Devotionals – Page 33 – Word for the Soul

“God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies.” 1 Peter 4:10-11a NLT

Fear of not being qualified or talented enough has kept many Christians from serving the Lord in their local church. There are also other, not so legitimate, reasons for not serving and you most certainly cannot serve if you do not attend church, but that is for another day. Today, be encouraged the Lord God has gifted you to serve Him in His church. If you are a child of God you have been given a spiritual gift, maybe even a combination of serval gifts, but one in particular to serve God within His church.

The gifts that God bestows upon us at our conversion are spiritual gifts of a supernatural nature. They are gifts we did not possess before, nor could we achieve them on our own. They are also not to be confused with natural God given abilities which can and should be used to bring glory to God. These are gifts given to us by God to serve Him and our brothers and sisters in Christ where we gather together as a body of believers.

It is also important to note not everyone has the same gift. Oh, there may be others who have similar gifts, but a variety of gifts works best for the church to function orderly and for all to be taught, encouraged, cared for, and blessed. Whether you have the gift of teaching, administration, leadership, hospitality, serving, exhortation and caring, or a hands on where needed, used the gift God has given you for His glory. You are qualified and talented enough so do not fear. Do you have the gift? Yes, you do!

Devotionals

A Christian’s Conduct

August 22, 2025August 21, 2025 Loring Schultz

Read: Psalm 119:1-16 NLT – Psalm 119 – Aleph Joyful are people of – Bible Gateway

“Oh, that my actions would consistently reflect your decrees!” Psalm 119:5 NLT

Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on Pexels.com

Every Christian has a spotlight shining on them. We could say it is the light of Christ reflecting off us and that would be true, but I surmise the spotlight is one placed on us by others who know of our faith and are keeping an eye on us. Those watching us are both other Christians and non-Christians, even our own church family. Living in the light of Christ and in obedience to Scripture is more than a testimony towards those outside of Christ but is a requirement on how all Christians should act before their brothers and sisters in the Lord.

Psalm 119, the longest chapter in the Bible, can be thought of as the ‘word of life’ intended to give us godly instruction. Almost every verse throughout the psalm has a reference to God’s Word. ‘Commandments, decrees, instructions, laws, word, and regulations’ are noted in the first sixteen verses of the chapter, and it continues up to its conclusion.. It is indeed a chapter of instruction. It is a chapter in the word of God that’s all about the word of God.

The psalmist in the front half portion of the psalm writes, “You have charged us
to keep your commandments carefully. Oh, that my actions would consistently
reflect your decrees! Then I will not be ashamed when I compare my life with your commands.” (Ps.119:4-6 nlt) Being charged by God to keep His commandments and decrees, the psalmist’s desire is for his actions to match what God’s Word commands him to do. So should be our desire as Christians in 2025, to have our conduct submitted in accordance with Scripture. Our Christian conduct should reflect our faith in Christ by obeying His Word in front of those who do not know the Lord, leading them to Him, and to those who do.

Devotionals

Stay Alert!

August 21, 2025August 19, 2025 Loring Schultz

Read: 1 Peter 5:6-9 NLT – So humble yourselves under the mighty – Bible Gateway

“Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.” 1 Peter 5:8 NLT

Traveling through areas we haven’t been before requires caution. Whether it’s traveling by automobile with the most sophisticated GPS or strolling a scenic countryside on a Sunday afternoon walk, if you haven’t been that way before, a little caution is recommended. It is that way in our lives as well. Every day we wake up to a new day where we have never been before, caution is needed.

For the Christian, each day is a particular challenge. We have never ending responsibilities between family, work, and other household chores among those extra curriculum activities we add on ourselves. Managing it all is a struggle and by the end of the day we’re wiped out. We have a to tendency let our guard down, in fact it may have started to slide midway through the day, and when we’re most vulnerable the enemy attacks. With all of our responsibilities each day we must add the essential one to our list; ‘stay alert.’

