Tag: God

Devotionals

Matthew’s Gospel; Prophecy Fulfilled 

Loring Schultz

“Rejoice, O people of Zion! Shout in triumph, O people of Jerusalem! Look, your king is coming to you. He is righteous and victorious, yet he is humble, riding on a donkey—riding on a donkey’s colt.” Zechariah 9:9 NLT

            The result of the 2020 Untied States Presidential election is still being disputed some three years later. The media and politicians are labeling those who disagree with the outcome as ‘election deniers.’ The deniers’ rejections are founded on witness statements, number of ballets casts in conjunction with voter rolls, missing ballets, voter machine irregularities, mail-in ballots, and other missteps by election officials. Those who accept the results claim the lack of evidence to irregularities or misconduct proves the election is valid. I suppose it will continue to be disputed for years to come for we live in an imperfect and fallen world, and as much as we try to get things right our fallen nature always gets in the way.

            The gospel of Matthew was written by one of Jesus’s followers, and it bears his name the disciple Matthew. The book’s main purpose is to prove Jesus as the Jewish Messiah, the King of the Jews to a Jewish audience. Just as in our day there were those who rejected Jesus as King, the Jewish Messiah who was to come. We could call them ‘prophecy deniers.’ They rejected Jesus who had been prophesized to come all throughout the Old Testament. The disciple John wrote, “He came to his own people, and even they rejected him.” (Jn. 1:11 NLT)

            Matthew presented plenty of evidence from the Old Testament in his writing starting with Jesus’s genealogy proving His royal lineage. In Matthew 21 we have an undeniable prophecy seen and fulfilled as Jesus rode into Jerusalem on what is known as Holy Week. From the Old Testament book of Zechariah, Matthew records the events from that day which was prophesized years before. “Tell the people of Jerusalem, ‘Look, your King is coming to you. He is humble, riding on a donkey—riding on a donkey’s colt.’” (Mt. 21:5 NLT)

            Though we may have difficulties in our fallen world to find and prove evidence which cannot be disputed, there is plenty of evidence in the pages of the Old Testament proving that Jesus is the Jewish Messiah, the King of the Jews and the Savior of the world. Will you continue to be a ‘prophecy denier’ if you tend to be one, or will you trust the findings in Scripture which are true and infallible and accept Him as your Savior, Lord, and King.  

Read Matthew 21:1-11 Jesus’ Triumphant Entry, Prophecy Fulfilled: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+21%3A1-11&version=NLT

Devotionals

Who Do You Go To When You Are Distressed?

Loring Schultz

“In my distress I prayed to the LORD, and the LORD answered me and set me free.” Psalm 118:5 NLT

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

            There are not two people living on this earth who are exactly alike. Even identical twins with many similarities have differences between them. There is no one who has your fingerprints, they are yours and yours alone. Your emotions, characteristics, and your stress level are also yours and yours alone. Certain social and economic structures, worldwide events, natural disasters, and environmental issues may cause like symptoms of stress between individuals, but each reacts according to their own specific blueprint. Each one, if need be, seeks out professional help in dealing with the stress in their life as it effects them directly. But there is one professional who is able to meet everyone’s stress level as only He can, the Lord God.

            Please note I am not suggesting professional help is not necessary, I thank the Lord for the professional and medical experts He has blessed us with and they are to be of service to us using the talents and wisdom God has given them. Having said that, just as you would visit a doctor who specializes in treating your specific need, the Lord God knows you intimately and is able to comfort you when feeling distressed. The pressures of the world that come upon us can make us feel like everything is against us. But Psalm 118:6-7 says, “The LORD is for me, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me? Yes, the LORD is for me; he will help me. I will look in triumph at those who hate me.” (NLT)

             The Lord wants us to look to Him in our times of distress in this world. He wants us to trust Him over people giving us advice or governing authorities who do have our best interests at heart. So who do you go to when you are distressed? By all means get the professional help you need, and more importantly go to the Lord in prayer trusting Him to help and guide you in your distress.

