Tag: Devotional

Devotionals

Your work will never be forgotten by the Lord

Loring Schultz

“For God is not unjust. He will not forget how hard you have worked for him and how you have shown your love to him by caring for other believers, as you still do.” Hebrews 6:10 NLT

Photo by Kampus Production on Pexels.com

            The following is from the Barna Group, April 27, 2022, “As of March 2022, the percentage of pastors who have considered quitting full-time ministry within the past year sits at 42 percent. Over half of pastors who have considered quitting full-time ministry (56%) say ‘the immense stress of the job’ has factored into their thoughts on leaving. Beyond these general stressors, two in five pastors (43%) say ‘I feel lonely and isolated,’ while 38 percent name ‘current political divisions’ as reasons they’ve considered stepping away.” (1)

            No doubt, being a pastor is no easy job. It’s not a profession to pursue seeking to become rich, for most anyway, but is a calling to preach the gospel and minister to the church family. Pastors today encounter a host of problems and concerns that their predecessors never dealt with or even thought possible. With that being said God called them both in their time to minster to their generation.

            Of the many reasons given by pastors who have considered leaving the ministry, the most disturbing may be the feeling of loneliness and isolation. It is hard to imagine that those who care for so many by personal contact would feel this way. But that is the case for 43% who answered the survey. Perhaps some of these feelings come from a sense of ingratitude and/or of being taken for granted, after all it is the pastor’s job. This should be an eyeopener for all us in the church to be more supportive of our local pastors.  

            A word of encouragement for all pastors from the writer of the book of Hebrews, which I’m sure you are familiar with, “For God is not unjust. He will not forget how hard you have worked for him and how you have shown your love to him by caring for other believers, as you still do.” (Heb. 6:10 NLT) And when Christ returns, he will bring with Him your crown of glory to lay at His feet. “And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.” (1 Pt. 5:4 ESV) Yes, your work will never be forgotten by the Lord.

(1) Pastors Share Top Reasons They’ve Considered Quitting Ministry in the Past Year – Barna Group

Devotionals

Changes in the Neighborhood

Loring Schultz

“I am the LORD, and I do not change.” Malachi 3:6a NLT

Our cell phones and computers have a way of reminding us how things have changed in our lives by the occasional pop-up feature ‘reminders of this day.’ A pop-up this morning made me realize how much the back of our property had changed along with our neighbors’ property over the last fifteen years. Pictures of the aftereffects of a snowstorm that year reveal a maple tree still standing before we had it removed. Truth be told, I was tired of racking all the leaves in the fall, but now miss the comfortable shade they brought in the summer. My nephew parked his car on our property during his high school days, he is now married with three children. There are many changes to our neighbors’ properties as well revealing the fact that nothing stays the same, especially over time.

It is also said that change is good, and that is very often true. Time alone forces change upon us whether we like it or not. The key is how do we welcome that change in our lives. Our world today is constantly changing and changing rapidly almost daily. Greek philosopher, Heraclitus of Ephesus is quoted as saying “change is the only constant in life.” It is inevitable, change will come, and we need to be ready for it.

Change is perceived as the only constant in life. We say the only thing that doesn’t change is change, it’s always changing. But the irony is to deal with change effectively you need a constant in your life, and that constant is God. God Himself said, “I am the LORD, and I do not change.” (Mal. 3:6a NLT) The Lord is aware of all the changes about to influence your life. You can count on Him to be there with His unchanging love, wisdom, protection, understanding, and help when needed. God will help you deal with all the changes in your neighborhood even when you make a mistake and cut down a shady maple tree.

Devotionals

His Healing Hand

Loring Schultz

“But when Jesus touched her hand, the fever left her. Then she got up and prepared a meal for him.” Matthew 8:15 NLT

Many families have a tradition of gathering together after Sunday church services either in the afternoon or evening. One of my fondest childhood memories is going over to our grandparents’ house after Sunday evening services. She would always have plenty of food and snacks ready for us. It would always be a good time with my brothers, sister, and cousins, especially listening to my uncle’s jokes. The gatherings have changed over the years in different forms, over distances, and certainly not as frequent. Families today will recall their own memories of their gatherings after Church services as the tradition continues.

During Jesus’ time on earth things were not all that different. People would gather together after being at the synagogue. The gospel of Mark tells us, “After Jesus left the synagogue with James and John, they went to Simon and Andrew’s home.” (Mk. 1:29) When they arrived at the home they found Peter’s mother-in-law sick with a high fever. No doubt this caused some anxious moments for the family as guests would be soon arriving. They spoke with Jesus about her condition and Jesus touched her and she was healed immediately. Scripture confirms, “Then she got up and prepared a meal for him.” (Mt. 8:15b)

Jesus’ healing hand was all that was needed to restore Peter’s mother-in-law to full health and strength. It wasn’t a gradually healing by getting her back on her feet and being able to feel one hundred percent in a couple of days. No, she was totally healed and was able to prepare a meal. Our Lord Jesus is the great physician and still works miracles of healing today according to His will. However we gather today with friends and family, as we are together may we remember His Healing Hand.