1 Peter 5:8 says, “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.” (nlt) Just as traveling a road we haven’t been on previously requires some attention and staying alert, each day is a road we haven’t traveled on, and Satan is prowling around looking for that opportunity to pounce on us. Staying alert is vital from morning until night. Satan knows our weak moments as they occur, and we would be smart to recognize them ourselves and stay alert. (have that cup of coffee) If we are not paying attention, Satan and his minions will take advantage of our lapse and before we know it, he got us. Remember we haven’t been this way before, caution ahead, so stay alert!

Devotionals

Be blessed; Give

August 20, 2025August 19, 2025 Loring Schultz

Read: Acts 20:13-38 NLT – Paul Meets the Ephesian Elders – Paul – Bible Gateway

“You know that these hands of mine have worked to supply my own needs and even the needs of those who were with me. And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” Acts 20:34-35 NLT

Hundreds of common sayings and proverbs we use today had their start somewhere. Someone had said them for the first time and the phrase caught on and spread over time. Many of those someone’s are unknown as history traces back to the origin of a saying to a place and time and the events that created such a saying. The saying ‘it is better to give than to receive’ is easy to trace and comes from a reliable source, the Bible, and spoken by a most reliable person, Jesus Christ.

Paul is giving final instructions to the elders of the church in Ephesus as he was about to leave for Jerusalem. He had told them this would probably be the last time they would see other each. It was an emotional time for them all. He encouraged them to preach the Word that he spoke to them concerning the Good News of Jesus Christ strengthening the new believers. Paul advised them to be good shepherds and feed the flock warning them that false teachers and accusers would soon arrive to sway the new converts away from the truth.

Paul ended his final words to these elders by reminding them of his work ethic while he was with them. Paul never took a salary for preaching the gospel but worked as a tent maker. He provided for himself and those who served with him. Paul was saying his work not only met his needs, but the needs of others, which he was glad to do. He also said, ‘a little hard work never hurts anyone,’ and it actually helps others. But Jesus has the final word on this, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ So, be blessed, and give.

Devotionals

Do you have a right to be angry?

August 19, 2025August 18, 2025 Loring Schultz

Read: Psalm 4 NLT – Psalm 4 – For the choir director: A – Bible Gateway

“And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, or anger gives a foothold to the devil.” Ephesians 4:26-27 NLT

Do you have a right to be angry? Perhaps you do. But your right to be angry is always to be on based on when righteousness and justice are not being done. When sin against you or your neighbor is going unpunished, or when society accepts leniency over justice for violent crimes you and I have a right to be angry. But what are we to do with that anger, that righteous anger?

The Bible gives us two answers as to what to do with our anger. The apostle Paul tells the church in Ephesus not to let anger control us. It is very easy to be angered at someone who has done us wrong, by gossip, false accusations, even physical assaults in our total innocence. Keeping that anger under control is not easy, but extremely difficult to do. Yet, Paul instructs us not to let it control us, and also not to go to bed angry. His reasoning is it gives the devil a foothold into our lives in an area he can control by feeding that anger with his lies.

King David gives us the same advice in Psalm 4, “Don’t sin by letting anger control you. Think about it overnight and remain silent.” (Ps.4:4 nlt) In a sense, David is telling us to give it over to the Lord. Other Bible translations say, ‘Meditate in your heart upon your bed.’ The idea is to think deeply about your anger and bring God into the conversation.

The world today gives us countless justifiable reasons to be angry. Christians need a watchful eye as Satan, and his demons will look for any opportunity to turn even justifiable anger for his use if we do not give it over to the Lord.

Devotionals

A God Moment

August 18, 2025August 17, 2025 Loring Schultz

“Oh come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the LORD our Maker. For He is our God, And we are the people of His pasture, And the sheep of His hand.” Psalm 95:6-7 NKJV

Have you ever had a God moment? How would you describe it? Each one of us is different in our own way and I’m sure our God moments would differ, of course seeing that you had one. GotQuestions.org describes it his way, “Many Christians define a God moment as an intimate, unique, or uncommon experience that helps them see that something or someone bigger than themselves (i.e., God) is at work in their lives. It might be an answered prayer, a sudden revelation, or a chance encounter.” (1) The simplest things could be a God moment for me. What some would consider a coincidence, I see as God presenting Himself making His presence known, a God moment.

