Excellent Instructions

Posted on May 12, 2017 by Mark Shields

God wants us to follow instructions and when we do, He fulfills His promises. The instruction manual is the Bible. Have a wonderful weekend and look forward to a victorious future with peace and rest.

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Being complacent
Never helps to make
This world a better place
For goodness sake.

Stand for excellence
And what is righteous
Instead of being silent
To end a crisis.

Follow the instructions
Found in God’s Word
And He will be true
With power transferred.

He will be faithful
To fulfill His promises
And make many fools
Out of doubting Thomases.

Bringing peaceful rest
For all with liberty
And the outcome
Always victory.

By Mark Shields – © 05-11-2017
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Connected Forever to the Greatest Power Ever

Posted on May 11, 2017 by Mark Shields

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. – Colossians 2:6-7 

We may face difficulties daily … a family member is sick, a rough day at work, trying to balance work, home, and school but as pointed out in the post “Promise of the Spirit”, the Good News for us is that by accepting Christ, we are connected forever to the greatest power ever. We are connected to the Holy Spirit so we can face these difficult days by turning them over to God.

When we turn our difficulties over to God, greatness begins because God is bigger than any difficulty we face. One song that emphasizes this truth is He Is With Us by Love & The Outcome.

So my friend in Christ, set your sights beyond what you can see. Be determined and know that Christ has paid the price, giving you an unseen power which cannot be measured or weighed but can tell you the right things to do for a favorable outcome.

 


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Promise of the Spirit

Posted on May 10, 2017 by Mark Shields

Reading in Galatians 3:10-14, people of faith in Christ are promised the gift of the Spirit but those who rely on the law are under a curse. There is no way to erase past guilt by trying harder to obey the law in the present in order to be justified before God. Instead, Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming the curse for us (v. 13). In so doing, all who believe in Christ receive the promise of the Spirit.

Instead of following the Law of Moses and offering the sacrifice of animals, Jesus became that sacrifice for us so we can be connected to God. Like losing a connection to a Wi-Fi, we can sometimes have days where we just don’t feel connected with God. It makes a big difference between having a good day and a bad one.

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This day with You God, the Good News for us is that Jesus is our connection to You. We are grateful today because we believe in Jesus and are automatically connected to the power of Your Spirit. You are with us always and every doubt or fear will be replaced with a deep abiding trust in You. Amen.

 

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Be One of the Branches

Posted on May 9, 2017 by Mark Shields

I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. – John 15:5 

As noted in the post “Spirit Is Received By Those Who Have Believed “, we are justified by faith in Christ. Each day, we can count our blessings and turn our whole life around. Nothing is impossible if we believe that Jesus is the Vine and we are the branches.

Be one of the branches today. As in the song Be One by Natalie Grant, be the light in the dark, be the change, and be the hope. 


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Spirit Is Received By Those Who Have Believed

Posted on May 8, 2017 by Mark Shields

Explained by Paul in Galatians 3:1-9 is that the Spirit is received by those who have believed in Christ and not by works of the law. We receive this great power not because of what we have done but because of what Christ has done on the Cross.

There may be something you can act on today that could turn your life around. With God, everything is possible if you simply believe. God blesses those who seek His advice and follow through on His guidance. This day with God, pay attention to your dreams and think about ways to take action on His prompting. God blesses those who seek His advice and follow through on His guidance.

Dreaming big and acting on our dreams is very important because God can take our dreams and help us not only achieve them but along the way, inspire others to dream big too. In so doing, more opportunities are provided for all people to flourish.

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Prayer is our greatest power because we are speaking to the ONE who already has the answers to the issues we face so today Lord, we pray for faith. We believe the Spirit will be with us helping to solve problems at work, at home, and wherever we are. Today Lord, we are putting Your guidance into practice. Amen.

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