Devotionals – Page 48 – Word for the Soul

The Wisdom of the Wise

June 25, 2024June 22, 2024 Loring Schultz

“Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you. Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful.” 1 Corinthians 1:26-27 NLT

The world has been blessed by those gifted with intelligence. Inventions throughout the centuries have enriched our way of life. Educators have instructed us to learn from the past and prepare for the future (if we chose to listen and learn.) Advances in modern day technology have simplified the complicated. The medical field along with the world of science have made life-changing discoveries in recent years. Truly we are blessed with such intelligence. Intelligence that comes from our creator, the Lord God.

Although for some intellectuals their intellect becomes their own demise. They rely totally on what is sound, reasonable, and trustworthy according to their own findings. Leaving out any possibility for God in the study of the earth, the universe, medical procedures, and human nature. Their scientific approach leaves them totally depended on their own minds. The results are based solely on man’s knowledge and ability. This is especially true when it comes to spiritual matters concerning the God of universe and His plan for salvation. There is no knowledge of God, or His love, His holy word, or His judgments. Heaven and hell is considered a myth, and there is no recognition of His continual work of sustaining the earth and the universe. It appears as foolishness to those who consider themselves wise or intelligent.

But notice what Paul writes to the Corinthian church, “God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful.” (1Cor.1:27 nlt) Salvation is a gift of God by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. It most likely sounds unrealistic, childish, and yes even foolish to those who pride themselves as being ever informed and constantly seeking to better themselves and society at large. Assuredly it is neither unrealistic nor foolish, but it is the truth about God and His love for us.

“Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never know him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save those who believe.” (1Cor.1:21 nlt) If you are one of the wise who need the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ listen to the foolish preaching of those God has chosen. If you are one of the foolish and powerless, be encouraged that you are being used by God bringing the wise to salvation.

Read: 1 corinthians 1 NLT – Greetings from Paul – This letter is – Bible Gateway

Devotionals

Trust in your money and down you go!

June 24, 2024June 20, 2024 Loring Schultz

“Trust in your money and down you go! But the godly flourish like leaves in spring.” Proverbs 11:28 NLT

Money is a wonderful thing. Used in a proper manner it meets the needs of individuals, families, businesses, governments, and keeps the economy of each nation and the global economy running smoothly. At least, that is how it is meant to work. Improper use such as overspending for individuals who continue to live outside their means, and the government continuing to print money is not only trusting in money, but trusting in money either of them has. It is foolish guaranteed to have a tragic end, It comes down to lack of discipline and convincing yourself you never have enough to meet your needs. If you are trusting in money instead of God to take of you, take heed to this wise proverb by King Solomon, “Trust in your money and down you go!” (Pr.11:28a nlt)

The Lord God is more than capable to meet our needs. Jesus in His Sermon on the Mount said the following, “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” (Mt.6:31-33 nlt) Our Lord wants us to trust in Him and not our money. He wants us to desire Him and His kingdom living righteously, and He will bless us accordingly. Solomon was also aware of this when he wrote, “But the godly flourish like leaves in spring.” (Pr.11:28b nlt)

For the Christian, our trust is to be in God who owns everything. He is never in short supply and will grant us what is needed when it is needed. The snare of trusting in money is ever before us in our current day. Our culture demands that we need certain things essential to life itself, but a closer look at them and we see we can get along fine without them. When we trust in the Lord to meet our essential needs, He will. When we trust in our money for the things we think we need to survive in life, it will soon evaporate and down we go! During my career when I would be concerned about financial matters the Lord would remind me with this verse that He supplies our needs, “It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to his loved ones” (Ps.127:2 nlt) Yes, we are to work, but to also live within our means and God will supply.

Read: Proverbs 11:24-28 NLT – Give freely and become more wealthy; be – Bible Gateway

Devotionals

Judas Kiss

June 21, 2024June 18, 2024 Loring Schultz

“So Judas came straight to Jesus. ‘Greetings, Rabbi!’ he exclaimed and gave him the kiss.” Matthew 26:49 NLT

The term ‘Judas Kiss’ is not a very flattery term. In fact, it is a term that has downright severe consequences. You do not want to be accused of planting a ‘Judas Kiss’ on someone. Judas Iscariot, one of Jesus’ twelve disciples, has forever cemented that term in history by betraying Jesus turning Him over to His enemies for crucifixion and he did it with a kiss. Scores of individuals have been betrayed by those closest to them. Judas walked with Jesus for three years listening to His teaching and learning things of the kingdom of God along with the other disciples, and yet betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver.

