This Day With God – A Spiritual Journey | Share The Word

Heart Like A Burning Fire

Posted on April 8, 2024 by Mark Shields

This day with God, be encouraged and live with a heart on fire because we can trust Him. Live each day knowing He is with you always and with passion knowing the future with Him will be beyond what you could imagine. Reading today in John 20:11-18, we discover the reason to be encouraged.

Mary Magdalene thought someone had taken Jesus’ body. She looked inside the tomb and saw two angels. She talked to them and was crying. She then turned around and saw Jesus but did not recognize that it was Jesus. She thought he was the gardener (v. 15). When Jesus spoke her name, she recognized it was Jesus. Full of excitement, she went to the disciples to tell them about the wonderful news (v. 18).

When Jesus calls out our name and reveals himself to us, we are to do the same. Respond with excitement and be ready to share with others the Good News. With enthusiasm, we capture everyone’s interest and they join in to change the world for the better.

If you have a passion for what you do, it isn’t work at all because you enjoy what you do. Many times, I think back and smile at the memories of years ago. I remember picking dewberries in an area near the railroad tracks near our house. If I found enough, mom would make a dewberry pie.

Knowing Jesus is alive reminds us that the future and present are exciting too! God is with us and it’s exciting to think about what He’s going to do in the future. With God, we can get through anything, we can patiently grind out difficulties, and we can celebrate because of the victory we will always have with Him.

This day Lord, we remember the joys of the past and look forward with excitement to the days ahead. With excitement and enthusiasm, we work together to tell others about the Good News that Jesus is alive and with us. With us to build up our faith, have peace, and internal joy even when circumstances are not all that pleasant. Because of Jesus, we are not limited by the impossible but have a future beyond our imagination with great possibilities. In His name we pray, amen.

Posted in Bible Study, Enthusiasm | Tagged Bible Study, enthusiasm, Excitement, Good News, Interest, Joy, Passion, Peace, Photo, Prayer | 1 Comment

Thought From Devotional 04-05-2024

Posted on April 5, 2024 by Mark Shields

John the Baptist gave his testimony in John 1:19-34 . Giving testimony helps show the problem we all have and with that first step towards seeing the Light. Once the solution is known, we are moved to step ahead to a new and improved beginning for the days ahead.

Posted in Thoughts From Devotional | Tagged Devotional, Dream, Encouragement, enthusiasm, Explore, Faith, Grace, Initiative, Photo, Prayer, Salvation, Testimony, Worship | 1 Comment

Claim the Power and Celebrate

Posted on April 4, 2024 by Mark Shields

Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us. – Ephesians 3:20

In life there can be difficulty and the thought is “can’t get worse than this” but as explained in “Can’t Get Better Than This”, Jesus made the impossible possible by conquering death. Those who believe in Him can do the same.

This day with God, make sure you have claimed a piece of that power that is capable of even overcoming death and celebrate with the song I Can Only Imagine – MercyMe.

Index of devotionals

Posted in Devotionals, Make Impossible Possible | Tagged Adventure, Devotional, Downcast, Excitement, Freedom, Journey, Possible, Praise, Prayer, Swiss Apps, Video, Worship | 2 Comments

Can’t Get Better Than This

Posted on April 3, 2024 by Mark Shields

What was written in the Old Testament many years ago was fulfilled as recorded in the Gospel writings. The crucifixion of Jesus was on Friday and His body had been laid in a tomb. At this point, the disciples were downcast, and the mood was, “can’t get worse than this”. Continuing the journey through the Bible today in John 20:1-10, it starts to get better.

Things start to change on Sunday morning as Mary Magdalene goes to the tomb but notices the stone to the entrance had been removed and it was empty. She runs to Simon Peter and the other disciple to tell them what had happened.

Peter and John run to the tomb. John gets there first but does not go inside the tomb. When Peter arrives, he goes straight into the tomb noticing that the burial clothing was still in place but Jesus’ body no longer there. This is evidence that Jesus’ body had not been stolen but Jesus had risen from the dead!

The disciples were beginning to put it together about what Jesus had tried to explain to them. They saw and believed (v.8-9). Their mood was lifted at this point, the disciples were amazed, and the mood was, “can’t get better than this”. Jesus had risen from the dead! Then, Peter and John returned home to tell the others.

