Category: Devotionals

Devotionals

The Words of a King      

Loring Schultz

“I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20 NLT

Photo by Savannah W. on Unsplash

All heads of state, whether kings or queens, presidents, or prime ministers have authority over those in their jurisdiction. It is only in their local jurisdiction they have authority. No authority has been granted them outside their borders. There is not a ruler who has it all. No one earthly leader has complete authority over the entire world. But there is one, and only one who does have complete authority on earth, King Jesus.

Jesus’ own words to His disciples proved this when He said, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.” (Mt.28:18 nlt) These are the words of a king. The Jews in Jesus’ day were looking for a king to defeat the Romans and rule in Israel. Jesus told Pilate yes, He was a king, but His kingdom is not of this world. The Jews would have been disappointed in hearing this. Jesus’ agenda was much bigger including all the nations (people groups) of the world and it is still future.

Jesus has been building His kingdom through His followers since He gave His disciples what we know today as the Great Commission. Every generation of believers from that first command are instructed in the same way, and that includes us. “Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.” (Mt.28:19 nlt) These are the words of a king.

Devotionals

The Gift of Peace

Loring Schultz

“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” John 14:27 NLT

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I came to age in the influential years of peace and love in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s in the United States. The height of the Vietnam war, racial injustice, assassinations and attempted assassinations on political leaders fueled protests around the country in the streets and college campuses. From these events and others like it, the ‘peace and love’ movement came into existence. It was for the most part peaceful and did bring about some good things. However, one thing they couldn’t bring about was ‘lasting peace,’ their reason for being.

The reason the efforts of the ‘peace and love’ movement failed was they were looking for peace within themselves and the world. Jesus told His disciples on the night before His crucifixion, “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give.” (Jn.14:27 nlt) As much as those wanting to spread peace and love if it wasn’t Jesus’ gift of love it would not last. To be fair, there were those who branched off from that movement becoming followers of Jesus and created their own movement realizing the world or themselves would not bring about the peace they were seeking. This Jesus’ movement knew that true and lasting peace was only through Jesus Christ.

Today you may be seeking peace and love but wherever you turn it evades you. There are many endeavors that will bring temporary peace and enjoyment in life. There are several organizations and clubs that can fill an empty space in your heart, but if Jesus isn’t part of them, it will fail you every time. Jesus says to you, true and lasting peace is available through Him which He gives you as a gift. ‘So don’t be troubled or afraid,’ but accept His gift of peace and have peace of mind and heart the world cannot offer.  

Devotionals

Out of Reach of My Enemies

Loring Schultz

“For he will conceal me there when troubles come; he will hide me in his sanctuary. He will place me out of reach on a high rock.” Psalm 27:5 NLT

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Several of the psalms King David wrote contain some form of prayer. Psalm 27 is one of the prayer psalms. David had many conspirators and enemies plotting against him most of his life. He prayed for God to deliver him from his enemies and was confident the Lord would do so. (Ps.27:1-3) David found sanctuary in the presence of the Lord. He equated God’s presence as being in the house of the Lord. “The one thing I ask of the LORD—the thing I seek most—is to live in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, delighting in the LORD’s perfections and meditating in his Temple.” (Ps.27:4 nlt) David’s confidence was strengthened in God’s presence for He was David’s stronghold.

David was sure God would protect him concealing him when trouble came and would hide him in His sanctuary. David wrote, “He will place me out of reach on a high rock.” (Ps.27:5b nlt) David was confident God would hide him and place him out of the reach of his enemies. David breaks out in prayer in the rest of psalm praying for deliverance and asking God to lead him on the right path away from his enemies. He acknowledges God would never abandon him and knows he will see God’s goodness as he waits patiently for Him.

David’s psalm should serve as an inspiration for every Christian. We are not aware of who David’s enemies were, but we can conclude they were led by the Satan, the evil one. Christians today have this in common with David, we have the same enemy. We should also have the same confidence David had when we pray that God will protect and hide us by placing us out of Satan’s reach. Even if Satan and his minions see us up on that top shelf in the Lord’s sanctuary, it’s out of their reach. Therefore, be diligent in prayer for Paul tells us, “For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.” (Eph.6:12 nlt) Our enemies may be around us, but they are out of reach.

