Tag: Prayer

Devotionals

Be infants in evil not in your thinking

Loring Schultz

“Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature.” 1 Corinthians 14:20 ESV

Photo by Jonathan Borba on Unsplash

An innocent baby knows nothing of the evil in the world today. Soon enough that little one will realize this is a fallen world into which they were born. But there is something about that innocence that protects them from evil in their early years. They do not know evil exists and they are not being capable to think about it or get involved with it. As adults we have lost that innocence long ago, but there is a time to go back to that way of thinking.

The apostle Paul was writing to the troubled church in Corinth knowing they lacked wisdom and had a difficult time recognizing evil. He wrote to them, “do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil.” (1Cor.14:20 esv) Their thinking was misdirected and immature. Evil was having an effect on them. They were allowing evil to influence their lives by not thinking as mature adults as to its danger. Paul’s readers were acting as children, not infants, in rationalizing the effects of sin and evil. Paul encouraged them to think in a mature manner.

Today mature thinking is not only needed but essential in every Christian’s life. As adults we now know that evil is around us. To be infants in evil is for it to have no effect on us. In order for evil to have no effect on us we need to be mature in all our thinking. Mature thinking in the ways of God and proper Christian living come about by constant prayer and reading His Word. Living in a sinful world will have some sort of effect on us, but it is an indirect effect. What we do not want is for it to affect us in a way that we engage in it. Let our thinking be mature.

Devotionals

Setting Our Prayers as Incense before the Lord      

Loring Schultz

“Let my prayer be set before You as incense, The lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.” Psalm 141:2 NKJV

“Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.” (Revelation 5:8 NKJV

Photo by Anup Ghag on Unsplash

The burning of incense in the Old Testament is a symbolism of prayers being raised up to God. These were mostly associated with the daily sacrifices that were made at the Tabernacle and later in the Temple. Aaron was instructed early in the Israelites wandering in the desert to burn these incenses daily. “Aaron shall burn on it sweet incense every morning; when he tends the lamps, he shall burn incense on it. And when Aaron lights the lamps at twilight, he shall burn incense on it, a perpetual incense before the LORD throughout your generations.” (Ex.30:7-8 nkjv) The book of Revelation speaks of incense as the prayers of the saints in the text above. (Rev.5:8)

King David in one of his prayers of lament asks that his prayer would be lifted up as incense burning daily on the altar. (Ps.141:2) It was not only this prayer that David had in mind but that all his prayers would be an ongoing flow of incense reaching up to heaven. David then lifted up his hands symbolizing praising God as the priests who raised their hands upward to the Lord at the evening sacrifice.

How about our prayers? Can we say our prayers will be among those in the golden bowls of the saints? This should convict us to examine our prayer life. Some of us may need to move on from the ‘five minutes and out the door’ prayer. I will say that it is not the length of our prayers that matters but the attitude and the way we approach God knowing who it is we are speaking to. A holy God. David took his prayers seriously as to a holy God and so should we.

Devotionals

Our Helper in Prayer      

Loring Schultz

“And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.” Romans 8:26-27 NLT

Photo by Billy Leivon on Unsplash
 

Do you ever have trouble finding the rights words in speaking to someone? It may be a delicate subject and you do not know how to start the conversation. You start with common pleasantries hoping to find an opening to express the matter that is on your heart. Once starting the conversation you still fumble and stumble not knowing what to say. For a lot of Christians, praying to God feels the same way. We cannot find the words to communicate to God our needs and concerns. Not to worry, the Lord knows all about it and has given us a helper when we pray.

First of all, we Christians need to understand that the Lord knows our need before we even ask Him. “….for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!” (Mt.6:8 nlt) Now, that does not mean we do not pray, God still wants us to ask Him. He wants us to have that fellowship with Him through prayer. Secondly God has given us the Holy Spirit to help us by guiding us through our prayers. When our hearts are burdened with specific issues sometimes it is hard to find the right words. Again, not to worry. The Holy Spirit will pray for us taking what is on our hearts and expressing to the Lord perfectly.

We can be assured that God hears our prayers. Having that confidence should inspire us to reach out to God each day in prayer. We know God knows our need and will hear our prayer through our own lips or our hearts through the help of the Holy Spirit. Our prayers will be in harmony with God’s will and He will answer according to His will.

Devotionals

Are you growing in Christ?                

