Word for the Soul

The Long Way Home

April 27, 2024April 26, 2024 Loring Schultz

“Normally it takes only eleven days to travel from Mount Sinai to Kadesh-barnea.” Deuteronomy 1:2 NLT

Taking the long way home is not always your choice, but most of the time it is. You may want to enjoy the scenery the extra miles provide, or you may want to search out a certain restaurant for your next night out or explore a potential new neighborhood in which you would like to live. You may also just want to kill time. But then there are times when the choice is not yours due to detours for several reasons forcing you to take the long way home. Disappointment and frustrations set in as the miles and time added up anticipating your arrival home. There are times in our lives when we take the long way home (God’s place for us) because we were afraid to take that initial step and trust God, rather, we played it safe.

The children of Israel played it safe. The result of not trusting God and not taking that first step turned their eleven-day journey home to the promised land into forty years. When Israel was in Kadesh-barnea, the point of entry to the land God had promised them, they refused to go ahead fearing the battles that would pursue. They didn’t trust God to place them safely in the land even though they were called and chosen to enter it. They didn’t trust God to take away their fear.

The Lord calls each one of us who have trusted Him as savior to a place of His choosing to serve Him. That place is ‘home’ where we will be the most comfortable in our service to God. Not all of us are called to be pastors, missionaries, or Sunday school teachers, but we are called to serve where God directs us and in what specific area of ministry He has for us. Heed that calling whatever it may be and wherever it may be. Don’t let your fear keep you from God’s plan for your life. You’ll probably end up there eventually so quit killing time by taking the long way home and trust God to bring you into His service sooner rather than later.

Devotionals

Safety in the House of God

April 26, 2024April 25, 2024 Loring Schultz

“But I am like an olive tree, thriving in the house of God. I will always trust in God’s unfailing love.” Psalm 52:8 NLT

Photo by Rafael Albaladejo on Pexels.com

Churches across the globe have been considered sacred places of refuge for centuries. Most notable in times of war, churches were shelters for all who entered through their doors whosever side they were on. Sanctury churches today have a much more complicated task within the twists and turns of world culture. But the mission remains the same, to protect by providing refuge in the house of God.

When David was on the run from King Saul who was in pursuit to kill him, David penned Psalm 52. David describes the wickedness of his enemies and God’s judgement on them as he rests safely in God’s protection. David writes, “But I am like an olive tree, thriving in the house of God. I will always trust in God’s unfailing love.” (Ps.52:8 nlt) Olive trees live a span of hundreds of years. David is putting his trust in the lasting mercy of God for protection. Olive trees also represent prosperity. Being in God’s presence (house of God) David would not only find safety but will grow in his knowledge of Him. David is filled with praise in the sanctuary of God, “I will praise you forever, O God, for what you have done. I will trust in your good name in the presence of your faithful people.” (Ps.52:9 nlt)

Psalm 52 is a picture of the reality of evil around us, but also of the justice of God in protecting His children while administrating judgment on the wicked of our day. Christians should take comfort that we are in the house of God, our place of refuge through the Holy Spirit, and are safe as we thrive in His presence praising Him!

Read: Psalm 52 NLT – Psalm 52 – For the choir director: A – Bible Gateway

Devotionals

Entrusting What God has Given You

April 25, 2024April 24, 2024 Loring Schultz

“When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required.” Luke 12:48b NLT

Every local community has people in need. There is a need for everyday subsistence such as food, clothes, and shelter. The logistics of getting to appointments, the grocery store, and even to church need to be met. There are people who have emotional needs who just need a friend to sit with them. Others need help to manage their finances and legal affairs. Many people need help with their everyday chores, and all of them can use a good laugh. For all these needs to be met there needs to be an overflow from others who have been given and entrusted with much by the Lord.

The questions then become what do I have to offer? Can I afford to be so generous with my money, talent, and resources? You can find the answer by assessing your needs. Very simply put, if your needs are met in every category listed above, you can afford it. You may also find that you are in need in some area of your life, and that is for others to meet your need after they make their own assessment. The Lord blesses everyone, but exactly in the same way. My needs are your overflow, and your needs are mine. Of course this is not always an equal balance in our view, but it is in God’s eyes and according to His plan.

Jesus said, “When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required.” (Lk.12:48b nlt) The Lord blesses us to bless others and He requires our participation. And those of us who have been ‘entrusted’ with much have a higher responsibility. We are committed to handle our overflow wisely. It is God’s gift to us in fulfilling the needs of others. More will be required of us. So, now the question is, are you entrusting what God has given you?

