Tag: Jesus

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

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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)

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“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

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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.

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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.

Devotionals

Are you following the Voice of Strangers?

Loring Schultz

“A stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.” John 10:5 NASB

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All of us are comfortable with familiar surroundings. The voices of those we hang around with are welcomed at any time. When having a bad day hearing a familiar voice quiets your spirit. We may be quick to follow them to an event to help shed some of those anxious feelings. There is a trust factor with one we have cultivated a relationship with. You would not hang around with a stranger, in fact you wouldn’t recognize their voice. You would not follow the voice of a stranger.

One of Jesus’ seven ‘I am’ statements found in the gospel of John is ‘I am the door.’ Jesus is saying He is the door unto salvation. In Jesus’ illustration of Him being the door, He references the doorkeeper who is an under shepherd who guards the door at night and assists the shepherd in caring for His flock. The doorkeeper recognizes the shepherd’s voice and opens the door to the sheep pen. The shepherd’s sheep have already started to gather around the door for they responded to the shepherd’s unique call from outside the door. He calls them by name, and they follow Him because they know His voice. They will not follow the voice of a stranger.

Not all the sheep in the sheep pen followed Jesus’ in this illustration. They did not recognize His voice. It was the voice of a stranger. To many people today, Jesus is a stranger. They followed the voices of those they are familiar with, the voices of the world and the world’s system. The voices that say all religions lead to God, or just do the best you on your own, or living a life a love and peace will get you a blissful afterlife.

Don’t be fooled by the voices of false teachers or the secular views of the world. These are the voices of strangers to those who truly know Christ as savior. Jesus says, “A stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.” (Jn.10:5 nasb) If these voices are familiar to you, then you are following the voices of those outside the saving knowledge of Christ. Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” (Jn.14: nasb) Accept Jesus’ call to salvation and become a sheep of His pasture recognizing His voice and never again follow the voice of strangers.

Read: John 10:1-10 NASB – Parable of the Good Shepherd – Bible Gateway

A Christian Perspective

Let the Little Children Come to Me

Loring Schultz

 “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them.” Luke 18:16 NIV

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The 2024 United States Presidential election has several key issues on the minds of voters. The hot button issue of abortion is the most controversial by far. It is so controversial that one of the major parties hardly references it. The other major party has filled the airwaves making it an issue of choice. ‘Abortion’ is rarely mentioned in any campaign ad. There is controversy in how late in the pregnancy a woman may make this decision. With no definite clarity from abortion advocates, there is no time frame in which a woman does not have the right to choose.

We have all heard of the ‘exceptions rule’ allowing abortion in the case of rape, incest, or the life of the mother. Let’s look at some statistics. In a report by USA Today in 2019, “Just 1% of women obtain an abortion because they became pregnant through rape, and less than 0.5% do so because of incest, according to the Guttmacher Institute.” (1) From that same report, 74% said having a baby would dramatically change my life, 73% said they can’t afford a baby now, 48% admitted to not wanting to be a single mother or have relationship problems, and 38% referenced they completed their childbearing years. (1) The Charlette Lozier Institute reports that 0.3% of abortions are performed due to risk of the women’s life or a major body function. (2) It is quite easy to see that mostly all abortions are due to choice. Abortion advocates are right, it is all about choice. But how are Christians, followers of Jesus, to rectify this choice movement. Is it strictly a woman’s choice? It is her body made in the image of God, but does God approve of the choice that effects another one of His image bearers? “Children are a gift from the LORD; they are a reward from him.” Ps.127:3 (nlt) And how did Jesus did feel about children when He was on the earth.

Christians today, me included, strive to live the way Jesus lived by following His words and example. When Jesus’ disciples mistakenly were not allowing parents to bring their babies to Jesus to touch them, Jesus overruled them and invited the babies to Himself. “People were also bringing babies to Jesus for him to place his hands on them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. But Jesus called the children to him and said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them.’” (Lk.18:16 niv) Jesus’ words and feelings are the same today. He is saying ‘let the little children come to me.’

Matthew records Jesus’ words regarding children’s guardian angels, “Beware that you don’t look down on any of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels are always in the presence of my heavenly Father.” (Mt.18:10 nlt) Parents refer to their children as little angels the minute they are born. It’s hard to believe they are not innocent little angels in the womb and with their guarding angel looking over them.

