Tag: God’s Faithfulness

Devotionals

A Sure Thing; God’s Faithfulness

Loring Schultz

“The faithful love of the LORD never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.” Lamentations 3:22-23 NLT

Photo by yukari harada on Unsplash

Today is the first day of spring in the northern hemisphere. It may not feel like spring in some areas, but it is spring just the same. We can count on the fact that throughout all history, the changing of seasons arrive right on time according to schedule. God’s schedule. He has been faithful in the change of the seasons never being early or late, but right on schedule. It’s a sure thing. God is faithful.

It’s nice to have things we can count on. Better yet, a person we can count on to always be there when we need them, one who is truly faithful in all things. Our closest friends, family members, even our spouses, as much as they have good intentions to be there fall short of our expectations. Perhaps there are times we expect too much, but even so, none of us can achieve a 100% record of being faithful even to ones we love. We don’t like to be disappointed or be a disappointment to others. We count on each other to be there for us. But we’re looking for a sure thing. God is the person we should be looking for in our lives. He will always be there, and He is always faithful. We can count on Him when others, including ourselves, fail to be as faithful as we should be.

The prophet Jeremiah writes in Lamentations that God’s love is faithful meaning that it never ends. He is faithful in His mercy displayed on us, and He is faithful to give us fresh new mercies as each day dawns. Today is the beginning of many blessings and mercies the Lord will grant to us during this spring season. May we praise Him for His faithfulness in the change of the seasons and His faithfulness towards us. It’s a sure thing.

Devotionals

Nothing Last Forever, not so!

Loring Schultz

“The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever.” Isaiah 40:8 NLT

Photo by 85GB photo on Unsplash

The summer months are not officially over, but here in the United States the Labor Day holiday marks the unofficial end of summer. There will be three weeks left until fall begins on September 22nd, and I might add it has become my favorite part of the summer season since relocating to southeastern Pennsylvania. But shortly after autumn begins the change of the season starts to become evident. You do not need to mow your lawn as often, the leaves on the trees begin to change color, the evenings and early mornings are much cooler, the last of the garden vegetables will be harvested, and the flowers begin to fade. Living in an area where the seasons change you are aware that whatever season it is, it will not last forever. We also see God’s faithfulness in the changing of the seasons and we are guaranteed the passing season will return. Summer may only be for a season lasting three months, but God makes sure it does last forever as He brings it around nine months later.

Unfortunately, there are things in life that do not last forever, in fact many things. Some leave a scare on our hearts, others are bid a fond ado, and still others are dealt with mixed emotions of what has faded away and is gone forever. Living life is hard without having a constant you can count on always being there, something or someone that will last forever, at least in your lifetime. There is such a constant available to you, something and someone, both in the same package.

The Lord God is eternal. He had no beginning, and He will have no end. God is responsible for the changing of the seasons. He has been faithful being right on time in changing the seasons and has never missed a year yet. God has also given us His written Word which He also guarantees will last forever. In a complicated changing world, it is a sigh of relief and comfort to know there is God who is always there and never changes, and He gave us His unchanging Word that will stand forever. As the flowers fade in your garden this autumn do you have the assurance that you too will be brought to new life in eternity as the flowers will return in the summer season.

Our earthly lives will not last forever, but our souls will live on in eternity according to God’s Word which stands forever and never changes. So, where will you spend eternity? If you’re not sure, why not make sure today. Eternity is forever!

Photo by Shane Hoving on Unsplash

“Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” (Jn.14:6 nlt)

“If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Ro.10:9 nlt)

A Christian Perspective

Why the Rainbow?

Loring Schultz

“I have placed my rainbow in the clouds. It is the sign of my covenant with you and with all the earth.” Genesis 9:13 NLT

Photo by Gerhard Kupfer on Unsplash

How often have you had the opportunity to see a rainbow in the sky during or after a summer afternoon thunderstorm? It is a marvelous spectacle and one of many of God’s creations. The first mention of a rainbow appears in Genesis chapter 9. Although theologians differ on when God created the rainbow either ‘in the beginning’ or after the worldwide flood, we know for sure the meaning and significance of the rainbow was put in place after the flood.

God, creator of the universe and the earth, has a unique purpose for each of His creations. The purpose of most of God’s creations are not revealed to us, but several are. Each of His creations point us to God’s almighty power, His infinite knowledge, His Holiness, and His love, grace and mercy. When we see a rainbow in the sky, it is more than magnificent splendor, it is a reminder to the specific purpose as to why it is there. It is the sign of God’s promise to each of us on the earth that He will never again destroy the entire earth by a worldwide flood.

God has kept His promise and will continue to keep His promise. The rainbow is a sign of God’s covenant with us. It is a sign of His faithfulness to us even though we are anything but faithful to Him. He forever remains faithful.

As we find comfort in the assurance of God’s faithfulness, may we not forgot what brought along the destructive flood. “Now God saw that the earth had become corrupt and was filled with violence. God observed all this corruption in the world, for everyone on earth was corrupt.” (Gen.6:11-12 nlt) We find ourselves in the same place today, sins of corruption and violence in all walks of life before a Holy God, and still God is keeping His promise.

But that does not protect the world from future judgement. The Lord is going to return one day. Jesus explaining to His disciples said, “When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah’s day. In those days, the people enjoyed banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat and the flood came and destroyed them all.” (Lk.17:26-27 nlt)

The rainbow was put in place, to remind us that God is faithful and “…. He is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.” (2Pt.3:9b) That is ‘why the rainbow’!

Read: Genesis 9:8-17 NLT – Then God told Noah and his sons, “I – Bible Gateway

Devotionals

Thank God for His Faithfulness

Loring Schultz

“For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground.” Isaiah 44:3a NLT

Photo by Sonika Agarwal on Unsplash

April showers have descended on Pennsylvania once again. Only on the fourth day of the month but we haven’t seen the sun yet, although I know it’s there. Steady rain most of the time with more to come. There is an old saying that helps us get through this rainy month, ‘April showers bring May flowers.’ It has always proven true due to God’s faithfulness in the changing of the seasons and maintaining His creation. So, we should thank God for the rain displaying His faithfulness.

God is faithful to us in more than His creation. He is faithful to forgive our sin. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 Jn.1:9 niv) God remains faithful to us even when we deny Him, for He cannot deny who He is. (2 Tim. 2:13) He is faithful to strengthen and protect from Satan. (2 Th. 3:3) God is also faithful in not allowing us to be tempted beyond what we are able to stand and provide us an escape. The apostle Paul tells the church in Corinth, “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” (1 Cor. 10:13 niv) And our salvation is secured through God’s faithfulness once we have accepted Christ as our savior. “He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” (1 Cor. 1:8-9 niv)

Throughout your rainy days whenever they occur always remember God’s faithfulness in all He does for us. Another old saying is, ‘Into every one’s life, a little rain must fall.’ Thank God the rain that is falling is falling from Him who is faithful.