The Gospel – Word for the Soul

Our Time is Now

March 20, 2026March 18, 2026 Loring Schultz

“If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?” Esther 4:14 NLT

Have you ever imagined yourself living in another time and place? Perhaps you fantasized of living during the Renaissance Era in Europe, the Colonial Days of the 17^th and 18^th centuries or the so-called Fabulous 50’s in America. Whatever your dreams or fantasies, rest assured that you are where you are today by Divine design. It is not by chance. God has placed each of us in the space of time and location by His choosing.

The story of “Esther” in the Old Testament is an excellent example of God’s Divine providence. Esther was in a position, by highly usual circumstances, I might add, to keep her people, the Jews, from annihilation. (Esther 3:12-13) She was in the right place at the right time because the Lord had placed her there. We also are in the right place and time by God’s Divine Providence.

We may not be in such a dilemma as Esther, but it is a matter of eternal life and death. God places each of us to carry out His purposes by being obedient and faithful where he has placed us. You may ask yourself, “Why I am here, at this place, during this time?” You are here to carry out God’s purposes in telling others the Good News of His Son, Jesus Christ right where he has placed you. It is a matter of life and death and our time is now.

“I came to you in weakness—timid and trembling. And my message and my preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit. I did this so you would trust not in human wisdom but in the power of God.” (1Cor.2:3-5 nlt)

Pray for the People of Iran

March 7, 2026March 7, 2026 Loring Schultz

The following is my view from a Christian perspective of the current conflict in the nation of Iran. It is an earnest plea to pray for the people of Iran. This is about the innocent lives in the nation who have been suffering under the influence of an Islamic totalitarian regime for forty-seven years. This is not about the politics surrounding the military strikes, or who occupies the White House, or who controls the United States congress, it is about the tens of thousands of people who have been killed by this evil empire for almost five decades both in Iran and around the world. The people of Iran have been living under fear and daily threat for their lives if they don’t bow and surrender their God given right of freedom to this oppressive regime.

The protests against the radical Islamic government of Iran from late last year through January of this year has resulted in thousands of people killed. The number varies from 3,100 according to state media and to over 30,000 cited by independent sources and medical professionals. The loss of the internet has stifled accurate figures coming out of Iran. But “ Time magazine cited two senior Iranian health ministry officials saying at least 30,000 people had been killed in street clashes across Iranian cities. The Guardian reported a similar figure of 30,000 deaths on 7 January, citing its sources, and added that a large number of people had disappeared.” (1) The evidence is overwhelming as to the cruelty of this regime and it is time for good people to take a stand with the people of Iran and support them during this critical period.

As Christians the most important support we can give right now is our prayer support. Pray for no more casualties among innocent civilians. Pray for Christians in Iran to be examples of Christ bringing comfort and the gospel of peace to their Iranian neighbors. Pray that many non-believers will accept Christ as savior during this time. Pray for a soon end to this conflict and that the transition period will bring about positive change for the Iranian people. We need to pray for President Trump and the U.S. military along with all our allies in this undertaking to achieve justice and freedom for the people of Iran. Let us pray!

Photo by Sima Ghaffarzadeh on Pexels.com

(1) Iran protests death toll could surpass 30,000, reports claim

Devotionals

Assured of Victory

February 19, 2026February 17, 2026 Loring Schultz

Read: Revelation 21:1-8 NLT – The New Jerusalem – Then I saw a new – Bible Gateway

“All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be my children.” Revelation 21:7 NLT

“For ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved.’” Romans 10:13 NLT

How can one be assured of victory? I think if we’re all honest with each other we should all agree none of us humanly speaking can be assured of victory. Recent disappointments in the 2026 Winter Olympic games have proven this to be true. Top world athletes found themselves falling victim to what was once referred to as ‘the agony of defeat.’ All revved up and ready to go after years of practice and keeping their bodies in shape failed when a slight slip or two resulted in not making it to the podium.

Failing to achieve victory in this life is a minor inconvenience compared to failing to stand on the podium in heaven having been assured victory in Christ. In Christ we all can be assured of victory. It has nothing to do with how hard we train in doing good works but everything to do with what Christ has done for us on the cross. The apostle Paul tells us that, “Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved.” (Ro.10:13 nlt) You can count on that because it is the truth of God’s Word.