Devotionals

My Comfortable Clothes Are Good Enough

Loring Schultz

“But when the king came in to meet the guests, he noticed a man who wasn’t wearing the proper clothes for a wedding. ‘Friend,’ he asked, ‘how is it that you are here without wedding clothes?’ But the man had no reply.” Matthew 22:11-12 NLT

Photo by LOGAN WEAVER | @LGNWVR

            Most of us possess clothes while wearing them are very comfortable. Sometimes we regret even the need to remove them for washing, but it must be done. Physical clothing may not be the only clothing that is comfortable, our garments of intellect, financial success, good looks, and popularity never want to be removed even for something better. Jesus gave us parable to show us the terrible consequences of holding on to our comfortable clothes in place of what He has to offer, eternal life with Him.

            The parable is ‘The Parable of the Great Feast,’ or the ‘Wedding Feast.’ A king prepared a wedding feast for his son. After all the preparations were made, he sent out his servants to gather all those who were invited, but they all refused to come. The king was very angry and sent his servants out again to invite others, in fact they were to invite everyone they saw. “So the servants brought in everyone they could find, good and bad alike, and the banquet hall was filled with guests.” (Mt. 22:10 NLT) Jesus told this parable in reference to the Jewish religious rulers who had rejected Him as the Messiah. The king in the parable represents God the Father, the son is Jesus the Messiah, and those invited were the Jewish people of the nation Israel.

            God further extended His invitation of salvation to all people for John 1:11 says, “He came to his own people, and even they rejected him.” (NLT) Every person of all ethnicities, Jews included, male and female, black and white are invited to the wedding feast. But there is one caveat, you must remove your comfortable clothes and put on the wedding clothes the Lord has provided for you.

            In the parable, those invited the second time were given wedding clothes (God’s gift of salvation through Jesus Christ His Son), but some refused it as the previous invited guests had done. They were too comfortable in the clothes they were wearing and felt no need to change. In their minds the clothes they had on were good enough and they were good enough to attend the wedding feast. But the king gave the harsh reality of rejecting His Son, Jesus Christ, “Bind his hands and feet and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Mt. 22:13 NLT) It’s time to throw away your old comfortable clothes, they are not good enough.

Read: Matthew 22:1-14 NLT – Parable of the Great Feast – Jesus also – Bible Gateway

Devotionals

Sacred Writings from God Himself

Loring Schultz

“But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” 2 Timothy 3:13-15 NASB

Photo by Pixabay

There have been evil people, impostors and deceivers concerning spiritual matters for centuries. What is different today is the number of deceivers with their slick dialogue convincing even Christians that what is false is true, what is evil is good, and what is sin is a lifestyle. At the heart of this deception is the non-regard for “Biblical Infallibility”, the belief that the Bible is reliable and trustworthy. “To confess that the bible is infallible is to confess that the Scriptures are incapable of teaching any error. Taken in itself, this is a term that strongly presents the perfection of Scripture.” (1) Using today’s language we would say, “It is what it is.” There may be passages of scripture that we do not fully understand, subjects that make us uncomfortable, and certain commands we have a hard time following. However, it is God’s word, the Holy Scriptures from God Himself to us.

Paul, in writing to his young protégé Timothy, addressed the importance of referring to and remembering what God says in His Word in times of deception by evil men and imposters. Timothy was grounded in the scriptures from an early age by the influence of both his mother and grandmother. Paul encouraged Timothy when in doubt concerning spiritual things espoused by so-called preachers and teachers of the gospel to “continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them.” (2 Tim.3:14 NASB)

The same call goes out to us today to continue in the truth of God’s Word. As we read the Bible, let us never forget the author, who spoke what He spoke, meant what He meant, cannot be in error or change His mind, and is reliable and trustworthy. The Bible, the Word of God, is what it is, ‘sacred writings from God Himself.’

(1) https://www.ligonier.org/learn/devotionals/inspiration-infallibility-inerrancy/

Devotionals

Speaking the Truth from Sincere Hearts

Loring Schultz

 “……speaking the truth from sincere hearts”. Psalm 15:2b NLT

“Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy. So, stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body.” Ephesians 4:24-25 NLT

Photo by Gary Barnes on http://www.pexels.com 

            According to the ‘Bright Futures’ website; “an average person lies 1-2 times per day, 60% of people lie at least once in a thirty-minute conversation, men lie 6 times a day on average while women lie 3 times a day on average, and politicians lie on average once every 5 minutes during a debate.” (1)  There are many other key lying statistics, but you get the point. Speaking the truth is not always automatic, and most likely doesn’t always come from a sincere heart.

