Word for the Soul

“Everyone who stumbles over that stone will be broken to pieces, and it will crush anyone it falls on.” Luke 20:18 NLT

There are many parallels in Scripture to consider for our benefit if we take the time to recognize them. An easy way to access them is to observe the study notes and related Scripture of the verses in the passage you are reading. That is, of course, if you have a Study Bible. If you do not have one, I highly recommend you get one. Parallels between the Old and New Testaments occur quite often, and all are important for our understanding and growth as a Christian.

Daniel chapter 2 records the story of King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream and Daniel’s interpretation. The king sees a large shining statue of a man in his dream which frighten him. Daniel reveals the dream exactly as the king saw it. Daniel then interprets the description of the appearance of the man from head to toe. In short, the man in the king’s dream represents four kingdoms, one that was present, Babylon, and three that are future. They were the Medo-Persian Empire, followed by Greek Empire with help of Alexander the Great, and the Roman Empire.

The rise of a fifth and final kingdom is explained by Daniel from what Nebuchadnezzar saw in his dream. “As you watched, a rock was cut from a mountain, but not by human hands. It struck the feet of iron and clay, smashing them to bits.” (Dan.2:34 nlt) The interpretation of the rock (stone) is Christ at His second coming who will destroy all the sinful empires of man establishing His millennial kingdom on earth. “During the reigns of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed or conquered. It will crush all these kingdoms into nothingness, and it will stand forever.” (Dan.2:44 nlt)

Jesus told His followers in the New Testament as He was being rejected by the Elders and Jewish Leaders, “The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone. Everyone who stumbles over that stone will be broken to pieces, and it will crush anyone it falls on.” (Lk.20:17b-18 nlt) All who reject Christ, the only way of salvation, is subjecting themselves to stumbling and being crushed by the weight of their own unforgiven sin. Let that not be you!

Devotionals

Restore This Vine

January 29, 2025January 28, 2025 Loring Schultz

Read: Psalm 80 NASB1995 – God Implored to Rescue His People from – Bible Gateway

“O God of hosts, turn again now, we beseech You; Look down from heaven and see, and take care of this vine.” Psalm 80:14 NASB

Our sins can put us into very uncomfortable situations. For instance, it is an embarrassment when one is caught in sin. The results of that sin can lead to life changing circumstances where there is a constant reminder of it. Our lives will have an empty, punch in the gut feeling, for having sinned against God and bringing this condition on ourselves. Perhaps this condition is worsened by God Himself in punishment for our sins. Yes, God will leave us to stew in the consequences of our sins for a time. But it is possible to be restored, when we reach out to Him in confession and repentance asking Him to forgive us our sins.

The writer of Psalm 80 notes that Israel is a vine that God planted in the Promised Land after bringing them safely out of Egypt. “You removed a vine from Egypt; You drove out the nations and planted it.” (Ps.80:8 nasb) The vine took shape and grew and filled the land. However, Israel’s on-going sins against the Lord led to this vine being ravaged by man and beast. (Ps.80:12-13) Israel cries out to the Lord in prayer, “O God of hosts, turn again now, we beseech You; Look down from heaven and see, and take care of this vine.” (Ps.80:14 nasb) It was God’s wrath against them for their sin that destroyed and burned the vine. Since God planted the vine (Israel), he can restore it. They ask the Lord “Revive us, and we will call upon Your name. O LORD God of hosts, restore us; Cause Your face to shine upon us, and we will be saved.” (Ps.80:18b-19 nasb)

Whenever we find ourselves in a similar situation as ancient Israel, may we be reminded God is the restoring business. We may feel the hand of God upon us due to our sins, but He will revive us as we cry out to Him. And then we can say with Israel, “O LORD God of hosts, restore us; Cause Your face to shine upon us, and we will be saved.” (Ps.80:19 nasb)

