Beyond Your Wildest Dreams

Posted on March 20, 2015 by Mark Shields

What God gives in a plan for life is a treasure and the more we surrender to His plan, the more passion we have. In yesterday’s post Listen and Follow Directions, God would eventually bless Abraham with more descendants than stars in the sky or sands on all the beaches (v.17).

Here is a video I produced a while back about a person who settled in the city in which I currently live. He set out to fulfill his dreams many years ago; becoming a successful businessman in a new land. Eventually his family would leave a tract of land to the city. Today that land is a city park and zoo named in his honor. Enjoy the video: Beyond Your Wildest Dreams.



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. – Proverbs 24:13-14

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Listen and Follow Directions

Posted on March 19, 2015 by Mark Shields

Isaac was Abraham’s only son and he loved him very much which makes this test found in Genesis 22 extremely difficult. Reading in this passage, God told Abraham to take his only son and sacrifice him on a mountain in the region of Moriah (v. 2).

Abraham following through with the directions God gave him even though he probably thought of every reason not to. Instead, he carried out the instructions from God and at the last minute, the angel of the Lord told Abraham not to lay a hand on Isaac (v. 12). Abraham had passed the test.

Above anything else, God wants us to love Him, listen to Him, and follow His directions. He will reward us if we treat our treasure as though we are willing to offer it to Him. Lord, this day with You, we offer our treasure to You. Use our treasure to bless others beyond their wildest dreams. Amen!

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His Spirit is with Us

Posted on March 18, 2015 by Mark Shields

Abraham was disciplined and constantly asked God for direction. He then consistently followed through and others began to see that God was with him in everything he did.

We can trust in God’s presence, direction, and care just like Abraham did as written in the post God is with Abraham.

Because of the Cross, the Holy Spirit is with us today. The Cross was God’s demonstration of His love for us. Here’s today’s inspirational video: Lead Me to the Cross – Hillsongs.



If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. – John 15:7-8

Index of devotionals

 

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God is with Abraham

Posted on March 17, 2015 by Mark Shields

The impossible promise that God had made to Abraham and Sarah was fulfilled. Reading in Genesis 21, Sarah gave birth to a son named Isaac when Abraham was a hundred years old (v. 5). Sarah then turned on the Egyptian woman named Hagar and Abraham’s son named Ishmael because the 14 year old was mocking her son. Ishmael realized that the birth of Isaac had crushed his chances to receive Abraham’s inheritance and this caused the discord.

God was on Sarah’s side and told Abraham to send Hagar and Ishmael away because of the discord; providing them some food and water as they wandered in the Desert of Beersheba. Once their supply ran out, it became hopeless but God encouraged Hagar. Then she saw that God had provided a well of water for them and they survived. God was with the boy as he grew into a young man.

Many noticed that God was also with Abraham. Abimelek told him that God is with you in everything you do (v. 22). Abraham was faithful and gave him a son in his old age. Even in his excitement, Abraham continued to follow God’s instructions and was dependent on Him.

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There is freedom in obeying God’s way because God cares for us more than we care for ourselves. He understands our needs more than we do. This day with God, let us praise God and seek His direction. Let us all live this day with Him; joyfully offering our time, attitude, energy, and words as we go throughout our day.

 

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Questions for Reflection for Study of Genesis 21-24

Posted on March 16, 2015 by Mark Shields

God fulfilled an impossible promise to Abraham; even up in age and beyond child bearing age, Sarah gave birth to Abraham’s son named Isaac. In studying the character of Abraham, we notice that he was a disciplined person who constantly asked God for direction. He then consistently followed through and others began to see that God was with him in everything he did.

Even when told to sacrifice his son Isaac, He followed through with God’s directions and put total trust in Him. Then, Abraham was rewarded for offering what he loved most, his son to God. What God really wants from us is that our strongest desire is to listen and follow His direction. Then, God gives us all that we need and will bless us beyond our wildest dreams.

When Abraham’s wife Sarah died, he needed a place to bury her. He wanted to pay for the burial site for Sarah rather than receive it as a gift. This aroused a response of respect and shows us a humble independence that any leader should imitate.

As Abraham got up in age, he gave instructions to one of his helpers to find a wife for Isaac. The helper prayed for success and had faith that God would make his mission a success. He prayed that certain things would happen and when he found Rebekah as a wife for Isaac, he was confident that the will of God had been carried out.

Like Abraham’s helper who found a wife for Isaac, we can prayer for success and ask for a sign from God to help us know that we are receiving His guidance and that we can immediately put it into practice for a successful day. Over the next few weeks, that’s what we plan on doing.

The mission of this blog is to bring out ways to apply His Word in our life at work, at home, and within our neighborhoods. The below questions for reflection for the upcoming study are laid out below to help bring out some thoughts and ideas over the next two weeks.

Genesis 21
What impossible promise does God fulfill? What provision does God make for Hagar and Ishmael when sent away? Why do you think, does Abimelech believe that God is with Abraham – because of Abraham’s conduct or God’s faithfulness?

Genesis 22
What makes this test extremely difficult? What does God really want from you? How does He typically treat your treasures when you are willing to offer them to Him?

Genesis 23
How must Abraham have behaved to arouse this response from strangers? What here should we imitate? What is the difference between humility and “inferiority complex”?

Genesis 24
What does the servant believe about God in order to make the kind of prayer he makes? How does he show his faith by his subsequent actions? How does he know the will of God?

The above reading plan will be used as I share over the next few posts. It’s important to have a plan. I’m thankful that Jesus is God’s plan for us and by accepting Him as Savior; we have taken the steps necessary to make this day with Him amazing! At this link: God’s Plan for Us, is a post about accepting God’s plan or reaffirming our “YES” for Christ. 

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. 

Resources and Supplementary Helps Used in Posts
Adeney, Carol. This Morning with God. Downer Grove Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 1978
First United Methodist Waco Podcast
Christ Notes
Family Times
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