Category: Devotionals

Devotionals

Drafted into service        

Loring Schultz

“The king assigned them a daily ration of food and wine from his own kitchens. They were to be trained for three years, and then they would enter the royal service.” Daniel 1:5 NLT

Photo by Library of Congress on Unsplash

The last military draft in the United States occurred over fifty years ago on December 7, 1972, during the Vietnam War. America has had an all-volunteer military since that day. Men drafted back in the day and men and women serving today have the same goals to protect and serve their country. Though many things have changed over fifty years, the one constant is all who serve are put on government support for their daily needs. It is on the government’s dime recruits are trained for service and their provisions met. Once trained, military personnel are put into service in their field of specialized training.

Four young Hebrew men found themselves drafted into service not for their nation, but for the Babylonian Empire. King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon attacked the city of Jerusalem in 605 B.C., taking sacred articles from the Temple and taking captive people of royalty and those from noble families.  He then instructed to have the best and brightest of the young men trained for service in his kingdom. There were daily provisions, training in the language and culture along with astrology, astronomy, mathematics, and agriculture in this three-year training period.

The four young men were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. They were given new names to assimilate into the culture; Belteshazzar, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. The goal of these young men would also be to protect and serve the kingdom they are in. Being in a pagan culture, there will be great challenges to overcome, but it was the Lord who placed them there, and all four of them knew it.

Every Christian is drafted into service for the Lord. He does provide for us and our training never ends. There are challenges in living in a secular society, but just as those four young Hebrew men were placed there by God, we are placed here. May we know it and face those challenges by faith with His help.

Read: Daniel 1:1-7 NLT – Daniel in Nebuchadnezzar’s Court – Bible Gateway

Devotionals

How specific is your faith? Do you believe Jesus is God the Son?       

Loring Schultz

“In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.” John 1:1, 14 NLT

Photo by Raychan on Unsplash

The term ‘faith’ when referencing Christianity means different things to different people. It is used in a general sense as ‘people of faith.’ Some Christians say, ‘I am a person of faith,’ ‘I have faith,’ and ‘you got to have faith,’ etc… There are more examples we can name, but the point is numerous people speak of their Christian faith in general terms.

Christians who speak specifically of their Christian faith refer to God’s saving plan of salvation. God sent His Son to die on the cross for their sins. It is by grace one is saved through ‘faith’ by accepting Christ as savior.

The keys to the game as referred to in the sports world is, God being holy can only accept a perfect, holy sacrifice in the forgiveness of sin. Another key is we must acknowledge our sin and our need to be forgiven and made right with God. We must repent and confess our sin believing that Jesus Christ is the only perfect, holy sacrifice. We must come to realize Jesus is indeed God the Son able to save us from our sin and eternal death.

World history recognizes a man named Jesus who walked the earth over 2,000 years ago. There are few people who dispute this by agreeing to the content of the historical Jesus in history books. Believing only in the historical Jesus is equivalent to saying you are a person of faith, believing only He was a man who walked the earth doing great things. If your faith carry’s you so far as to admit Jesus was sent from God but far short of believing He is God the Son, your understanding of salvation is distorted. If you think just having faith, believing there is a God, doing good deeds, and learning what you can from Jesus’ example, is enough to get by in this world and into heaven, you’re mistaken.

Jesus was not just a good man, a good teacher, a prophet, or miracle worker, He is God the Son. If Jesus was only good man, His death for the sacrifice of our sin would be meaningless. How specific is your faith? Is your faith in Jesus, God the Son, having accepted Him as your savior, or is your faith in the historical Jesus, a good man who walked the earth.

Devotionals

Small Beginnings

Loring Schultz

“Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin, to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel’s hand.” Zechariah 4:10 NLT

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

The Jews had to start over, so to speak, in formal worship to God in the Temple. The Temple was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar during the destruction of Jerusalem and the Jews were carried off to Babylon. Judah was held in captivity for 70 years before being allowed to return home. Upon returning home, the work of rebuilding the Temple would soon take place. They had to start over.