Devotionals

Time to celebrate

January 28, 2025January 27, 2025 Loring Schultz

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 ESV

Photo by Terrance Barksdale on Pexels.com

Super Bowl Sunday, the unofficial holiday in the United States, is less than two weeks away. The Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs have earned their tickets to the biggest football game of the year by winning their respective conference championship games. The game has truly become an event the shuts down most of the nation for 4-5 hours on a Sunday evening. There are parties and family gatherings, with every variety of food imaginable and all eyes bent toward the giant flat screen television. Excitement builds for two weeks with fans bantering each other on who will win, and who are true fans and who are the bandwagon jumpers looking to get in on a good thing. Last year an estimated 123 million people in the United States watched the game, and that’s not including the international audience, that close to 40% of the entire population of America.

Obviously, they are not that many football fans in the U.S. or across the world, but many people get caught up in the excitement and enthusiasm of the fans and the whole event. It is a time to celebrate. On those same lines every day is an unofficial holiday for Christians, and it too is a day to celebrate. God in His grace and mercy reconciled us back to Himself through His Son Jesus Christ. Our only response needed is to accept Christ as our Savior. “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. (Eph.2:8-9 esv)

Do people around us get caught up with our enthusiasm and excitement for Christ? Do you think it’s possible for us to stir up enough excitement these next two weeks to make a difference in the kingdom of God by offering a free ticket to the biggest event in of all history, eternity with Christ? Yes, it is time to celebrate. And maybe we’ll even see a John 3:16 sign in the end zone this year!

Devotionals

Pushing God Aside

January 27, 2025January 25, 2025 Loring Schultz

Read: Numbers 20:1-13 NLT – Moses Strikes the Rock – In the first – Bible Gateway

“Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with the staff, and water gushed out.” Numbers 20:11a NLT

Have you ever found yourself saying amid a problem, ‘Hey, no problem, I got this?” Maybe you asked the Lord for His help, probably not if you ‘got this’. Sometimes it works and sometimes not. Our failure to ask God for His help is just that, our failure. The Lord is always there to help us even when we do not ask Him. So perhaps it was God all along who had this.

Nevertheless, Christians are to be careful of a having a smug attitude. Thinking we don’t need God in situations we deem we can handle is pushing God aside. Yes, the Lord gave us a brain to work things out, but if our attitude is ‘I’ got this ignoring God, we’re forgetting God by pushing Him aside. There may not be any consequences other than a failed project, but a continuing do-it-yourself-attitude without God will lead to disobeying to God at some point and then there will be consequences.

Moses did not have a do-it-yourself-attitude except one time, and it cost him from entering the Promised Land. The children of Israel were constantly complaining about their conditions traveling in the wilderness. Once again there was a lack of water, and they complained bitterly to Moses. They blamed Moses for no water and for making them leave Egypt entering the wilderness to die. Moses and Aaron went before the Lord and He instructed them on what to do.

The Lord said to Moses, “You and Aaron must take the staff and assemble the entire community. As the people watch, speak to the rock over there, and it will pour out its water.” (Num.20:8a nlt) Moses had the experience of providing water for the people of Israel years earlier through the Lord’s help. He followed the Lord’s instructions to strike the rock at Horeb and water gushed out. (Ex.17:6) But this time the Lord instructed Moses to speak to the rock and water would come forth. Frustrated with the people’s complaining, Moses basically said, ‘I got this.” “Then he and Aaron summoned the people to come and gather at the rock. ‘Listen, you rebels!’ he shouted. ‘Must we bring you water from this rock?’” Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with the staff, and water gushed out.” (Num.20:10-11a nlt) Moses was taking the glory for himself rather than putting it on God where it belonged. He pushed God aside and the consequences of that sin was being denied entrance into the Promised Land.

We may not have such an experience as Moses but let us not carry an “I got this’ attitude thinking we don’t need God, especially if our efforts included something the Lord would disapprove of. May we be wise in what is right and wrong and not push God aside.

