Tag: The Bible

A Christian Perspective

God’s Word will never disappear; No Update Needed

Loring Schultz

“Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear.” Luke 21:33 NLT

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Recently a presiding bishop aligned with a major Christian denomination stated there was a need for a third testament of the Bible because God’s Word has become problematic. In a recent message she says, “This a very dangerous thing that I’m about to say now… a bit dangerous. I’m of the opinion that we need a Third Testament. because the Bible has become problematic…… I am completely frustrated with the ways in which the text speaks to the kind of vitriolic God that makes those kinds of things. And people will say, ‘well, it’s in the book.’ And I said, then we need to pull that page out. And they said, well, you can’t do it. It’s the Word of God. I said, no, it’s words about God. Come on now. But is it the Word of God? No. It is not the Word of God.” (1)

I remember a pastor friend of mine saying to me many years ago, ‘you have two choices, you either believe the Bible is God’s Word or you don’t. I choose to believe it.’ with that said I believe it also. There is no in-between. Yes, it is a dangerous thing that the bishop said. Obviously the bishop’s choice is clear. The problem as I see it is that a new third testament, according to the bishop’s own words, would also be ‘words about God.’ I don’t think God is going to write another text to suit those who refuse His already written Word which is never going to disappear. You can tear some pages out, but there’s always another Bible around. It is not going away.

What is needed are the Words of God from God and we already have them. “Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” (2Pt.1:20-21 niv)

God gave us all we need to know on how to love our neighbors, how to treat each other with respect, how to find help through the Holy Spirit in the temptations of sin, how to live obedient to His Word, and most of all how to find salvation and eternal life through confession and repentance accepting Jesus Christ as our savior. There is no need for further revelation. God’s words will never disappear, and we can trust them with confidence.  

(1) Bishop Says We Need a ‘Third Testament’ Because The First Two Are ‘problematic’ And ‘not the word of God’ – Protestia

Devotionals

Hungry for knowledge?

Loring Schultz

“A wise person is hungry for knowledge, while the fool feeds on trash.” Proverbs 15:14 NLT

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Solomon wrote, ‘a wise person is hungry for knowledge.’ A desire to learn all you can is wise and beneficial in life. Educational institutions from pre-school through college must continually provide opportunities for those with an inquiring mind to advance and grab as much knowledge as possible. But they do not always succeed, and we have been seeing the results of their failure throughout society. When hunger for knowledge is not met or redirected by school administrators a failed education system is guaranteed.  Soloman also wrote, the opposite of the wise person who is hungry for knowledge is the fool who feeds on trash. Unfortunately, there is a lot of trash being passed off as education through schools and so-called educating the public venues through biased journalism and news broadcasts, and the ever-expanding social media.  

If anyone should be interested in increasing knowledge and having a complete understanding of the world it is every Christian. Christians should have the desire to increase learning and keep up with current events. The problem is where do we go to get current, trustworthy news and information. Which institutes of higher learning would provide the best non-biased education. These decisions will not come easily, but the place to start is with the Bible, the Word of God.

Our hunger for knowledge begins with our hunger for God. Psalm 42:1-2 says, “As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God. I thirst for God, the living God. When can I go and stand before him?” (nlt) We can be sure what we learn from God is true knowledge and it is His holy agenda. The Bible is trustworthy, the very words of God Himself. Immersing ourselves in scripture daily will give us insight as we seek sources for our continued education. Looking for a reliable platform to research and learn more about the current events in our world will come through observing through God’s eyes. You’ll start to analyze and know the difference between true and false information. Satisfy your hunger for knowledge with the Lord through His Word. He will teach you through His Word and will guide you to make the right decisions in increasing your knowledge.

Devotionals

The Truth about Jesus     

Loring Schultz

Read: John 5:19-30 NLT – So Jesus explained, “I tell you the – Bible Gateway

“I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life.” John 5:24 NLT

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The truth about Jesus has been debated for centuries. Theologians for the past two thousand years have studied Scripture and the works of fellow scholars to know all they can about Jesus Christ. Each one produces their view with most of them are in agreement with what they discover. There are however differing opinions among some, especially in the last one hundred and fifty years, as to Jesus’ deity and His authority. When these subjects are in question, all hope of our salvation, eternal life, and coming judgment for unbelievers lie in the balance. The best way to understand the truth is to read Jesus’ words for ourselves and hear what He has to say.

