Category: Devotionals

Devotionals

Never be ashamed and be ready to suffer

Loring Schultz

“So never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord. And don’t be ashamed of me, either, even though I’m in prison for him. With the strength God gives you, be ready to suffer with me for the sake of the Good News.” 2 Timothy 1:8 NLT

Group of U.S. Army soldiers standing outdoors in uniform, smiling and posing for a photo

For what are you willing to suffer? I should get right to the point and ask, for what are you willing to die? Here in America men and women are willing to put their lives in harm’s way in military service for the protection and freedom of their country they love. I would say most of them truly have this sentiment, but there are many who never realize the depth of what they signed up for.

This is true for Christians as well in God’s service. If you are a child of God you are in God’s army. Some Christians do not like to equate their faith as being in a war, a battle, or even part of an army even when things get rough. God’s army is designed to stand for the truth of the gospel, the testimony of Jesus Christ. The first requirement for Christians is to never be ashamed of sharing the good news with others. The second requirement, as the apostle Paul tells Timothy, is to be ready to suffer for what you have just shared.

Suffering for sharing good news does not make much sense. We would think people would be pleased and rejoice in hearing the good news of Jesus Christ and indeed some are. However, the underlying reason most are not and why there is hostility with it, is Satan, the evil one. Paul, in writing to the church at Ephesus, said, “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)                    

Paul is reminding Timothy that suffering will come in sharing the gospel. He also encourages Timothy that God will give him strength to go through the suffering. God’s strength is still available to every Christian today in His army,  ‘So never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord and be ready to suffer with me (Paul) for the sake of the Good News.” (2Tim.1:8 nlt)                                                                                                                                                                       

Devotionals

The Good Old Days

Loring Schultz

“Don’t long for ‘the good old days.’ This is not wise.” Ecclesiastes 7:10 NLT

Group of teenagers gathered on grass, some sitting on blanket, one playing guitar, others standing with bicycles nearby
A group of teenagers enjoying music and conversation on a neighborhood lawn in the 1970s.

The good old days are a matter one’ s perspective. One’s good old days were usually when life was fun and easy with no hassles. Life did not seem so hard. The world was less chaotic than our current day and we long for those days. In my graduation year from high school, singer Gladys Knight recorded a live version of Barbara Streisand’s ‘The Way we Were.’ She begins by saying ‘hey, everybody’s talking about the good days, the good old days, well let’s talk about the good old days, as bad as we think they are, these will become the good days for are children.’ I think back now and realize that was a long time ago. And in my perspective, yes, they were the good old days. You likely can relate to your own good old days.

King Solomon wrote in the book of Ecclesiastes that it is not wise for us to long for the good old days. It is OK to remember the good times, cherish events and the way the world was during those days, and ‘the way we were,’ but he warns us not to long for a return of those days. Trying to recapture the past will blind us to God’s potential plans for us today and in the future. The world is constantly changing both for good and mostly bad and the Lord has a plan for each of us during the current days.

Experience learned throughout our lives, yes even in the good old days, are to be used today to teach and help others. The Lord wants each of us to pave the way for those behind us whatever our age. Our focus as Christians should always be in front of us looking towards the future for Christ’s glorious return being obedient to Him in the work He has for us in helping those in their current ‘good old days.’

Devotionals

Do You Know God?

Loring Schultz

Read: John 1:1-5,John 1:14 NIV – The Word Became Flesh – In the – Bible Gateway

“No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.” John 1:18 NIV

Photo by Josh Eckstein on Unsplash

Do you know God? Not about God, but do you know Him? Do you know Jesus, again not about Jesus, but do you know Him? The apostle John begins his gospel by explaining that the ‘Word’ in verse one always existed. ‘In the beginning was the Word.’ The ‘Word’ was with God in the beginning and the ‘Word’ was God. So, what does that tell us? The ‘Word’ is God.

John goes on to explain the ‘Word’s’ incarnation in verse fourteen. “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (Jn.1:14 niv) The ‘Word’ (Jesus) lived among us. We saw the glory of the Son (Jesus) who came from the Father. John later writes, “No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.” (Jn.1:18 niv) The truth is, if you know Jesus, you know God. He has made Him known. Jesus is God the Son.

