Tag: Jesus

Devotionals

The Words of a King      

Loring Schultz

“I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20 NLT

Photo by Savannah W. on Unsplash

All heads of state, whether kings or queens, presidents, or prime ministers have authority over those in their jurisdiction. It is only in their local jurisdiction they have authority. No authority has been granted them outside their borders. There is not a ruler who has it all. No one earthly leader has complete authority over the entire world. But there is one, and only one who does have complete authority on earth, King Jesus.

Jesus’ own words to His disciples proved this when He said, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.” (Mt.28:18 nlt) These are the words of a king. The Jews in Jesus’ day were looking for a king to defeat the Romans and rule in Israel. Jesus told Pilate yes, He was a king, but His kingdom is not of this world. The Jews would have been disappointed in hearing this. Jesus’ agenda was much bigger including all the nations (people groups) of the world and it is still future.

Jesus has been building His kingdom through His followers since He gave His disciples what we know today as the Great Commission. Every generation of believers from that first command are instructed in the same way, and that includes us. “Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.” (Mt.28:19 nlt) These are the words of a king.

Devotionals

The Gift of Peace

Loring Schultz

“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” John 14:27 NLT

Photo by cottonbro studio on Pexels.com

I came to age in the influential years of peace and love in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s in the United States. The height of the Vietnam war, racial injustice, assassinations and attempted assassinations on political leaders fueled protests around the country in the streets and college campuses. From these events and others like it, the ‘peace and love’ movement came into existence. It was for the most part peaceful and did bring about some good things. However, one thing they couldn’t bring about was ‘lasting peace,’ their reason for being.

The reason the efforts of the ‘peace and love’ movement failed was they were looking for peace within themselves and the world. Jesus told His disciples on the night before His crucifixion, “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give.” (Jn.14:27 nlt) As much as those wanting to spread peace and love if it wasn’t Jesus’ gift of love it would not last. To be fair, there were those who branched off from that movement becoming followers of Jesus and created their own movement realizing the world or themselves would not bring about the peace they were seeking. This Jesus’ movement knew that true and lasting peace was only through Jesus Christ.

Today you may be seeking peace and love but wherever you turn it evades you. There are many endeavors that will bring temporary peace and enjoyment in life. There are several organizations and clubs that can fill an empty space in your heart, but if Jesus isn’t part of them, it will fail you every time. Jesus says to you, true and lasting peace is available through Him which He gives you as a gift. ‘So don’t be troubled or afraid,’ but accept His gift of peace and have peace of mind and heart the world cannot offer.  

Devotionals

Time to Turn Away

Loring Schultz

“Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, ‘If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me.’” Mark 8:34 NLT

Photo by Kevin Quezada on Unsplash

It is a ‘me’ world. We may choose, as Christians, to not believe that ‘it’s not about me’ but I’m afraid at certain times it certainly appears that way. One reason is we still have a sin nature, and we will fall short. Babies have a way of displaying that ‘me’ attitude, they want what they want. As precious as they are, infants are an example of our ‘me’ world. Christians will never shed it all this side of heaven, but Jesus instructs us if we want to follow Him, ‘we must turn from our selfish ways.’ So, it is possible to turn away with the Lord’s help and take up our cross and follow Him.

The premise for turning away from our selfish desires is to change our desires to Jesus’ desires. His desires are for us to follow His example, to be a light for others leading them to Him, to be salt to prevent decay in our society, to assist the poor, to administer justice, to pray, to love the Lord God with all our heart, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. When we put these things into practice, we begin to turn away from our selfish ways.

Our world is full of distractions and temptations from the evil one to keep us from giving up some of our desires. Some of our selfish ways we like and do not what to let them go. Not all of them are sinful, perhaps most are not, but they are keeping us from fully taking up our cross and following Jesus. I read a comment recently in a daily devotional I was reading that said, ‘It’s not OK to hold Satan’s hand and Jesus’ hand at the same time. You must let go of one of them.’ So, the question is, what selfish ways do we need to let go of. It’s time to turn away!

