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

Step Ahead with the Spirit

Posted on September 15, 2017 by Mark Shields

This day with God, step ahead with the Spirit and deliver the Good News. My hope is that this poem will inspire togetherness in building up the house of the Lord.

Step Ahead

Step ahead with the Spirit
Now and into the future
To discover blessings
That make the path smoother.

Walk by faith this day
Within a lifestyle
That serves through love
And shares with a smile.

Growing fruits of the Spirit
As a donation
That provides resources
Of inspiration.

Building up the Lord’s House,
Delivering the Good News,
With power to take on
Whatever you choose.

Even in weak moments,
There is a great strength inside
Blessing you for a great future
As the Lord provides.

By Mark Shields – © 09-14-2017
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Posted in Poems | Tagged Blessings, Faith, Freedom, Future, Love, Poetry, Spirit, Strength | Leave a comment

Change for the Better

Posted on September 14, 2017 by Mark Shields

My child, eat honey, for it is good, and the honeycomb is sweet to the taste. In the same way, wisdom is sweet to your soul, If you find it, you will have a bright future, and your hopes will not be cut short.

In the post “Riches of the Soul”, one idea brought out is to put God’s Word into practice by evaluating our life and determining the changes that need to be made.

We spend a lifetime working hard and trying to save enough to someday retire. But along the way, our greatest activities are to accept the riches of God’s kindness, tolerance, and patience to help us change for the better.

Persistently living as the Bible teaches adds to the riches of our soul which we will have not only in this life but the eternal one too! Take inspiration from this song: Live Like That – Sidewalk Prophets and give it all you have today.

Index of devotionals

Posted in Desire, Devotionals | Tagged Bible Study, Desire, Devotional, Faith, Hope, Kindness, Life, Love, Patience, Praise, Priorities, Soul, Values, Wisdom | Leave a comment

Riches of the Soul

Posted on September 13, 2017 by Mark Shields

In Romans 2:1-11, Paul explains that we should wish for the riches of God’s kindness, tolerance, and patience to help us change for the better. God repays each person according to what they have done (v. 6) so more important than climbing the career ladder or building up a retirement account is persistently giving to God’s eternal account which includes the internal riches of the soul like faith, hope, and love.

In this passage, Paul is accusing the Jews of passing judgment on others for doing certain things, yet doing what they accuse others of doing. He asked them questions to clarify their position and their reasons for their faith in God.

This passage is dealing with God’s judgment. Throughout the Bible we find that judgment is according to our works, while salvation is by faith. Paul is not discussing how a person is saved, but how they will be judged: “according to his deeds” (v. 6).^*

To change for the better, one idea we can try is to put God’s Word into practice by evaluating our life and determining the changes that need to be made. We can determine what our priorities are and study how we use our time. We can evaluate if the proper amount of time is set aside for our highest priorities. We can also take a look at our values and if our daily tasks match up with our values.

This day with You Lord, help us to persevere and finish strong. We want to hear these words when we cross from this life to the eternal one with You, “Well done my faithful servant”. What You give to us is a plan for life and it is a treasure. The more we lose ourselves in this plan, the more passion we have to carry it out. Thank You for today’s passage that gave us some ideas as we continue to step ahead in life.

Nicholes, Lou. “God’s Indictment of All Hypocrites.” Commentary » Romans 2:11 » Family-Times.net*. Family-times.net/commentary/romans-21/

Posted in Bible Study, Desire | Tagged Bible Study, Desire, Devotional, Faith, Hope, Kindness, Life, Love, Patience, Prayer, Priorities, Soul, Values | Leave a comment

Prescription to a Clearer Vision

Posted on September 12, 2017 by Mark Shields

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. – Philippians 4:8

A lie the world tells us is to do things on our own without any help from God. But why exchange the truth of God for this lie that leads to an unhealthy society? Instead, the prescription to a clearer vision is to give attention to our spiritual growth. Think of ways to feed our hearts and minds with positives from God.

Like the song Fix My Eyes by King & Country points out, we can change our course. We can accept the help God gives in Christ and accept the obvious as truth. The ways of the world always change but the character of God never does.

As a society learns how to live God’s way, individuals build up strong character, families support each other, and communities flourish. The post “Changing Course” provides an analysis from Paul about society’s issues, how to sort things out, and offers a prescription to a clearer vision.

Index of devotionals

Posted in Accurate Thinking, Devotionals | Tagged Bible Study, Community, Devotional, Family, Praise, Society, spirituality, Thought, Truth | 1 Comment

Changing Course

Posted on September 11, 2017 by Mark Shields

Reading in Romans 1:24-32, Paul is writing out some thoughts about society of the early Roman Empire but he might as well be writing about many parts of society today. He describes the moral and mental perversions of a society that is spiritually bankrupt. He explains that God takes action on those who suppress the truth (v.18); giving them over to sinful desires (v. 24), to shameful lust (v. 26), and to a depraved mind (v. 28).

Paul explains further that a society that has been given up by God is filled with wickedness, evil, greed, and depravity (v. 29). They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents (v. 30); they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy (v. 31).

Further analysis by Paul explains that the sins mentioned above stem from not glorifying God or giving thanks to Him (v. 21). From worshipping created things rather than the Creator (v. 25). From not thinking it worthwhile to retain knowledge of God (v. 28) and not only continuing to sin but approving those who practice it (v. 32).

God makes it clear that the way of life in which the truth is exchanged for a lie leads to a downward course. The right course is the one God laid before us and leads to that which is pure and good and lovely. Below is a poem which is the prescription to fix the issue.

Sorting It All Out
Made in the Image of God
But sin enters in.
Relationship broken;
Filled with chagrin.

Forgiveness sought;
Acknowledging a need;
Trusting in God
In order to proceed.

Jesus came to earth
To save the lost.
Relationship restored;
Saved by the Cross.

Restored from within,
Through a prayer on knees.
A decision of the heart;
A “Yes” to Jesus who frees.

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This day with You Lord, help us to fix our eyes on You. Help us to accept the truth and head down the path that leads to that which is pure and good and lovely. We give attention today to our spiritual growth. Today, we are thinking of ways to feed our heart and mind with positives from You. Amen.