Bible Studies

“Jesus Proves His Deity” The Good News of Jesus Christ: the book of Mark

January 26, 2025January 24, 2025 Loring Schultz

Read: Mark 2:1-12 NLT – Jesus Heals a Paralyzed Man – When – Bible Gateway

“So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins.” Mark 2:10a NLT

Jesus had become a popular figure with the Jewish people as we saw in last week’s Biblical Insights. This week Jesus becomes a polarizing figure with the Jewish leaders, the teachers of the Law. Jesus finished His first tour through Galilee and returned to Capernaum. Scripture says the news spread quickly that He was home. People of celebrity status find it difficult to return home without a big fanfare or with news leaking out. Jesus was indeed well-known. Remember He was forced to go outside the city to continue His ministry due to the crowds, and He has now returned home with His disciples. Most likely Jesus stayed in Peter’s home while in Capernaum. It would become Jesus’ ministry headquarters. Capernaum was convenient as it was centrally located with direct access to the Sea of Galilee.

It didn’t take long for Peter’s home to be filled with people wanting to see Jesus for healing and to hear Him teach. There was no more room in the house and an overflow crowd was assembling outside reminiscent of today’s concert venues and speaking events of famous people. While Jesus was preaching, four men arrived carrying their paralyzed friend on a mat. There was no way into the house due to the crowd, but they were determined to get their friend to Jesus for his paralytic condition was severe. There was only one thing to do, if they couldn’t get in by going through the door, they would go through the roof.

“They couldn’t bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, so they dug a hole through the roof above his head. Then they lowered the man on his mat, right down in front of Jesus.” (Mk.2:4 nlt) Palestinian houses of that day had a flat roof that were used for relaxation in the cool of the day and sleeping during hot nights. They had an outside staircase which led up to the roof. The roof was made with a thick layer of clay baked by the sun, then covered with mats and branches across wooden beams. The four men saw their opportunity to help their friend and proceeded up the staircase to the roof.

Once on the roof, they dug a hole through the clay large enough to lower the paralytic down in front of Jesus. Jesus recognized that these men, including the paralytic, had the faith the He could heal the man physically. But Jesus took care of the most pressing need first. The forgiveness of sins for salvation. “Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, ‘My child, your sins are forgiven.’” (Mk.2:5 nlt) Many Jews believed that one’s illness, especially severe, was because one’s sins. Once Jesus heals the man of his paralysis, which only God can do, they could not deny that He could forgive sins. But the Jewish leaders did just that.

The Jewish leaders thought to themselves Jesus was committing blasphemy, for only God could forgive sins. Jewish theology taught that even the Messiah could not forgive sins, so indeed, Jesus was a blasphemer in their eyes, He was claiming deity. Jesus asked them, “Why do you question this in your hearts? Is it easier to say to the paralyzed man ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk’?” (Mk.2:8b-9 nlt) It may be easier to say ‘Your sins are forgiven’ but when the paralytic gets up and walks, proof that Jesus healed him, it is proof that Jesus has the power to forgive sins as well.

“Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, ‘Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!’ And the man jumped up, grabbed his mat, and walked out through the stunned onlookers. (Mk.2:10b-12a nlt) The man came into the house through the roof laying on a mat and went out walking through the front door to the amazement of those around. The paralytic was completely healed, which no one could deny. It was another one of Jesus’ instantaneous healings. This miracle healing along with Jesus proving His deity intensified the conflict between Jesus and the Jewish leaders. It put the leaders in conflict with Jewish people, for the people “were all amazed and praised God, exclaiming, ‘We’ve never seen anything like this before!’” (Mk.2:12b nlt) A Biblical Insight for us is, ‘preaching the truth about the deity of Jesus Christ is sure to find conflict especially in our day.’ May we continue to be faithful and proclaim Jesus is God the Son. For Jesus said, “So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins.” (Mk.2:10a nlt)