Judas betrayed Jesus in the worst way possible using an approach of affection for his Rabbi to identify Him to His captors. He wanted to make sure they got the right man so he, “had given them a prearranged signal: ‘You will know which one to arrest when I greet him with a kiss.’” (Mt.26:48 nlt) The ultimate definition of betrayal was demonstrated in the devious self-interest action by Judas, one of Jesus’ own. Jesus would be arrested and handed over for trial leading to His death on the cross. But we know that through His death and resurrection those who believe in Him are guaranteed eternal life. It was His heavenly Father’s plan.

Admittedly, the term today is frequently used in a much lighter tone, but the implications are the same. Betraying a friend or family member for self-gain or resentment hurts just the same. It is devastating to the recipient, breaks up relationships, and puts up a concrete wall between the two. Our Lord Jesus knows firsthand how it feels to be betrayed even though it was in God’s plan of salvation for us. Jesus knows the hurt feeling you are experiencing and can comfort you during this time of grief and betrayal. Jesus can also restore the broken relationships caused by the sin of betrayal. As both parties come together before the Lord in repentance and forgiveness, He will undo the ‘Judas Kiss’ bringing new life with ‘holy kiss.’

Read: Matthew 26:47-56 NLT – Jesus Is Betrayed and Arrested – And – Bible Gateway

Devotionals

Obey me, and I will be your God

June 20, 2024June 19, 2024 Loring Schultz

“This is what I told them: ‘Obey me, and I will be your God, and you will be my people. Do everything as I say, and all will be well!’” Jeremiah 7:23 NLT

Do you believe in God? If your answer is yes, do you want Him to be your God? You may be a bit confused at this point, but just think it through. Just because you say you believe in God is He really your God or just one of many. Is He in competition with your career, your spouse, your vacation home, automobile, boat, or your favorite sports team? Does He hold first place on every shelf in your life, and do you obey Him wholeheartedly in everything you do? If not, then He is your God in name only.

The Lord speaking through the prophet Jeremiah to the nation of Israel says, “…. Obey me, and I will be your God, and you will be my people. Do everything as I say, and all will be well!” (Jer.7:23 nlt) This is what the Lord God wanted Israel to do when He led them out of Egypt. He didn’t want their offerings or their sacrifices, he only wanted their obedience. They believed in God, but also had other gods from the desires of their hearts to put alongside the God of heaven. Over time these idols, other gods, began to push the true God out of their lives. The Lord God says of them, “This is the nation whose people will not obey the LORD their God and who refuse to be taught. Truth has vanished from among them; it is no longer heard on their lips.” (Jer.7:28 nlt)

God is not to be the top rung on the ladder of our gods. He is the whole latter from top to bottom and our access to eternal life through Jesus Christ His Son. There is no other way of salvation and there are no other gods able to bring us satisfaction and joy in this life than the true God of heaven. The Lord is not pleased with our misguided thinking that God is our God simply for our weekly church attendance or our five-minute prayers. He wants us to be totally obedient to Him and to have no other gods before Him, the first commandment. Believe God when He says, ‘Obey me, and I will be your God’ and know for sure that He is.

Read: Jeremiah 7:21-29 NLT – This is what the LORD of Heaven’s – Bible Gateway

Devotionals

A Breath of Fresh Air

June 19, 2024June 18, 2024 Loring Schultz

“For the Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.” Job 33:4 NLT

The northeastern section of the United States is about to get its first official heatwave of the summer season. People who are unprepared will flock to the nearest stores rounding up the last air conditioners and fans left on the shelves. Many will convene to cooler, well-ventilated spaces to find relief from warm stale dwelling spaces. A breath of fresh air will be needed during the days of the above average temperatures.

Humans are not the only ones to seek a breath of fresh air in hot temperatures. Honeybees also have a way of creating a well-ventilated environment by God’s design. Worker bees as they are known circle around the hive and fan their wings creating air flow throughout the hive drawing out the hot stale air and drawing in fresh air from the outside. The fanning also helps evaporate the moisture on the nectar reducing the water content to create honey. The hot stale environment must be replaced with a fresh environment to produce the sweetness of honey.

