Tag: God

Devotionals

Waiting for an answer

Loring Schultz

“Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear.” Isaiah 65:24 NIV

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How frustrating it is to be waiting for an answer. Depending on your circumstances the frustration level will vary. Waiting for the results of a medical procedure will increase your anxiety. A slow response from a potential employer will overshadow other job opportunities to be explored. Anticipation builds as you wait to receive your final grades towards your goal of graduation from a major university. Wouldn’t it be nice to receive our answers in a timely manner, better yet, to have them beforehand? Before we schedule that medical test, before we take that final exam, or before we apply for that position. Well, it is possible when we bring our requests before the Lord.

There are several passages in Scripture concerning God’s hearing and answering prayers. Isaiah writes that the Lord says, “Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear.” (Is.65:24 niv) God is saying before we even ask Him in prayer, the answer is already on the way. As Jesus taught His disciples to pray, he told them, “….  for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” (Mt.6:8 niv) Before the thought of what we need to ask for comes to our mind, the Lord is already aware. David writes in Psalm 139, “You know what I am going to say even before I say it, LORD.” (Ps.139:4 nlt) God knows everything we think and are going to say before we say it, especially in prayer. The Lord heard and answered King Hezekiah’s prayer as he was told he was about to die. “Go and tell Hezekiah, ‘This is what the LORD, the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will add fifteen years to your life.’” (Is.38:5 niv) Hezekiah did not need to wait very long for an answer. It came rather quickly.

Now there may be times when the answers to our prayers do not come immediately. But that is not an indication that God did not hear or did not answer. One of God’s answers to us is not one we like to hear, but He did answer. The answer is ‘wait.’ We can be confident that God hears and answers our prayers. Yes, sometimes we need to wait for the answer to arrive, but the Lord has already answered that prayer before we even called on Him.

Devotionals

The Wisdom of the Wise

Loring Schultz

“Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you. Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful.” 1 Corinthians 1:26-27 NLT

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The world has been blessed by those gifted with intelligence. Inventions throughout the centuries have enriched our way of life. Educators have instructed us to learn from the past and prepare for the future (if we chose to listen and learn.) Advances in modern day technology have simplified the complicated. The medical field along with the world of science have made life-changing discoveries in recent years. Truly we are blessed with such intelligence. Intelligence that comes from our creator, the Lord God.

Although for some intellectuals their intellect becomes their own demise. They rely totally on what is sound, reasonable, and trustworthy according to their own findings. Leaving out any possibility for God in the study of the earth, the universe, medical procedures, and human nature. Their scientific approach leaves them totally depended on their own minds. The results are based solely on man’s knowledge and ability. This is especially true when it comes to spiritual matters concerning the God of universe and His plan for salvation. There is no knowledge of God, or His love, His holy word, or His judgments. Heaven and hell is considered a myth, and there is no recognition of His continual work of sustaining the earth and the universe. It appears as foolishness to those who consider themselves wise or intelligent.  

But notice what Paul writes to the Corinthian church, “God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful.” (1Cor.1:27 nlt) Salvation is a gift of God by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. It most likely sounds unrealistic, childish, and yes even foolish to those who pride themselves as being ever informed and constantly seeking to better themselves and society at large. Assuredly it is neither unrealistic nor foolish, but it is the truth about God and His love for us. 

“Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never know him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save those who believe.” (1Cor.1:21 nlt) If you are one of the wise who need the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ listen to the foolish preaching of those God has chosen. If you are one of the foolish and powerless, be encouraged that you are being used by God bringing the wise to salvation.

Read: 1 corinthians 1 NLT – Greetings from Paul – This letter is – Bible Gateway

Devotionals

Trust in your money and down you go!

