Creation – Word for the Soul

Northern Lights

November 19, 2025November 18, 2025 Loring Schultz

“When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers—the moon and the stars you set in place—what are mere mortals that you should think about them,
human beings that you should care for them?” Psalm 8:3-4 NLT

Last week a major portion of North America was treated to a display of the Northern Lights. Aurora Borealis, as they are called, are spectacular displays of light that occur in the night sky caused by particles from the sun colliding with the earths upper atmosphere. There are many scientific terms and research that has been done by very intelligent people for explaining how and why these lights occur. I appreciate them all, but I’ll go with the most natural one of all, it’s God painting the sky.

David writing in Psalm 8 notes the wonders he sees in the night sky with the moon and stars. No magnificent light show of the aurora borealis is mentioned. But what David witnessed was enough. The numbers of stars he couldn’t count in the sky and the light of the moon proved God’s greatness and His magnificent show without any northern lights. On a side note, in David’s time the night sky had no intrusion from city lights, airplanes, or cloud-covered gases. David saw the night sky as God had intended it, a spectacular view and a portrait of His greatness.

How often do we pause to recognize God’s creation all around us? We shouldn’t need a reminder of a northern lights occurrence to pay attention to His handiwork. It is seen every day and everywhere if we look for it. The greatest northern light that has ever appeared was when God sent His Son, the light of the world, into this world to save us from our sin. You don’t need to wait for particles from the sun to collide with earth’s atmosphere to see His light, only for the Son to collide with your heart through the Holy Spirit. His light is always visible; will you see it?

A Christian Perspective

In the beginning of eternity

July 19, 2025July 15, 2025 Loring Schultz

Everything has a beginning; your life, a relationship, a new year, a new school year, a semester, a job, an idea leading to a new consumer product, even this essay. Everything has a beginning to point to. Unfortunately, everything also has an ending, after all, nothing last forever, but ‘not quite.’

The most recognizable quote of ‘in the beginning’ is in the Scriptures of the Holy Bible. Genesis 1:1 says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” The earth and all of the universe had a beginning. There was a time when the universe did not exist but then came into being. This is not a debate as to the origins of the planets and the universe, this view is to be understood God created in the beginning, in the beginning of our time.

What exactly is ‘our time?’ NASA’s explanation of the universe is as follows, “The universe is everything. It includes all of space, and all the matter and energy that space contains. It even includes time itself and, of course, it includes you.” (1) Our time began when God created the universe, when He created all of space, matter, and energy. Our time began when God created man in His image, “So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” (Gen.1:27 nkjv) We had a beginning.

While we had a beginning, our creator had no beginning. There is no time in which God did not exist. The prophet Isaiah wrote, “Who has done such mighty deeds, summoning each new generation from the beginning of time? It is I, the LORD, the First and the Last. I alone am he.” (Is.41:4 nlt) Identifying Himself as the ‘First and the Last’ constitutes God existed before the universe began and will be around after it is gone. Jesus, God the Son, also identifies as the ‘First and the Last’ in the book of Revelation for He said “I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last.” (Rev.1:11 nlt)

While we contemplate our lives having a beginning and an end, it is often hard, if not impossible, to understand God who never had a beginning and will never have an end. Don’t even try, it can’t be done. It is accepted only through faith in the God of the Bible. Once we have accepted God, His true Word, and Jesus Christ His Son for salvation it becomes clear that God is from eternity past and future, although we still can’t understand it. But this should also be a great comfort to us for He has all things under control and knows our deepest needs both now and in the future. He was there in our beginning and will be there in our end and this is where the ‘not quite’ comes in.

