates sin and it is not exactly pleasurable with Him. So we need to get rid of it and the sooner the better.

            The children of Israel were in slavery for four hundred years by the Egyptians. They were forced to comply with all the demands made on them. Physical hard work to the point of torture in satisfying their task masters was the bulk of the demands. Israel longed to be freed from the never ending struggle of the helplessness they felt in being enslaved by the Egyptians. The Lord did not forget about His children in Egypt and miraculously delivered them as recorded in the Old Testament book of Exodus.  As they were on their way to the Promised Land, once again they were being pursued by the subjects of their past struggles, the Egyptians have returned.

            Similar to Israel being chased by their slave masters and now backed into a corner, or the Red Sea as we know it, Christians at times find themselves in the same place. Recurring sin is as if we never left the bondage of sin we were in before coming to know the Lord. The truth is, we have a sin nature and will continue to sin until we have our glorified bodies in eternity. But to allow the recurring sin to have its hold on us by not letting go completely is giving the green light for all kinds of temptation to creep in and take us captive once again. Give it to the Lord and He will make a path for you and see you through to the other side with your sins buried in the deepest sea. It’s time to give it up. It’s time to get rid of it. It’s time to find it dead upon the shore.

“O GOD OF MY EXODUS, Great was the joy of Israel’s sons, when Egypt died upon the shore, Far greater the joy when the Redeemer’s foe lay crushed in the dust.” (The Valley of Vision Devotional) “Resurrection” Arthur Bennett (Editor) 1975.

Read the Biblical account of the Red Sea crossing: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus%2014&version=NIV

Devotionals

Moved with compassion

Loring Schultz

“Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes; and immediately they regained their sight and followed Him.” Matthew 20:34 NASB

            The story is told in the gospel of Matthew of two blind men sitting along the road crying out to Jesus as He was passing by, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” (Mt. 20:31) Jesus stopped and asked what they wanted Him to do for them; their response “Lord, we want our eyes to be opened.”

            These men had a physical need to see. Jesus, ‘Moved with compassion,’ touched their eyes and immediately were able to see.

            What about spiritual blindness? For those outside of Christ there is a spiritual need to see, to see the light as the saying goes, and to see our need for a Savior. Jesus has the same compassion today. If we doubt His compassion all we need to do is to look at the cross. When we acknowledge our need for salvation and call out to Him, Jesus will be ‘Moved with compassion’ and open our eyes and touch our hearts.

Devotionals

Steady Working

Loring Schultz

“……The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.” Luke 10:2 NLT

            Labor Day is here once again. Like most holidays in the United States, the significance of the day is often overshadowed by festive celebrations of picnics, recreational activities, sporting events, and the like. That is not to say we shouldn’t celebrate, but at times we tend to look for any excuse to celebrate and we forget the purpose. Labor Day is no different. Labor Day is a National holiday both in the United States and in Canada celebrated on the first Monday in September. It recognizes American and Canadian workers for their contribution and achievements to a working society in the development of both countries. A labor force that is steady working towards building a better society, economically and for the advancement of all people is worthy of recognition on Labor Day.

            But there is also another labor force that is steady working towards building a better society, the building of the Kingdom of God. And it is also for the advancement of all people. There is a problem though within this work force, it is extremely short handed. This job market is huge and there are plenty of opportunities. But as so often happens in the U. S. job market, some people would rather stay home rather than apply for the job. Our Lord Jesus makes reference to this in Luke’s gospel, “……The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.” (10:2)

            There is certainly plenty of work to do. It is steady work we call job security, and you will never be laid off. And yes, if you know the Lord Jesus as your Savoir you are more than qualified. You were called for this purpose to serve and work for Him in the field He has placed you. The Lord has placed a light within you and me to share with others who are struggling in this dark world.  

Country singer-song-writer Paul Overstreet in his song ‘Steady Working’ wrote the following;

 “So many hearts are hurting, Lives broken into, So many souls are searching, For someone to tell them the truth, Now you and I have been given, The light inside our hearts, I have made my decision, I’m gonna go and shine a light in the dark….You know I’m steady working for my Jesus, Steady working for my Lord.”

            Sometimes in working for the Lord Jesus we are not recognized as those in today’s Labor force are not recognized. But we should never do it for our own recognition, but to bring glory to God by adding to His Kingdom. Besides we will receive the ultimate recognition when we hear our Lord Jesus say, ‘Well done good and faithful servant for Steady Working.’