Victory is ours through Jesus Christ. All each of us need to do is repent of our sin and accept Him as Lord and Savior. But failure to do so in this life will result in the most tragic of all defeats. “For everyone has sinned; (even a little slip) we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.” (Ro.3:23 nlt) Don’t be left off the podium when there is still time to be assured of victory.

A Christian Perspective

Forced Learning

January 31, 2026January 29, 2026 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.

Devotionals

Training for godliness

January 15, 2026January 14, 2026 Loring Schultz

Read: 1 Timothy 4:6-10 NLT – A Good Servant of Christ Jesus – If you – Bible Gateway

“…… train yourself to be godly. Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.” 1 Timothy 4:7-8 NLT

A physical fitness program is worthwhile pursuing. There are countless benefits in maintaining good physical health. It is often said, ‘you have one life to live, so make it a good one.’ Being physically fit through exercising and healthy eating habits improves your life tremendously in this world but unfortunately doesn’t do a thing for the afterlife. But there is a training program available that will provide benefits for this life and the one to come. It is training yourself for godliness.

Paul told Timothy to train himself to be godly and to pass it on to those in the church he was pastoring. Timothy was battling false teachers submitting error in biblical doctrine leading people astray through godless ideas. It sounds very familiar to our day. Paul says not to waste time arguing over these ‘myths or fables’ which there really are, but to put a training program in place to instill godliness.

A spiritual training program for godliness requires self-discipline just as any physical fitness program. One must be dedicated to wanting spiritual growth and have a strong desire to live a godly life. Paul says this program promises benefits in this life. Benefits to us include a closer walk with God, a more effective prayer life, greater understanding of the Bible, and encouragement to share the gospel with others. This leads to the benefits of others as they now hear the word of God presented to them by godly people speaking and living the truth of the gospel and not the godless ideas of the day. We need to combat the false godless teaching of our day, but we must first be spiritually trained for godliness. So, let us get with the program.

Devotionals

Scarce Faith

January 8, 2026January 7, 2026 Loring Schultz

Read: 1 Timothy 4:1-5 ESV – Some Will Depart from the Faith – Now – Bible Gateway

“……. when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” Luke 18:8 ESV

At the end of the parable of the persistent widow and the unrighteous judge (Lk.18:1-8) Jesus says, “I tell you; he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” (Lk.18:8 esv) Jesus is fast forwarding to His second coming and is indicating that a spiritual decline will be in progress. The time will be a time of persistent prayer for true believers similar to the woman in the parable.. This will be a time of mass spiritual decline. True faith will be scarce. False teaches will be leading people away from the gospel, and persecutions will be on the rise.

The apostle Paul informs Timothy of the same thing in his letter of instruction of 1 Timothy. “Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons.” (1Tim.4:1 esv) As the days get closer to Christ’s return, Satan and his demons know they are running out of time. The day of everlasting torment is getting closer for them. Their only purpose is to lie, deceive, and destroy.

The world has been observing these devilish effects for some time now. There has been a great exodus of people from the church in recent years. Many churches have abandoned their gospel roots of salvation to include unbiblical methods of salvation to get along with the changing culture. It’s not hard to see who is behind this apostasy. The evil one is doing all he can to keep people in need of salvation from hearing the true gospel. Be aware Satan is also in the business of deceiving Christians with false doctrine to keep us from growing in Christ and from evangelizing the truth.

May we be alert to the deception around us, not getting caught up in it, and be in a steadfast position to continue to share the gospel in these ‘scarce faith’ times.

Bible Studies

SOLUS CHRISTUS (Christ Alone)

January 4, 2026January 3, 2026 Loring Schultz

Last week we looked at the first of the Five Solas of the Reformation, ‘Sola Scriptura’ or scripture alone. The Bible being sufficient for all we need in the way of Salvation records the truth of Jesus’s own words in the gospel of John, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.’ (Jn.14:6) The second solas is ‘Solus Christus’ which states that salvation is only through Jesus Christ and in Jesus Christ alone. There is no other way to get to the Father except through Jesus and He doesn’t need any of our help to get us there. He is totally sufficient.