The choice that is being made every day does not consider the innocent who is unable to make a choice if they want to live or die. According to NPR, “More than a million abortions were provided in the U.S. in 2023. To be precise, researchers estimate there were 1,026,700 abortions in 2023. ‘That’s the highest number in over a decade, [and] the first time there have been over a million abortions provided in the U.S. formal health care system since 2012,’ explains Issac Maddow-Zimet, a data scientist with Guttmacher.” (3)

So, what is a Jesus follower to do? “Rescue those being led away to death.” (Pr.24:11 niv) for Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them.”

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(1) https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/05/24/rape-and-incest-account-few-abortions-so-why-all-attention/1211175001/

(2)

Fact Sheet: Reasons for Abortion

(3) https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2024/03/19/1238293143/abortion-data-how-many-us-2023

Devotionals

Discovering Great Value

Loring Schultz

“Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant on the lookout for choice pearls. When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it!” Matthew 13:45-46 NLT

“for God bought you with a high price……” 1 Corinthians 6:20a NLT

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What is of great value to you that you would pay an exorbitant price for it? Is there anything that you would give up all that you own to possess it? It has been said that a fair market price for something is what a person is willing to pay for it. What one considers to be of great value may not be of any interests to others. Life itself is of interest for all people. Yet the view of life differs dramatically between individuals. Most all of us guard our lives very closely, perhaps too close that we become self-absorbed and selfish. Many are concerned with this life only, the here and now, but there is a now and then to consider which is of greater value. What you discover in the ‘now’ will be of great value in the ‘then.’

Jesus, the teacher and the Son of God, describing the kingdom of Heaven says it, “is like a merchant on the lookout for choice pearls. When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it!” (Mt.13:45-46 nlt) The Kingdom of Heaven is made up of those who have let go of everything important to them in this life and accepted the gospel message of Jesus Christ. The choice pearl of great value which is accepted now in this life results in eternal life when our earthly life is over.

Those of us who have found that choice pearl should take notice of Christ’s love for us as His choice pearl. Our Lord Jesus left the glories of heaven to come down to earth and sacrifice His life in order that we may have eternal life with Him. Jesus paid the ultimate ‘high price’ by His shed blood on the cross of Calvary. He considered us as of great value to die and rise again to redeem us. Have you discovered that choice pearl, that great value of Salvation, by accepting Jesus Christ as your Savoir? Don’t miss the opportunity to discover that Great Value ‘now’ for it will be too late ‘then.’ Make sure you are part of the Kingdom of Heaven by discovering great value.

Devotionals

Standing Before Pilate           

Loring Schultz

‘“Don’t you hear all these charges they are bringing against you?’ Pilate demanded.” Matthew 27:13 NLT

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“But when you are arrested and stand trial, don’t worry in advance about what to say. Just say what God tells you at that time, for it is not you who will be speaking, but the Holy Spirit.” Mark 13:11 NLT

When Jesus was finally brought before Pilate the second time after the various trials in front of the Jewish rulers and an appearance before Herod, He was all but officially condemned. Pilate was amazed by Jesus’ non-response to the charges against Him from the chief priests and the elders saying, “Don’t you hear all these charges they are bringing against you?” (Mt.27:13 nlt) Jesus did confirm He was the king of the Jews when Pilate had asked Him earlier. But he would not indulge His enemies in answering the false claims put forth from them.

Jesus’ enemies would do and say anything to condemn Him, and they had up to that point. They got Jesus in front of the one who had the authority to sentence Him to death. Jesus stood before Pilate in silence to the charges against Him, but He did speak with Him as recorded in the gospel of John chapters 18 and 19. Jesus did acknowledge He was a king, but His kingdom was not of this world, and told Pilate he would have no authority over Him if it wasn’t granted to him from the Father. Jesus spoke the truth from God’s Word and put Himself in His Fathers hands.  

Christians today can follow Jesus’ example when facing persecution by speaking the truth of God’s Word and relying on God in our time of need. There are all kinds of persecution in the world today. Most Christians are not facing life or death threats for their faith in Christ, but many are. Christians in the western part of the world are only starting to feel increased pressure to deny their faith as the culture is saturated with anti-God sentiment. Jesus told His disciples in Mark 13:11, “But when you are arrested and stand trial, don’t worry in advance about what to say. Just say what God tells you at that time, for it is not you who will be speaking, but the Holy Spirit.” (nlt)

False charges will be brought against us as Christians according to the anti-God legislation on the books, but they will be true according to Scripture. Testifying that Jesus is the Christ the only way of salvation and completely obeying His Word will need no answer. We just need to stand and wait for the Holy Spirit to speak through us. So, will we the church, be ready when we hear the charges brought against us and stand before the Pilates of our day?