This is vital for Christians to understand. Our salvation depends on a perfect sacrifice being made to pay for our sins and reconcile us back to God. Jesus was not a prophet, a teacher, or an angel sent from God to show us the way; He is the way. He is God the Son. Early Christians in the New Testament were known as people of ‘The Way.’ There are several religious in the world who claim to know Jesus and follow His ways and teachings, even calling themselves Christians, but do not believe Jesus is God the Son. They are sincerely wrong! If Jesus were not God the Son, His death would be meaningless and we would still be in our sins. Know for certain who Jesus is. Your salvation depends on it!

Devotionals

God’s never-ending forgiveness

Loring Schultz

Read: Psalm 130 NLT – Psalm 130 – A song for pilgrims – Bible Gateway

“LORD, if you kept a record of our sins, who, O Lord, could ever survive? But you offer forgiveness that we might learn to fear you.” Psalm 130:3-4 NLT

Hooded figure wrapped in large chains on a rocky coastline during storm with lightning

Have you ever kept track of your sins? Do you have an on-going count for the week, month, or year? If you are like me, the obvious answer is no. But there are some that you just cannot shake loose even after confessing them to God. They resurface in your mind from time to time causing guilt feelings and uncertainty of God’s forgiveness. Rest assured your sins are forgiven if confession to the Lord God was made. Psalm 103:2 says, “He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.” (nlt) Your sins are gone. The east from the west cannot be measured without any substance as starting points. Your sin, the substance, does not exist, it’s gone. Not only do they not exist, but the Lord does not remember them, “I, I am he
who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.” (Is. 43:25 esv)

There may be some who think my sins would be easy to count as they are few, or I have not sinned at all. But think again. Every selfish thought or mean-spirited action against your neighbor, being prideful, a slip of the tongue using God’s name in vain, lying to prevent getting into trouble, going 80 mph in a 55mph zone, and being short of patience with your spouse are all examples of what the Lord considers sin, even though we made not see it that way. None of us are perfect, we were all born with a sin nature so it is natural that we sin, but that is no excuse to sin or deny that we do.

Think of all the little incidental sins mentioned above along with others you can think of. Add those we would consider bigger sins and try to imagine how many there have been in your lifetime. Now compare that with today’s scripture verse, “LORD, if you kept a record of our sins, who, O Lord, could ever survive?” I’m sure the list we compile for ourselves would not be as extensive as God’s would be, after all He doesn’t miss anything. But the good news is the Lord forgives us as the rest of the verse indicates, “But you offer forgiveness that we might learn to fear you.” God’s forgiveness is never-ending and He remembers them no more as long as we confess and ask for forgiveness. This should be of great comfort to us for our sin is also never-ending as long as we are on this side of heaven.

Devotionals

What Do Others Remember About You?      

Loring Schultz

“I long to see you again, for I remember your tears as we parted. And I will be filled with joy when we are together again. I remember your genuine faith, for you share the faith that first filled your grandmother Lois and your mother, Eunice. And I know that same faith continues strong in you.” 2 Timothy 1:4-5 NLT

Photo by Yan Krukau on Pexels.com

What do others remember about you? The older you get the more time there is for others to accumulate what stands out about you that they remember. I admit there are some things I’d rather people would forget about me, perhaps you can recall some of those things yourself. We all want people to think well of us and to remember the positive things in our lives. But it doesn’t always work out that way. All of us are fallen human beings living in a fallen broken world and with that comes things we would rather forget and certainly have others forget about us.

The past is the past, so what have we been doing lately? Are we growing in Christ? Are we in the Word of God daily? Do we have an active prayer life? Are our lives reflecting a change of heart and attitude that is only possible through a relationship with Jesus Christ? All these things are building blocks for a firm foundation of living the Christian life. Others around us will see the change, mark the difference, and begin to remember for future reference the people we are in Christ. In this case only we can say the good outweighs the bad as we continue to grow in all manners as a Jesus followers. Others will see it and remember.

Wherever we are in our Christian walk it is always a good thing to stop and self-examine ourselves. Are we reflecting Christ in a way that people will remember us as encouraging or a disappointment of what should be? All of us no matter what our age are building a foundation of remembrance in the eyes and minds of those around us. May there be no cracks in that foundation as we continue to build on the only foundation that could be laid, Jesus Christ. Let us have something others will remember us by, our life in Jesus Christ the hope of salvation for all people.