Our reading for today will help clear up these issues concerning Jesus’ deity and authority. The religious Jewish leaders were criticizing Jesus and questioning His authority for breaking Sabbath rules and making Himself equal with God. Jesus claimed His deity when He said, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does..…For just as the Father gives life to those he raises from the dead, so the Son gives life to anyone he wants.”(Jn.5:19, 21 nlt) Yes, Jesus is making Himself equal with God the Father for He is God the Son.

Jesus then proves He has authority when He says, “In addition, the Father judges no one. Instead, he has given the Son absolute authority to judge…..And he has given him authority to judge everyone because he is the Son of Man.” (Jn.5:22, 27 nlt) Our culture today through some of the modern-day theologians and progressive leaning pastors are stripping away Jesus’ deity and His right to judge by preaching a watered-down version of Jesus taking away the true reason why He came. As today’s key verse indicates Jesus came to bring salvation and eternal life for all who hear His message and believe. That is the truth, the truth about Jesus.

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A Christian Perspective

Beware of Today’s Soft-Spoken Lambs

Loring Schultz

Read: Revelation 13:11-18 NLT – The Beast out of the Earth – Then I saw – Bible Gateway

“Then I saw another beast come up out of the earth. He had two horns like those of a lamb, but he spoke with the voice of a dragon.” Revelation 13:11 NLT

“Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves.” Matthew 7:15 NLT

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I am going through the book of Revelation this month as part of my private devotions. As I read the first verse of the reading in the devotional for today (3/17/26) it struck me, this certainly applies to today. Now I’m not an expert in eschatology and do not claim to know all things pertaining to the last days, but what is predicted in Scripture is beginning to be seen in our day and age, at least from a symbolic point of view. It is easy to agree how some of the things that will occur during the tribulation period is a fact when we see examples of it in our generation.

Revelation 13 describes another beast rising up out of the earth. This is the final false prophet that will appear. He will have religious authority and will demand that the antichrist, the political and military leader, to be worshiped as God. The Bible says he will have two horns like a lamb. He will come as a harmless lamb speaking in a soft tone. His message will be smooth and attractive to many, but with the deception of Satan’s lies. Jesus warns us in His ‘Sermon on the Mount’ to beware of false prophets who disguise themselves as harmful sheep but are actually vicious wolves. This would indicate that false prophets are not reserved for the end times but are with us today.

All we need to do is scan the latest news headlines. Observe those who the media is focused on and listen to their words. Listen to their tone. Noticing their sincere smiling faces. Do some homework and fact-check what they are saying, both from history and the Word of God. An honest check, accepting the results you find, will lead you to realize they are who Jesus said they are, vicious wolves speaking as soft-spoken lambs. Our generation needs to understand this deception is all around us. Satan is not about to give up. His time is running short and he will use any smiling face he can find. Beware of today’s soft-spoken lambs.  

Devotionals

Nothing More to Say      

Loring Schultz

Read: Psalm 119:89-96 NASB – Lamedh Forever, LORD, Your word stands – Bible Gateway

“Forever, O LORD, Your word is settled in heaven.” Psalm 119:89 NASB

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There comes a time in everyone’s life when defending our position on a matter is useless, for there is nothing more to say. We’ve exhausted all reasoning for our actions to no avail because we have been proven wrong. Matters of opinion are less crucial unless those opinions turn into action with dire consequences. When we engage in activities contrary to God’s Word but acceptable to the world and to our culture, it’s bound to not end well. As the fruit of our decisions ripens and becomes known, we try to explain it away, defending our actions as in vogue with the world. You may be in sync with your friends and colleagues, but you are not in alignment with God in your reasoning.

The point is simple, God’s Word stands. It cannot be overruled. It can’t be reasoned with to persuade change. It is settled. There is nothing more to say. The psalmist writes, “Forever, O LORD, Your word is settled in heaven.” (Ps.119:89 nasb) It’s done, completed, and forever. God’s Word doesn’t change with culture. Culture changes towards the Bible when people take God seriously and study His Word with an open mind to spiritual truth.

Instead of exerting your energy trying to justify what is not in Scripture, why not apply that energy in a study of God’s Word. Invest your time and energy discovering the truth. You’re not going to find approval for what the world approves in the Bible unless you pick and choose certain passages and apply them in error to suit your purpose. Disregarding sections of Scripture as not relevant to today’s culture doesn’t change the fact that God’s Word is settled truth. You can redact them with a sharpie but under the black mark the truth is still there. Let’s reason together, when God’s Word is settled there’s nothing more to say!