Listen to Paul Overstreet ‘Steady Working’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcWiGR-A80g&list=RDXcWiGR-A80g&index=1

Bible Studies

The Lord’s Prayer, Jesus’s teaching on Prayer – 5 “Forgiveness”

Loring Schultz

“and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us.” Matthew 6:12 NLT

            Over the centurie the Bible has been translated from the original manuscripts into many different languages and it is still on-going. We also have several different versions of scripture available to us. According to the Wycliffe Global Alliance, Bible translation is currently happening in 2,846 languages in 157 countries, and there are yet 964 languages in which there are no translations, but the work has started. I open with this to remind us that whichever language text you may be reading, it may vary depending on the version it was translated from. One such example is the fifth petition in the Lord’s Prayer as taught to us by Jesus. Most versions say, ‘forgive us our debts,’ some say ‘forgive us our sins,’ and some traditional Church readings render ‘forgive us our trespasses.’ It is always most important to know the original meaning of certain words in order to apply them correctly to our lives.

            The word translated ‘debt’ in the original Greek is ‘opheilēma’ and means that which is owed, legally due, or a debt. Its secondary meaning is an offence or sin. It is easy to see why ‘debt’ is used in most versions. But a closer look considering the context and how it relates to the whole of scripture, we take note that ‘sin’ is also an appropriate translation and more to the point.

            Jesus instructs to confess our sins to God our Father and ask forgiveness as we have also forgiven those who sinned against us. What Jesus is saying is forgiveness leads to forgiveness. It’s important to note Jesus doesn’t say we ‘should’ forgive others, but that we ‘will’ forgive others. We will forgive others in response to our Father’s forgiveness of our sin when we accepted His Son Jesus as our Savior. Jesus went to the cross and bore the guilt and punishment for our sins which we could never pay. It is a debt none of us could pay. God the Father forgave our debt, he forgave our sin.

            In the fourth petition of the Lord’s Prayer Jesus teaches us to ask for our daily bread, food substances and our material needs. It is only logical Jesus now addresses our daily spiritual need of forgiveness. We have been forgiven an enormous debt and given salvation and eternal life through Jesus, however we are still fallen creatures in our sin nature who still sin daily. As we ask God daily to forgive us of our sin, we are reminded that we are pardoned sinners, and as pardoned sinners we should forgive as we have been forgiven.

            “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” (Eph. 4:32 NIV)

A Christian Perspective

Religion and Politics

Loring Schultz

You have heard it said many times I’m sure, two areas of conversation you should avoid at all cost are religion and politics. But what if you’re a Christian with a mandate from Jesus who said before ascending into heaven, “….. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8b NLT) And if you are a Christian living somewhere in ‘the ends of the earth’ witnessing for Christ does it not stand to reason that we engage in the well-being of our neighbors where the Lord has placed us? Looking out for our neighbors may mean being involved in politics to some degree.

            Webster’s New World Dictionary defines ‘politics’ as ‘the science and art of government.’ The Britannica Dictionary expands on it by saying, ‘activities that relate to influencing the actions and policies of a government or getting and keeping power in a government.’ A Christian’s responsibility in politics is always to achieve through persuasion what is best according to God’s design for those under authority. Laws and ordinances that provide protection and safety of the general public should be of enough concern for every Christian to support such measures. The New Testament book of Romans states rather clearly that all authority comes from God and we need to submit to it. Governments are put in place to maintain order and stability in society by punishing wrong doers. “The authorities are God’s servants, sent for your good. But if you are doing wrong, of course you should be afraid, for they have the power to punish you. They are God’s servants, sent for the very purpose of punishing those who do what is wrong.” (Ro.13:4 NLT)

            We can argue there are wrong doers among those in authority who are to protect us from wrong doers, but that is the point. To stand by idle and not be engaged in support of those in government or pursuing a role in government to properly carry out the ordinance of God is not an option for the Christian. Looking out for the well-being of our neighbor includes presenting the gospel to them and working in support of peace and safety as far as it depends on us. Paul writes in Romans, “Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.” (Ro. 12:17-18 NLT) And the author of the book of Hebrews writes, “Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.” (Heb. 12:14 NIV) And we can’t leave out King David who wrote, “Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work to maintain it.” (Ps. 34:14 NLT)

            As Christians we need not heed the advice from those who advocate to restrain from engaging in conversation of religion and politics, especially when we are presenting the gospel of Jesus Christ and His rule of authority as recorded in Scripture. 

Devotionals

Mentors

Loring Schultz

“Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith.” Hebrews 13:7 NASB

            The company I worked for before my retirement designated certain individuals in each department as a “mentor.” A “mentor” by definition is a wise advisor, a teacher or coach. Their name tag reflects one who is knowledgeable and is in a position to train those within the department. Training is leading by example. Mentors demonstrate and explain the proper procedures for the department to be successful, but more importantly that the associate is successful in the future.

            Just as we need mentors in our work places, we need mentors within the church. We need those who are spiritual and knowledgeable in the things of God and His Word to train those who are the future of the church. Individual believers need mentors who lead by example, who walk the talk as the saying goes (although none of us are perfect.) Believers need mentors to help them grow to spiritual maturity.