Read the text Psalm 118:5-9: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+118%3A5-9&version=NLT

Devotionals

Surely a ‘dumb move’

Loring Schultz

“I will hear what God the LORD will say; For He will speak peace to His people, to His godly ones; But let them not turn back to folly.” Psalm 85:8 NASB

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            We have all done foolish things. I hate to think back of all the foolish things I’ve done, and pray they are not brought back to memory by anyone I know. But there are some things you just cannot forget. The foolish things we’ve done without any evil intent but out of what we would say was a ‘dumb move’ may be looked at, even by God, as just an embarrassment. And yes that seems bad enough, but not as bad as sinning against God which is evil and foolish, and definitely a dumb move.

            Psalm 85, A Psalm of the sons of Korah, is a prayer and a plea for pardon from the Lord. The Jews had returned from their exile in Babylon due to their many sins and turning away from God. The Lord graciously had mercy on Israel allowing them to return to the land after seventy years. The psalmist prayed that God had forgiven their sins in the past and withdrew His anger from them. Now that they are back in the land, they pray once again for forgiveness, restoration, and for God to remove His anger. There is a pause in the prayer to hear from the Lord with confidence that it will be a message of peace. Verse 8 of Psalm 85 says, “I will hear what God the LORD will say; For He will speak peace to His people, to His godly ones; But let them not turn back to folly.” The Psalmist is certain God will be faithful to His people in His forgiveness, but is careful to add they remain faithful to God and not turn again to their folly (sin).

            Our God is a God of grace and mercy and is able and willing to forgive our foolish sins against Him. But let us be careful as we confess our sins that we do not go back to repeat them again and again, “Like a dog that returns to its vomit is a fool who repeats his folly.” (Pr. 26:11) Surely a ‘dumb move.’

Read Psalm 85, Prayer for God’s Mercy upon the Nation: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+85&version=NASB1995

Devotionals

For the Sake of the Call

Loring Schultz

“Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.” Matthew 4:21-22 NIV

In the year 1990, Christian music artist Steven Curtis Chapman illustrated what it cost to be a follower of Jesus through the lyrics he wrote and setting it to music in “For the Sake of the Call.” The story of four fishermen giving up their only means of support to follow Jesus is found in the book Matthew chapter 4 in the New Testament. Jesus was in the beginning of His public ministry and had now moved on to Capernaum. Seeing Simon Peter, his brother Andrew along with James and John at work in their trade, Jesus called them to leave it all behind and follow Him. He would make them fishers of men. We read their response was immediate. They left it all. James and John even left their father in the boat. A radical move to say the least.

Steven Curtis Chapman put it this way;

“Empty nets lying there at the water’s edge
Told a story that few could believe
And none could explain
How some crazy fishermen agreed to go where Jesus lead
With no thought to what they would gain
For Jesus had called them by name
And they answered…

We will abandon it all for the sake of the call
No other reason at all but the sake of the call
Wholly devoted to live and to die for the sake of the call
The sake of the call” (1)

When the Lord calls us today, how do we respond? Are we willing to leave it all behind and serve the Lord where He calls us? He may not be calling you into full time service, but make no mistake, the Lord has a special calling for each one of us to serve Him where he has placed us. We are to answer the call and abandon all this world has to offer FOR THE SAKE OF THE CALL.

(1) Steven Curtis Chapman, “For the Sake of the Call” Sparrow Records, 1990.

Read the story: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%204%3A12-22&version=NIV

Devotionals

Have your considered my servant?

Loring Schultz

“Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.” Job 1:8 NIV

How well do you handle adversity? The troubles that come into your life will determine your relationship with God by how you will react. Do you seek after God during a personal crisis for comfort and guidance, or do you blame God and demand an answer, even cursing God for the tragedies that are occurring? Those of us who are Christians are reminded, that no matter how hard it can be to accept, God is in control. He allows the events in our lives to happen to draw us closer to Him and for His Glory.

            We are given a glimpse of this reality in the book of Job. A conversation between God and Satan is unveiled in the first chapter of Job, verses 6-12. “Then the LORD said to Satan, ‘Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.’” Satan, the adversary, accuses Job of being upright only due to the fact that God has bless him tremendously. He goes on to say if the Lord would stretch out his hand against him, then Job would curse God to His face. Satan is given the go ahead.

            Unimaginable physical pain and suffering, along with the loss of his family and all his possessions is most likely the worst experience anyone ever encountered. As you read through the book of Job, you will find that Job, although very distraught at his suffering, never curses God, never loses his faith in God, and remains blameless and upright.