Devotionals

Our Greatest Need

Loring Schultz

“O let me never lose sight of my need of a saviour, or forget that apart from him I am nothing, and can do nothing.” (1)

Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash

What is your greatest need? Have you ever thought about it? This question is often asked in light of the current moment in time. We do live in the present. Have you ever considered there is one need that is supersedes all other needs in our lives? This need, when met, will assist us with dealing with all other needs because it is our greatest need, our need of a savior. Our greatest need in this life is to make sure our greatest after this life is met. Along with the fulfillment of that need comes help from above in our everyday walk in this life.

The Puritan writer in the ‘Valley of Vision’ collection of Puritan devotions writes, “O let me never lose sight of my need of a saviour, or forget that apart from him I am nothing, and can do nothing.” (1) We can get so tangled in our present needs we lose sight of the bigger picture. What is important and what should be our primary priorities are overshadowed by current troubles. Yes, our pressing needs are a concern and need to be dealt with and the provider of our greatest need is there to help us through them.

Our greatest need must be met first. All of us are alienated from God due to our sinful nature and must be reconciled to Him. That reconciliation was made possible by Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross for our sins. “For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!” (Ro.5:10 niv) When we accept Christ as savior our greatest need in this life and more importantly in eternity has been met. So, have you taken care of your greatest need? Once you are assured of that, the rest of this life with all its needs will be met by the one who solved your greatest need, your need of a savior.

(1) Arthur Bennett Ed. The Valley of Vision. East Peoria: Versa Press, 2023. Pg. 32

Devotionals

First Thing in the Morning

Loring Schultz

Read: Psalm 5 NKJV – A Prayer for Guidance – To the Chief – Bible Gateway

“My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD; In the morning I will direct it to You, And I will look up.” Psalm 5:3 NKJV

Woman sitting on bed looking out window at sunrise

Do you have a routine every morning after you awake? Depending with what is scheduled it may differ from day to day as you go about getting ready for the new day. But my thought here is those very first moments as you wake up while you are still in bed, what are your thoughts, do you have any, do you have a routine? David had a routine every morning of looking up and lifting his voice to God. “My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD; In the morning I will direct it to You, And I will look up.” (Ps.5:3 nkjv)

This is something we can all do first thing in the morning because we all are a position to look up while lying in bed. We’re half-way there. Next we allow the Lord to hear our voice as we direct it towards Him. The good thing is we can do this silently, especially if you are married so as to not wake up your spouse, if single, then you can lift up your voice as loud as you feel led. We do not need to speak audibly to the Lord for Him to hear us, only to speak silently directly to Him in our quiet moments.

Staring your day looking up to God and thanking Him for rest received through the night and the joy of giving you another day to serve Him starts you out on the right foot. There’s no need to worry of getting out of the wrong side of the bed as saying goes. You have taken care of first things first. Not a bad routine to begin tomorrow first thing in the morning.

Devotionals

Jesus is not there  

Loring Schultz

Read: Luke 24:1-7 NKJV – He Is Risen – Now on the first day of – Bible Gateway

“Why do you seek the living among the dead?” Luke 24:5 NKJV

Photo by charlesdeluvio on Unsplash

Early on that first Easter morning the Bible says the women appeared at the tomb of Jesus with spices to anoint His body. But Jesus wasn’t there. Two angels who stood by asked them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead?” (Lk.24:5 nkjv) The message was clear; Jesus was not there. Why would He be in a place reserved for dead people? It was a dead place. Jesus was alive and not with the dead.

As I read this passage of Scripture this morning those words jumped out at me. ‘Why do you seek the living among the dead?’ I thought of it in a spiritual sense. Some things we may participate in, calling them vices or not so bad, is Jesus there? Those sins that easily entangle us (Heb.12:1), is Jesus there? I would think not. It is a dark place among the dead. Jesus is not there. But those of us who know the Lord as Savior have His Spirit living in us, so, when we engage in that vice or activity we bring Jesus along with us.