A Christian Perspective

The Temple of the Living God

April 24, 2024April 23, 2024 Loring Schultz

“Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness? And what union can there be between God’s temple and idols? For we are the temple of the living God.” 2 Corinthians 6:14, 16a NLT

There are deep divisions in the world in which we live. We have come to notice it more in recent years due to the political landscape of our day, but divisions have always been throughout millenniums. The bottom line is all the divisions in the world stem from one source, one’s belief or non-belief in the creator of all things. Jesus Himself said, “Anyone who isn’t with me opposes me, and anyone who isn’t working with me is actually working against me.” (Lk. 11:23 nlt) It is easy to see from Jesus’ words, why there is so much division between people, nations, communities, and all the religions of the world. Jesus’ words are divisive, and in today’s world divisiveness is not tolerated. The world is to be united.

The apostle Paul tells the church in Corinth they are the temple of God. Every individual in Christ is a temple of the living God. He stresses God’s temple cannot be in union with the religions of the world (idols). In the same way, Christians (God’s temple) cannot be in union with those who oppose God by living contrary to His teachings in Scripture. Christians are not to be supportive of legislation enacted that violates God’s moral laws, but we are to pray for all those in authority. Paul again writing to Timothy says, “I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity.” (1Tim. 2:1-2 nlt)

Christians are to be a beacon of light in a dark world, always being careful not to have our light dimmed by sin in our lives, but to live righteously. Christians are also to be careful not to alienate ourselves from others. We are to live in the world but not be part of it. (Ro.12:2) The command from Christ to tell others about Him cannot be realized if we isolate ourselves. The world must see the temple of the living God in our lives. It is a delicate balance, but scripture points to the fact no union is possible with those outside of Christ no matter how much the desire for unity.

Read: 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 NLT – The Temple of the Living God – Don’t – Bible Gateway

Devotionals

Hear Ye, Hear Ye!

April 23, 2024April 20, 2024 Loring Schultz

“And now the word of the Lord is ringing out from you to people everywhere” 1 Thessalonians 1:8a NLT

The town crier from the 18^th century, dressed in his red and gold coat with tricorne hat, proclaimed important announcements from the royal court. Ringing his handbell for attention he would then proceed to shout, “Oyez, Oyez, Oyez” which is “Hear Ye, Hear Ye,” a call to be attentive and to be silent. The proclamation would then begin.

Christians are also town criers, or should be. We are a part of the most royal (Holy) court in serving the Lord God. Our proclamation is the good news of Jesus Christ and it needs to be broadcast in as many ways as possible. What comes to mind for most people is the “street preacher” standing on the corner screaming out the message. Yes, that is one way, but let me suggest another way as well. How about Christians living out their lives in total obedience to Christ. An example for all to see will lead to conversation and opportunity to share the gospel (Good News) to all who inquire.

Paul, the apostle, in writing to the church at Thessalonica commended them for their faithfulness in proclaiming the gospel message. “The word of the Lord is ringing out from you to people everywhere even beyond Macedonia and Achaia.” (1 Th.1:8 nlt) Their message went a lot further than their local city. Thessalonica was located between major crossroads in the Roman Empire used for travel and commerce. They made sure to not miss an opportunity to live out their lives and say a word or two about the good news of Jesus Christ. We have the same opportunity today with those who cross our paths in the crossroads of life. Hear Ye, Hear Ye!

Devotionals

Will He Find Us Faithful?

April 22, 2024April 17, 2024 Loring Schultz

“A faithful, sensible servant is one to whom the master can give the responsibility of managing his other household servants and feeding them.” Matthew 24:45 NLT

Managing the affairs of others whether personal or business interests is a responsibility that will be either rewarded or reprimanded in some fashion. During my retail career I have managed the business interests of several companies by managing several individual locations. I had been rewarded financially and with promotions, but also had come to reprimand on occasion. The last company I worked for kept me around for 21 years before my retirement, so I guess they considered me faithful. Christians are to be faithful in all walks of life; in our families, in our jobs, with our friends and neighbors, in our social life, in our commitments, and to the Lord God we serve.

Jesus Christ promised He was going to return to earth bringing His reward with Him. “Look, I am coming soon, bringing my reward with me to repay all people according to their deeds.” (Rev.22:12 nlt) Before Jesus left this earth to return to heaven, He gave us both His personal and business interests to manage for Him. Jesus told His disciples and anyone of us who claim to be followers of Him, “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.” (Mt.28:19-20a nlt)

None of us know the date of Jesus’ return. So, we better listen when He tells us what we should be doing waiting for His return. “A faithful, sensible servant is one to whom the master can give the responsibility of managing his other household servants and feeding them. If the master returns and finds that the servant has done a good job, there will be a reward.” (Mt.24:45-46 nlt) We do not have a deadline for when our project is to be completed, but it will be completed on the day of His return. We all need to ask ourselves the following. Will He find us faithful, what will our evaluation look like, and will there be a reward for it?