People not only need relief from a hot and muggy environment on the outside, but on the inside as well. We may find comfort in retreating from a warm stale environment to cool refreshing quarters, but inwardly, in our souls, we are still living in an unventilated stagnant environment. Even Christians can become stale due to unventilated areas in our lives. There needs to be a constant a constant fanning of daily Bible reading, praying, and obeying God in order keep our spiritual life well-ventilated. The old stagnant smelly air must not be allowed to be sealed up in our souls. Open the window, turn on the fan, and let in a breath of fresh air producing the fragrance of sweet honey in our souls.

Devotionals

Stubbornness

June 18, 2024June 18, 2024 Loring Schultz

“The LORD is good to those who depend on him, to those who search for him. So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the LORD.” Lamentations 3:25-26 NLT

Are you one to do it yourself? Even when you come upon difficulty and the YouTube videos weren’t much help, do you stubbornly say, I can do it when you know you can’t. You still refuse to ask for help. Perhaps this is more about pride than stubbornness. Both are not good qualities for a follower of Jesus.

I had such an experience the other morning when attempting to complete a government form on-line. Although I read and re-read the instructions it wouldn’t let me proceed past the first page. I must have been doing something wrong, but the more I reviewed it the more I determined I became there must be a glitch in the system. After printing out the forms to fill out and send by snail mail, I realized that is not what I wanted to do time wise. So, I stubbornly tried again to complete it over the web with the same results. Then I did something I should have done at the first sign of trouble, pray. Not only did I pray, but the Lord reminded me of the morning verse on my Bible app that day, “The LORD is good to those who depend on him, to those who search for him. So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the LORD.” (Lam.3:25-26 nlt) The new result was successful when I used the browser that was recommended by the government site. Yes, I read and re-read that, but I guess my stubbornness got in the way.

The Lord desires that we all depend on Him. Yes, He does give us skills and wisdom for our use, but there are times when He just wants us to go to Him for guidance and assurance. It may be His way of testing us if we are going to ask Him for help, or in our stubbornness say ‘I got this’ even though we don’t. The Lord is always good to us as we ask Him for help. You may as well ask Him when you need help because He already knows you can’t do it. Don’t let your stubbornness get in the way.

Devotionals

The Great Commandment

June 17, 2024June 13, 2024 Loring Schultz

“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” Deuteronomy 6: 4-5 ESV

“You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.” Leviticus 19:18 ESV

Throughout Holy Scripture there are many commandments put before us to be obeyed and followed. Contrary to the belief of some, there are more than ten. They are spread out in both the Old and New Testaments of the Bible. God, in His Word, has given us detailed instructions on how we should live. He has also given us detailed information about His Son, Jesus, in the both the Old and New Testaments, detailed enough that there should be no question as to who Jesus is. He is the Savoir of each one who puts their trust in Him for Salvation.

Of all the commandments in the Bible, there is only one that is the greatest, The Great Commandment. Jesus, when asked by a clever lawyer of the Pharisees which is the greatest commandment in the Law, quoted from the Old Testament, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment.” (Mt.22:37-38 esv) Notice it was not only the “Great” but the “First” commandment. Jesus didn’t stop there but went on to quote more scripture, this time from the Old Testament book of Leviticus. “And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Mt.22:39 esv) Jesus wraps up His answer by saying, “On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” (Mt.22:40 esv)

The question we all need to honestly ask ourselves is this; do I love the Lord God with all my heart and soul? Being totally honest may hurt as we discover the word “all” means “all.” There should be nothing in our lives that would turn the “all” in our love for God into “most of time, or less.” As we struggle with that question towards God, we will also find ourselves struggling with that question towards our neighbor.

The greatest commandment God has given us is to love Him with all our being and left to ourselves that is impossible to accomplish. But those of us who accepted Christ as Savior have the presence of the Holy Spirit. Let us pray for His help in loving the Lord God with all our heart and with all our soul and our neighbor as ourselves, for this is the great commandment.