            The writer of Hebrews says, “Remember those who led you……..imitate their faith.” Perhaps there is one that you remember who has influence you in your walk with Lord, I have such a one. One to whom I am eternally grateful for the time he invested in me many years ago.

            As we remember those who led us, let us be leading those who will follow behind us. Let our lives be the name tag that tells others that we are mentors.

Devotionals

Christian Ancestry

Loring Schultz

“Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. Don’t just say to each other, ‘We’re safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.’ That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones.” Luke 3:8 NLT

            One’s ancestors can have a positive or negative effect on them. Positively speaking, one born into a family of great wealth and high standing in the community usually fare well. One born into the other end of the spectrum have an uphill battle from the start. But the outcome of both is not based on one’s ancestors’ wealth or status in life, but what they have accomplished with the opportunities afforded to them. Opportunities to follow one’s dreams and passions along with their God given skill set gives them the responsibility to choose the direction of their future. 

            Our lot in life is not based on who our ancestors are. My father was a machine assembler, that didn’t make me one; he was also a talented musician, not me either; and he was an excellent cook, certainly not me. Some people believe that because their parents were Christians they are also Christians. Many believe that being baptized and belonging to the church their family has traditionally attended for years also makes them a Christian and assured of heaven.

            The problem is some attribute salvation and becoming a Christian to a family inheritance. Salvation is to choose to follow Jesus Christ, accepting Him as your personal Savior. There is no such thing as a Christian Ancestry guaranteeing salvation. Those who came to John the Baptist thought the same thing. They were Jews who were descendants of Abraham. It was their rite of passage. Their ancestry made it all right. John made it clear it was not so. They needed to repent of their sins and turn to God. (Luke 3:8)

            So true today, one needs to acknowledge and repent of their sins, trusting Jesus’s work on the cross for salvation. It’s a personal choice, it’s your choice, why not make it today!

Devotionals

Beautiful Noise

Loring Schultz

“Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth! Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!”  Psalm 100:1-2 ESV

            Legendary singer, musician, and entertainer Neil Diamond wrote most of his recordings including ‘Beautiful Noise’ in 1976. Diamond’s career is such a success that his popularity has earned him the biggest tribute, a Broadway musical based on his life and music entitled ‘Beautiful Noise.’ I can testify, he being one of my of my favorite musical artists, Neil Diamond’s music and live performances are nothing short of a ‘Beautiful Noise.’ Diamond wrote, “It’s a beautiful noise, Made of joy and of strife, Like a symphony played, By the passing parade, It’s the music of life.”

            The music of life is indeed a beautiful noise for God is the creator of life. All our joys and our sufferings are known to Him. In His providence our lives are mapped out for us under God’s direction. We have free will, but God is directing and is aware of every step and misstep we take. He is there when we mess up forgiving us of our sin as we confess and repent. It’s a beautiful noise.

            The Psalmist writes in Psalm 100, “Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth! Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!” (100:1-2) Gathering together for worship each Sunday is a time for rejoicing and singing to the Lord. But notice, the Psalmist says ‘all the earth’ is to make a joyful noise. All the earth is to be glad and serve the Lord. Everyone is encouraged to come at anytime and anyplace with singing, making a joyful noise to the Lord. Now that’s a ‘beautiful noise!’

Devotionals

Downtime

Loring Schultz

“…. and I will give peace and quiet to Israel in his days. He shall build a house for My name” 1 Chronicles 22:9b-10a NASB

            How well do you utilize your “downtime”, the time set aside from your normal daily grind and activities? God has given us an example in the story of creation in the book of Genesis. God rested on the seventh day from all His work (Genesis 2:2-3). A day of rest is established for us because we need it. No matter the urgency or importance of our jobs or responsibilities, we cannot continue to function 24/7 without breaking down. God in His ultimate wisdom and love for us knew that, therefore the example for us to rest.   

            That being said, after we have rested and refocused, do we use the time God has given us in pursuit of a work He has for us to do? There are some projects we simply cannot do during our normal work days. When given the opportunity from God, do we work the work He has for us, or do we spend the extra time on ourselves?

            King Solomon had such an opportunity from God. During his reign as king, Israel had peace from the wars his father King David had all of his life. It was in David’s heart to build the Temple for the Lord, but the Lord said it was not to be. David’s son, Solomon, would build it. Solomon obeyed and followed the Lord’s instructions in building the Temple. Solomon wisely used the “downtime” for the work of the Lord. He did not put it on the back burner or use the time for himself.

            Whether it is only our day off or a relatively quiet time in our lives, let us look to what God wants to accomplish through us during the opportunities He has given us in our downtime.