            The Lord could say to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job,” because He knew Job could be trusted in following through continuing to trust God. The question is; can you and I be trusted to follow through continuing to trust God during our trails and suffering? Can the Lord say, ‘Have you considered my servant’ (your name here)?

Bible Studies

“Remembrance; Your Memorial Stones” Conquering New Territory: The Book of Joshua (….through faith, courage, obedience, and devotion to the Word of God)

Loring Schultz

“So the men did as Joshua had commanded them. They took twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan River, one for each tribe, just as the LORD had told Joshua. They carried them to the place where they camped for the night and constructed the memorial there.” Joshua 4:8 NLT

            Here in the United States, a day of remembrance, Memorial Day, is commemorated for those who have sacrificed their lives in serving their country. Patriots Day is recognized on September 11th each year as a memorial and remembrance to all who lost their lives in the 9/11 terrorist attack. Both have been put in place to remind us to ‘never forget.’ Remembrances and memorials are not only reserved for tragic events but also for major accomplishments throughout the world bringing inspiration and encouragement to all who take part in them. Remembrance in its proper context to ‘never forget’ teaches us there is something of value, something of extreme importance that cannot be ignored, but will enrich our lives with reverence and truth.

            Here on this page we have been addressing conquering new territory in our lives the last couple of Sundays from the book of Joshua. We saw when we find ourselves in difficult new territory it requires us to be strong and courageous, to not overlook anyone God has place in our lives to help, and to make a total commitment to God to go ahead with His plan. Along the way God is going to start to do some amazing things in your transition to your new territory. It is during these events you need to take notice of God’s hand at work and start picking up your memorial stones.

            The Israelites experienced the miracle of crossing the Jordan River on dry ground after God caused the waters to backup and separate creating a pathway to the other side. God was at work fulfilling His promise to them in providing the means they could not possibly accomplish on their own. The Lord then instructed Joshua to select twelve men, one from each tribe of Israel, to pick up a stone from the middle of the river where the priests were standing carrying the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord. He was to build a memorial from the stones for remembrance of what the Lord had done for them. Future generations will ask of the significance of the stones learning of God’s magnificent power and His provisions for His people He called to new territory.

            God’s plans are always exact and according to His timetable. Scripture says, “The people crossed the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month. Then they camped at Gilgal, just east of Jericho.” (Jos. 4:19 NLT) The Israelites arrived in the Promised Land exactly forty years from when they left the bondage of Egypt. The tenth day of the first month was the day the Passover lamb was to be selected for the Passover on the fourteenth day. Forty years earlier, they celebrated the first Passover sprinkling the blood on the doorposts as the destroying angel passed by. They were now brought safely to the Promised Land by the hand of the Lord.

            You may feel like you are going through forty years in the wilderness in the adjustments to your new circumstances. But rest assured God is in control. He has His timetable and it needs no adjustments. It is during times like these you need to have complete trust in Him and remember what he has done for you so far. Start piling up your stones of remembrance building that memorial for you and others to look on and discover what great things God has done for you. Your memorial stones are also serve as a reminder for all to fear (have great reverence) for God. “He did this so all the nations of the earth might know that the LORD’s hand is powerful, and so you might fear the LORD your God forever.” (Jos. 4:24 NLT)

            All your stones may not be the same in size, but when they are placed together in God’s timing they will form a perfect mosaic of His will, His provisions, His love, His grace, and His mercy. Start gathering your stones, there may be more of them than you realize.

Read Joshua 4 Memorials to the Jordan Crossing: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Joshua+4&version=NLT

Devotionals

Do Not Fear; ‘Be still, and know that I am God!’

Loring Schultz

“Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.” Psalm 46:10 NLT

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            There has always been conflicts and war between the nations of the world since the days of the Old Testament. Our world is broken and is suffering the consequences of sin. War is one of those consequences. It is inevitable that skirmishes will result when sinful people are in disagreement with each other. Not being held in check, these disagreements eventually lead to outbursts of anger, violence toward your adversary, and eventually war between nations.