The other day during my quiet study time with the Lord, I was reading a devotional from a well-known Pastor and author and was struggling to concentrate particularly on the key verse. Perhaps due to the early hour of the morning or my allowing my mind to wander, the verse wasn’t sinking in. Asking the Lord to sharpen my focus, He did just that. As I was reading the verse, the song on the radio was singing the exact words in exact time with my reading them. It got my attention. It was a God moment. The song produced and performed by ‘Maranatha Music.’ was “Oh come, let us worship and bow down.” In perfect timing they sang as I read, “Oh come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the LORD our Maker. For He is our God, And we are the people of His pasture, And the sheep of His hand.” (Ps. 95:6-7 NKJV)

The verse itself is a call to worship the Lord and recognize Him as our creator and God. He watches over us as His sheep and is with us at all times. There are many God moments in our lives that come and go without us even realizing them, not to mention the ones we take for granted. It is nice to be reminded with a God moment we are not expecting that He is continually pasturing His sheep. Have you been reminded lately with a God moment? Chances are, you were.

(1) https://www.gotquestions.org/God-moment.html

Devotionals

Having Continual Faith in God

August 15, 2025August 12, 2025 Loring Schultz

Read: Hebrews 11:4-12:2 NLT – It was by faith that Abel brought a – Bible Gateway

“And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.” Hebrews 11: 6 NLT

The writer of the book of Hebrews says, ‘it is impossible to please God without faith.’ (Heb.11:6 nlt) We may think by just being good and behaving appropriately would be enough to please God, and He wouldn’t be disappointed in that, but there is more to it. First of all, we are to believe that He is, that He does indeed exist. Those of us who have accepted Christ as savior have come to faith in this manner, by believing in Him and by His grace through faith. (Eph.2:8-9) It is by God’s grace that we are saved. We had nothing to do with it. In the same way, if we want to please God we must have continual faith in Him and by His grace we will please Him.

Chapter 11 of the book of Hebrews is sometimes referred to as the ‘Hall of Faith.’ It lists various characters throughout the Old Testament who had accomplished great things for God through their faith. Some even suffered and died for their faith, but they are considered heroes of the faith just the same. They had continual faith in God. It was by God’s grace they were able to endure the sufferings and the hardships that came along with their faith in Him.

If we desire to do a great work for God individually or part of our church family, having a continual faith in Him is essential. The Lord God will give us the grace we need through faith to please Him and find His work being accomplished in and through us.

Devotionals

Our Wars Will End

August 14, 2025August 12, 2025 Loring Schultz

Read: Isaiah 2:1-4 NLT – The LORD’s Future Reign – This is a – Bible Gateway

“The LORD will mediate between nations and will settle international disputes. They will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will no longer fight against nation, nor train for war anymore.” Isaiah 2:4 NLT

Photo by Chandler Cruttenden on Unsplash

Eighty years ago today marks the end of World War II with Japan’s unconditional surrender to the United States. It was formally announced by President Harry Truman on September 1, 1945, and declaring September 2^nd as V-j Day. (1) All the world celebrated the end of the deadliest war in history. “The conflict resulted in the loss of an estimated 70–85 million lives, which was approximately 3% of the world’s population at that time. It was marked by atrocities such as the Holocaust, where six million Jews were exterminated. Cities across Europe and Asia were reduced to rubble, impacting millions and disrupting civil life on an unprecedented scale.” (2) Our world has seen its fair share of wars throughout its history, but there will be a time when wars will cease, and it may be sooner than we think.

