Category: Devotionals

Devotionals

Piety in Giving

Loring Schultz

“Beware of practicing your piety before men in order to be seen by them; for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 6:1 RSV

Photo by Soroush Karimi on Unsplash

Piety is word that is seldom used in 21st century America. Defined as “the quality of being religious or reverent” could have some bearing as to the nonuse of it as there are fewer and fewer who would associate themselves with being named as such. Another factor could be the misuse of the word by those who claim to be “religious or reverent” and by example are not. But this should not deter those of us who truly desire to be “religious or reverent.” The word “piety” used by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount as translated by some versions is to note the difference in a Christian’s moral righteousness and their religious righteousness, their piety. It is OK to be pious, but it is a matter of the heart and our true motives.

Jesus warns His disciples of the tendency to alter their motives in noble causes like giving to the poor. They may have love for the poor and a deep desire to help them as part of their moral righteousness, but in transacting the giving there is a temptation to put a little emphasis on themselves to show how religious they are. Jesus’ point was to draw a contrast between the motives of the religious rulers of the day with their self-glorification and those who motives were to bring glory to God. The reward the religious leaders received was the praise of men which would quickly dissipate into a faded memory. The reward of the truly pious giver is from the eternal God and it will not fade.

The religious rulers (scribes and Pharisees) were all about public appearance. Jesus instructs us that our giving is to be between us and the Lord. “Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.” (Mt.6:4 nlt) Practice your piety before God and not toward men.

“But I, the LORD, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve.” (Jer.17:10 nlt)

Devotionals

Trust the Process  

Loring Schultz

“Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.” Philippians 2:12-13 NLT

Photo by Jessica Lewis ud83eudd8b thepaintedsquare on Pexels.com

The term ‘trust the process’ has been used over the last decade to encourage people that a positive outcome is achievable by patiently following certain steps. It has been used politically to bring about change, companies and organizations use it to build a better financial future, and professional sports teams have adapted it to encourage their fan base that better days are ahead. The Philadelphia 76er’s, of the NBA, first coined the phrase in 2013. A strategy was introduced that over time the fans would be enjoying the benefits of having to ‘trust the process.’ Unfortunately it hadn’t worked out as planned. However the last five years, expect for the 2024-25 season, have seen much improvement and there are high hopes this year with the addition of longtime veteran Lebron James.

We live in a world that is outcome oriented. Goals are set and we are measured by the success or failure of achieving the sought-after outcome. But the increasing advancement of AI technology is beginning to throw away ‘the baby with the bath water.’ The strategy is now how can we achieve the fastest and most efficient ways to meet our end goals? There is nothing wrong with that except most of the time it takes away the human element of wisdom and discernment given to us by God.

As Christians we can make effective use of AI in advancing the gospel, but it is vital to also use the gifts God has given us. AI is outcome driven and uses data compiled from statistics, frequency, patterns, and then with speed comes to its conclusion. No human element involved. Christianity is not about outcomes in this life but the outcome of eternal life. Christianity in this life is process. No, it is not works driven but it is working hard, obeying God, and allowing Him to give us the desire to do what pleases Him. Yes, it is a process. So, let us ‘trust the process.’

Devotionals

Strong Foundations

Loring Schultz

Read:Psalm 11 NASB – The LORD, a Refuge and Defense. – For – Bible Gateway

“If the foundations are destroyed, What can the righteous do?” Psalm 11:3 NASB

Construction workers pouring concrete around rebar at an urban building site
Workers pour and level concrete amid dense rebar at a downtown construction site.

King David encourages apprehensive people who fear the crumbling of law-and-order by the underhanded authorities by saying, “In the Lord I take refuge; How can you say to my soul, ‘Flee as a bird to your mountain.” (Ps.11:1 nasb) During this time in David’s reign Israel’s enemies seem to be at an advantage. The people want to flee as a bird to the mountains. They have fallen to accept that the world order will not allow good to triumph over evil. This is relative to our day. We can easily fall into the same trap thinking, “If the foundations are destroyed, What can the righteous do?” (Ps.11:3 nasb)