Read: Psalm 27 NLT – Psalm 27 – A psalm of David. The LORD – Bible Gateway

Devotionals

Living with an Eye on Eternity

Loring Schultz

“He saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. Because of his grace he declared us righteous and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life.” Titus 3:5-7 NLT

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People are always looking for something to better their life. It may be a move to a more desirable neighborhood. A change in vocation is an often-desired life change for many. Healthy choices are also at the top of the list such as regular exercise, a well-balanced diet, adequate rest, and avoiding dangerous situations. These are all sound choices to pursue in life and will help you live a satisfied, safe and healthy life. But how many of the choices you make in this life pertain to your next life? Are you living with an eye on eternity?

James tells us that, “Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone.” (Ja.4:14b nlt) The psalmist writes, “Seventy years are given to us! Some even live to eighty. But even the best years are filled with pain and trouble; soon they disappear, and we fly away.” (Ps.90:10 nlt) So, maybe it is time for us to think ahead.

Living with an eye on eternity helps us keep our focus on what really matters. The motto for ‘Word for the Soul’ expresses this, ‘Only Two Things Will Last Forever; The Word of God and the Souls of People.’ The main priority in this life for all Christians is based on those two things. The way we live our lives matters. We are going to be in eternity a lot longer than our life here on earth. There is only so much time for us to complete the Lord’s work here on earth, and the work we do here will either be rewarded or rejected in the kingdom. (1Cor.3:10-15) But praise God our salvation is secure in Christ as Paul writes, “He saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy…… Because of his grace he declared us righteous and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life.” (Titus 3:5a, 7 nlt) For all of us who have eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord let us now live with our eyes on eternity.

Devotionals

Time to Turn Away

Loring Schultz

“Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, ‘If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me.’” Mark 8:34 NLT

Photo by Kevin Quezada on Unsplash

It is a ‘me’ world. We may choose, as Christians, to not believe that ‘it’s not about me’ but I’m afraid at certain times it certainly appears that way. One reason is we still have a sin nature, and we will fall short. Babies have a way of displaying that ‘me’ attitude, they want what they want. As precious as they are, infants are an example of our ‘me’ world. Christians will never shed it all this side of heaven, but Jesus instructs us if we want to follow Him, ‘we must turn from our selfish ways.’ So, it is possible to turn away with the Lord’s help and take up our cross and follow Him.

The premise for turning away from our selfish desires is to change our desires to Jesus’ desires. His desires are for us to follow His example, to be a light for others leading them to Him, to be salt to prevent decay in our society, to assist the poor, to administer justice, to pray, to love the Lord God with all our heart, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. When we put these things into practice, we begin to turn away from our selfish ways.

Our world is full of distractions and temptations from the evil one to keep us from giving up some of our desires. Some of our selfish ways we like and do not what to let them go. Not all of them are sinful, perhaps most are not, but they are keeping us from fully taking up our cross and following Jesus. I read a comment recently in a daily devotional I was reading that said, ‘It’s not OK to hold Satan’s hand and Jesus’ hand at the same time. You must let go of one of them.’ So, the question is, what selfish ways do we need to let go of. It’s time to turn away!

Devotionals

The Stone was Rolled Away    

Loring Schultz

“Suddenly there was a great earthquake! For an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled aside the stone, and sat on it.” Matthew 28:2 NLT

Photo by Pisit Heng on Unsplash

You possibly may have heard it said when Jesus rose from the dead, ‘the stone was rolled away not to let Jesus out, but to show the tomb was empty.’ Indeed, it was. Jesus rose in His new glorified body and had no need for a door to be opened for Him. Matthew tells us an angel descended amid a great earthquake and rolled away the stone, and just in time for Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of James, had just arrived at the tomb. The women were discussing along the way how would they move the stone away to anoint Jesus’ body which they had intended to do. (Mk.16:3) There was a barrier of a large stone between them and Jesus that needed to be moved. But as they arrived, the stone had rolled away.