A Christian Perspective

Jesus Christ will Judge the World with Righteousness

Loring Schultz

“For He is coming to judge the earth. With righteousness He shall judge the world, And the peoples with equity.” Psalm 98:9 NKJV

Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash

Anticipation for the results of the United States Presidential election is running as high as the money spent between both political campaigns. A vast majority of America’s population are anxiously waiting to see who the Commander-in-Chief will be sitting in the oval office where the buck stops. The hope is whoever it is will rule with integrity, honestly, and for the benefit of all the people. May I be honest with you by saying it is only a hope and most likely will not be a reality. Human beings are prone to sin inherited from our first parents, and that includes Presidents. Chances are there will be plenty of finger pointing at the next administration and perhaps justifiably so. Hope for ‘a new way forward’ or ‘make America great again’ will fall short and there will be disappointment for all.

Human government, although ordained by God to administer justice, will fail in some way every time because it is a ‘human’ government. We are to obey human authorities but not put our trust in them. The psalmist gives us great advice, “Itis better to trust in the LORD Than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the LORD Than to put confidence in princes.” (Ps.118:8-9 nkjv) So, if we are putting our trust in one candidate or the other that is not where it should be, because both will fall terribly short of what we expect. Our trust should be in Jesus Christ, and in Him alone.

There will be a time when we can and will put our trust in a prince. The prince of peace, Jesus Christ, is going to rule on the earth with righteous judgement when He returns to establish His kingdom. He will not fall short, He cannot. Jesus will rule all people with righteousness and equity, true Christ-like equity. There will be no more elections. All will be obedient to Him and there will be no disappointment. So, as we eagerly wait for the results of the U.S. Presidential election may we be just as excited anticipating the coming Prince of Peace who will judge the world with righteousness.

Read: Psalm 98 NKJV – A Song of Praise to the Lord for His – Bible Gateway

Devotionals

The Stone was Rolled Away    

Loring Schultz

“Suddenly there was a great earthquake! For an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled aside the stone, and sat on it.” Matthew 28:2 NLT

Photo by Pisit Heng on Unsplash

You possibly may have heard it said when Jesus rose from the dead, ‘the stone was rolled away not to let Jesus out, but to show the tomb was empty.’ Indeed, it was. Jesus rose in His new glorified body and had no need for a door to be opened for Him. Matthew tells us an angel descended amid a great earthquake and rolled away the stone, and just in time for Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of James, had just arrived at the tomb. The women were discussing along the way how would they move the stone away to anoint Jesus’ body which they had intended to do. (Mk.16:3) There was a barrier of a large stone between them and Jesus that needed to be moved. But as they arrived, the stone had rolled away.

Is there a stone in your life that needs to be rolled away that is creating a barrier between you and the Lord? Your busy work schedule is causing you to lose all interests in the things of God, the things of this world are winning the battle to be on top of your priority list, or perhaps it’s some besetting sin that is continually reoccurring that is the stone needing to be rolled away. So, what do you do?

Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of James, met Jesus on the road while running from the tomb. The stone had been rolled away and Jesus wasn’t in the tomb but stood before them alive. The stone has been rolled away to show you that Jesus has risen from the dead. He is alive, ready, willing, and able to forgive your stones of sin and break down that barrier by rolling those sins away and placing them under His blood to be remembered no more. Ask Jesus to place those sinful stones at the foot of His cross by confessing and repenting of them, and He will. The stone was rolled away for our benefit. Jesus is not dead, He’s our living savior ready to forgive.

Read: MATTHEW 28:1-15 NLT – The Resurrection – Early on Sunday – Bible Gateway

Devotionals

Whose Approval Are You Trying to Win?

Loring Schultz

“Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.” Galatians 1:10 NLT

Photo by Anastasiya Badun on Unsplash

There is an old saying, ‘never discuss religion or politics.’ And never, never, never, discuss them in context with each other. The Presidential election of 2024 in the United States have tested the restrain of most Christians to remain silent when the urge is to speak in such turbulent times. That is not to say that some Christians do speak their minds. We should be ready to speak the truth when the occasion arises and not be silent. However, this is much more than speaking religion and politics but serving as an example of what Paul told the churches of Galatia. Paul told them not to be seeking the approval of people, but of God. They were not to be deceived from what they know to be true into believing a false narrative. Lives are at stake.

The apostle Paul was being accused of preaching what the Jews called ‘a cheap form of the gospel.’ They obviously were against Paul’s preaching, disagreeing on every front. These Jews tried to persuade the Gentiles to whom Paul was preaching that his message was incomplete. The gospel Paul preached required no circumcision, no dietary restrictions, and no obligation to Sabbath Laws. It was just faith in Christ alone that was needed for salvation and entrance into the kingdom of heaven. If Paul wanted to not stir up waves by remaining silent many lost souls would not have been saved and those who accepted Christ would be forever confused and unable to reach their full potential to serve Christ. Paul did not want to please and impress his fellow Jews but wanted to please his Lord and savior and lead people into the kingdom.