David reminds the people God is still on His throne and He is the foundation. He will act righteously toward the righteous and bring judgement on those who abuse their power by their wicked deeds. The strong foundation of law-and-order is the Lord Himself and His Word. Any other foundation set up by the world is wicked and will not stand. They will achieve victories in this fallen world, but their ultimate end is destruction. “Upon the wicked He will rain snares; Fire and brimstone and burning wind will be the portion of their cup.” (Ps.11:6 nasb)

The bottom line is the Lord is the foundation of law-and-order in this world. It is a strong foundation. Let us now apply this to our spiritual lives. How strong is your foundation? Christians have the Holy Spirit living inside them from the time of salvation. You won’t possess any more of the Spirit than you already have, but are you building on that already strong foundation for the law and order in your life? God has given us His Word to live by. The world can rule righteously in law and order if it is based on God’s strong foundations. However, we know that is mostly not the case. So, we must be wise and discerning in the world’s view of law-and-order and God’s righteous view especially in our spiritual lives.

Devotionals

Life is Our Opportunity for Usefulness

Loring Schultz

“Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.” Psalm 90:12 NLT

Volunteers distributing food and supplies to community members outdoors
Volunteers distribute food and essential supplies to neighbors at a lively community support event.

The Puritans of the 16th and 17th centuries were wise in understanding the brevity of life. It may have been the shorter lifespan that they experienced compared to ours in the 21st century, but whatever the reason, they had a handle of what life is about and not waste a minute of it. ‘The Valley of Vision,’ a Puritan book of devotions is a must read for any Christian seeking how to get the most out of this life. The writers were stressing the importance of prayer and meditation seeking a deeper relationship with God. Contemplating who we are before a holy God and realizing life in its fullness can only be achieved by that close relationship is what inspired the Puritans to live the lives they did.

I have come across several key thoughts in my daily reading of ‘The Valley of Vision’ in the past week. One thought was that our lives are opportunities for us to be useful. We weren’t put on this earth just to take up space. God placed us here for a reason. We are to serve Him in this life. Every day of our lives is an opportunity to do just that. Each day of neglect is a day lost never to return. Yes, there will be days where opportunity is lost to no fault of our own, but the Lord also knows of those days and He understands. The key is, where is your heart and mind?

During the days you do not feel useful it is important to evaluate your time with God. Is your prayer and meditating on God’s Word on-going? Is your relationship with God strong? If it is, then your period of feeling useless should pass because God knows your frustration and perhaps it is His will for you at this time to set you down. But if the opposite is true in that your time with God is being compromised then it is time to evaluate further and bring to light the cause of this broken relationship. We have no time to waste. Our lives are an opportunity for usefulness because life is short for all of us.

Devotionals

Where Dreams Come True

Loring Schultz

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.” Revelation 21:1-2 NLT

Family walking through an amusement park beneath a large roller coaster

Life has a way of throwing us curve balls (a baseball analogy) such as the sayings, ‘dreams come true’, ‘wish upon a star’, ‘if you believe it, it will happen’ and on it goes. The sad reality is that dreams do not come true at least for most of us. There are times when a longtime wish or dream comes along, but even in that moment while the joy is there when it is over all that is left are the memories, yes, good memories, but only memories. A marketing strategy for the world’s most known theme park is, ‘Where Dreams Come True’, but again it lasts only in the moment and in your memory along with your digital imagines and videos. And to be honest, they will not last either.

There is nothing wrong with enjoying life here on earth. God created the earth and all that is in it for our enjoyment. Even when we dream for something special, He will bless us to receive it if it is His will. Careful consideration should be noted as we enjoy God’s blessings here on earth that this is not our home and our wishful thinking and dreams should be focused on eternity. It is only natural to desire certain comforts here on earth and dream wishing for them by planning and working to able to enjoy them. But remember as you are enjoying them, they are temporary and do not last.

The apostle John while in exile on the island of Patmos received a revelation from the Lord of the end times. May we be aware there is more to life than this earth and how many years we may live on it. In fact, not only will our physical lives come to an end, but the physical earth and all its wonders will also come to an end and disappear. All will be replaced by a new heaven and a new earth with a new Jerusalem in the center of it all where Christ will reign. This is the only place where dreams not only come true but will never end lasting into eternity. It is time to focus our dreams ‘where dreams come true.’