Bible Studies

The Unforgiving Debtor: Parables of Jesus

April 21, 2024April 20, 2024 Loring Schultz

“You evil servant! I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me. Shouldn’t you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?” (Mt.18:32b-33 nlt)

This week in our study of the parables of Jesus we have one on forgiveness. Sometimes the hardest thing for a person to do is to forgive. This is especially true if the one extending forgiveness is extremely hurt. There are times one would finally agree to forgive the offender, but then adds they will never forget. Not much of a comfort for the one seeking forgiveness. Jesus is the perfect teacher to show us the true art of forgiveness and he did it in several ways recorded for us in the New Testament of the Bible.

Our parable this week, ‘The Unforgiving Debtor’, has a backstory to it. Peter, the always inquisitive disciple, asked Jesus, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?” (Mt.18:21 nlt) Peter thought the number of seven was sufficient since Rabbinic teaching only required three. Jesus’ answer didn’t follow the teaching of three being the acceptable number. He didn’t put a number on it. Jesus told Peter his number seven was insufficient. The correct number was seventy-seven. In others words it was to an uncounted number of times. Jesus takes this opportunity to teach us all a valuable lesson on forgiveness. Christians who have received God’s forgiveness are accountable to forgive others considering the enormous debt we have been forgiven as we will see in this parable.

In Jesus’ earthly story there is a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants who did business for him. These servants could have been governors of the provinces in the kingdom. One servant was in arrears of one million dollars in today’s currency. How did this servant come to owe such a lager debt we don’t know, perhaps it was mismanagement in the taxation process, or a complete mishandling of public funds, which is just as prevalent in our day. The amount was so excessive this governor couldn’t pay it back in a lifetime. The king then ordered that he, his wife and children along with all that he owned be sold to pay the debt. “But the man fell down before his master and begged him, ‘Please, be patient with me, and I will pay it all.’” (Mt.18:26 nlt) The king knew that he had no means in which to pay the debt. There was nothing he could ever do in his lifetime that would be enough to satisfy the debt.

The king of heaven, the Lord Jesus, knew there was nothing we could ever do to pay our debt regarding our sin. We are all doomed to a Christless eternity without our debt being paid in full, and we are not able to pay it. The king in Jesus’ story “was filled with pity for him, and he released him and forgave his debt.” (Mt.18:27 nlt) The king forgave the servants debt completely. It was only by the king’s grace and mercy he was free from the unpayable debt. No need to worry about back payments, the debt was marked paid in full. Jesus Christ paid our sin debt on the cross of Calvary. What we cannot do for ourselves, He did for us. When we accept Christ as our savior, our account is marked paid in full.

Christians should be the most forgiving people on the planet considering the forgiveness granted to us unto salvation. Apparently though this is not always the case. Therefore, the need for more of Jesus’ teaching. Jesus continues His parable, “But when the man left the king, he went to a fellow servant who owed him a few thousand dollars. He grabbed him by the throat and demanded instant payment.” (Mt.18:28 nlt) This servant who was just set free from a lifetime debt was worried about a few thousand dollars owed to him by a colleague. This debtor also begged for more time, but what was different was his colleague had the ability to pay and only needed a little more time to clear the debt. But the unforgiving debtor refused and had his fellow worker put in prison.

Needless to say, when the king heard of the matter, he was furious. He called for this servant and said to him, “You evil servant! I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me. Shouldn’t you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?” (Mt.18:32b-33 nlt) Our Lord Jesus, King Jesus, has the same right to question us the same way should we ever forsake the forgiveness He has shown us by not granting it to others. No matter what offenses may have been done to us, it pales in comparison to our sin before the Lord. Our Lord forgives us of our sin as often as we come to Him, yes even seventy-seven times. May we do the same and forgive all those who ask for forgiveness remembering the debt that was forgiven on our behalf by our king, King Jesus!

Read: Matthew 18:21-35 NLT – Parable of the Unforgiving Debtor – Bible Gateway

A Christian Perspective

Misplaced Trust

April 20, 2024April 19, 2024 Loring Schultz

“Don’t put your confidence in powerful people; there is no help for you there. ””Psalm 146:3 NLT

This morning as I write this, the news media is covering Israel’s attack on Iran in response to Iran’s attack on Israel a week earlier. News outlets are also reporting the arrest and suspensions of over one hundred students at Columbia University in a makeshift encampment as part of a pro-Palestinian protest. Anti-Semitism has been on the rise at Columbia along with many institutions of higher learning across the America. A week ago in Dearborn Michigan, anti-Israel, pro-Palestinian protesters chanted ‘Death to America’ and ‘Death to Israel.’ On Monday of this week, the state of New York has put a former President of the Unted States on trial for falsifying business records. And, this week, articles of impeachment were drawn up against the Dept. of Homeland Security Secretary for failing to secure the United States border. Yes, it does look like the United Staes and the world is on fire as the news media also reports.