We have that same dilemma today. Do we risk alienation from our friends and loved ones when we speak the truth of God’s Word? The truth is, sometimes speaking the truth will result in just that. Are we willing to take the risk? Do we refrain from speaking to keep the peace? The peace will be kept, but so will their souls be kept right where they are. Christians are not to be confrontational in presenting the gospel, but to speak the truth in love. There will be natural resistance from most, and yes, there may be alienation, but whose approval are we trying to win? Remember Paul’s words, “I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God.” (Gal.1:10a nlt)

Read: Galatians 1:1-10 NLT – Greetings from Paul – This letter is – Bible Gateway

Devotionals

Nothing Prevents the Fruition of God’s Plans

Loring Schultz

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11 NLT

“So they sealed the tomb and posted guards to protect it.” Matthew 27:66 NLT

Photo by GRAY on Unsplash

Have you ever felt you messed up God’s plans for your life? You say to yourself, ‘Obviously, God’s plans didn’t work out or I wouldn’t be in the situation I am in. I messed up along the way throwing the plans off course.’ It may be true that you messed up, I’ve done it myself but rest assured God’s plans for you are still in tack. There is nothing you can do to alter the plans the creator of the universe has for you since before you were born. It’s hard to understand, I know. Take heart, you may have messed up, but it didn’t mess up God’s plans.

Every Christian should be thankful nothing prevents the fruition of God’s plans especially His plan of salvation for all who believe in Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. God’s plan of salvation was for His only Son to come to earth, live a perfect life, die as a sacrifice for sins, be buried, and rise again on the third day. Nothing was going to mess that up. The leading priests and the Pharisees also had a plan that worked, but it didn’t turn out the way they thought it would. They asked to Pilate to have the tomb in which Jesus was buried be guarded and sealed. The religious rulers were afraid the disciples would steal Jesus’ body and claim He had risen from the dead as Jesus said He would after three days. The seal remained in place for no one tried to steal Jesus’ body, but Jesus did rise on the third day.

Many of those who followed Jesus didn’t understand all they witnessed during His arrest, trials, and crucifixion. It seemed a master plan had gone terribly wrong. Yes, it was a master plan, but everything about it was right. You can trust God for the plans he has for you. He sent His Son to die as a sacrifice for your sin. It was His plan for you and me. “Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else?” (Ro.8:32 nlt) Rejoice that God has a plan for you. You may not understand it, but He does. Trust Him that nothing will prevent all His plans from coming to fruition.

Read: Matthew 27:62-66 NLT – The Guard at the Tomb – The next day, – Bible Gateway

Devotionals

Humble Yourself Before God

Loring Schultz

“Show me what sins hide thee from me and eclipse thy love;                             Help me to humble myself for past evils, to be resolved to walk with more care, For if I do not walk holily before thee, how can I be assured of my salvation?” (1)

Photo by Ben White on Unsplash

                                                                                                      

“But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’” James 4:6 ESV

Are you one who finds it hard to admit you’re wrong? You just cannot find it in yourself the possibility you didn’t have it right. This demeanor will eventually cause distance between you and others over time. Having this attitude, ‘I am always right’ will lead you into a false perception of right and wrong. It’s a sad way to live in this world, but more tragic when it comes to the things of God and eternal life after this life is over. A person will lose friends in this life by on-going pride but will forfeit eternal life with Christ in heaven by not humbling themselves before Him and acknowledging Jesus is the only way to heaven.

Human pride gets in the way of a lot of things in this life. There are times when we think we can do better with what is presented to us adding our own recipe. The good news about salvation is that there is nothing you can add to the presentation of the gospel. In fact, what is required is to take away your pride, recognizing and admitting that you are a sinner in need of a savior. The Bible says we have all sinned and fallen short on God’s scale. (Ro.3:23) It takes rejecting our pride in an admission and confession of our sins by accepting Christ as savior to be assure of heaven. God does indeed oppose the proud but gives grace to those who humble before Him.

“It is the meek and humble who are shown thy covenant, know thy will, are pardoned and healed, who by faith depend and rest upon grace, who are sanctified and quickened, who evidence thy love.” (1)

(1) Bennett, Arthur. The Valley of Vision. East Peoria: Baer of Truth Trust, 2023. Pg 9, The Divine Will.