Loring Schultz

“Trust in your money and down you go! But the godly flourish like leaves in spring.” Proverbs 11:28 NLT

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Money is a wonderful thing. Used in a proper manner it meets the needs of individuals, families, businesses, governments, and keeps the economy of each nation and the global economy running smoothly. At least, that is how it is meant to work. Improper use such as overspending for individuals who continue to live outside their means, and the government continuing to print money is not only trusting in money, but trusting in money either of them has. It is foolish guaranteed to have a tragic end, It comes down to lack of discipline and convincing yourself you never have enough to meet your needs. If you are trusting in money instead of God to take of you, take heed to this wise proverb by King Solomon, “Trust in your money and down you go!” (Pr.11:28a nlt)

The Lord God is more than capable to meet our needs. Jesus in His Sermon on the Mount said the following, “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’  These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” (Mt.6:31-33 nlt) Our Lord wants us to trust in Him and not our money. He wants us to desire Him and His kingdom living righteously, and He will bless us accordingly. Solomon was also aware of this when he wrote, “But the godly flourish like leaves in spring.” (Pr.11:28b nlt)

For the Christian, our trust is to be in God who owns everything. He is never in short supply and will grant us what is needed when it is needed. The snare of trusting in money is ever before us in our current day. Our culture demands that we need certain things essential to life itself, but a closer look at them and we see we can get along fine without them. When we trust in the Lord to meet our essential needs, He will. When we trust in our money for the things we think we need to survive in life, it will soon evaporate and down we go! During my career when I would be concerned about financial matters the Lord would remind me with this verse that He supplies our needs, “It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to his loved ones” (Ps.127:2 nlt) Yes, we are to work, but to also live within our means and God will supply.

Read: Proverbs 11:24-28 NLT – Give freely and become more wealthy; be – Bible Gateway

A Christian Perspective

God, the ultimate judge will overturn all injustices

Loring Schultz

“If they twist justice in the courts—doesn’t the Lord see all these things? Who can command things to happen without the Lord’s permission?” Lamentations 3:36-37 NLT

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The United States of America prides itself as having the worlds best justice system. As the motto states, ‘lady justice is blind.’ The justice system does not show partiality or judge on appearance. Over the last decade that motto has been challenged by some of the court decisions from both the state and federal courts. Recent rulings have shown that prejudice and bias have made their way into the judicial system of America. Having made note of that, most verdicts from juries of the American people and from the bench are just, but lady justice is starting to let her blindfold slip and looking around is persuaded by what she sees.

For the Christian living in America or anywhere else in the world we are assured that God is the ultimate judge. The psalmist writes, “But the LORD reigns forever, executing judgment from his throne. He will judge the world with justice and rule the nations with fairness.” (Ps.9:7-8 nlt) No unjust verdict is sent down without His knowledge and He will execute His righteous judgement in His good time. God will overturn all injustices and make all things right in His heavenly kingdom.

The United States is struggling with the divisions in the nation cause by prejudices and biases. Laws are being enacted either by legislation or executive order, deepening the divide and blurring the vision of what is right and wrong, furthering confusion in the judicial system. Our responsibility as Christians is to pray for all those in authority over us. May we pray for wisdom, a spirit to work together for the sake of the people, and justice to be done in every court case. The Lord is going to clear the slate one day overturning all injustices. Why don’t we decide to get a head start. 

“Tell all the nations, ‘The LORD reigns!’ The world stands firm and cannot be shaken. He will judge all peoples fairly……for he is coming! He is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with justice, and the nations with his truth.” (Ps.96:10, 13 nlt)

Devotionals

Obey me, and I will be your God

Loring Schultz

“This is what I told them: ‘Obey me, and I will be your God, and you will be my people. Do everything as I say, and all will be well!’” Jeremiah 7:23 NLT

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Do you believe in God? If your answer is yes, do you want Him to be your God? You may be a bit confused at this point, but just think it through. Just because you say you believe in God is He really your God or just one of many. Is He in competition with your career, your spouse, your vacation home, automobile, boat, or your favorite sports team? Does He hold first place on every shelf in your life, and do you obey Him wholeheartedly in everything you do? If not, then He is your God in name only.

