Tag: Christian Life

Devotionals

Be Patient            

Loring Schultz

Read: Mark 1:14-20 NASB – Jesus Preaches in Galilee – Now after – Bible Gateway

“And Jesus said to them, ‘Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.’” Mark 1:17 NASB

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You have heard the saying ‘patience is a virtue’ meaning to wait for something without getting frustrated builds strength and character. Truth be told, I haven’t been the most patient guy, but I have come a long way with the Lord’s help. I’ve needed an extra ounce of grace lately as I have started going to the gym to get in better shape and live a healthier lifestyle. My friend who is training me needs an extra pound of grace to keep his patience with me as I can be a challenge. I must say though he is very patient with me and his patience is certainly a virtue.

Jesus’ first disciples were also patient men. They were fishermen, not for sport, but as an occupation. Casual fishermen at times lack patience when their line remains stagnant in the water. However, when your livelihood depends on it, you better instill some patience or you won’t eat. Jesus knew the character of Andrew, Simon, James, and John. They were patient men who were able to work together. Jesus didn’t choose them because of their high intellect or their vast knowledge of the Scriptures, but because they were ordinary men. Men who were also patient with the ability to learn.

Many Christians when they first come to know the Lord are super excited and can’t wait to tell others or get enough teaching from God’s Word. Over time, sometimes a very short time, they get discouraged that their growth is not progressing as fast as they would like. Jesus told His disciples, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” (Mk.1:17 nasb) Notice Jesus said, ‘I will make you become.’ It was not instantaneous or over a few short months, Jesus trained His disciples for over three years to be fishers of men. They needed to be patient. They already had that quality and needed to use it now more than ever.

Don’t be discourage if you feel you’re not where you need to be in your walk with the Lord. If you are growing, even at a slow pace, you are still growing. Let that sink in. Just as in physical growth children grow and develop at different paces, but they grow, if being properly fed and cared for. New Christians develop spiritually the same way. Feeding on God’s Word at your own pace, receiving encouragement from other Christians, and learning through the teaching and preaching from those who handle God’s Word accurately is the road to be on. So, be patient, you may be exactly where you need to be.

Devotionals

The Lord’s Pruning Shears       

Loring Schultz

Read: John 15:1-5 ESV – I Am the True Vine – “I am the true – Bible Gateway

“Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” John 15:2 ESV

Photo by Irina Iriser on Pexels.com

I trimmed, or should say cut down, my wife’s rose bushes a few months ago. ‘Cut down’ is more appropriate, because there wasn’t much left of them when I got through. Having done the same thing a few years ago the rose bushes came back better than ever. But this year, I thought I had gone too far, they’ll never come back, but they did. We’ll see next spring having survive the winter how many roses reappear.

Pruning shears are used to trim off dead or living parts of a plant so they stay healthy and produce at a greater pace. They are also used to cut out unnecessary parts including foreign objects such as weeds that have infiltrated around the plant. Such was my case. Being so determined to eradicate those weeds once and for all, I nearly destroyed my wife’s rose bushes. But such was not the case. The weeds had to go. The rose bushes suffered more than the usual yearly trim as I worked towards the root of the problem.

The Lord’s pruning shears work the same way in the lives of Christians. Sometimes we need more than yearly trim. We need a weeding out of the foreign objects in our lives. These are the things we accept into our lives, allowing them to grow by watering and feeding them with the elements of the world around us. Soon they begin to choke out the vitality of our Christian life as the values of sin and the world take over. The Lord will take His pruning shears and cut us down until we think there’s nothing left of us, but if we accept it from His gracious and merciful hand repenting, He will bring us back better than ever.

Devotionals

 Swept and in order

Loring Schultz
Photo by Josue Michel on Unsplash

It is always a good feeling when our homes are swept and in order. With the upcoming holidays, Thanksgiving in the United States and Christmas celebrated around the world, many of us spruce up our homes for expected company. Every spring around the Easter season we do the same calling it ‘spring cleaning.’ We clean out the dust from the long cold winter, let in the fresh air, and put everything in order.