During the Reformation period, the church’s greatest need was to regain its focus on Christ as the head of the church. With that accomplished through Luther and the rest of the Reformers, the next step was to ensure the teaching of Scripture that Christ alone through faith was the only necessary means of salvation. Scripture confirms that Jesus is fully God and fully man making it possible for Him to be the only bridge between God and man. It was important for the Reformers to establish the Divine nature of Christ and His Human nature. The Reformers affirmed “The statement of faith made by the Council of Chalcedon (451). It reaffirms the Christological definitions of Nicaea and Constantinople and formally repudiates the errors of Nestorius and Eutyches. It declares Christ to be one Person in two natures, the Divine of the same substance as the Father, the human of the same substance as us; these are united unconfusedly, unchangeably, indivisibly, and inseparably.” (1)

Jesus as the only Savior, and the only way to God is the predicted Messiah in the Old Testament who was to come. The Hebrew word for Messiah is ‘mashiach,’ which means ‘anointed one.’ ‘Mashiach’ translated into Greek as ‘christos” translated into English as ‘Christ.’ Therefore Jesus Christ is the ‘Anointed One, Jesus the Messiah, the Savior.’

Note some verses from Scripture stating ‘Christ alone’ in Salvation. Jesus says to Thomas, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” (Jn. 14:6 nlt) And Jesus speaking to Nathanael after He called him to be His disciple said to him, “I tell you the truth, you will all see heaven open and the angels of God going up and down on the Son of Man, the one who is the stairway between heaven and earth.” (Jn. 1:51 nlt) Jesus is referring to the book of Genesis and Jacob’s dream of a ladder descending from heaven. Jesus, the Messiah, is the ladder for access between God and man.

All of us are lost in our sin estranged from God with no help of reconciliation on our own. The prophet Isaiah wrote, “All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the LORD laid on him the sins of us all.” (Is. 53:6 nlt) The Reformers witnessed the church falsely instructing people to secure their Salvation through indulgences and human works. Salvation is only available when full payment for our sin is paid for by the only one able to do so, Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the sinless Son of God. And by faith in Christ (the ladder) and His death and resurrection, we have forgiveness of our sin and eternal life. ‘Solus Christus’ Christ alone is all sufficient for our Salvation.

(1) https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803095600808

A Christian Perspective

Revival of the Nations

January 3, 2026January 2, 2026 Loring Schultz

There is an undercurrent here in the United States, and I believe in many nations around the world, of a spiritual revival about to take place. As in past history when people drift away from God, chaos erupts, society crumbles, and it appears all is lost. The cry of ‘Come, Lord Jesus’ is the sounding board used by many Christians to throw up their hands in defeat and give up. Yes, Jesus Christ is returning one day to rule, but it is in times like these that God raises up people to pick up the mantle of the gospel as the only way out of our present-day chaos. Individuals here in America and throughout the world are starting to have an impact on our current and future generations by following the Holy Spirit’s lead that revival starts with me, then the church, and then all nations.

What is revival?

The word ‘revival’ comes from two Latin words, ‘re’ meaning ‘again’ and ‘vivo’ which means ‘to live.’ So, the meaning is ‘to live again.’ Applying this to the Christian’s spiritual life it is the restoration of believers in Christ by the Holy Spirit’s work. This pertains to those of us who have also drifted away. There is no human strategy involved, but we are involved as we follow the Spirit’s leading. True revival starts small with a few people expanding to a group of people then to the whole church and on to other churches and cities around us exploding into the vast regions of the country in which we live. Richard W. DeHaan writes, “We shall consider ‘revival’ as that special season of refreshing when many believers simultaneously experience deep, Holy Spirit conviction, causing them to make private and public confession of sin, along with a renunciation of it…..and the whole experience bearing fruit in the salvation of the lost.” (1) Note that ‘revival’ is not political, it’s not governing, and it’s not claiming a special right or privilege. Revival is getting right with God which leads people to do the right and moral things in every aspect of their lives.

Who are the nations?