The Lord speaking through the prophet Jeremiah to the nation of Israel says, “…. Obey me, and I will be your God, and you will be my people. Do everything as I say, and all will be well!” (Jer.7:23 nlt) This is what the Lord God wanted Israel to do when He led them out of Egypt. He didn’t want their offerings or their sacrifices, he only wanted their obedience. They believed in God, but also had other gods from the desires of their hearts to put alongside the God of heaven. Over time these idols, other gods, began to push the true God out of their lives. The Lord God says of them, “This is the nation whose people will not obey the LORD their God and who refuse to be taught. Truth has vanished from among them; it is no longer heard on their lips.” (Jer.7:28 nlt)

God is not to be the top rung on the ladder of our gods. He is the whole latter from top to bottom and our access to eternal life through Jesus Christ His Son. There is no other way of salvation and there are no other gods able to bring us satisfaction and joy in this life than the true God of heaven. The Lord is not pleased with our misguided thinking that God is our God simply for our weekly church attendance or our five-minute prayers. He wants us to be totally obedient to Him and to have no other gods before Him, the first commandment. Believe God when He says, ‘Obey me, and I will be your God’ and know for sure that He is.

Read: Jeremiah 7:21-29 NLT – This is what the LORD of Heaven’s – Bible Gateway

Devotionals

Stubbornness

Loring Schultz

“The LORD is good to those who depend on him, to those who search for him. So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the LORD.” Lamentations 3:25-26 NLT

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Are you one to do it yourself? Even when you come upon difficulty and the YouTube videos weren’t much help, do you stubbornly say, I can do it when you know you can’t. You still refuse to ask for help. Perhaps this is more about pride than stubbornness. Both are not good qualities for a follower of Jesus.

I had such an experience the other morning when attempting to complete a government form on-line. Although I read and re-read the instructions it wouldn’t let me proceed past the first page. I must have been doing something wrong, but the more I reviewed it the more I determined I became there must be a glitch in the system. After printing out the forms to fill out and send by snail mail, I realized that is not what I wanted to do time wise. So, I stubbornly tried again to complete it over the web with the same results. Then I did something I should have done at the first sign of trouble, pray. Not only did I pray, but the Lord reminded me of the morning verse on my Bible app that day, “The LORD is good to those who depend on him, to those who search for him. So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the LORD.” (Lam.3:25-26 nlt) The new result was successful when I used the browser that was recommended by the government site. Yes, I read and re-read that, but I guess my stubbornness got in the way.

The Lord desires that we all depend on Him. Yes, He does give us skills and wisdom for our use, but there are times when He just wants us to go to Him for guidance and assurance. It may be His way of testing us if we are going to ask Him for help, or in our stubbornness say ‘I got this’ even though we don’t. The Lord is always good to us as we ask Him for help. You may as well ask Him when you need help because He already knows you can’t do it. Don’t let your stubbornness get in the way.

Devotionals

The Great Commandment

Loring Schultz

“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” Deuteronomy 6: 4-5 ESV

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“You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.” Leviticus 19:18 ESV

Throughout Holy Scripture there are many commandments put before us to be obeyed and followed. Contrary to the belief of some, there are more than ten. They are spread out in both the Old and New Testaments of the Bible. God, in His Word, has given us detailed instructions on how we should live. He has also given us detailed information about His Son, Jesus, in the both the Old and New Testaments, detailed enough that there should be no question as to who Jesus is. He is the Savoir of each one who puts their trust in Him for Salvation.