Everything will certainly come to an end one day, except for a couple of things; the triune God, His Word, and the souls of people. We may have had a beginning in this life, but we were created with a body and a soul. The body will come to an end due to our sin nature, but our soul lives on into eternity. Those who have confessed and repented of their sin accepting Christ as Savior will spend eternity in the new heaven and the new earth, those who have rejected Christ will spend eternity in the lake of fire with Satan and his demons. “Then the devil, who had deceived them, was thrown into the fiery lake of burning sulfur, joining the beast and the false prophet. There they will be tormented day and night forever and ever……And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire.” (Rev.20:10, 15 nlt)

Photo by RDNE Stock project on Pexels.com

When you were born, you were born for eternity. Your body will die, but your soul will live on. You are living in the beginning of eternity. Where will you be living when your earthly life has ended? Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” (Jn.14:6 nlt) The time is now to make the choice where you will spend eternity while you are still living ‘in the beginning.’

(1) https://exoplanets.nasa.gov/what-is-an-exoplanet/what-is-the-universe/

Devotionals

The Dawn and the Sunset are Ever Before Us

July 2, 2025July 1, 2025 Loring Schultz

Read: Psalm 65:5-13 NASB – By awesome deeds You answer us in – Bible Gateway

“They who dwell in the ends of the earth stand in awe of Your signs; You make the dawn and the sunset shout for joy.” Psalm 65:8 NASB

Every corner of the world has a dawn and a sunset. The start of our day and the end of it don’t exclude any of us. How often do we take the time to thank the Lord for another day and the beauty of the sunrise and sunset? On cloudy and rainy days, it may may be hard, but it is a new day God has given us to enjoy. He has filled this earth with His wonders of creation. The mountains, oceans, forest, the meadows, valleys, and even the desert plains all shout for joy in their creation.

This past weekend I was reminded of God’s dawn and sunset as I spent a quiet weekend with family in a cabin in the woods on a riverbank. As much as I was in awe, it was the same dawn and sunset I experienced at home, but somehow I miss it more days than not. More importantly it is the same God who is reminding me of the new day He has given me. God gives each of us across this earth a new day to glorify Him and work His will. It’s not by chance the sun rises and sets, it’s by God’s amazing order of creation and His sustaining the earth.

Too many days are wasted taking the sunrise and sunset for granted. Yes, we have many responsibilities to tend to, but a simple recognition and thanks to our creator who gives us each day to work and enjoy in His presence will make a world of difference. If the dawn and sunset shout for joy, we should also, but don’t wait until you’re in a cabin in the woods.

A Christian Perspective

Climate Change

May 10, 2025May 7, 2025 Loring Schultz

In response to an article on the Christian Post website this week entitled ‘Vanderbilt professor claims some pro-lifers use Bible to distract from climate change’ the following repost from September 2023 is in order. Christians do gather their information for moral, social, and world issues from the Bible, including ‘Climate Change.’ A link to the article with other claims by the Vanderbilt professor is posted below.

“Climate change refers to long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns. Such shifts can be natural, due to changes in the sun’s activity or large volcanic eruptions. But since the 1800s, human activities have been the main driver of climate change, primarily due to the burning of fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas……Because the Earth is a system, where everything is connected, changes in one area can influence changes in all others. The consequences of climate change now include, among others, intense droughts, water scarcity, severe fires, rising sea levels, flooding, melting polar ice, catastrophic storms and declining biodiversity.” (1)

The above statement is furnished to us from the ‘United Nations Climate Action’ page. The following are from the pages of the Bible which concurs with the United Nations at least to the effects of climate change. “Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.” (Ro.8:20-22 nlt) Scripture confirms the created earth is under the curse of God and it came about after sin entered the paradise of the Garden of Eden. “And to the man he said, ‘Since you listened to your wife and ate from the tree
whose fruit I commanded you not to eat, the ground is cursed because of you. All your life you will struggle to scratch a living from it.’” (Gen.3:17 nlt) The earth experienced its first ever change of climate during the great flood of Noah’s day, for it had never rained before that time in history. Scripture records for us in Genesis 7:11-12, “When Noah was 600 years old, on the seventeenth day of the second month, all the underground waters erupted from the earth, and the rain fell in mighty torrents from the sky. The rain continued to fall for forty days and forty nights.” (nlt) Waters bursting up from the ground with rain falling from the sky for the first time ever no doubt that is climate change.