Devotionals

Victory by Submission

June 14, 2024June 12, 2024 Loring Schultz

“My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” Matthew 26:39b NLT

To submit is to show a sign of weakness. It usually ends in defeat when yielding your control to others, at least that is how the world sees it. The world is not entirely wrong in their assessment. Submitting yourself to the control of someone else guarantees your willingness to accept all that is involved in your submission including the outcome. People submit themselves to various causes and the control of others for all sorts of reasons, most of them voluntarily, unfortunately in our current day many are forced into submission through abusive circumstances. But there is always victory by submission if done in God’s will and according to His Word.

When the Bible speaks of submission it is mostly in the context of being in the will of the Lord, such as in working and serving, “Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh.” (1Pt.2:18 nkjv) Also in relation to governing authorities, “Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority,” (1Pt.2:13 niv) And being submissive to our spiritual leaders, “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls.” (Heb.13:17 esv) And most of all to submit to God, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (Jas.4:7 esv)

All the above are examples for us as Christians to follow in being submissive to the will of God. Our Lord Jesus gives us the greatest example of submission, by submitting to the will of His Father which resulted in total victory over death for Him and all of us who accept Him for salvation. In the garden of Gethsemane just hours before His crucifixion Jesus submitted to His Fathers will by saying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” (Mt.26:39b nlt)

Jesus submitted to God’s plan for salvation for us even though it meant His suffering. With His submission victory was assured. Many of us have a cup of suffering that is place before us, and we like Jesus ask that it might be taken away from us. But how many of us like Jesus are willing to say, ‘Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.’ Submitting to God’s plan is the only way to ultimate victory.

Read: Matthew 26:36-46 NLT – Jesus Prays in Gethsemane – Then Jesus – Bible Gateway

Devotionals

You are at Home with the Lord

June 13, 2024June 11, 2024 Loring Schultz

“I promise you what I promised Moses: ‘Wherever you set foot, you will be on land I have given you.’” Joshua 1:3 NLT

Whenever a Christian loved one passes away, we say they have gone home to be with the Lord. There are no truer words than those, and when spoken they provide comfort and eventually closure to the grieving family. Our loved ones are forever home in the presence of Jesus after their journey here on earth. But, in reality, they had been at home with the Lord while here on earth as is every believer in Jesus Christ.

The Lord informed Joshua as he was about to enter the Promised Land that wherever he went after he crossed the Jordan River would be land God had given him. “I promise you what I promised Moses: ‘Wherever you set foot, you will be on land I have given you.’” (Jos.1:3 nlt) Joshua would be home. He would be where God had promised he would be, in the land God had given him. As Joshua walked with the Lord by his side in the land, he was home.

Christians today do not need to wait until they pass away to be home with the Lord. This world may not be our home, but our abode on this earth is with Christ. We are at home with Him. Paul tells us, “Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you?” (1Cor.3:16 nlt) And the writer of Hebrews says, “……God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’” (Heb.13:5 niv) If you have accepted Christ as your personal savior, you can be as confident as Joshua walking through the Promised Land that you are at home with the Lord.

Devotionals

Standing Firm

June 12, 2024June 8, 2024 Loring Schultz

“Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.” Ephesians 6:11 NLT

Throughout our lives we face many battles. For Christians these battles are not ours, they belong to the Lord. (2 Chr.20:15). And what our Lord instructs us to do is to ‘stand firm.’ He wants us to trust Him with what we cannot handle, and that is a lot.

Judah’s King Jehoshaphat faced a coalition of enemies set on dethroning him and taking over the land. He sought the Lord with prayer and fasting, along with all the people of Judah. The Lord responded by saying, “You will not need to fight in this battle. Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the LORD on your behalf.” (2 Chr.20:17 esv) Scripture says the Lord set ambushes against the enemies of Judah and they turned and destroyed each other in the confusion.

Christians today are facing a coalition of enemies on a different front. The apostle Paul says in Ephesians 6:12, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” (esv) For these many battles we are to ‘put on the full armor of God’ and ‘stand firm.’

There is always a tendency to fight back, but the Lord instructs us to ‘stand firm.’ Putting on the full armor of God enables us to do so. There is an offensive weapon available to us included in that armor, and that is the ‘Sword of the Spirit’, the Word of God, to be used as we stand firm!

Read: 2 Chronicles 20:1-30 NLT – War with Surrounding Nations – After – Bible Gateway