Devotionals

Put into practice what you have learned

Loring Schultz

“Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.” Philippians 4:9 NLT

Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko on Pexels.com

A vital element of living the Christian life is continuing to grow in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are to be continually learning and being built up spiritually. Christianity is an on-going educational process in the Word of God. There are no semester breaks, no spring trips to Florida, or summer vacations. Education never stops, and gradation day is not until the Lord calls us home.

The purpose of education, whether secular schooling or studying the Bible, is to put into practice what we have learned. In secular education we put into practice that which will help us in life get a job, provide for our needs, help others, be an instrumental part of society, and learn from history what worked in the past and what hadn’t worked. There may be graduation days in secular education, but if we are wise, we will continue to be a student using what we have learned as a foundation. As an old saying’ goes, ‘things are always a changin.’

The world is always changing, and I might add mostly not for the better. However, there are many positive changes that do occur in our world today and we should embrace them. The changes in which we are never to agree are those that are contrary to God’s Word. Although our world is constantly changing, the Word of God never changes. It is not subject to change, nor does it adapt to current culture. If it did, the Bible would not be the Word of God. It is the world who changes the words of Scripture to adapt to its culture, not the Lord God. It is His Word, and he hasn’t changed it.

Having now confirmed the immutability of the Bible, we know what was written stands in truth as much today as it did in the days it was written. We should not hesitate to put into practice what we learn. As Christians the Bible teaches us how to live and grow spiritually through the Holy Spirit and the teachings of Jesus. No matter how long one has been a Christian, none of us have arrived at full knowledge. We are continually learning new things in our modern world putting them into practice. More importantly there is still a lot to learn from the Bible. Paul told the church at Philippi to, “Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me.” (Ph.4:9a nlt) Paul taught them from the Old Testament Scriptures and what the Lord had revealed to him at that time. He knew they would be encouraged and grow spiritually in doing so. So, whatever our age so let us continue or start our study of God’s Word and put into practice what we have learned.

Check out the following sites for help in studying the Bible:

https://www.gty.org/library/articles/A178/how-to-enjoy-bible-study

https://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/5-tips-studying-bible-effectively

6 Bible Study Methods You Need to Know (and Try)
Devotionals

Believers are Secure in Christ

Loring Schultz

2 Timothy 2:11-13 ESV

 11. The saying is trustworthy, for:

 If we have died with him, we will also live with him;

12. if we endure, we will also reign with him;

if we deny him, he also will deny us;

13. if we are faithless, he remains faithful—

 for he cannot deny himself.

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Many of our Christian hymns from yesteryear provide deep doctrinal truth in their lyrics. You may think of hymns such as ‘The Old Rugged Cross,’ ‘Calvary Covers It All,’ ‘Blessed Assurance,’ and ‘Amazing Grace’ as ones possessing such truths. Most of these old favorite hymns were taken directly from Scripture which indeed explains the powerful doctrinal truths found in them. A very old Christian hymn in the first century was derived from Paul’s second letter to Timothy found in 2 Timothy chapter 2. Although we don’t know the name of the hymn, we do have the lyrics, and they speak of the doctrinal truth that all true believers are secure in Christ.

Paul’s words of encouragement to Timothy in this section of his letter is to note that Timothy as a soldier for Christ and all believers are secure. Their salvation is secure in Christ Jesus. ‘If we have died with him’ signifies our union with Christ in His death. “We will also live with him’ assures us will be raised up from the dead with Him. ‘If we endure, we will also reign with him’ speaks of our current life and our future life in eternity. In this life Christians will suffer for their faith, but when we endure and persevere here, we will reign with Christ in our glorified bodies in eternity. Sadly, this phrase, ‘if we deny him, he will also deny us,’ is the reality of all those who profess to know Jesus but have never accepted Him as Lord and savior. They have denied Him in their lives. The Lord will say on that day, “but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.” (Mt.10:33 esv)

The last line of this ancient hymn, or perhaps this was the first chorus in Christian music, is our assurance of salvation. ‘If we are faithless, he remains faithful-for he cannot deny himself.’ God’s character is what we rest on. He remains faithful to us even through the countless times we are unfaithful to Him. God cannot be anything but Himself, faithful. Our salvation does not rest on us being faithful, but on what Christ has done for us. We are to be faithful in our Christian Walk, but our assurance of eternal life depends only on God for He remains faithful, and may we all praise God for that, either in a chorus or an old familiar hymn.