Devotionals

Dominion over God’s Creation

Loring Schultz

Read: Psalm 8 ESV – How Majestic Is Your Name – To the – Bible Gateway

“You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet.” Psalm 8:6 ESV

Robotic factory assembling EV chassis, with technicians, welding arms, and text “EV CHASSIS 001” and “JONES MFG.”
Robotic arms weld an electric vehicle chassis while technicians monitor the advanced manufacturing line.

After God created the heavens and the earth He then created you and me with responsibilities. David writes in the 8th psalm that God gave us dominion over His creation, or as David says, ‘over the work of your hands.’ I suppose that would include all the earth. We are to be good stewards over it. God put us in charge as managers to care for His creation in all aspects of it. Christians especially are to possess a spirit of collaborating with God as His co-workers in maintaining His creation and helping others in this world.

During the last century and so far in this century there is much debate about the environment and if we are living up to our mandate in maintaining God’s creation. The question being are we good stewards over the earth? Physical features of the earth are not the only areas of maintaining what God has created. It would encompass anything and everything in the world to make it thrive and make our lives better in the process, from working conditions, medical advancements, education, and efforts to maintain peace.

A major breakthrough over the last few years is the advancement of ‘Artificial Intelligence.’ This has been a game changer for all of us. ‘Artificial Intelligence,’ AI as it is known, has been in the development stages since the 1950’s. It is now here and continues to grow. Like everything else that God has put into our charge, may we be good stewards on how we use AI on a personal level. Those of us who are employed in the development of AI for use in the business, education, and manufacturing world may we as Christians work as God’s co-workers in that which He has given us for our benefit.

Devotionals

Break up your fallow ground

Loring Schultz

“Plow up the hard ground of your hearts! Do not waste your good seed among thorns.” Jeremiah 4:3b NLT

Farmer driving a green tractor while plowing a prairie field
A farmer drives a vintage green tractor across a broad prairie field

Every farmer knows that in order to harvest a bountiful crop there is plenty of hard work involved along with adequate rainfall and proper sunlight. It begins in early spring by tilling the ground and preparing it for planting seed. Many farmers today also used a “no-till farming” method when planting seed. Whichever method is used, the soil must be in a condition best suitable for the seed to be received to produce the highest potential for growth. The farmer’s goal is for a bountiful harvest.

A goal of every Christian should be a bountiful harvest of spiritual growth. It is an on-going process of growing in our love for Christ and in the knowledge of His love for us. It is growing in the understanding of His Word by daily reading and applying it to our lives. A bountiful harvest of faith, hope, and love is to be lived out for all to see and benefit from it.

Unfortunately there is problem today among many Christians, “Unprepared Soil.” Many Christians are not only lacking a spiritual bounty to share, but they are also not receiving the blessings themselves. Just as proper condition of the soil is vital to receiving Salvation (Parable of the Sower – Luke 8:4-15), it is equally important for those who know the Lord to continue to grow spiritually and in all truth. Hearts and minds that are unprepared are nothing but hard ground as the prophet Jeremiah notes. Our hearts and minds need to be broken up, plowed up, and ready to receive the Word of the Lord. Hosea, another Old Testament prophet, writes “Break up your fallow ground, For it is time to seek the Lord.” (Hosea 10:12 nasb)

The questions before each of us are “Am I growing spiritually?” “Am I receiving a blessing each time I read the Bible or hear a sermon?” “Do I have a blessed intimate prayer time with God?” or “Does my heart need to be re-tilled, turned over, and soften into good soil?” Our hearts and minds are easily harden by neglecting the things of God and paying more attention to the things of this world.

Break up your hard ground and prepare your soil to receive the spiritual seeds watered by God’s showers of blessings with the light of His Son Jesus Christ. In doing so you will reap a bountiful spiritual harvest with the help of the Holy Spirit.

Devotionals

Where is your trust?

Loring Schultz

The following devotional was written on February 9, 2020

“It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes.” Psalm 118:8-9 KJV

Thoughtful man holding a rolled newspaper on a city street

Have you ever thought about where you place your trust? There are many days when we need help and guidance as we travel on the road of life. Where do you go and who can you trust? Do you go to others who are smarter than you? That is not a bad idea if they are qualified to help. Perhaps you rely on the government and those in positions of authority. Again, these are sensible choices for help in areas beyond your expertise or in seeking justice. However, do you rely on yourself, not trusting anyone, no matter the situation? Not exactly the best idea! But there is one who you can trust completely in everything, the Lord God Almighty!

