Tag: The Bible

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

What are you hiding from the children?

Loring Schultz

“We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might, and the wonders that he has done.” Psalm 78:4 ESV

Photo by Trinity Kubassek on Pexels.com

There are certain things parents hide from their children for their safety and to avoid confusion in material that is not age appropriate. Society does the same thing in keeping harmful material away from children, but sadly we are experiencing the present-day culture eroding those standards. Culture is lowering the age-appropriate standard to all-time lows on a variety of subjects causing harm and confusion to children. Christian parents are fighting an uphill battle in rising their children in the admonition of the Lord. What they hide from the innocent child in the home for their safety is often revealed in the classroom. 

Psalm 78 begins with a determination by the older generation to tell their children what their fathers passed down to them. They would teach them the glories of the Lord, His great might, the wonders He has done, and that God was their source of hope in this world. They weren’t going to hide these biblical truths from their children but teach them as soon as they were able to understand. Parents are commanded by God to teach them the wonders of God, who He is, His love for them, the way to live in this world, and God’s gift of salvation to all who believe.

Yes, there are many things to remain hidden from young minds, but the Word of God is not one of them and it must never be hidden. Parents should be intentional in teaching the Bible to their children. Their only hope in this life is in the God of the Bible. Knowing the truth of God’s Word, His commandments, and His love for them will go a long way in helping counter the hidden things they will be exposed to by the culture. You can be sure the classroom will keep the Bible hidden, so make sure it is fully exposed and taught in the comfort of your own home.

Read: Psalm 78:1-8 ESV – Tell the Coming Generation – A Maskil – Bible Gateway

A Christian Perspective

Standing in the Gap for America

Loring Schultz

“I looked for someone who might rebuild the wall of righteousness that guards the land. I searched for someone to stand in the gap in the wall so I wouldn’t have to destroy the land, but I found no one. So now I will pour out my fury on them, consuming them with the fire of my anger. I will heap on their heads the full penalty for all their sins. I, the Sovereign LORD, have spoken!” Ezekiel 22:30-31 NLT

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

The United States of America is still the greatest, most prosperous nation in the world today. Cemented on Judeo-Christian values from the pages of Holy Scripture by the founding Fathers, the United States has been blessed as no other nation for the undivided attention given to God’s commands and the truth given to us from our creator. But, I’m afraid those days are surely coming to an end. The United States as a country has abandon God and we are starting to see the beginning of the end of our freedom unless a radical change back to God is made very soon.

It is impossible for anyone to not be aware of the deterioration of the very fabric of our nation. Even the casual observer of the news is confronted with political turmoil, ever increasing crime, hatred towards others, racism, scandals within our government institutions, attempts to silence free speech, discrimination, churches turning away from the truths of God’s Word, and Federal government spending causing the rise in the debt ceiling. The fact is, although being aware of the crisis in our country, many people are either disinterested or simply don’t care. Others are too busy with their own concerns, some are part of the problem, and then there are others who do care but only complain. They never take the initiative by getting involved to help in any way they can, even praying for the country.

The Lord speaking through the prophet Ezekiel was looking for someone to intercede on behalf of the people of Jerusalem who were about to be taken captive, and the city destroyed. Their continued sinning by turning their back on God is about to unleash the consequences. Sadly, the Lord found no one to ‘stand in the gap’ rebuilding the wall of righteousness. There was no one to teach repentance and return to the Lord their God. Jerusalem was destroyed and the people taken to Babylon in captivity.

The United States must heed this warning from the Old Testament book of Ezekiel, if the Lord God did not spare His own people from destruction due to their sin, what makes us think He will spare the United States of America? “So now I will pour out my fury on them, consuming them with the fire of my anger. I will heap on their heads the full penalty for all their sins. I, the Sovereign LORD, have spoken!” (Ez.22:31 nlt) Who will help rebuild the wall of righteousness, the sacred Judeo-Christian values that established the United States, and stand in the ‘stand in the gap?’ Will it be you? Will it be me? May it be both of us!

The link below will help get us off to a good start. Today is Day 2 of ’40 Days of Prayer before the U. S. Presidential election.’ May we all be in prayer as we stand in the gap for the next 40 days for America and other countries around the world.

40 Days USA | A Call To Pray For Our Nation

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Devotionals

A Powerful Offense in the Home      

Loring Schultz

“I will lead a life of integrity in my own home.” Psalm 101:2b NLT

“But as for me and my family, we will serve the LORD.” Joshua 24:15 NLT

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There is an all-out assault on the family in 2024. It can be debated when the assaults started to occur, and what was the driving force setting it in motion. But there is no debate about the effects of broken families in the current day. Destruction of the family unit is one of Satan’s major goals. He, indeed, is the culprit in the destruction of the family. Satan and his demons are on the lookout for any breach in the family wall that is not fully secure. Defensive shields need to be erected, but more importantly in this case, the best defense is a powerful offense.

The Lord has laid down guidelines for us to follow in the structure of a family. Very simply, God created man in His image, male and female. He instituted marriage between one man and one woman, and children as a blessing creating a family unit. The husband (father) is to be the spiritual head of the family with the wife (mother) spiritual helpmeet to her husband. Both are responsible for bringing their children up in the admonition of the Lord. Simple enough, but there is a lot more to it as most married couples will tell you. Living in a fallen world with Satan shooting his arrows into the family through society’s ills, it’s time to deflect those arrows with a powerful offense of the Word of God and serve Him fully with a whole heart as a family.