The world today has many dead places of sin in which our Lord would never go. It is true He is the creator of the world and ever-present. The world has also been corrupted by sin and is dead, but Jesus is alive. When a person turns to Christ in repentance for their sin they become alive in Him. Once dead, now alive! We cannot get away from the temptations of our sinful dead world, but we have the Christ’s Spirit in us to help us through it. Remember Jesus is not there, don’t bring Him along with you.

Devotionals

Judges we are not, but rescuers we are

Loring Schultz

“And you must show mercy to those whose faith is wavering. Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. Show mercy to still others, but do so with great caution, hating the sins that contaminate their lives.” Jude 1:22-23 NLT

Firefighter helping elderly woman from floodwaters next to rescue boat
A firefighter helps an elderly woman during a severe flood rescue mission.

The New Testament book of Jude containing only one chapter is a must read for every Christian.  Jude, our Lord Jesus’ brother, is warning us of false teachers who claim being saved by grace gives us license for immorality. The thought is our sins will not be held against us, which is true, and we won’t lose our salvation which is also true, but sin is sin and evil in God’s sight. What Jude had written to the early Christians he could have written specifically to us today. “I say this because some ungodly people have wormed their way into your churches, saying that God’s marvelous grace allows us to live immoral lives.” (Jude1:4 nlt)

Many Christian churches today are succumbing to pressure compromising the truth with voices that contradict Scripture. Some Christians are easily swayed especially if it is presented in a way that applies to our current day and culture. Accepting these new norms will confuse a new Christian and will prove disastrous for the church. False teachers seem so eloquent, reasonable, loving, knowledgeable, persuasive, and most of all seem to be telling the truth. Jude writes, “In the same way, these people—who claim authority from their dreams—live immoral lives, defy authority, and scoff at supernatural beings.” (Jude1:8 nlt) We must be aware of the progressing influence of those who want to deny Biblical truth.

There will be those among us in our church family who will fall into this trap and begin to live out and support those involved in the social norms of society that contradict Scripture. Jude encourages a gentle approach to those who are confused. “And you must show mercy to those whose faith is wavering.” (Jude1:22 nlt) We are not to jump all over our Christian brothers and sisters but take an approach that rescues them from judgment. The consequences of sin including God’s judgement on what He hates should be presented in a gentle manner. More importantly, the rescuer must be in a right relationship with God and living righteously with sin confessed. We all sin daily whether we think we do or not. Let us

Paul, the apostle also gives us advice on rescuing others from coming judgment, “Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself.” (Gal.6:1 nlt) Let us be on the alert. There is enough of temptation to sin in the world without having false teachers who ignore or put their spin on God’s Words deceiving even the very elect of God. Let us call them out and rescue our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Devotionals

Be Humble, Pray, and Seek the Lord  

Loring Schultz

Read: 2 Chronicles 7:12-16 NLT – Then one night the LORD appeared to – Bible Gateway

“Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14 NIV

Photo by Nuno Silva on Unsplash

A few days ago Donald Trump, the president of the United States, read a portion of Scripture as part of a marathon reading of the Bible in an America 250-themed event. The United States will celebrate its 250th anniversary of independence on July 4th of this year. The passage he read from in 2 Chronicles was appropriate as the Lord promises to bless those who call on Him and He will restore their land. America sure needs it. The news media did not see it that way but criticized the reading as misrepresenting the Bible and not applicable to our time. Granted it was a different time and I will not make this a political piece (that is for our Saturday’s Christian Perspective each week) but this passage does apply. It applies as an example for the nation and for every person in the world today. The Bible is God’s living and breathing Word and it applies to everyone every day.

Christians can claim the words ‘Then if my people who are called by my name’ as applying to them, which I am one. When one accepts Christ as savior they have been drawn by the Holy Spirit unto salvation. We are called ‘Christians’ after Jesus Christ’s name and the Holy Spirit resides in every Chrisitan upon salvation. The Lord says when we humble ourselves, pray, and seek His face that He will hear us.

The Lord also demands that we turn from our wicked ways. Turning to God in prayer seeking Him with a humble attitude while still sinning against Him brings into question, how serious are we? Do we care about restoration or do we want to keep a couple of sins in our back pocket. The Lord God wants one-hundred percent commitment in our humility, prayer, seeking Him, and turning away from our sin. He then promises to forgive us and restore us. Yes, this passage applies today for everyone. Praise God that it does!