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

Commitment to Spiritual Growth

Posted on May 7, 2015 by Mark Shields

The actions of today can have long-term, far-reaching implications in our living for the future. Below are a few actions we can take that effect our future in a positive way:

Be decisive and accept Christ as Savior
Stay focused on His ways
Write out plans or a road map for spiritual growth
Take the steps needed to get to where you want to go
Take a look at the roadmap of your journey to measure how you are doing and where you are at
Involve others who will hold you accountable and help you maintain integrity
Learn from mistakes that get you off track
Take corrective action that will get you back on track when needed
Make it interesting, fun, and rewarding as you reach the destination

Here is an inspirational video as we seek to be committed to spiritual growth: Lead Me to the Cross – Hillsongs.

Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and He will establish your plans. – Proverbs 16:3

Index of devotionals

Posted in Discipline, Genesis, Music | Tagged Accountability, Christ, Discipline, Family, Generations, God, Inspiration, Life, Lord, Music, Plans, Savior, Spiritual Growth, Video | Leave a comment

Actions of the Present Have Implications for the Future

Posted on May 6, 2015 by Mark Shields

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Recorded in Genesis 36 are the descendants of Esau who settled further east from the household of Jacob. Both Jacob and Esau were wealthy with livestock and other possessions so the families could not live in the same area because their livestock needed pasture land to graze.

Jacob who later was named Israel was the progenitor of the Israelites. The household of Jacob was led towards following the ways of God. They were not perfect but did admit their wrongdoing and tried to get right with God. They acquired many possessions even through the seven-year famine.

Esau was also known as Edom, the progenitor of the Edomites who established the land in the hill country south of the Israelites. They became the enemy nation of Israel. Many say that the Edomites participated in the destruction of the First Temple by Nebuchadnezzar in 587 B.C. There is no mention that the household of Esau put God in high regard.

The actions of our present can have long-term, far-reaching implications in our living for the future. A picture of this can be found when comparing the lives of Esau and Jacob. Those that realize their wrongdoings and try to correct their attitudes or actions end up being blessed in the long-term. Wrong living by one family member can result in the household going through present and future struggles.

Bitterness and Jealousy can wreck a family not only in the current generation but for future generations. A disciplined life with attitudes or actions that honor and praise God leads to a bright future. Lord, we pray for discipline in obeying Your way because we know that You care about our future even more than we do. Lord, You understand our needs and we ask for the discipline needed in following Your way. Amen!

Posted in Discipline, Genesis | Tagged Discipline, Edomites, Esau, Family, Generations, God, Israelites, Jacob | 2 Comments

Make sure the Path is Clear

Posted on May 5, 2015 by Mark Shields

From the first encounter with God at Bethel to the second encounter, Jacob got off the path and those around him had gotten off the path. Sometimes along our journey, we can lose our focus on God because of His rivals, idols that take our attention away from Him like cars, houses, and other material things.

Jacob and his family had gotten off the path but after the second encounter with God at Bethel, he made a stand and decided to bury the idols that his family had accumulated. This allowed him to make a stand for the ONE and only God that had helped him through the crisis.

At this point along the journey, he surrendered it all and built an altar to the ONE who gives all much like what this video is about: The Stand – Hillsong.

Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. – Colossians 3:2

Index of devotionals

Posted in Genesis, Make Impossible Possible, Music | Tagged Alter, Christ, God, Israel, Jacob, Life, Providence, Rainbow, Truth | Leave a comment

Focus on the ONE that Makes the Impossible Possible

Posted on May 4, 2015 by Mark Shields

From the first encounter with God at Bethel in Genesis 28 to his return and another encounter with God as explained in Genesis 35, Jacob was surrounded by things that took his total focus away from God. He had been influenced by others who were going down the wrong path.

Jacob went through years of struggle; working for his father-in-law who was not a believer and forcing Jacob to work as a servant for seven years before he could marry his daughter. Then being tricked by his father-in-law who gave a different daughter to him in marriage.

Jacob gained wealth only through God’s providence. He was hated by his jealous brother-in-laws and faced many challenges until being directed by God to go down the right path. As he returns to his homeland, he has another encounter with God at Bethel. God blessed him and gave him a new name. His new name would be Israel and God told him to be fruitful and increase in number (v. 11). God told him that a nation and a community of nations would come from his descendants.

In today’s passage, Jacob encounters God and we have that same opportunity each day. He can get our attention in many ways; shouting to us in a thunderstorm or by painting a beautiful rainbow in the sky. I remember once driving to work on a Friday morning and seeing a double rainbow in the sky. I got out of my truck and started walking up the hill to my office when I realized that I left my badge in my truck so I walked back to my truck and again noticed the rainbow. This time, I took a few seconds to aim my smart phone to get this picture of the rainbow.

If we focus on our Creator, we are able to make it through anything and realize that at the end of the rainbow of life, there is the pot of gold with eternal riches because we have accepted Christ our Savior.

In today’s passage, we read how God’s promises were being fulfilled in and through Jacob. This day with God, a lesson for us is that our Father can make the impossible possible. The world wants to tell us that God is not real but the ONE who created the rainbows we see from time to time communicates His Truth. He can change and restore a life through Christ; changing anybody, anytime, and anywhere.

Posted in Genesis, Make Impossible Possible | Tagged Christ, God, Israel, Jacob, Life, Providence, Rainbow, Truth | 1 Comment

Poem Inspired by Relay for Life

Posted on May 2, 2015 by Mark Shields

Last Saturday, my family went to the Relay for Life of our community. We’ve attended this event for the past nine years and have dedicated a luminaria in my mom’s memory each year. Here is a link to a poem that was inspired by attending this event: Relay for Life.