            The preceding statistics on truth-telling may not be surprising to some, but couple that with today’s muddy definition of ‘truth’ and one will wonder if anything they hear from anybody is absolute truth. The Bible says Satan is a liar, in fact he is the father of lies, and has been a liar from the beginning. I believe it is safe to say that when we lie, we are participating with Satan’s deceptive practices. So how can we separate ourselves from the temptation to ‘not exactly tell the truth’ in whatever the occasion or circumstance?

            David in Psalm 15, describing ethical integrity and moral responsibility said to speak the truth from a sincere heart. Paul, the apostle, said to the early Christians in Asia Minor, “Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.” (Eph. 4:24 NLT) Receiving Jesus Christ as your savior gives you a new nature, the old is gone. (2 Cor. 5:17) We also have changed hearts, perceiving the world through the eyes and mind of Christ, along with the Holy Scriptures enabling us to have love and compassion with a sincere heart. “So, stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body.” (Eph. 4:25 NLT) And let us always be ‘speaking the truth from sincere hearts.’

Read: Psalm 15 NLT – Psalm 15 – A psalm of David. Who may – Bible Gateway

(1) 27+ Lying Statistics: The Truth About Lying (2023) (brightfuturesny.com)

Devotionals

Speak Softly and Carry a Big Stick

Loring Schultz

“In quietness and confidence is your strength.” Isaiah 30:15 NLT

Photo by Library of Congress on Unsplash

            Many U. S. Presidents are known by their quips and quotes during the administration they served. ‘Speak softly and carry a big stick’ has become a famous quote by President Theodore Roosevelt. Spoken in a speech in 1901 describing his foreign policy, ‘Big Stick Diplomacy,’ President Roosevelt conveyed the idea of negotiating peacefully, but also letting it be known that other less lenient options were also on the table. The phrase has been implemented many times by the U. S. Government over the last one hundred and twenty years. The full statement by President Roosevelt is ‘speak softly and carry a big stick-you will go far.’

            The prophet Isaiah writes, “Only in returning to me and resting in me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence is your strength.” (Is.30:15 NLT) As Christians we understand that salvation is only of the Lord. We come humbly, in quietness and confidence in the Lord Jesus repenting of our sin receiving His forgiveness and salvation. Quietness and confidence are also seen and put into practice as our strength after our conversion to Christ.

How are we as Christians to act and present ourselves when sharing the gospel with others or are attacked for our faith in Jesus Christ? Paul gives us advice to put on the whole armor of God and stand firm. (Eph. 6:13-17) David refers many times to his confidence of the Lord’s strength in his life in the book of Psalms. Truly our strength as Christians comes from our confidence in our big stick, the Almighty, all-powerful God. Living our lives in quiet obedience to God pleases Him and sets a good example before others. We do not need to be boisterous, unruly, obnoxious, or even afraid in defending our faith. The Lord commands us to be salt and light in the world relying on strength from our quietness and confidence in Him. Speak softly and carry a big stick-you will go far!

Devotionals

What do you need to bury out of sight-out of mind?  

Loring Schultz

“So, they gave Jacob all their pagan idols and earrings, and he buried them under the great tree near Shechem.” Genesis 35:4 NLT

Photo by Daniel Lincoln on Unsplash

            During our forty-four years of marriage, my wife and I have done some serious parting away from things we have collected over the years. There is always some disagreement on what we should keep and what gets trashed or donated. It usually falls in the category of sentimental value. Admittedly, even though I hold to the rule, ‘if we didn’t use it in a year, we don’t need it’, I find myself desiring to hold on to something I find sentimental. But there are some things despite being sentimental that just must go.

            It had been approximately ten years since Jacob and his family left Paddan-aram and his Uncle Laban to the land God promised them. God had instructed Jacob to take his family to Bethel, settle there, and build an alter to the Lord. Before doing so “Jacob told everyone in his household, ‘Get rid of all your pagan idols.’” (Gen. 35:2a NLT) Apparently, they had some items they should have parted with when they left Paddan-aram or at least on the way but still held on to them. Perhaps they were sentimental in nature, but most likely coming from a pagan culture, they were items of superstition and replicas of idol worship. They were about to witness the renewal of the covenant at Bethel and needed to purify themselves and get rid of all remaining traces of idols, sentimental or not. The Bible says they gave Jacob all their pagan idols and earrings and he buried them out of sight.