A Christian Perspective

Raise your right hand and repeat after me

January 25, 2025January 25, 2025 Loring Schultz

“But you are near, O LORD, and all your commands are true. The very essence of your words is truth; all your just regulations will stand forever.” Psalm 119:51, 60 NLT

Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko on Pexels.com

Much has been made on social media and mainstream news networks of Donald Trump not having placed his hand on the Bible during the swearing in ceremony. The best of intentions sometimes goes awry even in a well-planned inauguration of a president of the United States. The President-elect had chosen the first Bible his mother gave him and the famous Lincoln Bible used by President Lincoln. The problem was the oath was already being administered when the future first lady was in position with the Bibles. Yes, an unintentional case of bad timing even in a Presidential inauguration.

Regardless of whether President Trump had his hand on the Bibles, does that relieve him of holding to the oath since he did not have his hand placed on them, or if he did does it make his oath more authentic? I find these questions interesting for discussion, but I also find them irrelevant. The main question to consider is, is the Bible relevant to the one taking the oath. Does a future president or anyone taking an oath in a court room believe the Bible is God’s Word, every word of it, and fearing the Lord God Almighty? I thought of that question last weekend before the inauguration on my drive to visit a family member by something that provoked me on the radio.

This is a lesson for all of us to consider when we’re asked to raise our right hand and swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. If we believe in the God of the Bible and His Son Jesus Christ, and believe His Word is true, we can easily place our hand on the Bible. But if there is no Bible we can still swear by His Word and His Name, for we are committing to tell the truth before His presence. Whether Donald Trump had his hand on the Bible or not, his oath was before a Holy God who gave us His Holy Word. What makes an oath authentic is swearing before the one you truly believe in.

Devotionals

Keep Moving Forward

January 24, 2025January 23, 2025 Loring Schultz

Read: 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 NLT – even though I have received such – Bible Gateway

“The righteous keep moving forward, and those with clean hands become stronger and stronger.” Job 17:9 NLT

Navigating through trials in life can slow us down, preventing us from doing what we are called to do. Trials vary in nature and scope unique to everyone. There may be similarities, but each trial is personalized in its own way, and each of us handles it in our own way. Life’s trials do not discriminate but are equally divided among all people. So, it is important for followers of Christ to have a proper Biblical view on handling trials in life.

Scripture provides us with two biblical characters who suffered tremendous trials during their lives. The suffering of Job is referred to often when one comes upon tragedy in their life. Many people, even non-Christians are familiar with the Old Testament book of Job. Job suffered unimaginable catastrophe after catastrophe. Losing his family, except for his wife, and all his possessions in one day, and then being physically struck with painful boils over his entire body, Job remained faithful to God. He may not have had the best attitude at times, but he was able to say, “The righteous keep moving forward, and those with clean hands become stronger and stronger.” (Job 17:9 nlt) Job’s premise is those whose faith in God does not waver in times of distress and trials will gain strength through the trails they endure.

The apostle Paul had what he called ‘a thorn in the flesh.’ Paul’s thorn is not identified but was so severe he asked the Lord to remove it three times. The Lord did not take it away, but “Each time he said, ‘My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.’” (2Cor.12:9a nlt) Paul saw his thorn in a different light. He was now glad for it as the power of Christ was now working through him. Paul realized as did Job that in moving forward in trails you gain strength. It is not our strength, but the Lord’s strength working through us. So, keep moving forward in your trials.

Devotionals

Supported by Prayer

January 23, 2025January 21, 2025 Loring Schultz

Read: Daniel 2:17-30 NLT – Then Daniel went home and told his – Bible Gateway

“Then Daniel went home and told his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah what had happened. He urged them to ask the God of heaven to show them his mercy by telling them the secret.” Daniel 2:17-18a NLT

One of the blessings of belonging to a Church is the prayer support provided by the church family. Close Christian friends outside your church family are also a blessing with their prayers. Even those we don’t know but have received our requests for prayer from another source are God’s blessings to us in our time of need. Prayer to the Lord God is our only hope when we have an urgent need. What a comfort it is to be supported by prayer with our friends and church family.