Read: Matthew 27:11-14 NLT – Jesus’ Trial before Pilate – Now – Bible Gateway

Devotionals

Overthrow the Lofty Opinions Against God and His Word

Loring Schultz

“We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,” 2 Corinthians 10:5 ESV

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Some people barricade themselves in ideological forts of their choosing to justify their resentment to God and His Word. Their ideology makes perfect sense to them, and they stick to it. Dr. John MacArthur unveils these forts as thoughts, ideas, speculations, reasonings, philosophies, and false religions that keep them at bay with the God of the Bible. The forts are used to codify what they perceive to be right, regardless of what the Bible says. Christians who live by a Biblical worldview also have their own ideology that makes perfect sense. God, the creator of the world and human life, sent His Son Jesus Christ to save those who trust in Him, and He has given us His Word on the proper way to live. It’s simple and that’s all there is to it.

You may feel torn in the spiritual battle you are in if you are a believer. You hesitate to speak the truth to not lose friends, but you are disturbed by all you see and hear from the ideologies of the world, even from your friends. You may be intimidated by the philosophies of the world system. They sound reasonable and hard to argue against. But you will never win an argument or lead someone to Christ by engaging in the ideologies of the world. And you certainly won’t do so by remaining silent. God does not want us to be silent, but to overthrow those lofty opinions and to do so by His Word and in love.

Paul said to the believers in Corinth, “We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments.” (2Cor.10:3-4 nlt) What Paul is saying is that we do not use the world’s wisdom or its ideologies to reveal truth and lead souls to Christ, but we use ‘God’s mighty weapons’ the sword of the Spirit, the Bible. Paul goes on to say in this way we overthrow every lofty opinion or ideology against God. Be bold for God, lost souls depend on it.

“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” Ephesians 6:12 ESV

Devotionals

Faithfully Preach the Truth                

Loring Schultz

“We faithfully preach the truth. God’s power is working in us.” 2 Corinthians 6:7a NLT

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Have you ever traveled outside your own country either on business or a vacation? When your guide left you for a little free time on your own, how comfortable did you feel? Did you fit in as if you were one of the locals? Probably not. If we as Christians can not say that about living in this world, then something is drastically wrong. Peter addressed the Christians of his day in writing to them as ‘foreigners and exiles.’ (1Pt.2:11) They were living in a foreign land where they did not fit in. Christians today are still living in a foreign land. We may feel at home, but again that is a problem. The Lord has placed us in the country of our origin in this life, but this is not our home, heaven is. And when he has placed us here, He has given us a job to do, ‘faithfully preach the truth.’ So, it is time to get uncomfortable.

Paul, the apostle and a contemporary of Peter, is the greatest example of living as an exile outside of Jesus Himself. Paul found himself exiled from his own people after his conversion to Christ. He was a Jewish scholar studying under Gamaliel and became the strictest of Pharisees. His mission in life was to persecute the Christians, including death. When Paul started preaching Christ as Lord, he became an enemy of the Jewish leaders who were his peers. Paul’s life changed dramatically from being one the Jewish elites to going hungry, imprisoned, and being beaten. Paul had become uncomfortable in more ways than one with the world. Physically, but also with the pleasures of the world. Paul’s mission now was to ‘faithfully preach the truth.’

Paul encourages us as he encouraged the church in Corinth to live as examples of Christ in a fallen world as he was doing. To live in purity, being patience and kind, and show sincere love. (2Cor.6:6) Paul knew Christians in Corinth would begin to feel as exiles in their own hometown when they started to feel uncomfortable with the world. He knew that would be hard for them, but also knew there is joy in serving the Lord. (2Cor.6:10) The same holds true for us. Yes, we want people to like us, but this is not our home. We should live as exiles preaching the truth of salvation, bringing as many people as we can to our home country, the heavenly kingdom.

Read: 2 Corinthians 6:3-10 NLT – Paul’s Hardships – We live in such a – Bible Gateway