            The world today in 2023 is experiencing war on several fronts. Ukraine and Russia are at war since the Russians invaded Ukraine in February, 2022, and most recently the terrorists group Hamas invaded and struck Israel who has now declared war on Hamas. Wars today as they were in Bible times are still going on, and will continue to go on until Jesus rules on the earth in the millennial kingdom. So what are we to do in the meantime, in these days of war, ‘do not fear.’

            The Lord God declares something that is extremely important for us to understand in our day. The Lord says in Psalm 46, “Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.” God wants us to know that He alone is God and to be still, trusting Him, and not to fear. The day is coming when every nation will honor the Lord; Russia, Ukraine, Israel, the United States, China, Iran, North and South Korea, and every other nation on the planet. The Lord God will also be honored throughout the whole world by every person when Christ rules in His kingdom.

            So let us take heart and not fear trusting God that He indeed is God, better days are ahead, and wars will cease. Let us also pray for those caught in the war zones during these troubling times. May we also pray for peace and safety, for courage and wisdom for the governmental leaders, and for God’s Word to go out bringing comfort to all through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Read Psalm 46: Psalm 46 NLT – Psalm 46 – For the choir director: A – Bible Gateway

Devotionals

No Excuse

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

Devotionals

Comforting the Brokenhearted

Loring Schultz

“The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.” Psalm 34:18 NLT

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            I can say with confidence that there is not one person alive today who has not had their heart broken. If by chance you claim you have not, the Lord bless you but keep on reading for that day will come. Brokenheartedness is set in motion for many different reasons. The death of a loved one, the loss of a of budding relationship, a marriage ending in divorce, the need to move away from your family, the loss of a job, rejection by your children or parents, and loneliness are just a few of the causes of a broken heart.

            King David penned Psalm 34 exalting God with praise and thanksgiving and stressing the goodness of the Lord. David is one who has had a broken heart on more than one occasion. The death of his best friend Jonathan, the rejection by King Saul and his desire to kill David, the death of David’s first child with Bathsheba, and the rebellion and death of his son Absalom are examples of David’s firsthand knowledge of brokenheartedness. Yet David was always ready to praise the Lord and seek Him for he knew only the Lord can bring comfort to a broken heart.

            To those of you who may be brokenhearted today and your spirit crushed, we have a great comforter in the Lord Jesus Christ. Isaiah prophesized of His coming, referring to Christ, Isaiah wrote “He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed.” (Is. 61:1b NLT) Jesus does indeed comfort those with a broken heart. He came to release us from the captivity of sin by dying on the cross for our guilt. He has set us free, but not to be on our own. He is with us promising never to leave us or forsake us and that includes comforting us when we are brokenhearted.

Read Psalm 34, In Praise of God’s Goodness: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+34&version=GNT

Devotionals

Guard your smartphone

Loring Schultz

“Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.” Proverbs 4:23 NLT

“Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.” 1 Peter 5:8 NLT

            Dr. Erwin Lutzer in his book ‘The Church in Babylon’ wrote the following, “Maintaining mental and spiritual purity while surrounded by the temptations of technology thrusts us into a new level of satanic warfare…….Satan has marked technology as his territory. He says, ‘This is mine; here I rule.’” Living in the 21st century without the use of technology is, for all practical purposes, impossible. So what’s a Christian to do?

            Centuries ago King Solomon gave us the answer in one of his many proverbs. “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.” (Pr. 4:23) But how is one to guard their heart when even the prophet Jeremiah said, “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?” (Jer. 17:9) On our own we cannot accomplish this, but through Jesus Christ and His Spirit within us, all things are possible. All things have become new for the Christian, but we still have the sin nature. Our sin nature will continually try to draw us away from mental and spiritual purity if we let our guard down.

            Keeping our guard up involves being aware of everything that is able to distract us by keeping us away from the things of God. Today’s technology in all its forms is most likely the biggest culprit with our smartphones at the top of the list. For most of us, myself included, our smartphones have become our hearts (determining the course of our life). How well do we guard our smartphones? Are we using them as the necessity of life in our modern times or are we allowing them to become a distraction to all that is important? Are we using them for God’s glory or our own pleasure? Are we aware of the tendencies of Satan prowling around the internet and social media looking to devour us?

            May we continue to look to God thanking Him for the usefulness in the gains of technology to better our lives and promote the gospel, and may we continue to ask Him to help us guard our hearts by guarding our smartphones.