Our spiritual lives work the same way. There are times when spring cleaning is in order. The sin in our life that has been hanging around filling our souls with the dirt of the world is starting to show its wear and tear on us. We make a commitment to the Lord, confessing our sin, sweeping the dirt out of our lives, and putting our lives on track to maintain a clean house. But once that sinful habit is gone, what have you replaced it with? Read what Jesus has to say:

“When an evil spirit leaves a person, it goes into the desert, searching for rest. But when it finds none, it says, ‘I will return to the person I came from.’  So it returns and finds that its former home is all swept and in order. Then the spirit finds seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they all enter the person and live there. And so that person is worse off than before.” (Lk.11:24-26 nlt)

Just giving up a bad sinful habit is no guarantee it will not come back. If you haven’t filled your heart, mind, and soul with the things of God on a daily basis, it will come back as Jesus said and bring more sinful habits along with it. The first step is to confess those sinful habits, get rid of that sin, sweep your house and put it in order. Then fill your soul with God and His Word and the godly habits you will form will leave no room for those old habits to return.

Devotionals

Don’t Give Up               

Loring Schultz

“So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up” Galatians 6:9 NLT

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Have you ever reached a point in your life when you throw up your hands and say, ‘why bother?’ You obey the law, except perhaps going over the speed limit, you’re kind to your neighbors sharing what the Lord has blessed you with, you volunteer for community projects, and you give to the poor. After a while you experience unsettling times when you sense your efforts are underappreciated or not recognized at all. On top of that, you don’t see anywhere your goodness has made a difference. Indeed, it can be unsettling. Paul has some advice for us ‘don’t give up.’

As the farmer waits patiently through the hot summer months until autumn to reap his crop, so must we be patient and not give up.. Our heavenly Father is the master gardener and we are His workers in His field. Our main job is to constantly plant seed, do good works as unto the Lord allowing Him to nurture our efforts by watering the ground and providing abundant sunshine to produce a bountiful crop. Some of our efforts may fall on hard stoney ground and never have the chance to sink in and make a difference. That shouldn’t stop us from doing good. We are to faithful and give it to the Lord.

It can be frustrating not seeing results from our work and not being appreciated, but we are not doing it for ourselves but for the Lord. His command to us is to love God with all our hearts and our neighbors as ourselves. And remember Paul’s advice, “So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.” So, don’t give up!

A Christian Perspective

Silent Protest

Loring Schultz

Read: 1 Peter 2:13-17 NLT – Respecting People in Authority – For – Bible Gateway

The First Amendment of the United States Bill of Rights, emphasizing the freedom of speech and the right to peacefully assemble.

One of the many rights enjoyed by every citizen in the United States is the right to protest. In fact, it is the very first amendment to the constitution. “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” It is worthy to note that it states the right to ‘peaceably assemble.’ I am sure we can all relate to what has been demonstrated as peaceful protest over the years as not being very peaceful. That is not to say there have not been peaceful demonstrations or protests, there have been, and that is the way it should be, especially among Christians.

Living in the first quarter of the 21st century has certainly brought about many issues to protest, both as citizens of the United States and members of the Christian church. Christians have an obligation to present the truth to those who don’t know the truth. Here in the United States we are afforded the freedom to do so in a peaceable manner. Christians are also to live honorable lives before the general public and governing authorities to dispute any false accusations that may be brought against us.

Whether we gather with others to protest an injustice on biblical grounds or stand our ground individually by not engaging in the sins of the world we are protesting, let it be done by way of a ‘silent protest,’ peaceably and by living a life honorable to Christ. Peter encourages us it is God’s will that our honorable lives will silence those ignorant people who make foolish accusations against us. (1Peter 2:15) Let us as citizens of heaven be humble and obedient citizens here on earth bringing honor and glory to God so all may believe in Him and His Son, Jesus Christ.  

“It is God’s will that your honorable lives should silence those ignorant people who make foolish accusations against you. For you are free, yet you are God’s slaves, so don’t use your freedom as an excuse to do evil.” 1 Peter 2:15-16 NLT

Devotionals

Is God Seen in You?

Loring Schultz

Read: Daniel 6:11-23 NLT – Then the officials went together to – Bible Gateway

“May your God, whom you serve so faithfully, rescue you.” Daniel 6:16 NLT

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I once read, ‘if Christianity was outlawed in your country, would there be enough evidence to convict you?’ You’re not the only one who can answer that. Others all around you and me would be able to answer that question with no problem. What evidence would be brought either to confirm or debunk the accusations against you? Would you be able to stand by with confidence the truth of the evidence for or against you? Will others see God in you and me, or will they see just ourselves?