The word ‘nations’ used in the Bible both in the Old and New Testament means ‘people.’ The Hebrew word ‘goy’ is used as “nation, people.” In the New Testament, the Greek word used is ‘ethnos’ meaning “a race (Gentiles), people, a multitude living together.” Therefore we’re talking about people. This should quiet those who criticize movements of spiritual awakenings as found in some of our college campuses in the United States and elsewhere around the world as a political movement. It is not. It is the Holy Spirit working in the hearts and men and women who are serious about their relationship with Christ and desire to live accordingly.

Where do we go from here?

Pray! All Christians should be praying for revival in their own country and other countries around the world. It starts with individuals being sensitive to the Spirit’s call who is also calling others to join you and vice-versa. Don’t neglect the Holy Spirit’s nudging in this direction. Getting ourselves right with God, praying for others, and praying for those in authority to come to know Christ as savior will see a revival that will be hard to miss. Remember, revival is about changing lives. The rest will take of itself as revival expands through the nations.

(1) Richard W. DeHaan, Are We Confused About Revival? (Grand Rapids: Radio Bible Class), p. 1,2.

Devotionals

Committed to Godliness

December 31, 2025December 30, 2025 Loring Schultz

“They must be committed to the mystery of the faith now revealed and must live with a clear conscience.” 1 Timothy 3:9 NLT

As 2025 comes to an end and we embark on a new year, ask yourself ‘was I able to fulfill any of the commitments I made for the year?’ If you have, praise God! There are not many of us who have been able to keep those well intended commitments. Any failed attempts during the year are concerning when we are seeking to improve in certain areas of our lives, but when we fail in our commitments to God concerning our spiritual lives it’s disastrous. We have failed God, ourselves, and all those around us.

The apostle Paul gave Timothy the qualifications he was to pass on to the those who would become deacons in the church. In the middle of these qualifications we find the essential and most important one, “They must be committed to the mystery of the faith now revealed and must live with a clear conscience.” (1Tim.3:9 nlt) The term ‘mystery of the faith’ refers to the truth of the gospel now revealed after being hidden until the resurrection of Christ. Jesus came to save sinners in which we are now to walk in the newness of life. Christians are to display Christ’s righteousness available through the Holy Spirit. Deacons must live a life that reveals the truth of the gospel which is living a life committed to godliness.

Although Paul is addressing future deacons of the church in this verse, this main qualification should be the commitment for every Christian to godliness in 2026. Those of us who know the Lord were called for a purpose. We are to share the gospel with others through words, through our lives, and through our commitment to godliness. Let’s make sure we fulfill this commitment all through 2026.

Devotionals

Christian Ancestry

November 24, 2025November 24, 2025 Loring Schultz

“Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. Don’t just say to each other, ‘We’re safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.’ That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones.” Luke 3:8 NLT

One’s ancestors can have a positive or negative effect on them. Positively speaking, one born into a family of great wealth and high standing in the community usually fare well. One born into the other end of the spectrum have an uphill battle from the start. But the outcome of both is not based on one’s ancestors’ wealth or status in life, but what they have accomplished with the opportunities afforded to them. Opportunities to follow one’s dreams and passions along with their God given skill set gives them the responsibility to choose the direction of their future.

Our lot in life is not based on who our ancestors are. My father was a machine assembler, that didn’t make me one; he was also a talented musician, not me either; and he was an excellent cook, certainly not me. Some people believe that because their parents were Christians they are also Christians. Many believe that being baptized and belonging to the church their family has traditionally attended for years also makes them a Christian and assured of heaven.

The problem is some attribute salvation and becoming a Christian to a family inheritance. Salvation is to choose to follow Jesus Christ, accepting Him as your personal Savior. There is no such thing as a Christian Ancestry guaranteeing salvation. Those who came to John the Baptist thought the same thing. They were Jews who were descendants of Abraham. It was their rite of passage. Their ancestry made it all right. John made it clear it was not so. They needed to repent of their sins and turn to God. (Luke 3:8)

Still true today, one needs to acknowledge and repent of their sins, trusting Jesus’s work on the cross for salvation. It’s a personal choice, it’s your choice, why not make it today!