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

Going Out Further From the Shore

Posted on October 20, 2014 by Mark Shields

Jesus told Peter to go out to the deeper water and let down the nets. Peter said they had worked all night and they hadn’t caught anything but He followed the request of Jesus. This time, the nets were full.

Applying our faith starts with one step. A step towards teaching, learning, asking, and doing the work God has laid out for us to do. When faced with a responsibility beyond our capabilities, let’s give up control and plug into His power. Start each day with God; trust in His plan; and suddenly we will be doing the impossible.

It doesn’t matter what we look like or how smart we are. God has given us a purpose and He believes in us. All we have to do is start and take one step at a time. This video is about relying on God’s power when we go out further from the shore: What Faith Can Do – Kutless.

Jesus replied, ‘What is impossible with men is possible with God. – Luke 18:27

Posted in Luke, Make Impossible Possible | Tagged Christ, Faith, Peter, Possibilities, Power, Purpose, Vision | Leave a comment

Throwing Fishing Nets in Deeper Water

Posted on October 17, 2014 by Mark Shields

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Explained to us in Luke 5:1-11, a crowd of people gathers around Jesus as He preaches the Word of God near the Lake of Gennesaret which is also known as the Sea of Galilee. He gets into a fishing boat docked on the side and uses it in His message.

He tells the owner of the boat named Simon who later becomes known as Peter to go out a little further from the shore. Then Jesus tells Peter to put out his fishing net. Usually, the way to catch fish in the Sea of Galilee was at night in the shallow part near the shore. Not in the deep part during the day.

But Jesus told Peter to go out to the deeper water and let down the nets. Peter had experience as a fisherman and told Jesus about the lack of success. Peter said they had worked all night but had not caught anything. Even though Peter was a doubter, he followed the request of Jesus anyway and this time the nets were full.

When we follow the requests from Jesus, amazing things happen. We can passionately believe in what we are doing, nothing can hold us up in our work, and we can have faith that one day at a time the impossible will become possible. My friends, the Internet is in the deep part. It’s a vast ocean with opportunities to catch many fish (souls for Christ).

This day Lord, we pray for you to take our dreams to a new level. To throw our nets in the deep water; places we’ve not tried before. Help us to explore and discover new ways to dispense the power you’ve given us. Your plans can make the impossible possible.

Posted in Luke, Make Impossible Possible | Tagged Christ, Faith, Internet, Peter, Sea of Galilee, Vision | 2 Comments

Questions for Reflection for Study of Luke 5-6

Posted on October 16, 2014 by Mark Shields

Over the last few weeks in the study of Luke, noted was how John the Baptist had a way of relating to those he was speaking to and made it easier for them to understand what they should do as he prepared the way for Christ.

We are never alone in our journey through life. At times it may seem like we are alone but God is with us at all times. In Luke 3, Jesus seemed to be alone but then He began to pray. Then heaven opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. Noticed was that His ministry began after great preparation, prayer, and the receiving of the Holy Spirit.

Let us pray to help others follow the Way. Prayer is our greatest power because we are talking to the ONE who has all the answers. Jesus faced many challenges during His ministry on earth and He used prayer to help fulfill His purpose. He was tested by Satin but remained hopeful and more concerned for God’s glory than His own. He had a desire to carry out God’s plan and used the crisis as a faith builder.

Think of how we can have a sense of release or freedom. One way is receiving assurance through prayer that we need to take action. We then are decisive and take action with all our heart and soul. Through reading God’s Word, study, and prayer, we receive the resources needed to overcome any situation.

Stay in the fight, remain hopeful, and know that we are not alone. Let’s dive deeper into His Word and pray as we journey along the way. I’ll be continuing the study in the book of Luke tomorrow and sharing a few thoughts. Each of the studies are designed to help apply our faith in the work place, at school, or at home. You can keep up with my spiritual journey by clicking http://wp.me/1ar6D.

Have a great rest of the week my friends! As the journey through God’s Word continues, below are questions for reflection for the study of Luke 5-6 which will help focus some thoughts to share in posts over the next few weeks.

Luke 5:1-11
Why are the people gathering around Jesus at the lake? What command does Jesus give Simon or later named Peter? Describe Peter’s response? When faced with responsibility beyond your capabilities, what do you do?

Luke 5:12-26
On what basis are the leper and the paralyzed man healed? What social and psychological problems result from the physical problem of leprosy (See Lev. 13:45-46)? What do you do when the pressures mount? Think of how life is changed by the Words of Jesus, our faith, and actions?

Luke 5:27 through 6:1-11
What is the point of the two parables? Can the new be combined with the old? What “patches” do we try to put on our life? Do you allow the Son of man to control your life or do you bind yourself and others by your tradition? Do Christians save or destroy life – doing good or doing nothing?

Luke 6:12-38
Jesus chose apostles to take future leadership. What did He do first and what can we learn to help us in assuming leadership roles? What specific actions are commanded? What is the basic principle of these actions? What in your present attitudes and daily living will you change as a result of what you have learned here?

Luke 6:39-49
What is required in your life before you can help others? What is the cause and effect relationship in both nature and in us? What do your actions reveal about you?

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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Posted in Questions for Reflection | Tagged Faith, God, God’s Word, Holy Spirit, Jesus, John the Baptist, Prayer | 1 Comment

One Choice Can Change Everything

Posted on October 15, 2014 by Mark Shields

Christ got up early each morning because He had chosen to fulfill the mission or purpose God had for Him. In order to get direction, He would spend time in prayer. Each morning, we have a fresh start; a clean slate and we are just one choice away from changing our life and those around us.

Life is all about choices. What should we do today or what should we plan for in the future? It may be about building up a business you have started, losing weight to get your health back, or giving back to society. The most important thing is going to God in prayer to determine how to use the time we have each day.

Jesus was very busy but He knew how to use the time he had and His attention was towards the purpose God had given Him. What is your definite purpose? Whatever it may be, spending time with God is a good choice to make as you begin each day. God is the reason for every good thing just like what is pointed out in this video: Every Good Thing – The Afters.

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. – Mark 1:35

Posted in Luke, Purpose | Tagged Budget Time and Money, Direction, Mission, Purpose | Leave a comment

Knowing Ones Purpose

Posted on October 14, 2014 by Mark Shields

After being rejected in His hometown, Jesus then goes to Capernaum which is in Galilee to proclaim the Good News. Reading in Luke 4:31-44, the first recorded miracle is Jesus driving out an evil spirit and then another miracle occurs when Jesus went to the home of Simon (v. 38). As the day ends, the people brought many to Jesus with all kinds of sicknesses to be healed.

The people were amazed because Jesus spoke with authority and power (v. 36). He understood His purpose which was to proclaim the Good News of the kingdom of God (v. 43). This purpose would result in a very busy life that would affect His activities and relationships.

Jesus was busy but knew how important it was to begin each day with His Father. We need to understand our need for a quiet time too; spending time with the Lord, reading His Word, and praying.

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People today still need Jesus in their homes. There continues to be sickness, evil spirits, unfaithfulness, and struggles with a media which seems to push the idea of keeping God out of our lives. There is plenty of work to be done so we need to determine our purpose and understand that to fulfill this purpose it may affect some of our activities and relationships.

This day with You Lord, we pray for opportunities to share with others so they are encouraged and are motivated to spend time with You each day. When going to You first thing, we are given insight into making the best decisions. You help us to play our part so our future is bright and the plans You give us Lord will make a difference for our society.