Daniel had an urgent need. He had just returned from asking King Nebuchadnezzar for time to reveal the king’s dream. Daniel’s pagan counterparts failed the king by not being able to fulfill his request by telling him his dream. Nebuchadnezzar had ordered the death of all the wise men in his service, including Daniel, for their failure. Upon returning home, Daniel confided in his three best friends what had happened and what would happen if the king’s request was not fully answered. Daniel asked his prayer partners to support him in prayer.

Whatever our need, especially the urgent, may we not neglect to seek others for prayer. It doesn’t need to be a whole congregation; a few close friends will do. Jesus says, “For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.” (Mt.18:20 nlt) Daniel asked his three friends to support him in prayer, they prayed, and the Lord answered their request that night. May we not hold back in asking others God has placed in our lives to support us in prayer.

Devotionals

After Retirement

January 22, 2025January 21, 2025 Loring Schultz

Read: Numbers 8:23-26 NLT – The LORD also instructed Moses, “This – Bible Gateway

“After retirement they may assist their fellow Levites by serving as guards at the Tabernacle.” Numbers 8:26a NLT

Conditions for retirement vary from country to country. Age and numbers of years of service play a role in determining one’s qualifications for retirement. Certain occupations issue mandatory retirement once one reaches a certain age. Some people take an early partial retirement and maintain a work schedule, while others take an early retirement bringing their work to an end. And then there are those who choose to work indefinitely for as long as their health holds up. Whatever the situation of one’s retirement, what’s your plan after retirement? Do you have a plan? Does the Bible give us any guidance for a plan? Indeed, it does!

In the Old Testament book of Numbers, the Lord gave instructions to Moses concerning the Levites and their work serving in the Tabernacle. “This is the rule the Levites must follow: They must begin serving in the Tabernacle at the age of twenty-five, and they must retire at the age of fifty.” (Num.8:24-25 nlt) I do not expect any of us today would reject those conditions. But it is what follows that is divine guidance for us. God continues to say, “After retirement they may assist their fellow Levites by serving as guards at the Tabernacle, but they may not officiate in the service.” (Num.8:26a nlt) No, the Lord does not say ‘they must’ but ‘they may’ assist in another capacity.

Our Lord gives every Christian the opportunity, no matter how limited, to serve Him in another capacity once we have retired from our vocation. It could be in your field of expertise from your work throughout your career and now can assist others. It may be something you enjoyed doing in your spare time during your working years and now have more time to devote to it. It could possibly be something you never dreamed of doing, but the Lord has opened a door, and your heart is drawn to it. All of us who are retired, approaching retirement, planning for retirement, or just beginning our career, should take the Lord’s advice, when He says, ‘we may assist’ in our retirement. It is good advice. Let us assist where we can.

Devotionals

Fan into flames

January 21, 2025January 20, 2025 Loring Schultz

“This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you.” 2 Timothy 1:6 NLT

Are you using your “Spiritual Gift” that God has given you? Spiritual gifts differ from our God given natural gifts and abilities in that they are given to us by the Holy Spirit as we put our trust and faith in Jesus Christ for Salvation. Gifts such as; teaching, giving, exhorting, encouraging, serving, leadership and mercy. These gifts are given to us to serve the Lord where He has placed us within the local church and in the ministry He has for us wherever that may be.

The apostle Paul reminded Timothy to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave him. Timothy needed some encouragement. Perhaps he was fearful, timid or shy. We may feel the same at times, but whatever the case, it is good instruction for us today to fan into flames the spiritual gift that God has given us.

Think of it this way; your gift was given to you for a specific purpose and if you do not use it there will be many people who will miss out on a spiritual blessing that only you can provide. It is your spiritual gift. Use it.