Of all the commandments in the Bible, there is only one that is the greatest, The Great Commandment. Jesus, when asked by a clever lawyer of the Pharisees which is the greatest commandment in the Law, quoted from the Old Testament, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment.” (Mt.22:37-38 esv) Notice it was not only the “Great” but the “First” commandment. Jesus didn’t stop there but went on to quote more scripture, this time from the Old Testament book of Leviticus. “And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Mt.22:39 esv) Jesus wraps up His answer by saying, “On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” (Mt.22:40 esv)

The question we all need to honestly ask ourselves is this; do I love the Lord God with all my heart and soul? Being totally honest may hurt as we discover the word “all” means “all.” There should be nothing in our lives that would turn the “all” in our love for God into “most of time, or less.” As we struggle with that question towards God, we will also find ourselves struggling with that question towards our neighbor.

The greatest commandment God has given us is to love Him with all our being and left to ourselves that is impossible to accomplish. But those of us who accepted Christ as Savior have the presence of the Holy Spirit. Let us pray for His help in loving the Lord God with all our heart and with all our soul and our neighbor as ourselves, for this is the great commandment.  

A Christian Perspective

Male and Female: God’s Perfect Design

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

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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

Victory by Submission           

Loring Schultz

 “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” Matthew 26:39b NLT

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To submit is to show a sign of weakness. It usually ends in defeat when yielding your control to others, at least that is how the world sees it. The world is not entirely wrong in their assessment. Submitting yourself to the control of someone else guarantees your willingness to accept all that is involved in your submission including the outcome. People submit themselves to various causes and the control of others for all sorts of reasons, most of them voluntarily, unfortunately in our current day many are forced into submission through abusive circumstances. But there is always victory by submission if done in God’s will and according to His Word.

When the Bible speaks of submission it is mostly in the context of being in the will of the Lord, such as in working and serving, “Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh.” (1Pt.2:18 nkjv) Also in relation to governing authorities, “Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority,” (1Pt.2:13 niv) And being submissive to our spiritual leaders, “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls.” (Heb.13:17 esv) And most of all to submit to God, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (Jas.4:7 esv)

All the above are examples for us as Christians to follow in being submissive to the will of God. Our Lord Jesus gives us the greatest example of submission, by submitting to the will of His Father which resulted in total victory over death for Him and all of us who accept Him for salvation. In the garden of Gethsemane just hours before His crucifixion Jesus submitted to His Fathers will by saying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” (Mt.26:39b nlt)

Jesus submitted to God’s plan for salvation for us even though it meant His suffering. With His submission victory was assured. Many of us have a cup of suffering that is place before us, and we like Jesus ask that it might be taken away from us. But how many of us like Jesus are willing to say, ‘Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.’ Submitting to God’s plan is the only way to ultimate victory.

Read: Matthew 26:36-46 NLT – Jesus Prays in Gethsemane – Then Jesus – Bible Gateway

Devotionals

You are at Home with the Lord

Loring Schultz

“I promise you what I promised Moses: ‘Wherever you set foot, you will be on land I have given you.’” Joshua 1:3 NLT

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Whenever a Christian loved one passes away, we say they have gone home to be with the Lord. There are no truer words than those, and when spoken they provide comfort and eventually closure to the grieving family. Our loved ones are forever home in the presence of Jesus after their journey here on earth. But, in reality, they had been at home with the Lord while here on earth as is every believer in Jesus Christ.

The Lord informed Joshua as he was about to enter the Promised Land that wherever he went after he crossed the Jordan River would be land God had given him. “I promise you what I promised Moses: ‘Wherever you set foot, you will be on land I have given you.’” (Jos.1:3 nlt) Joshua would be home. He would be where God had promised he would be, in the land God had given him. As Joshua walked with the Lord by his side in the land, he was home.

Christians today do not need to wait until they pass away to be home with the Lord. This world may not be our home, but our abode on this earth is with Christ. We are at home with Him. Paul tells us, “Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you?” (1Cor.3:16 nlt) And the writer of Hebrews says, “……God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’” (Heb.13:5 niv) If you have accepted Christ as your personal savior, you can be as confident as Joshua walking through the Promised Land that you are at home with the Lord.