The point is climate change is not restricted only to the last 200 years. But the recent noticeable changes cannot be denied. Every individual living on planet earth, especially Christians, has a responsibility to be a good steward of God’s creation for our generation and the generations to come. We are to praise God for His magnificent creation and work to maintain its wondrous beauty as far as it depends on us with what we can do.

The Bible also gives us encouragement that we will not destroy the earth. Our planet will not succumb to our increasing manmade climate change. After the great flood, God told Noah, “While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.” (Gen.8:22 esv) The seasons will not change regardless of our recklessness but will remain. They will remain until the next disastrous climate change effect takes place during the tribulation period described in the book of Revelation. “I watched as the Lamb broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake. The sun became as dark as black cloth, and the moon became as red as blood. Then the stars of the sky fell to the earth like green figs falling from a tree shaken by a strong wind. The sky was rolled up like a scroll, and all of the mountains and islands were moved from their places.” (Rev.6:12-14 nlt) We can eliminate fossil fuels entirely, but it will not save the planet from sure destruction during the tribulation period.

The earth we know will racially change in the future, but not by us driving our electric vehicles. Jesus Christ will return at the end of the tribulation and established His Kingdom and will rule on earth for a thousand years with Satan bound and cast into the bottomless pit. What will our environment and climate be like, we don’t know. But we do know that Christ, God the Son, will be here on earth ruling, I’m sure the ‘son’ will shine.

The ultimate and final climate change will be at the end of Christ’s thousand-year reign on the earth. Satan will be sent to his eternal final destination, the lake of fire, along with all those whose names were not found written in the book of life. The apostle John writes in Revelation 21:1-4, “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, ‘Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever,’” (nlt) and there will be no worries about carbon emissions, fossil fuels and climate change. The climate will no longer change.

(1) https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/what-is-climate-change

Vanderbilt professor claims pro-lifers use Bible to avoid climate | Politics

Devotionals

Our Power, Our Planet, not Quite

April 22, 2025April 18, 2025 Loring Schultz

Read: Genesis 1:1-2:3 KJV – In the beginning God created the heaven – Bible Gateway

“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” Genesis 1:1 KJV

Today April 22 the world celebrates Earth Day. The theme for Earth Day 2025 is ‘Our Power, Our Planet.’ (1) I think God would have something to say about that. “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” (Gen.1:1 kjv) Based on that first verse of the Bible, I would say it looks like the planet is His. We are held as stewards of the planet to care for what He has given us. There have been many accomplishments over the years from Earth Day’s influence. “For 55 years, Earth Day has led the world in educating and mobilizing the public to take action to address critically important environmental issues. We are global advocates for the health of the planet, calling for the protection of our air, oceans, soil, ecosystems, wildlife, and human health.” (2) The focus of recent Earth Days has been on renewable sources of energy and this year is no exception. “This Earth Day 2025, let us commit to harnessing renewable energy to build a healthy, sustainable, equitable and prosperous future for all, let us commit to Renewable Energy Now.” (2)

The movement flaunts the power of the people over the years in the successes to date. “The strength of this movement lies in its grassroots nature, and our power as individuals. This people-powered revolution demonstrates that when we unite our voices and actions, we can overcome even the most recalcitrant systems and create a cleaner, more equitable energy future for all.” (2)

People united for a common cause are usually very successful and hard to stop. So, credit is given where credit is due. But let’s not stop there. Let credit be given to the God of heaven who gives us the power, the knowledge, and the wisdom in maintaining what He has created and graciously given us to manage. He is the creator and sustainer of the earth and the universe. May we remember in our efforts this Earth Day, it is His Power, His Planet.