I’m reminded today of my time between graduation and the start of my career. In the summer of 1986, a buddy of mine from my hometown, decided to travel through Europe. We bought a Eurail pass that would take us anywhere in Europe. What was good about it was the freedom to just hop on a train and take off on a journey through Europe. We could be in Lucerne Switzerland in the morning and Innsbruck Austria in the afternoon.

We found out that a lot of young people in Europe spend the summer traveling. They carry their backpacks staying at hostels which are dorm like places to stay overnight. We were two Americans lugging around big suitcases so we didn’t fit in that good but it was fun.

There were times that the train was crowded or there was no privacy in the hostels. We had this saying, “It can’t get worse than this”. Then when we took the train ride through the Swiss Apps and there was another saying we came up with which was “It can’t get better than this”!

The Good News for followers of Jesus is that it only gets better and keeps getting better. There may be some down times but the long term outlook continues to be on the up side. The reason is because our inabilities are God’s possibilities. The journey with Jesus is designed to change us as we go on this amazing adventure.

Lord, we are thankful that our inabilities become Your possibilities. We reach out and there is no more doubt that things get better over time. We go on this amazing adventure to follow You Lord. What is blocked is no longer blocked. What is unknown becomes known because of You Lord. Even the power over death is defeated so we claim this power today in Jesus’ name, amen.

Posted in Bible Study, Make Impossible Possible | Tagged Adventure, Bible Study, Downcast, Excitement, Freedom, Journey, Photo, Possible, Prayer, Swiss Apps | 2 Comments

Questions for Reflection for Study of John 20 Through 21

Posted on April 2, 2024 by Mark Shields

The reading plan below will be used to hold me accountable to sharing about God’s word. As I share about my study of the book of John over the next few weeks, it’s important to have a plan. I’m thankful that Jesus is God’s plan for us and by accepting Christ as Savior; we have taken the steps necessary to make this day amazing!

Questions for Reflection

John 20:1-10 – Who came to the tomb? When? What do they discover? How do they react? What has Jesus promised to do for you that perhaps you have not fully believed?

John 20:11-18 – What are some of Mary Magdalene’s feelings brought out in this passage? What makes her realize it was Jesus talking to her? How did she respond to Jesus’ revelation and command (See verses 2, 13, and 15)? How has Jesus revealed himself to you? How have you responded?

John 20:19-31 – How does Jesus greet his disciples? How are seeing and believing related for Thomas? How can we doubt less? How can we believe without seeing?

John 21:1-14 – How does Peter’s decision (v. 3) influence the other disciples? When do the disciples recognize Jesus? What power of Jesus does this incident reveal? What needs does Jesus fulfill for the disciples? What is a need Jesus can fulfill for you today?

John 21:15-25 – How does Simon Peter respond to Jesus’ question and command? What action does love for Christ produce? What is John’s basis for selecting these things to write (See John 20:30-31)?

Keep up with my spiritual journey over the next few weeks either through following this blog by clicking the follow button on the top right side of this page or by liking the Facebook page I’ve set up at this link: This Day With God – A Spiritual Journey. Let’s share thoughts or ideas about applying our faith as we step ahead along the path to victory.

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Resources and Supplementary Helps Used in Posts

Adeney, Carol. This Morning with God: A Daily Study Guide to the Entire Bible. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 1978. Print.

“Sermons.” Sermons | FUMC Waco. N.p., n.d. Web. <https://fumcwaco.org/resources/sermons/>.

“Bible.” The Bible – The Word of God – ChristNotes. N.p., n.d. Web. 2017. <http://www.christianity.com/bible/>.

Nicholes, Lou. “Recent Commentaries.” Family-Times.net – Devotional Commentary Index. N.p., n.d. Web. <http://www.family-times.net/commentary/>.

“Bing.” Microsoft. N.p., n.d. Web. Images >.

“BibleGateway.” BibleGateway.com: A Searchable Online Bible in over 150 Versions and 50 Languages. N.p., n.d. Web. <https://www.biblegateway.com/>.