King Darius saw God in the prophet Daniel who worked for him as one of his top officials in his administration. The king was faced with having Daniel thrown into a den of lions for breaking one of the king’s irrational laws he signed in his pride and arrogance. Although Darius did not know the God of heaven, he saw Him at work in Daniel. Daniel’s work ethic, honesty, knowledge in business and government affairs match his reputation for his outstanding previous service. Darius saw a man with great faith in his God who was blessed by Him. His words to Daniel as he was about to seal off the lions’ den were, “May your God, whom you serve so faithfully, rescue you.” (Dan.6:16 nlt) It wouldn’t have surprised me if Darius said after that, ‘I’ll see you in the morning.’ Darius saw God in Daniel.

For others to perceive favorable outcomes in our life due to our faith in God and witness Him in control of our life is what you, me, and all Christians need to strive for. The way others see us handle setbacks needs to be seen as God works through us. I believe Darius saw that in Daniel as well. After all, Daniel was being thrown into a den of lions. We need to answer the question, ‘Is God seen in us? Would there be enough evidence to get us thrown in the lions’ den?’ Oh, and by the way, Darius did see Daniel in the morning.

Devotionals

Going for Eternal Gold

Loring Schultz

“All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize.” 1 Corinthians 9:25 NLT

Photo by Solen Feyissa on Unsplash

The XXXIII Olympiad will commence on July 26, 2024, in Paris, France. Athletes from all over the world will arrive in hopes of capturing that Olympic Gold Medal. Events will take place over the next seventeen days from track and field, swimming, gymnastics, skateboarding, volleyball, basketball, equestrian, boxing, 32 sports in all with 329 medal events. That’s a lot of gold. Individual athletes train for years for the opportunity to go for the gold. Members of team sports keep themselves in shape hoping to get that invitation to try out and be part of the Olympic dream. A lot, if not all, of personal pleasures and pursuits are put on the sidelines during the training process. There are two goals, to make the cut and to earn a gold medal.

The apostle Paul used athletic imagery quite often in his writings. He referred to his preaching as running in a race as he addressed the churches at Galatia. (Gal.2:2) Paul told the church at Philippi he pressed on to finish the race to receive the prize the Lord had for him. (Phi.3:14) He told Timothy to fight the good fight for true faith, and always be careful to compete by the rules. (1 Tim.6:12, 2 Tim.2:5) Paul also put in perspective the value of the goal he was trying to reach. He was going for eternal gold.

Paul commended the athletes of his day by noting their extensive disciplined training. Their goal was to win a wreath of greenery at the Isthmian games in Corinth. Obviously, this prize would not last the test of time, but they strived for it, nonetheless. Paul seems to say how much better the eternal prize would be. He was not dismissing the value of going for the gold in this life, but to have our priorities in order. Even a gold medal may lose its value one day and we certainly will not outlast that product of gold in our lifetime, so let us also go, with Paul, for eternal gold.

Devotionals

Our Christian Responsibilities

Loring Schultz

“Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor.” 1 Peter 2:17 NIV

            Life as a Christian is not an easy task. It has never been without the Lord’s help. We live in a world that is dominated by Satan’s influence and any rejection of that influence is met with resistance. However we are called to be a light in this dark world and salt for a preservative to prevent the spoilage cause by evil. The apostle Peter reminds us of our responsibilities as Christians as a way to work this out. And our Lord expects us, with His help, to live in such a way as to bring glory to Him.

            We begin by showing proper respect to everyone. Yes, even those we do not agree with and those who do us harm. Every person is made in the image of God and for that they deserve respect. Allow everyone to see Jesus in us and be transparent by being obedient to His Word.

            Love the family of believers. Unfortunately our love for fellow Christians is, at times, not what it should be. Apparently it was also true in Peter’s day. Jesus addressed our duty to love our Christian brothers and sisters by saying, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35)

            Christians are also to fear God. Fear in the sense of a “reverential awe” for who He is; Holy, the creator of all things, the sustainer of life, merciful, gracious, just, all powerful, all knowing, and a loving God.

            Lastly, Peter instructs us to “honor the emperor”, those in authority over us. The Roman emperor in Peter’s day was Nero. Peter tells his readers to honor Nero. Honor is to “highly regard” with “inner respect.”  We are to be obedient to the governmental authorities, except when the law goes against the law of God according to scripture. (Acts 5:29)

            Yes, life as a Christian is not an easy task and we cannot do it in our strength. But with the Lord’s help we can “Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor” and fulfil ‘Our Christian Responsibilities.’

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