As the work began many of the older people were dismayed at the smaller size of the Temple compared to the old Temple that was destroyed. “But many of the older priests, Levites, and other leaders who had seen the first Temple wept aloud when they saw the new Temple’s foundation.” (Ez.3:12 nlt) Discouragement was felt by those who saw the work as insignificant, but the Lord was pleased that the work had begun. It may have been a small beginning, but the Jews were given the opportunity to start over now that they were back in the Promised Land.

Has the Lord God given you another chance to start over and restore your relationship with Him? It may not be the same at first, and it may be a fraction of what it was. In comparison, it’s not even close to where you had been, but God will be please when you take up that opportunity and begin again. He is the God of second, third, fourth, and fifth, chances. Don’t despise these small humble beginnings He is giving you. No matter what brought you to this place, confess your sin before God, accept His forgiveness, and start a new relationship with Him however small the beginning, and thank Him for another chance He has afforded you at the start of this New Year.

Devotionals

Forgetting the past, what’s done is done!     

Loring Schultz

“……but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead. I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.” Philippians 3:13b-14 NLT

 Photo by Riccardo Mion on Unsplash

You have heard the statement, ‘what’s done is done.’ That statement is very true, yet we try to undo what has already been done, and the fact is we can’t go back. Sure, there are corrective measures we can take to not repeat things we wish were done differently. We call this, ‘learning from our mistakes.’ But what good does it do to dwell on the past. It will only cloud our focus on the future. What’s done is done.

As we head into the New Year, don’t let the past interfere with your plans going forward, or more accurately, God’s plans for you going forward in 2025. Paul, the apostle, gives us his perspective of forgetting the past in writing to the church in Philippi. Paul viewed his Christian life as a race. Every runner knows it is disastrous to look back. Looking back will slow you down and takes your eye off the goal. The goal is the finish line. We often find ourselves looking back to our own demise. If our eyes come off the goal even for a moment, it could prove to be harmful.

Paul was explaining he hadn’t yet achieved the goal of Christlikeness, but he was still running and pursuing that goal. He was looking forward to what lies ahead, the finish line and the end of the race, when the heavenly prize (Christlikeness) is accomplished. Paul did not look back on his sinful past. What’s done is done. He was forgiven and assured of heaven and eternal life, no need to look back. Jesus saved him, and that also is done is done. So, Paul is forgetting all that is behind him and looking forward to that heavenly prize in Christ Jesus, Christlikeness.

May we keep looking forward, forgetting the past in the New Year. Every Christian’s goal in the 2025 should be moving towards Christlikeness. All other goals are secondary. Working towards that goal will set the priority for other goals we have in mind as the Lord leads us to where He is calling us.

Devotionals

Pursue righteousness in the New Year

Loring Schultz

“Whoever pursues righteousness and unfailing love will find life, righteousness, and honor.” Proverbs 21:21 NLT

Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash

Whether we admit it or not, we all are in pursuit of something. Sheriff Buford T. Justice was in ‘hot pursuit’ of Bo Darville in the 1977 film ‘Smokey and the Bandit.’ Yes, my age is showing. Every team in the NFL is in pursuit of the Vince Lombardi trophy for winning the Super Bowl. Corporate executives are pursuing the success of their business above the competition. Parents are in pursuit of raising their children to be responsible adults, and singles are in hot pursuit of finding that cherished mate. Pursuing a goal in life is commendable and we should work towards it, but may we also take a step back and inspect what we are pursuing.

How many of us pursue righteousness as a goal? A better question would be, how many of us pursue righteousness within the current goal we are pursuing? Pursuing righteousness within our goals entails the following: what is right, just, noble, virtuous, honoring, ethical, blameless, and impartial. If our goals fall short, perhaps some of the above righteousness has fallen short or not applied at all in pursuing our goals. King Solomon wrote, “Whoever pursues righteousness and unfailing love will find life, righteousness, and honor.” (Pr.21:21 nlt) Finding life, righteousness, and honor would prove successful for any goal we would pursue.