The world asks the question, who can put out the fire? Where are the world’s most respected and knowledgeable negotiators willing to reach a peace deal? Are there any world leaders who will look out for the interests of their citizens and not for themselves? Are there leaders among us who will fight off corruption at every turn instead of looking the other way or covering it up? Do we have those in authority who will stand for truth wherever it leads them? It’s obvious if we had less leaders as listed above, we wouldn’t be feeling the heat from the flames spreading all around us. I’m not saying there is no hope, no hose to help extinguish the fire. This world has many good and decent, highly intelligent people in leadership that need our prayers and support. But be careful that your trust in them is not a misplaced trust.

Psalm 146 is the first of the joyous praise songs that closes the Psalter. It begins with praising the Lord, and then warns us where not to put our trust, being very specific. “Don’t put your confidence in powerful people; there is no help for you there. When they breathe their last, they return to the earth, and all their plans die with them.” (Ps.146:3-4 nlt) The warning is clear. Our trust is not to be in powerful people, but in the Lord. “He made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them. He keeps every promise forever.” (Ps.146:6 nlt) The rest of the Psalm continues with the guaranteed hope we have as we see God fulfill all His promises. We can be sure our trust in God is never a misplaced trust. Put your trust in Him.

Read: Psalm 146 NLT – Psalm 146 – Praise the LORD! Let all – Bible Gateway

Devotionals

Turn the light on and be careful you don’t fall

April 19, 2024April 18, 2024 Loring Schultz

“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” Psalm 119:105 KJV

As a child growing up, I can recall my mother giving a warning as I would either descend or ascend a flight of stairs. She would say, “Turn the light on, and be careful you don’t fall.” My wife gives me that same warning today. The common thread in both their warnings is their love for me and not wanting to see me fall resulting in injury. I’m thankful to the Lord for my mother who loved me all her days and for my wife who loves me still and cares for me.

In the same way, the Lord God loves and cares for each of us. He does not want us to stumble or fall in our walk in this life. It is very easy to do so, even for most Christians, with all of the temptations of a dark world without a light to expose the dangers. God has given us all we need to walk securely and confidently without falling if we read it, study it, and obey it; it is His Word to us, the Bible.

Psalm 119:105 says, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” (Ps. 119:105 kjv) In ancient days, Middle Eastern towns had no fixed lamps for lighting. One who was travelling at night would need a hand torch or a lantern to light the way and only one step or two at a time. Careful observation of what the light revealed guided the traveler and kept him from dangers in his path on the road. Each step taken enabled the traveler safe passage to his destination without harm.

Christians we go through life in a dark world, and we need the light of God’s Word to light the way. Taking one step at a time with the light He gives us, the Lord guides us through the dangers of hidden influences and encourages us to live righteously in Christ Jesus. Let us all heed the warning from all those who love us; turn the light on and be careful you don’t fall.

Devotionals

Food for the Journey

April 18, 2024April 17, 2024 Loring Schultz

“……I don’t want to send them away hungry, or they will faint along the way.” Matthew 15:32b NLT

I am sure we have all heard the expression, ‘life is a journey.’ Indeed, it is. Curiously though no two people are on the exact same path in life. There may be similarities, but just as everyone is unique in their own way, their journey in life follows the course planned out for them. And for the Christian, the Lord had your life journey drawn up before you were even a thought in your parents’ mind. “You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.” (Ps.139:16 nlt)

Throughout our journey in life, we need subsistence to sustain us. We need a daily intake of food to nourish us to survive our physical life, and we need a daily intake of spiritual food to survive in our spiritual life. During Jesus’ ministry on earth, He had two occasions where He provided food for thousands of people as they were coming to Him for healing and to hear His teaching. Jesus had compassion for the people giving them both physical and spiritual food. He did not want to send the crowds away hungry for they might faint along the way.

Our Lord Jesus has the same compassion for us in our spiritual walk with Him. He does not want us to faint along the way in our life journey. He provides us with food to sustain our spiritual growth through His Word. As we have our quite time with Him, through our devotions, prayer, and Bible reading we can rest assured that we will not go away hungry. Make sure you put in the effort to get your daily spiritual nourishment for the journey. Jesus doesn’t want to send you away hungry.