Is there a stone in your life that needs to be rolled away that is creating a barrier between you and the Lord? Your busy work schedule is causing you to lose all interests in the things of God, the things of this world are winning the battle to be on top of your priority list, or perhaps it’s some besetting sin that is continually reoccurring that is the stone needing to be rolled away. So, what do you do?

Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of James, met Jesus on the road while running from the tomb. The stone had been rolled away and Jesus wasn’t in the tomb but stood before them alive. The stone has been rolled away to show you that Jesus has risen from the dead. He is alive, ready, willing, and able to forgive your stones of sin and break down that barrier by rolling those sins away and placing them under His blood to be remembered no more. Ask Jesus to place those sinful stones at the foot of His cross by confessing and repenting of them, and He will. The stone was rolled away for our benefit. Jesus is not dead, He’s our living savior ready to forgive.

Read: MATTHEW 28:1-15 NLT – The Resurrection – Early on Sunday – Bible Gateway

Devotionals

Reformation Day: the righteous shall live by faith

Loring Schultz

“For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, ‘The righteous shall live by faith.’” Romans 1:17 ESV

Photo by Wim van ‘t Einde on Unsplash

October 31st is recognized around the world as Halloween or ‘All Hallows’ Eve.’ The meaning of ‘hallows’ is ‘saints’ in the Christian tradition, All Saints Day is November 1st. However, Halloween today is nothing about Christian saints and I will leave it there. Today is Reformation Day, the day celebrated by Christians in recognizing Martin Luther’s ‘95 Theses’ nailed to the University of Wittenberg’s chapel door in 1517.

Martin Luther was a German monk and a professor of biblical studies at the University of Wittenberg who became disillusioned with the error he saw in the Catholic church, particularly the selling of indulgences. He posted his ‘95 Theses’ to spark conversation and debate among his colleagues calling for reform in the Catholic church. This, however, led to the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century.    

Luther was convinced through the reading of Scripture that salvation was by the grace of God alone and faith alone in Jesus Christ. It was not by any merit or works on our part that contributes to salvation and entrance into heaven. This was in contradiction to what he had observed within the church. Luther was also a staunch believer that every person should have access to the Bible and be able to read it for themselves. He had translated the entire Bible into German.  

Stephen Nichols of Ligonier Ministries writes, “The real main character in Reformation Day is not Luther. It’s the Word of God. What Luther discovered as a monk is that for centuries, the true teachings of the Word of God had been hidden by century upon century of tradition. That’s what Reformation Day is about: it’s about pulling back the covers and releasing the power of the Word of God and the beauty and the truth of the gospel. That’s why we celebrate Reformation Day.” (1)

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9 ESV

(1) What Is Reformation Day? | Ligonier Ministries

Devotionals

Whose Approval Are You Trying to Win?

Loring Schultz

“Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.” Galatians 1:10 NLT

Photo by Anastasiya Badun on Unsplash

There is an old saying, ‘never discuss religion or politics.’ And never, never, never, discuss them in context with each other. The Presidential election of 2024 in the United States have tested the restrain of most Christians to remain silent when the urge is to speak in such turbulent times. That is not to say that some Christians do speak their minds. We should be ready to speak the truth when the occasion arises and not be silent. However, this is much more than speaking religion and politics but serving as an example of what Paul told the churches of Galatia. Paul told them not to be seeking the approval of people, but of God. They were not to be deceived from what they know to be true into believing a false narrative. Lives are at stake.

The apostle Paul was being accused of preaching what the Jews called ‘a cheap form of the gospel.’ They obviously were against Paul’s preaching, disagreeing on every front. These Jews tried to persuade the Gentiles to whom Paul was preaching that his message was incomplete. The gospel Paul preached required no circumcision, no dietary restrictions, and no obligation to Sabbath Laws. It was just faith in Christ alone that was needed for salvation and entrance into the kingdom of heaven. If Paul wanted to not stir up waves by remaining silent many lost souls would not have been saved and those who accepted Christ would be forever confused and unable to reach their full potential to serve Christ. Paul did not want to please and impress his fellow Jews but wanted to please his Lord and savior and lead people into the kingdom.