            As Christians we need to be careful that we are not holding on to something from our past we should have buried when we started our journey walking with Jesus. These may be material things of sentiment or habits we keep around finding them hard to part with. There may be other things we have picked up along the way that are displeasing to God. Over time we will begin to realize these things are bringing us down, hurting our walk with God, and hindering our service to Him. So, what do you need to bury? Let us bury our worthless sentimental idols and habits out of sight as Jacob did, ‘out of sight-out of mind.’  

Read: Genesis 35:1-15 NLT – Jacob’s Return to Bethel – Then God – Bible Gateway

Devotionals

Rejecting the Cornerstone of Salvation         

Loring Schultz

“For Jesus is the one referred to in the Scriptures, where it says, ‘The stone that you builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.’ There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:11-12 NLT

Photo by Clay LeConey on Unsplash

            The cornerstone, also called a foundational or setting stone, is the first stone set in building a brick or stone structure. Building then begins by placing bricks and stones around and on top of the foundational stone to secure a strong structure. The cornerstone must be free from defect and perfectly placed to avoid future collapse of the structure due to tilting. The term cornerstone is used several times in Scripture. In the New Testament it is applied to Jesus as being the cornerstone of salvation.

            Jesus used this term referring to Himself as He rebuked the religious rulers once again in a parable. Quoting from the book of Psalms Jesus said to them, “Didn’t you ever read this in the Scriptures? ‘The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone. This is the LORD’s doing, and it is wonderful to see.’” (Mt. 21:42 NLT) Jesus condemned the religious rulers for rejecting Him as the only way to God, the way of salvation. The religious rulers were the wicked tenant farmers in Jesus’s parable who killed the landowner’s servants and his son to gain control of the vineyard. Jesus said to them, “I tell you, the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation that will produce the proper fruit.” (Mt. 21:43 NLT)

            Jesus Christ is the cornerstone of our salvation. Salvation is only through Him. He is the solid rock on which our salvation stands. Those who reject Him are rejecting the only sure foundation for securing eternal life. Jesus is the perfectly place setting stone. All other placed stones of good works and religious practices will crumble under the weight of self-righteousness. Do not allow your self-righteousness to continue rejecting Jesus, the cornerstone of salvation.

Read: Matthew 21:33-46 NLT – Parable of the Evil Farmers – “Now – Bible Gateway

Devotionals

Spiritual Malnutrition

Loring Schultz

“When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, LORD God Almighty.” Jeremiah 15:16 NIV

Photo by Rod Long on Unsplash

            Statistics as recently as 2019 note 8.9% of the world’s population 690 million people are undernourished. The same statistics list 10,000 children dying daily due to poor nutrition. Those statistics are difficult to accept in the modern world we live in, but nevertheless they are pretty accurate. Daily intake of food provides the nourishment we need to survive. The largest percentage of malnutrition in the world comes from underdeveloped Third World countries. Many government programs and humanitarian organizations worldwide are administering aid to these nations but much more needs to be done. Individual Christians and the local church need to step up in assisting with this great of malnutrition.

            Just as lack of daily food causes malnutrition and death around the world over a period, lack of daily spiritual food (God’s Word) for the Christian results in spiritual malnutrition. Especially for the new believer it is vital to take in the spiritual milk of the Word. “Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation.” (1 Pt. 2:2 NIV) After spiritual milk of the Word as you grow in Christ it’s then time for solid food. As a newborn grows, they need the nourishment from solid foods for continued growth and survival. Sadly, many Christians stop feeding on the Bible after receiving the initial stages of spiritual milk stopping the growth process and becoming spiritually undernourished. The apostle Paul scolded the people in the church at Corinth for doing just that, “I had to feed you with milk, not with solid food, because you weren’t ready for anything stronger. And you still aren’t ready.” (1 Cor. 3:2 NLT)

            Malnutrition in the world today is tragic and certainly does not need to be the case. Spiritual malnutrition is also avoidable with an estimated 5-7 billion copies of the Bible sold in over 2,000 languages, along with easy access through the internet today and apps on your cell phone. There is plenty of spiritual food available for every Christian. Spiritual growth is vital for every believer in Christ. Growing spiritually in Christ involves a daily diet of God’s Word, prayer, and gathering with brothers and sisters in Christ. Following this three-step approach will keep us from spiritual malnutrition and we will be able to say with the prophet Jeremiah, “When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, LORD God Almighty.” (Jer. 15:16 NIV)

Photo by Debby Ledet on Unsplash

Read Hebrews 5:11-14, A Call to Spiritual Growth: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews%205%3A11-14&version=NLT