So where is your trust? I must ask myself the same question. In preparing this devotional this week, I became aware of some significant changes in my place of employment. My first reaction was how we get through this. What adjustments need to be made? What resources do we need? I applied the appropriate management plan of action, but in reality it got the best of me as it so often does. Then the Lord reminded me, in over forty years of management, there has never been a time when He had failed to provide for me. I failed to trust Him first before proceeding with the plan of action.

The psalmist writes, “It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man,” and that includes yourself. . “It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes.” Put your trust in the one who knows you intimately, even better that you know yourself. Trust the Lord who created the universe and gave you life. He knows a lot more than you and I. He will lead you in the right direction. So, where is your trust?

Devotionals

Whole Heart and a Willing Mind

Loring Schultz

“And Solomon, my son, learn to know the God of your ancestors intimately. Worship and serve him with your whole heart and a willing mind. For the LORD sees every heart and knows every plan and thought. If you seek him, you will find him. But if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.” 1 Chronicles 28:9 NLT

Photo by Vitolda Klein on Unsplash
 

It is not always easy to get motivated. There are times when you just don’t feel like doing anything. It could be caused by emotions, physical fatigue, or in my case the brain won’t let me respond as it should, I think they call it ‘not being as young as I used to be.’ But once I get going, I’m good.

Not being motivated to worship and serve God has nothing to do with how old or young you are. It does happen, and there are many reasons for lack of motivation for God. There are many things that get in the way and distract us daily. We find ourselves picking and choosing what we have time for with what we enjoy most and pursuing those interests. After all, there are only twenty-four hours in a day. And some would say, life gets in the way. Yes, it is complicated, especially for young people with children. Life is hard enough, but trying to live life without a commitment to God is not going to work. You will find life even more frustrating, and you will begin to run around in circles losing motivation even in those things important to you.

Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, was instructed by his father King David to get to know God intimately. David told his son to worship and serve God with a whole heart and a willing mind. This is one hundred percent commitment. With every ounce of Solomon’s being he was to worship and serve his God. David let Solomon know that God saw his heart and would know every plan and thought he had. God knows each of our hearts and every thought in our minds. He knows us intimately and He wants us to know Him intimately and to worship and serve Him with our whole hearts and a willing mind. So, let’s get motivated.

Devotionals

With Authority

Loring Schultz

“When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, for he taught with real authority—quite unlike their teachers of religious law.” Matthew 7:28, 29 NLT

Bearded robed teacher speaking to a gathered crowd in a rocky landscape

Authority is power based on the right to command. Those in positions of authority have the right to command those who are under their authority. Countless are the positions of authority in the world. Anyone in charge of anything is in authority. Most notable are those in governing positions from presidents, prime ministers, members of legislatures and parliaments down to local assemblies. Outside of governing, there are others with authority such as schoolteachers and administrators, a foreman over a group of workers, coaches and team captains, any managerial position in the vast businesses such as retail management where I have spent most of life, and the list continues. For all who hold positions of authority, do we realized that we do not have any real authority at all? Authority is power based on the right to command in which none of us have that right. The right to command belongs to God alone.

Paul, writing to the Romans, said the following, “Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God.” (Ro.13:1 nlt) Again, if you are in authority, do you realize you have been placed there by God?

When Jesus completed His teaching to the disciples in the Sermon on the Mount, those who witnessed and heard Jesus’ words were astonished. It was described as teaching with real authority. The people in the crowd often heard the teaching of the scribes. The scribes taught according to tradition and quoting noteworthy rabbis. They presented nothing as coming from their own authority. A. B. Bruce is explained it simply, “The scribes spoke by authority, while Jesus spoke with authority.”

As Christians we have the authority to claim and preach the word of God as truth. Authority given to us by the one with the authority to do so, God the Father. Jesus spoke with authority as He is God the Son. He summed up His message on the mountain with an example of two builders. If one will obey the words Jesus spoke, he will be like a wise builder who built his house on a firm foundation, but the one who does not obey Jesus’s teaching will be like a foolish builder who builds his house on sand. Needless to say, one will stand and one will not. These words from the one who spoke ‘with authority.’