You have heard, I’m sure, people express ‘we are living in the last days.’ Before you discount it, this is very true. We are living in the last days. The last days era began at the birth of Christ over two thousand years ago. It is the Messianic era where the Messiah has come for the salvation of those who believe in Him. These last days will be completed at Jesus’ second coming, and at that time there will be peace on earth for there will be no more war. The prophet Isaiah wrote of that day, “Nation will no longer fight against nation, nor train for war anymore.” (Is.2:4 nlt)

There will be no wars and only peace for one thousand years on the earth. It’s hard for us to imagine, but it is true. Will you be there during Jesus’ millennium reign on earth? The only sure way to know you will be there is to accept Jesus’ free gift of salvation. “For ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved.’” (Ro.10:13 nlt) Don’t put off another day of accepting Christ for we never know when our wars will end. “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Ro.6:23 nlt)

(1) What (and When) Is V-J Day? | The National WWII Museum | New Orleans

(2) Top 10 Worst Wars in History

Devotionals

Lifted Up His Eyes

August 13, 2025August 11, 2025 Loring Schultz

Read: Genesis 13:1-13 ESV – Abram and Lot Separate – So Abram went – Bible Gateway

Read: Genesis 19:23-29 ESV – God Destroys Sodom – The sun had risen – Bible Gateway

“And Lot lifted up his eyes and saw that the Jordan Valley was well watered everywhere like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, in the direction of Zoar. (This was before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.)” Genesis 13:10 ESV

You wouldn’t think taking a good look around, analyzing what is best for you and your family, then proceeding in that direction would end up in tragedy. But that is exactly what happen to a man named Lot in the Old Testament book of Genesis. Lot and his uncle Abram were both wealthy with many flocks and herds. As they traveled together it became increasingly difficult for the land to support both of them, so, Abram proposed they separate. Abram gave Lot the choice in which direction he wanted to go and then he would go in the opposite direction. Lot made his choice and moved on and Abram went his way in the opposite direction.

There is nothing wrong with choosing a good path to travel and then settle down in a prosperous area to make a living. But if your choice is based on greed or selfishness you are bound for trouble. When Abram told Lot he could choose first, the Bible says, “And Lot lifted up his eyes and saw that the Jordan Valley was well watered everywhere like the garden of the LORD.” (Gen.13:10 esv) Indeed, it was the better of the two directions. Yes, he took what was best for him by sight as he looked around. But he could have offered it to his uncle to see if he wanted it first, no, instead he looked and took what he saw.

Lot’s choice did not work out. It brought him and his family into the area of Sodom and Gomorrah, eventually living in Sodom itself. Many Christians today find themselves being tempted to take the road that seems best by what they see with their eyes without consulting the Lord. We see only on the surface, but the Lord is able to see what lurks underneath what we desire in our greed and selfishness. Let God guide our decisions and not lift up our eyes.

Devotionals

Are you ready for the unexpected?

August 12, 2025August 11, 2025 Loring Schultz

Read: Luke 12:35-40 NLT – Be Ready for the Lord’s Coming – Bible Gateway

“You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.” Luke 12:40 NLT

You have a close friend who departed years ago promising to come back and see you again. With no definite time frame set you still eagerly anticipate the day you will see your friend again. The years go by and although you communicate quite frequently even talking with each other daily, your thoughts about the return are in a distant future. Then one day, unexpectedly, your friend shows up at your door. You’re overjoyed to see your friend but embarrassed by not being ready because you put off the importance of such a meeting concentrating on your own needs and desires.

Just like an unexpected visit from a close friend, Jesus promised to return for those who believe in Him. He also did not set a time but told us to expect His return by being ready. Jesus teaching His disciples said, “Be dressed for service and keep your lamps burning as though you were waiting for your master to return from the wedding feast. Then you will be ready to open the door and let him in the moment he arrives and knocks.” (Lk.12:35-36 nlt) Believers in Christ should be in constant service waiting for His return. The Lord should find us faithfully doing His will on that day. A sure way to get ready is to speak with Him daily in prayer as you serve Him knowing that this could be the day.

Jesus says He will reward those who are ready. “But whenever he comes, he will reward the servants who are ready.” (Lk.12:38 nlt) That doesn’t mean those who are not ready will be left behind, but with no reward they will be embarrassed as when you friend arrived at your door unexpectedly. It’s time to get ready for the unexpected.