Loring Schultz

Read: 1 Corinthians 3:1-3 NLT – Paul and Apollos, Servants of Christ – Bible Gateway

“I had to feed you with milk, not with solid food, because you weren’t ready for anything stronger. And you still aren’t ready.” 1 Corinthians 3:2 NLT

Photo by Debra Brewster on Unsplash
     

Our church family has been blessed over the last year with newborn babies now in our presence. These young parents have enormous responsibilities in the care of their children. One of the first and most important is the nutrition their baby receives in those early years. Milk, of course, is on the top of the list, but as the child grows a more substantial diet is required for proper and healthy growth. Newborn babies need the required nutrition in their early years and then must move up to an even more nutritionally driven diet.

The same is true for new believers, newborn babes in Christ. They need the milk of the Word in those early years. But there comes a time when milk is not enough and if not moved up to solid food or what is known as the ‘meat’ of the Word, the newborn babe in Christ remains a newborn babe. The Lord did not save us to remain children all our lives. Yes, Christians are the children of God and He is our Father, but even adult children are still their parents children.

If you have had a steady diet of milk in your Christian walk it is time to experience some tasty food of the Word of God. Milk will sustain you, but meat, potatoes, and vegetables of the Word of God will cause a growth spurt that will amaze you. A steady diet of Bible reading, devotional time and prayer, regular church attendance, and being active in church and community activities are the nutrition and spiritual exercise needed to ensure you are growing in Christ. So, time to dig in!

Bible Studies

Deliver us from evil – The Lord’s Prayer, Jesus’ teaching on Prayer

Loring Schultz

“And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.” Matthew 6:13 KJV

Open Bible glowing with golden light on wooden lectern inside church
A Bible glowing with light sits open on a wooden lectern inside a cathedral

Our Lord’s final example in praying is often misunderstood by many. When Jesus taught His disciples to pray ‘And lead us not into temptation,’ He was not referring to being tempted to sin by God. God does not tempt anyone to sin. The book of James says, “Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God,’ for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one.” (Ja.1:13 esv) The word ‘temptation’ is better translated ‘a trying, or testing,’ and there are several examples of testing in the Bible. Our Lord Jesus Himself was tested (tempted) by Satan in the wilderness, Abraham was tested by God when told to offer his son as a sacrifice, and Job was severely tested when accused by Satan.

There are occasions when God will test us, or ‘put us to the test’ testing our faith in Him. There may be trials brought upon us by Satan permitted by God in order to prove and test our faith as in the case of Job and the apostle Paul. When we pray, ‘lead us not into temptation’ we are praying ‘don’t put us to the test, protect us from the test and from Satan, the evil one.’ Our Lord does not lead us into any testing or trial in which He is not there with us, and He will also make a way of escape for us in Satan’s evil temptations aimed at us. Paul writing to the church in Corinth says, “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” (1Cor.10:13 esv)

Jesus teaches that after praying not to be put to the test, we are to ask to be delivered from evil. This is not evil in general but from the evil one, Satan. Many versions of Scripture do reference it as the ‘evil one.’ We are to pray to be delivered from Satan’s schemes, his temptations, and his accusations against us.

It is important to note that not all temptations (testing), trials, or troubles are evil in and of themselves. It was noted Jesus Himself was tempted by Satan. Our Lord passed the test and is our example in our troubled times. Abraham and Job also passed the test and were blessed for it. But when Paul asked the Lord to remove his thorn in the flesh from Satan three times, the Lord did not, but said, ’My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ And Paul responded, ‘Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.’ (2Cor.12:9 esv) Paul passed the test and serves as an example for us to follow.

We are to pray that we be delivered from Satan’s evil temptations and not fall into sin. Jesus prayed for His disciples in His High Priestly prayer in John 17:15, “I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.” (esv) A. W. Pink is quoted as saying, “To be kept from the evil of sin is a far greater mercy than deliverance from the trouble of temptation.” We may pray not to be put to the test, but the more concerning prayer is ‘deliver us from evil,’ Satan himself.

A Christian Perspective

Deception in the mid-term elections

Loring Schultz

Read: Joshua 9 NLT – The Gibeonites Deceive Israel – Now all – Bible Gateway

“But when the people of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, they resorted to deception to save themselves.” Joshua 9:3-4a NLT

People waiting in line and voting at polling booths during U.S. midterm election
Voters line up and cast ballots at a busy midterm election polling station.

Desperate people will resort to deception when they are in fear or in danger of not getting what they want. The campaigns for the 2026 mid-term elections in the United States is starting to heat up with the summer heat. People are desperate from both major parties either to retain power or over seat the incumbents. Desperation will cause one to do and say anything that will prevent them from going down in defeat, or more accurately, that their opponent takes a seat in the United States Congress. Political campaigns have not been noted for their honesty and integrity for decades, but as the stakes become more larger and more pressing, we can be sure of a bumpy ride until election day and all the votes are counted whenever that will be.