Devotionals

Lent 2026 – The Cross in the Old Testament

Loring Schultz

Read: Psalm 22:13-18 KJV – They gaped upon me with their mouths, – Bible Gateway

“My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?……they pierced my hands and my feet. I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me. They part my garments among them and cast lots upon my vesture.” Psalm 22:1, 16-18 KJV

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The message of the cross is not just a New Testament story. The man upon that cross is seen all throughout the Bible including much of the Old Testament. Jesus Christ, God the Son, the Messiah is that man on the cross. You may have heard that ‘history’ is really ‘HIS-story’ Jesus Christ. There is plenty of evidence in the Old Testament to convince even the strongest doubters that Jesus is the promised Messiah who was to come. He came in His Father’s timing to earth to paid the penalty for our sins on the cross of calvary.

The author of Psalm 22, King David, prophesized Jesus on the cross when expressing his own thoughts in his prayer of anguish to the Lord. “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Ps.22:1 kjv) David, a godly servant, was under constant attack unjustly by his enemies. Our Lord Jesus was under attack unjustly as David, both as righteous sufferers. But, in our Lord’s suffering, as unjust as it was, justice was served in payment for our sin debt. Jesus ultimately defeated death by rising from the dead to ensure salvation and eternal life for all who believe in Him.   

 There is much to learn about Jesus in the Old Testament. This Lenten season as we focus on the cross let us glean through those treasured sacred writings and discover the many references to Christ within its pages for it is His-story.

A Christian Perspective

The Greatest Show on Earth; what are we willing to accept?     

Loring Schultz

“But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness. So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other’s bodies.” Romans 1:18, 24 NLT

Last Sunday the greatest show on earth, Super Bowl LX, was televised and streamed across the world. That title once belonged to the circus act of ‘Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey.’ I realize they are still around, but the NFL’s Super Bowl has long surpassed them in more ways than one and not for the better.

Writing as one who watched the first Super Bowl as an impressionable youth, the NFL has changed dramatically over 60 years. The game itself has not changed all that much except for how the game is played according to the NFL but that is a subject for another day. Today is about what we as Christians are willing to accept in our entertainment choices when they cross the lines of decency, morality, and the Word of God. Rule changes in the NFL do not cross any of these lines. What does cross the line is the NFL’s push to grow its product by bowing to a decaying culture at the expense of corrupting our future generations. Of course, I’m speaking of the morally bankrupt half-time show witnessed by millions of people especially the impressionable youth of our day.

No, I didn’t watch it not even to be able to better review it, there was no need to. Debauchery does not need to be witnessed to know what it is. The problem within the current culture is that many people don’t see the problem and it is a big problem, nor do they care. It is understandable those outside of Christ would fall into this category, but for Christians who claim to follow Jesus and His teachings to not see the problem by staying silent or worst yet accepting it is unconscionable. The book of Romans says, “But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness.” (Ro.1:18 nlt) God is angry and so should we be.

Before someone thinks ‘who are you to judge’ I’m not judging. I’m angry, and mostly angry at my brothers and sisters in Christ who are accepting of this kind of public behavior for all the world to see. It’s not OK, and no I’m not perfect, but I know when something is not OK with God. His Word tells us, for all who care to pay attention, what is right and wrong, what we should accept and what we should condemn. Reading through the Bible can be unsettling at times for we will come across passages we don’t like, but they’re in there, so we need to deal with it.

What are we willing to accept to be accepted by the culture? Many of us stay silent to not offend others notably friends, co-workers, and family. We want to be part of ‘the greatest show on earth’ with the Super Bowl parties, the commercials, and the half-time entertainment. We bring our families together for some family entertainment. The sad truth is Super Bowl LX was far from family entertainment. The Greatest Show on Earth clearly belongs to ‘Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Circus.’ Pass the cotton candy.

Devotionals

Daily Bible Reading: Your Guide Through Uncertainty

Loring Schultz

“The entrance of Your words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple.” Psalm 119:130 NKJV

When entering a dark room, the first thing we do is turn on a light. If we enter a room we haven’t been in before, we search for the light switch using the limited light illuminating from outside the room. In either case, when the room has light, we can now move around and conduct our business.

There are many dark rooms we enter in life. Some are daily decisions to be made and others major decisions made only occasionally in our lifetime. All have the uncertainty in the shadow of what’s ahead. If only there was no shadow at all with enough light to enter, we would be confident we’re making the right move.

