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

Illuminate The Light

Posted on September 5, 2023 by Mark Shields

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. – John 1:14

As explained in “Word Became Flesh”, we live in a sometimes dark world, but if the Word of God is opened, we can see the Light and be set free. We can study, pray, and apply our faith by following Jesus who is the Light to freedom. Then we can help reveal this Light to the world by bearing witness to the freedom gained by following this light.

It’s time to let the Light shine and allow the king of glory in with the song Let The Light In by Kari Jobe (feat. Cody Carnes). Peace and grace in your walk in the Light this day!

Index of devotion als

Posted in Devotionals, Faith | Tagged Devotional, Faith, Freedom, Grace, Joy, Life, Peace, Praise, Testimony, Truth, Witness, Worship | 3 Comments

Word Became Flesh

Posted on September 4, 2023 by Mark Shields

The book of John is a record of the earliest accounts of Jesus’ life. It provides eyewitness testimony of one of Jesus’ closest followers. The main theme is that the Word became human in Jesus also named the Son of God, Son of man, or the Messiah.

Reading the first passage John 1:1-18 as we journey through the book, we note that the Word was with God from the very beginning and made all things (v. 1-3). Jesus is the Word who came to earth in the flesh.

John the Baptist is the one who bears witness to the light which shines in darkness bringing grace and truth. Jesus is the Light of the world whose appearance in the flesh is to reveal God’s plan for us. We are to follow God’s life plan or Way, reflect His view, and shine the light for others so they know what to do.

I remember years ago when a bird got into the sanctuary at our church. After a while of trying to get the bird out of the sanctuary, someone thought of an idea. We would turn out the lights and open up the side door. The bird saw the light and escaped to freedom.

It’s the same with us as we live in a sometimes dark world. If the Word of God is opened, we can see the Light and be set free. We can study, pray, and apply our faith by following Jesus who is the Light to freedom. Then we can help reveal this Light to the world by bearing witness to the freedom gained by following the Light.

We may be going in the right direction at times, but the world gets us off track. There is one door that opens to heaven, to harmony, peace, and joy. The other door leads to the way of the world which leads to strife, war, hunger, and ultimate death. The key to heaven’s door is the Cross. Those of faith accept what Christ did on the Cross, receive grace, salvation, and eternal life.

Those of faith accept what Christ did on the Cross. Photo taken 06/04/2018 at Garvan Woodland Gardens near Hot Springs Arkansas.

This day with God, we are thankful for Jesus … Word in the Flesh to give us an example to follow. With the Word, the universe is illuminated with Light in the darkness. The spark of Light began when the Son of Man came down to earth. At that point in time, grace kept on giving and the Light kept on shining. There was no more worry which only brings darkness to diminish the growth of our faith. There is only the Good News of His Word which shines a Light to the clearing along the path. The Light shines to provide food that produces much success and fruitfulness for His glory. Amen.

Posted in Bible Study, Faith | 2 Comments

Higher Destination

Posted on September 3, 2023 by Mark Shields

Think of ways you are using your skills to benefit the next generation. You may have started a dream but like David in 1 Kings 1, you may not be the one to build it to completion. Someone in the next generation, may need to finish.

There is a need to bring more and more people to the teachings of Jesus. We are all on a journey to our ultimate higher destination in heaven and this humbles us to pray for and care for the next generation so they can continue what was started.

Index of devotionals

Posted in Thoughts From Devotional | Tagged Devotional, Dreams, Gratitude, Heaven, Next Generation, Pleasantness, Praise, Soul, Worship | 3 Comments

Poetry Friday 09-01-2023

Posted on September 1, 2023 by Mark Shields

A poem posted at my other blog Step Ahead is inspired by the post “Destiny of the Faithful”. Those who are the faithful ones in Christ are assured of a destiny beyond what could be imagined but the adversaries are headed towards ruin so let us meditate on the Truth and seek ways to share with others the reward for those who are faithful to the Lord.

As pointed out in the song Shout to the Lord by Michael W. Smith, nothing compares to the promise we have in the Lord. Let us point out the wonders of His world. That the mountains bow down and the seas roar at the sound of His name.

Posted in Bible Study | Tagged Destiny, Grace, Hope, Joy, Music, Poetry, Praise, Rainbow, Rewards, Sunrise, Sunset, Worship | Leave a comment

Questions for Reflection of John 1 – 2

Posted on August 31, 2023 by Mark Shields

The journey through 1 Kings has given encouragement for the journey ahead that will now take us into the Gospel of John for a while. We will continue to gain insight from God’s Word in order to apply our faith at work, at home, and in all we do.

The reading plan below will be used to hold me accountable as I share about God’s Word. To share about the Gospel of John, 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 each day amazing!

Questions for Reflection

John 1:1-18 – Who is the Word? Why is the Word’s life, man’s light? Who bears witness to the light? What is the purpose of the Word’s appearance in the flesh?

John 1:19 -34 – How does John the Baptist bear witness to Christ? What does John say Christ will do? How can you bear witness to Christ?

John 1:35-51 – How do the disciples meet Christ? How do they identify Jesus? What have you learned from these examples to help you present Christ to others?

John 2:1-12 – What power of Christ does the miracle at Cana reveal (See John 1:3)? What does Jesus’ first sign manifest (See John 1:14)? What is the result of Jesus’ first sign?

John 2:13-25 – What happens in the Temple? What emotional response does Jesus have? How does He refer to temple in verse 19? For what reason do many people in Jerusalem believe in Jesus’ name? How does the knowledge that Jesus has about all our thoughts affect the openness and honesty of our prayers?

Feel free to respond with a short note or a comment about any of the questions above. Also, I welcome any other thoughts or ideas, favorite inspirational videos, photos, or favorite Bible verses. Just add them to the comments or to a Facebook page I’ve set up at this link: This Day With God – A Spiritual Journey.

To store up thoughts that are good for the soul, listen to a sermon. Download the free app in the App Store or on Google Play. Look for First Waco.

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 />.