Deception is as old as our first parents, Adam and Eve. Satan, who had tempted them with deception, is at the root of every lie in any political campaign today. Jesus had this to say about Satan, “He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.” (Jn.8:44b nlt) And the apostle Paul tells us Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. (2Cor.11:14) That’s the worst kind of deception, appearing to do and say all the right things as a person of integrity only to pull the mask off after election day. American voters have their homework to do in analyzing every statement made and how it compares with previous statements and more importantly previous actions taken by the candidate. Are they feeding us an illusion, being fraudulent, or outright lying, or all three?

Christians have a sure-fire way of determining the sincerity and integrity of a candidate. First, examining how do their statements and policy proposals line up with scripture? Second, we should be in prayer for wisdom to discern if the candidate can be trusted if they are telling the truth. The greatest example of not seeking the Lord in prayer is found in the Old Testament book of Joshua. The result of not asking the Lord for guidance caused Israel to fall for the deception from the Gibeonites, who were desperate and fearing for their lives. The United States is in desperate times. The future governing of every citizen is at stake. All candidates seeking office with their campaigns are desperate. They want to win. May we be praying for wisdom to discern the truth and not fall for the deception of Satan’s lies.

Devotionals

Coming Before God in Prayer with Unconfessed Sin

Loring Schultz

“If I had not confessed the sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. But God did listen! He paid attention to my prayer. Praise God, who did not ignore my prayer or withdraw his unfailing love from me.” Psalm 66:18-20 NLT

Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko on Pexels.com

The biggest struggle most Christians have in their daily walk with God is a consistent and fruitful prayer life. Living in a fast pace society where everything is instantaneous, short, and to the point, will put anything of value in jeopardy. A Christian’s prayer life is no different. We may do our best to carve out time in our day to pray, but there is always a chance something will hinder us from being consistent, it’s called life. We cannot get around unexpected interruptions, but we can make sure we are not hindering our time with God right from the start with inconsistencies in our own life.

The number one reason for an inconsistent and unfruitful prayer life is unconfessed sin. The Psalmist writes, “If I had not confessed the sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. But God did listen!” (Ps.66:18 nlt) Prayer is not simply asking God for things but is a conversation with a holy God. It is a relationship that is intended to grow with time spent together. Unconfessed sin is a barrier preventing growth in your Christian life and it starts in your prayer requests to God.

If you are struggling in your prayer life with no satisfaction, no results, no meaningful relationship with God, and your prayers seem like just words being spoken in open air, maybe it’s time for a self-examination, me included. “But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins.” (1Jn.1:9 nlt) The Psalmists continued to write with good news that God does listen when we confess our sins to Him. God pays attention to our prayers, He does not ignore them, and He will never withdraw His love from us. Praise God!

A simple acrostic to follow when we pray may be helpful:

ACTS – Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication.

Bible Studies

“Our Daily Bread” – The Lord’s Prayer, Jesus’ teaching on Prayer

Loring Schultz

“Give us this day our daily bread.” Matthew 6:11

Rustic wooden table with round and sliced artisanal breads, butter, jar of flour, and kitchen items

The first three petitions Jesus taught His disciples to pray had an upward focus to God, His glory, His kingdom, and His will. Jesus now instructs them to ask God to care for their needs in the next four petitions. Early eighteenth century Theologian Matthew Henry, concerning our need for daily bread, writes the following, “Because our natural being is necessary to our spiritual well-being in this world…… we pray for the necessary supports and comforts of this present life, which are the gifts of God, and must be asked of him, for all the remainder of our lives.” Henry notes that it is needed daily because it is on-going for the rest of our lives.

The Greek word translated ‘daily’ is ‘epiousios’ which carries the meaning ‘the bread of necessity’ and ‘the bread that suffices for each day.’ It is what is needed every day to an exact amount, not too little and not too much. In Jesus’ day and in ours today, bread is a staple food item. Fresh baked bread with no preservatives will last about only one day. That was true in Jesus’ day and His point was well understood, it had to be supplied daily. We ask the Lord to meet our daily needs, being careful not to ask for excess. Our Lord will supply all we need, not all we want or desire.

Asking God to give us our daily bread does not only pertain to food in sustaining us. The daily bread we need also consists of all our daily needs to make it through this life as we serve Him. We need clothes on our backs, a place to call home, repairs to our home, transportation, viable employment, health, strength, and other physical needs. In a sense, when we pray for our daily bread, we are also praying for all that encompasses our survival now and in the future. God knows our future and He knows what our need will be before we will. (Mt. 6:8) Our complete trust in God to provide for us is built on the foundation of our faith in Him by praying to provide for our daily needs right into the future.