(1) Earth Day 2025 | Activities & Resources for April 22 – Earth Day

(2) Earth Day 2025 – Our Power, Our Planet – Earth Day

A Christian Perspective

National Sanctity of Human Life Day will Continue

January 18, 2025January 16, 2025 Loring Schultz

“So, God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God, he created them; male and female he created them. Then God blessed them and said, ‘Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it.’” Genesis 1:27-28a NLT

This Wednesday January 22, 2025, is the annual observance of the National Sanctity of Human Life Day in the United States. The third Sunday each January is also noted as Sanctity of Life Sunday in many churches across America. On Friday January 24, the annual March for Life Rally will be held in Washington, D.C. (1) Each year pro-Life supporters gather in the nation’s capital to celebrate life and to urge federal legislators to draft and pass laws protecting the unborn in the womb. These faithful pro-Life advocates have been organizing these rallies since the Roe v. Wade decision in 1973.

There has been lot of noise on the other side by pro-Abortion advocates since the overturning of ‘Roe’ in June of 2022. Cries about not having access to abortion when the life of the mother is at stake are most repeated. An article on the Cincinnati Right to Life website says the following, “Medical science has progressed to the point where an abortion is never necessary to preserve the life or the health of the mother. This has been true for more than half a century.” (2) And the Charlette Lozier Institute reports that 0.3% of abortions are performed due to risk of the women’s life. (3)

The overturning of ‘Roe’ bringing the issue back to the states has resulted in some states passing legislation to restrict abortion, but despite these advances abortions have not decreased overall in the United States. According to a report from CNN Health, “Despite restrictions and bans that have taken effect in the two years since the US Supreme Court’s Dobbsdecision revoked the federal right to an abortion, the average number of abortions provided each month in the United States continues to rise, a new report shows. There were an average of 98,990 abortions each month in the first three months of 2024, according to the latest data from #WeCount, a research project from the Society of Family Planning. That’s about 14% higher than the average from the same period last year, or about 12,000 more abortions each month.” (2)

There is still much work to do in limiting and bringing abortion to an end. This upcoming week is a reminder of that. The National Sanctity of Human Life Day will continue until our nation respects and protects human life from conception in the womb, and in addition recognizes “God created human beings in his own image (and) then God blessed them and said, ‘Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it.’” (Gen.1:27a, 28a nlt)

(1) https://marchforlife.org/national-march-for-life/

(2) https://cincinnatirighttolife.org/what-percentage-of-abortions-are-medically-necessary/

(3)

Fact Sheet: Reasons for Abortion

Visit Preborn.com https://preborn.com/

Bible Studies

At Last!

September 8, 2024September 3, 2024 Loring Schultz

‘“At last!’ the man exclaimed. ‘This one is bone from my bone, and flesh from my flesh! She will be called ‘woman,’ because she was taken from ‘man.’ This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.” Genesis 2:23-24 NLT

God’s design and purposes for us are always perfect. They are just the right fit for us to live comfortably in this world. There may be times we do not see God’s design for our lives as we struggle in the confusion of our current day. But God’s way and purposes are right. He does not make mistakes, especially when it comes to His creation.

Adam may have felt God make a mistake after he was given the task to name all the animals God created and found none he could relate to or even have a conversation with. Unknowingly to Adam, God had a plan for an equal partner for him. He will create the perfect helper for him, a woman. “And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.” (Gen.2:21-22 nlt) Adam was blessed and encouraged by God’s provision and perfect plan in providing him a helper by establishing marriage and the way to populate the earth.

We share the same blessing today. It is still God’s perfect design of male and female created in His image. “In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Then God blessed them and said, ‘Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it.’” (Gen.1:27-28b nlt) God’s design for marriage is naturally between one man and one woman, and it is the only way to populate the earth. No wonder Adam was excited and exclaimed, “At last!”

Devotionals

Underestimating the Power of God

August 23, 2024August 22, 2024 Loring Schultz

“You placed the world on its foundation so it would never be moved.” Psalm 104:5 NLT

Have you ever wondered how the earth hangs in vast the spaces of the universe? Or what holds it in place and if it should drop, where and how far down would it go? Is there a bottom it would reach, and what would it be. All the other trillions of stars hang in space as well. They do not drop out of sight, and again if they did, how far down would they go until they reach bottom if there is a bottom? It is in times like these when my mind tries to understand what is impossible for me to grasp that I realize how much I underestimate the power of God.