The Psalmist wrote, ‘The entrance (or unfolding) of Your words gives light.’ The Bible contains everything we need to know in making those decisions of uncertainty. We need light to shine through the shadows of both the daily decisions and the life changing ones. Seeing that we make decisions daily, it stands to reason, the light always needs to be on. Daily reading of Scripture is a must for every Christian if we are to be in His will and make the right decisions.

Our Lord will not abandon us to make our own decisions without His guidance and for that we should be thankful. He has given us His Word in clarity so that all could obey it. The Psalmist also wrote, ‘It gives understanding to the simple,’ and that means all of us. God’s Word is the light which illuminates our ability to understand His message to us, most importantly for salvation, but also for those decisions to be made in the shadows of a dark room.

A Christian Perspective

United States: A Country Divided

Loring Schultz

 “Any kingdom divided by civil war is doomed. A town or family splintered by feuding will fall apart.” Matthew 12:25 NLT

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The United States of America has established itself as the leader of the free world since its founding in 1776. Based on principles found in the Holy Scriptures from God who created the heavens, the earth, and human beings in His image, these principles have guided the nation for 250 years this July 4th. Sadly, the United States once united ‘in God we trust’ have abandon, not only the motto, but very God Himself. Although not every citizen has rejected God and His Word, enough has that the United States is now a country divided.

The founding fathers are at the heart of this current divide. Disagreements over the intent of the framers of the constitution and its stability or fluidity have risen over the years. Legislation has been created and court decisions have been entered seizing the opportunity to establish law not found in the constitution. There is naturally a division when these laws are enacted as both sides see their view as the right one. The truth is the only view that matters is God’s and what He has written in His Word.

Many laws have been passed and put into effect and by law are legal, but by God’s law they do not pursue equal justice and violate the dignity of men and women made in God’s image. The founding fathers knew they were men with human flaws and needed divine revelation in drafting the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Biblical principles were applied to ensure liberty and justice for all. When these principles are neglected and God is no longer relevant in governing the nation, legislation will become law that will divide the citizens of the country.

The United States is more divided in 2026 than any time in its history including the Civil War. History books record for us the result of such division that occurred in the first half of the 1860’s. We may not be heading into a civil war as in the past, but we are in a civil war of ideas, justice, and morality. Jesus’ words need to be resounded across every state in the union, “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation.” (Mt.12:25 nkjv) The United States is on the verge of collapse in Jesus’ words if we don’t reunite under His rule and authority. There is some good news that a reuniting may indeed occur. President Donald Trump announced this past Thursday at the National Prayer Breakfast that on May 17, 2026, at the National Mall in Washington, D.C. the United States will be rededicated as ‘One Nation under God.’ May we pray this will be a turning point as America begins its next 250 years.

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A Christian Perspective

Forced Learning

Loring Schultz

“Command and teach these things….…. devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching.” 1 Timothy 4:11, 13 ESV

‘Forced Learning,’ it sounds negative. It gives the impression of lack of freedom and choice. It can also assume indoctrination. The world’s education system has many contributors forcing their brand of learning based off their worldview to indoctrinate unexpecting students. This is occurring from early childhood development to our colleges and universities. Sadly it is also in some of our most prestigious non-profit and religious organizations and even in some churches. The justification for this teaching is they are in sync with the changing progressive culture. People in the early days of the New Testament found themselves in much the same situations. Paul, the apostle, has a few words to say about this.

Paul was giving Timothy instructions on being a disciplined servant of Christ. Timothy’s job was to teach and instruct the church of the ways of God, salvation, and Chrisitan living in a world with an ever-changing culture. Paul said to ‘Command and teach these things.’ The early church faced false teachers claiming something new and contrary to Scripture. Timothy was to devote himself to being persistent in the public reading of Scripture in worship services. He was also to continue to exhort and teach the brethren, in fact Paul told Timothy to ‘command and teach these things.’ It sort of sounds like ‘forced learning,’ but if Timothy’s teaching was based on the truth of God’s Word from God Himself then Timothy had a responsibility to carry out that command to teach those things.

Christians today have the same responsibility to communicate the truth of God’s Word. This is not to be left up to the pastor but is an obligation of every living saint. The error of false teaching must be met with truth from the Bible. The progressive cultural of our day is increasingly drifting away from the Bible with their forced learning procedures. It’s time to ‘command and teach these things.’ in the love of Christ.