Matthew Henry gives us six lessons to learn from the simple petition ‘Give us this day our daily bread.’ Adapted from the king’s English centuries ago for better understanding; First it teaches us self-restraint, to do things in moderation, and not be given to indulgence of appetite. Second, we are taught honesty and hard work through the vocation God has given us to meet our needs. Third, it teaches us not to be concerned about tomorrow, but to have continued faith in God that He will care for His children. Fourth, we ask God to give it to us, not sell it or lend it to us, but to give it. This teaches us to see the mercy of God in caring for us. Fifth, not to us only, but to others of like faith, we pray for their needs as well. Christians are to pray and fellowship together, and through this a heart of love and compassion will develop for those less fortunate. In this the Lord will use us to meet their need. And lastly, it teaches us to increase our desire towards God. As we hunger and anticipate the bread to feed us physically, our hunger to meet with God spiritually will also increase. “Give us this day our daily bread.”

Devotionals

Offering Lip Service

Loring Schultz

“Then the Lord said, ‘Because this people draw near with their words And honor Me with their lip service, But they remove their hearts far from Me, And their reverence for Me consists of tradition learned by rote’” Isaiah 29:13 NASB

Man speaking at microphone during community forum with crowd

I am sure there is not one of us who hasn’t been assured of some affirming word only to find out you were paid lip service. It could come as a compliment, a sincere interest in solving a problem, or pledging support to a project. Over time you realize that the compliment was short lived, there was no real interest in solving the problem, and the project is not being supported, all from those who spoke words of admiration, problem solving, and support, but it was only lip service.

Unfortunately in our fallen world lip service is given with no thought to the dishonestly of the words spoken. Some may excuse it as not wanting to hurt anyone. Others may consider it the best option to avoid confrontation, others use it to buy time, and still others have no regard for their deliberate untruthfulness only to make themselves look sincere.  Lip service can come from our best friends, teachers, family members, co-workers, bosses, and even politicians. But before we add to the list, as it is exhaustive, we need to start with ourselves, and examine where we, as Christians, offer lip service.

Jesus confronting the scribes and Pharisees quoted from Isaiah in Matthew chapter 15, THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME. BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME,
TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN (Mt.15:8-9 nasb)

The religious rulers were adhering to manmade oral laws handed down after the Babylonian captivity that were not part of the Law. They were honoring God with their lips by obeying laws they have made to honor Him through ritual and not from their hearts. They were uttering lip service to please God and make themselves look good, so they thought. They were more concerned in following their rules than following the Lord God.

Even as Christians, we are prone to lip service if we are not walking by the Spirit. One basic definition of lip service is ‘service by words only.’ I’m afraid many of us are able to relate. It is bad enough treating others with lip service, but how many times do we treat God with lip service? When we worship God on the Lord’s Day with others of like faith, or when we have our prayer time alone with Him, do our actions as we depart match the words we have spoken? Is there action to prove true the words we just spoken from our hearts, or were they only words? The Lord is please with those who worship Him from the heart and not through lip service.

Devotionals

Do not be deceived, evil is not good

Loring Schultz

“Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” James 1:16-17 ESV

US Supreme Court building with columns and dome, people walking on stairs and plaza, and American flag on flagpole
Visitors walk around the front of the US Supreme Court building with an American flag waving nearby.

Deception has been around  since the Garden of Eden. At the root of all deception is the father of lies Satan, himself. Satan has been deceiving people for years that bad is not that bad or not bad at all, in fact it’s actually good. The Puritans of the 17th century recognized the deceitfulness in some of the laws of their day that were evil.

 In one Puritan prayer it says,

“Show me how to know when a thing is evil,

                   which I think is right and good,

                   how to know when what is lawful

                   comes from an evil principle….” (1)

The above could have been written in 2026. Even Christians, when not careful, can be influenced by the world around them in seeing things from a secular worldview or even worse from a distorted Biblical worldview in the name of fairness and justice. Don’t be deceived. Evil is not good. If Scripture says it is evil, then it is evil. Secular governments passing legislation that attributes to the acceptance of anti-biblical truths puts Christians on defense for just believing the truth of Scripture.

Let us take heart and pray for one another to stand strong in defense of God’s Word. This is nothing new, but it is the devil’s continual attempt to sway people away from God and the truth of His Word. Sadly, it worked on Eve in the garden and with many others throughout history and is running rampant today. Pray that you will not be deceived.

(1) Bennett, Arthur Ed. The Valley of Vision. East Peoria: Versa Press, 2023. Pg 69