Instead of trying to understand this with my limited knowledge I need to take it by faith in what God Himself says in His Word through the authors He inspired. Psalm 104 is a hymn of praise to God who created the heavens and the earth, a parallel to the Genesis account of creation. The psalmist writes, “You placed the world on its foundation so it would never be moved.” (Ps.104:5 nlt) It is not going to move or drop out of space because God set it on its foundation. Of all the images available of the earth hanging in space, I’ve never seen one with it resting on a foundation as the world globe I have in my office. God Himself is the foundation. He holds the entire universe in the palm of His hand.

Underestimating the power of God is a foolish thing to do. One look at creation, God speaking our world and the entire universe into existence, should put to rest any doubt this same God can solve any of our problems and help us in our time of need. Do you find yourself underestimating His power and more importantly His love for you? The Lord’s love for you is as great as His power, and He will use His power to help you. It is the same power that placed the earth where it sits on its foundation never to be moved.

Read: Psalm 104 NLT – Psalm 104 – Let all that I am praise – Bible Gateway

A Christian Perspective

Male and Female: God’s Perfect Design

June 15, 2024June 12, 2024 Loring Schultz

“So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Then God blessed them and said, ‘Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it.'” Genesis 1:27-28a NLT

God’s Word to us begins with His acts of creation. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good!” (Gen.1:1,31a nlt) God made everything good and we could say even perfect. That includes Adam and Eve, our first parents. They were perfect in every way before they fell into sin when tempted by Satan. Although they now had a sin nature which is passed down to us, what remained perfect in them and us is God’s perfect design of creating them male and female.

Through God’s perfect design the world has been populated for thousands of years. God told them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth.’ and they have. Populating the earth only happens when males and females get together having children. A very undeniable fact is that our very existence as a human race depends on heterosexuality. We would cease to exist if this were not the case. God’s perfect design for life itself.

The saying ‘opposites attract’ is seen in the wisdom of God. What is more opposite and different than a male and a female. Many married couples are direct opposites of one another. My wife would testify to that, but we complement each other. We are help mates for each other, although I think men need more help, for God has said concerning Adam “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.” (Gen.2:18 nlt) God’s perfect design for marriage, male and female.

Our world today is in chaos and becoming more depraved everyday due to sin. When God was finished with His entire creation, He said it was very good! Sin entered the picture and has distorted our view of God’s original design ever since. Don’t get caught up and fooled with the thinking of the world today but remember God’s original intent especially ‘male and female he created them.’ God’s perfect design!

Devotionals

No Excuse

October 12, 2023October 11, 2023 Loring Schultz

“For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.” Romans 1:20 NLT

All of us must admit there are times when something is so obvious, so clearly seen, so clearly heard, even so clearly felt, that we cannot deny is authenticity. Indeed it must be true. Despite the efforts of some who will try to dissuade you from a certain truth either through false comments or actions, if you take the time to examine what they are saying and doing you will find plenty of evidence to the contrary. What is true is true and what is false is false. There is always evidence as to what is true and to what is false if we only take the time to search it out for ourselves. In our current day, we have a vast pool of informational sources available to us to search out a matter. As a result of this, we are without excuse if we continue to be persuaded by others and not look at the evidence ourselves.

When it comes to the existence of God however, God has made it easy for us to determine He does exist and He is God. All throughout history up to including today, there are many people who deny the existence of the God of the Bible. Some display their denial through their words, but most exhibit their denial through their actions. Therefore if there is no God, then there is no God to answer to and I am free to do as I please. They become their own gods determining what is right or wrong according to themselves and their current culture. Their actions are having severe consequences on themselves and society as a whole. Even though some claim to know God, they obviously do not know the God of the Bible.

But the good news is the God of the Bible, the true God, has made Himself known to every individual through nature itself and the creation of the world. He has made it easy for us to know Him so we are without excuse. We have no excuse for living as if there are no consequences in living in violation of His Word, as if He doesn’t exist or doesn’t care about our actions. He does!

Read Romans 1:18-32, God’s anger at sin: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+1%3A18-32&version=NLT