We have that same dilemma today. Do we risk alienation from our friends and loved ones when we speak the truth of God’s Word? The truth is, sometimes speaking the truth will result in just that. Are we willing to take the risk? Do we refrain from speaking to keep the peace? The peace will be kept, but so will their souls be kept right where they are. Christians are not to be confrontational in presenting the gospel, but to speak the truth in love. There will be natural resistance from most, and yes, there may be alienation, but whose approval are we trying to win? Remember Paul’s words, “I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God.” (Gal.1:10a nlt)

Read: Galatians 1:1-10 NLT – Greetings from Paul – This letter is – Bible Gateway

Devotionals

You can count on God to keep His promises

Loring Schultz

“This is what the LORD says: ‘You will be in Babylon for seventy years. But then I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised, and I will bring you home again.’” Jeremiah 29:10 NLT

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According to ‘On This Day’ in history website, Presian King, Cyrus the Great, marched into Babylon on October 29, 539 B.C. capturing the city and destroying the Babylonian Empire. It set in motion the soon release of the Jews who have been captives for 70 years. God had promised that although the Jews had sinned against Him resulting in Jerusalem being destroyed and them being taken captive, He would be faithfully have them return. The Lord used this Persian king to free His people and to order the rebuilding of the Temple. (Ez.1:1-2) God had kept His promise.

Have you ever thought of all God’s promises recorded for us in the Bible. Here are a few of them;

Salvation, “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Ro.10:9 nlt)

Peace of God, “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.” (Is.26:3 niv)

God’s comfort, “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” (Ps.23:4 niv)

Supplying our needs, “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” (Ph.4:19 niv)

God is always present, “The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” (Dt.31:8 niv)

Promised rest, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Mt.11:28 niv)

Wisdom granted, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” (Ja.1:5 niv)

Forgiveness of sins, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1Jn.1:9 niv)

Adopted, “he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will.” (Eph.1:5 niv)

God’s love, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (Jn.3:16 niv)

Just a few of the many promises for us from God. We can be sure He will keep those promises for he has proven it all throughout Scripture. Whatever your need is tell God today reading back the promise Scripture to Him. God keeps His promises, you can count on it.

Devotionals

Persistent in Prayer

Loring Schultz

“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.” Matthew 7:7 NLT

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Some may take offense to this, but most Christians do not have a consistent prayer life. These same Christians also struggle with being persistent in prayer. If you were not offended by the opening lines to this devotional then you are one of the many who do struggle, as I myself, with being persistent in prayer and praying consistently. There have been countless numbers of books written on prayer over the years. Sermon series, lectures, class studies, small groups, and seminars have all addressed these concerning issues on prayer. Although much progress has been made with lives changed, we still have a problem with consistency and more importantly with being persistent in prayer. Perhaps we spend too much time on intellectual and educational pursuits that we miss the simple points of Jesus’ teaching.

“Consistent” and “persistent” may appear similar in meaning, but are vastly different in action. Being consistent in prayer involves a regular pattern of a set time and routine on a continual basis. Persistent in prayer constitutes a deeper involvement as being determined, steadfast, resolute, and not giving up. Our Lord longs for our persistence in praying. He desires that His desires become our desires, and that we pray accordingly. Through persistence in prayer when asking for His will to be done, God will answer as He only gives us good things. “For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.” (Mt.7:8 nlt)

When Jesus spoke those words to His disciples in Matthew chapter seven, He was emphasizing the importance of persistent praying. ‘Ask,’ ‘seek,’ and ‘knock,’ are in the present tense and are commands of God. They are in ascending order to note their importance. We are never to give up praying the Lord’s will for our lives, but to be persistent. Asking, seeking, and knocking, we are to be persistent in prayer.