Goals will be set over the next two days in anticipation of the New Year. Examine closely what you are pursuing. Whatever goals you plan to pursue in 2025, make sure you leave a little room for righteousness. Better yet, if your main goal is to pursue righteousness then every goal that follows will be covered in the elements of righteousness and honor.

Devotionals

God’s Sovereignty: The book of Daniel, a book of encouragement

Loring Schultz

“….. the Most High God rules over the kingdoms of the world and appoints anyone he desires to rule over them.” Daniel 5:21b NLT

Photo by Ben Burkhardt on Unsplash

Webster’s New World dictionary defines ‘sovereignty’ as, “the status, rule, etc. of a sovereign (above all others), supreme and independent political authority.” There is only one sovereign, the Lord God, and one book in the Bible that describes it as none other is the Old Testament book of Daniel. The book ‘Daniel’ was written 2,500 years ago describing the events of that day with many similarities to our day.

God was in control with the state of His people living in a foreign land after being carried off to Babylon during the destruction of Jerusalem. Although they were there due to their sin, God did not forget them but worked out His purposes and shown His sovereignty through them. Christians today living in oppressed countries against Christianity face the same circumstances as the Jews living in Babylon. But God still shows His sovereignty in the events of nations including our own.

The book of Daniel is an encouragement for all believers who find themselves in uncomfortable situations in knowing the Lord God put us there, whether due to our sin or not. He is in control, God is sovereign. Indeed, God controls the events of lives and the status of the nations today and into the future. We as Christians need not worry how things will turn out in our individual lives or in world affairs. God has it planned, and it will turn out for our good as He is in control.

God’s sovereignty is on display in Daniel’s writing bringing us encouragement for the future. Daniel was a prophet who also wrote the words of Lord God concerning what we call today ‘the end times.’ We may not be able to understand it all, but it is good news for all who trust God and have accepted His Son as savior. Yes, God is in control, and He is sovereign. The book of Daniel is a book of encouragement for every believer. I encourage you to read through it with the Holy Spirit’s guidance and see how God’s sovereignty is working in your life.

Devotionals

Look to God in Your Time of Need

Loring Schultz

“The LORD helps the fallen and lifts those bent beneath their loads. The eyes of all look to you in hope; you give them their food as they need it. When you open your hand, you satisfy the hunger and thirst of every living thing.” Psalm 145: 14-16 NLT

Photo by TI NGUYEN on Unsplash

You may have heard of the theological term ‘common grace’ and wondered of its meaning. Simply put, common grace is God’s blessings bestowed upon every person regardless of whether one is a believer or unbeliever. Blessings in nature of abundant rain or sunshine. Blessings of divine providence in near misses of dangerous storms or potential accidents. Blessings of food sources given to us from our creator, and the advances in modern technology and medical treatment are a blessing given to every individual. It is undeserved grace given to everyone. It is common grace.

David writing in the 145th Psalm of praise includes a thought or two about God’s common grace. God helps those who have fallen. He helps those with heavy burdens. His eye is always on us providing the food we need. If God grants common grace for all in time of need, how much more will He do so for believers. The apostle John wrote, “And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for.” (1Jn.5:14-15 nlt)

We should all be in the habit of continually going to God in all things. There will come a time when we have a need, usually when we least expect it. It is in these days of sudden confusion when we feel helpless that most of us look to God. What a blessing it is to have the confidence that He hears and will answer according to His will. And what a blessing it is to know God bestows more than common grace to His children to ask Him. Continue to look to God in your in time of need, and your next time of need when you least expect it.

Devotionals

God With Us

Loring Schultz

“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).” Matthew 1:23 ESV

FreeBibleimages.org

There are many religions in the world today. Most of them serve and worship a god in some form or another. Others see this world as all there is and see themselves as gods. Most religions work towards entrance into the afterlife, whatever that looks like even though they can’t be sure if they’ll make it. There is only religion that I know of where God came to be with us and made it possible for us to be with Him forever in the afterlife.  That religion, if you allow me to use the term, is Christianity.