King David made a pledge to reign as a righteous king and that started in his own home with his commitment to lead a life of integrity. David knew if he couldn’t live an exemplified life in his home, he would be incapable of leading a nation. He also knew he couldn’t do it without the Lord’s help, leading both his family and the nation. Christian fathers today cannot do it alone either, they need the Lord’s help in leading the family in a spiritual direction serving Christ. Joshua made it clear, as far as he was concerned, he and his family were going to serve the Lord. He knew failing to serve the God of the Bible would lead to all kinds of trouble. We see all kinds of trouble in Christian homes today as a result from the onslaught of the devil. These can be minimized drastically by going on the offense following David’s and Joshua’s offensive strategy for the families and homes.

One final thought: I realized with many broken Christian homes’ family structures vary. There are one-parent families, both men and women. Many Christian women are heads of the household due the father being absent. There are aunts, uncles, and grandparents who have assumed the role of head of the family. Whatever your circumstance, the Lord knows and will give you an extra spirit of grace as you train your children in the Lord. You can rest assured that your offensive strategy against the evil one will be just as powerful as you and your family are serving the Lord in your home with His help.

Devotionals

Nothing Last Forever, not so!

Loring Schultz

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A Christian Perspective

Responsibilities of a President in the Eyes of God

Loring Schultz

“For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God.” Romans 13:1 NLT

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The God of the Bible clearly states that all authority placed on individuals on this earth comes from Him. That includes Presidents. The American people may feel their vote put their candidate in office, but it is ultimately God’s choice who will be the next President of the United States. The apostle Paul writes, “Those in positions of authority have been placed there by God.” (Ro.13:1b nlt) Being placed there by a holy God comes with the responsibility to administer their duties in a godly manner and what God directs through His Word, the Bible. This has nothing to do with any organized religion, but has everything to do with God, and God alone, and His Word being obeyed in every walk of life, and that includes governing a nation.

The commands of God throughout Scripture are not for only those in the day they were written. The Bible was written by 40 different authors through the Holy Spirit over 1,500 years. Obviously, it was not only for their time, but is God’s instruction book going forward for future generations to know Him, and His way of salvation through His Son Jesus Christ. It is also the manual on how to govern and to live in a fallen world. Those in authority need to heed what God says in His book. Government leaders must learn from the mistakes of the kings in the Old Testament with their paganism and anti-God lifestyle. The Roman Empire in the New Testament brought about great achievements to provide infrastructure that was needed and improved society, but they also were a corrupt and pagan government and eventually the Roman Empire fell.

The United States government is no different than any other country in the world. All leaders are in authority by God to rule, punish evil doers, maintain peace, and provide security and protection for those under their governance. They are under His authority to govern righteously in accordance with His Words laid out in Scripture. The next President of the United States may think their sole responsibility is to uphold the constitution, or save democracy, but it is to submit to the Lord God of heaven who gave them their authority to use righteously and governed accordingly.

A Christian Perspective

Deception: an illusion, fraud, and outright lying

Loring Schultz

“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

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

Desperate people will resort to deception when they are in fear or in danger of not getting what they want. The 2024 United States Presidential election have desperate people from both major parties. They will do and say anything that will prevent them from going down in defeat, or more accurately, that their opponent takes a seat in the oval office. Presidential campaigns have not been noted for their honesty and integrity for decades, but as the stakes become more pressing and larger, 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. Both candidates and their campaigns are desperate. May we be praying for wisdom to discern the truth and not fall for the deception of Satan’s lies.

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

Devotionals

Satisfying Hunger for Knowledge with Scripture

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.

A Christian Perspective

United States: A Country Divided

Loring Schultz

Jesus, the great teacher, said, “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand.” Matthew 12:25 NKJV

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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 248 years. 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 just 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 2024 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.” The United States is on the verge of collapse in Jesus’ words if we don’t reunite under His rule and authority. May we pray for such a reunion.

Devotionals

Preventing Falls

Loring Schultz

“You have made a wide path for my feet to keep them from slipping.” Psalm 18:36 NLT

 Photo by Christian Wiediger on Unsplash

As the human body ages, it can become difficult to get around. Not everyone experiences this at the same rate, but eventually most aging individuals will need to take measures to prevent them from falling. Seniors have several sources to aid them in preventing falls from their health organizations, family physicians, and government regulations. Getting a little older I find myself paying closer attention to these precautions than I did even a few years ago. I am beginning to find out things happen fast and unexpectedly.

Aging spiritually does not prevent one from a spiritual failure or fall. Whatever your age, young, old or in-between despite how many years you have been a Christian does not guarantee you will not slip and fall. In fact, when we think we have it altogether is when we lose our footing causing us to slip. And if we are unable to catch ourselves, we fall whatever our age.

Our Lord God is not going to sit back and not provide any preventive measures for us. David wrote that the Lord ‘made a wide path for (his) feet to keep them from slipping’ from the attacks and battles he faced from his enemies including King Saul. Christians are under constant attack by the deception of the evil one creating circumstances enticing us to follow his lead causing us to slip and fall. But the Lord has made a wide path for every Christian to walk through in our spiritual journey.

When we follow Him through daily prayer and reading His Word, we will be able to spot the potholes on the road of life designed to make us fall. We will be able to resist Satan’s detour signs of a shortcut or scenic route encouraging us to go another way. Preventing physical falls made be more concerning for older adults, but preventing spiritual falls is a major concern for Christians of all ages. Stay on the wide path.

Read: Psalm 18:30-39 NLT – God’s way is perfect. All the – Bible Gateway