The gospel writer Matthew quotes from Isaiah the prophet concerning the birth of Christ. “Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son and shall call his name Immanuel.” (Is.7:14 kjv) Matthew confirms the meaning of ‘Immanuel’ as ‘God with us.’ Christianity is also the only religion where God is a ‘triune God,’ three persons in one. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Three in one. God the Son, Jesus Christ, left His heavenly glories to be with us and take on sin at the cross of Calvary. The apostle Paul says it best, “(Jesus) emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” (Ph.2:7-8 esv)

No other religion on earth has a God who came down to rescue sinners paying the penalty for their sins against Him. But Christ did just that, and like John 3:16 says, “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.” (kjv) God’s plan of salvation is spelled out for us in the Bible, and it started with God with us. Christ came to us on Christmas. If you haven’t gone to Him for salvation what better day is there than today! It will be a Merry Christmas!!

Devotionals

First Christmas Eve

Loring Schultz

“But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Too little to be among the clans of Judah,
From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, From the days of eternity.” Micah 5:2 NASB

FreeBibleimages.org

Many families have Christmas Eve traditions they keep year after year. Some go by the wayside over the years, being replaced by new ones for the next generation and so on. There are fond memories of that first Christmas Eve you can remember as a child. Memories of the first Christmas Eve you had with your spouse or that special loved one are not forgotten. Baby’s first Christmas is cemented in your mind, along with so many memories of the ‘first’ Christmas Eve occurring during special events in your life. Memories are good for the soul and should be cherished, and remembering the first Christmas Eve, that very first Christmas Eve 2,000 years ago, should be cherished most of all.

Mary and Joseph had their baby’s first Christmas cemented in their minds. Their baby, Jesus, was Christmas. He was the Christ-child who came into the world. Jesus would save His people from their sins. It would be a Christmas Eve they would never forget. It began days before as Mary and Joseph traveled to Bethlehem under orders from Caesar Augustus to register in their hometown for taxation. Mary, about to give birth, had the ride of her life on a donkey which she would never forget. Joseph scrambling to find a place to stay in an overcrowded small town would make for good conversation years down the road. Their accommodation for the night would be a memory they both would like to have forgotten, but I’m sure they didn’t.

While we think back and treasure our memories of a special Christmas Eve, a special Christmas Eve long ago was remembered by two willing servants of God who trusted Him in the birth of His Son. Over the years those memories for Mary and Joseph grew sweeter and sweeter, covering any smell of a dirty stable that night. For the Son of God, the savior, was born that night. That first Christmas Eve was a night to remember.

Devotionals

A Light in Winter 

Loring Schultz

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.” John 1:5 NLT

Photo by John Nail on Pexels.com

The winter solstice arrived here in the northern hemisphere this past weekend on Saturday, December 21, at 4:20 AM EST. It is the day with the shortest amount of daylight. For those who dread shorter daylight hours and the winter season, there is good news, from this day forward the days will be getting longer. The winter solstice has been celebrated for centuries in various forms influenced by pagan festivals.

The three most famous are Saturnalia in ancient Rome, the Norse Yule traditions from Scandinavia from where we get our ‘yule log,’ and the celebrations of the Druids. Winter solstice celebrations are still held all over the world. Some follow the early pagan festivals, and others adapted from within their various cultures. Perhaps the most notable today is the thousands of visitors who will make their way to Stonehenge in Wiltshire, England, just to take in what they believe it to be. All these festivals have one thing in common, the darkest day giving way to rising light in the future days.

Just a side note; it is true that some of our Christmas traditions were picked up from some of these pagan festivals, such as the ‘yule log,’ since Christmas was first recognized on December 25, 336. The truth is, no one can be certain what time of the year Christ was born, most likely it wasn’t December 25th. The good news is, we know He came to earth being born of a virgin in Bethlehem.

It may not be a bad thing that Christmas is celebrated around the winter solstice. The world is anticipating the coming light to end their darkest days. What greater light is there for the world than the light of Jesus Christ and the hope of salvation for those who believe in Him. The amount of Christmas lights displayed around the world during the season adds to that hope. We do not know if Christ was born around the winter solstice, but it is fitting we celebrate His birth by shining His light in winter for all the world to see.