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

Questions for Reflection – Study of Daniel 5-8

Posted on February 16, 2014 by Mark Shields

This past week, I wrote of my study in Daniel 3-4 and there are also two poems this study has inspired. Please check them out at these links below:

Boldness Through Prayer
Comebacks After Setbacks

The plan now is to post some thoughts as I spend some time in Daniel 5-8. Over the next two weeks, I will use the questions below to help focus on each passage.

Image Source – Google Images

Daniel 5
Compare and contrast Belshazzar and Nebuchadnezzar. What is the message from God? How does the king respond?

Daniel 6
What is Daniel’s position under the third king named Darius? What happens to Daniel? How do you react when misfortune or ostracism results from godly actions on your part?

Daniel 7
What issues are brought up in Daniel’s dream? What do the beasts represent? As you participate in the establishment of God’s kingdom, what situations, tasks and problems do you find personally tough?

Daniel 8
Having seen who is ultimately in authority, what revelation is given to Daniel in his second dream? Who is represented by the symbols? What is Daniel’s reaction to what God shows him of the future?

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.

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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

Posted in Bible Study, Personal Bible Study, Questions for Reflection | Tagged Bible Reading, Bible Study, Daniel, God, God’s Plan, Google Images Daniel, Poems, Prayer, Questions, Reflection | 5 Comments

Vaya Con Dios – Sermon Message 02/09/2014

Posted on February 14, 2014 by Mark Shields

The message last Sunday at the church I attend was about expressing our love for God with worship. On this Valentine’s Day, let’s express our love to our Creator, our Redeemer, and our sustaining God. We worship Him with our singing, our hearts, and our living.

The message was titled “Vaya Con Dios” which is Spanish for “Go with God”. Pastor Steve brought the message to us with some great points in bold print below. In blue print below each point are some notes and thoughts written after listening or reflecting on the message.

A couple of weeks ago, over 100 million people watched the Super Bowl. If that many people can get tuned into a football game, there is a great capacity for people to get tuned into worship. We are made for worship. Think of worship like a football game. The pastor is like a coach, we are like the players, and God is the audience.

“Come let us worship and bow down. Let’s kneel down before the Lord who made us. “- Psalm 91:6

Vaya Con Our Creator Dios
Like the Bible says in Psalm 19:1-4, we see what God has made all around us. Day after day, we are told a story; night after night we hear it again. We hear a message every time we see a sunset, a field of flowers, or the stars at night. The message is “Good Job God”. The message has no speech or words or voice to be heard but the message goes throughout the world.

Vaya Con The Redeemer Dios
In the cross, we see God’s love. As written in John 1:14, the Word became human and lived here on earth. Paul writes in Colossians 1:19-21 that God was pleased to live in Christ because then He was able to make peace with everything in heaven and on earth through His blood on the cross.

Vaya Con Our Sustaining Dios
As written in John 15:26, God has given us a resource through the Holy Spirit that we can listen to for guidance.

How do we worship?
We worship with our singing, our hearts, and our living.

Vaya Con Dios with Our Singing
“I will tell them Your name and sing Your praises when they come together in worship.” Hebrews 2:12b (CEV)

Vaya Con Dios with Our Hearts
“But the time is coming and is already here when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth.” John 4:23a (NLT)

Vaya Con Dios with Our Living
(David) “I will praise the Lord no matter what happens. I will constantly speak of His glories and grace.” Psalm 34:1 (LB)

This weekend, the message will be “A With God Kind of Love”. If you are not able to attend your local church service (traveling, health condition, weather, etc), I invite you to this link of the podcast where you can listen or watch each sermon message.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Mark

Image Credit – Google Images

Posted in Thoughts From Sermon, Worship Service Update | Tagged Creator, God, Love, Podcast, Redeemer, Sermon Message, Singing, super-bowl, Valentine's Day, Vaya Con Dios, Weekend, Worship | Leave a comment

A Setback can be Just the Start of a Comeback

Posted on February 13, 2014 by Mark Shields

Yesterday’s post was about king Nebuchadnezzar’s second dream. He had become prosperous but was humbled when everything was taken away. It was only when he came to the conclusion that God was in charge that he was restored as king; becoming even greater than before.

Good things happen when we accept God’s forgiveness, walk in the light, and give Him all the credit. Here’s a video that inspires getting life back in order: My Testimony – Marvin Sapp.

And, “But my righteous one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back”. But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved. – Hebrews 10:38-39

Posted in Daniel | Tagged Advice, Daniel, Dream, Faith, God, Growth, Heaven, Humility, Judgment, king nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar’s, Pride, Restoration, Salvation | 4 Comments

Put God in Charge

Posted on February 12, 2014 by Mark Shields

Nebuchadnezzar’s second dream as described in Daniel 4, is about an enormous tree that is visible to the ends of earth (v. 11). It has beautiful leaves and abundant fruit providing shelter and food for every living thing. In the dream, a messenger from heaven comes down to say “Cut down the tree and trim off its branches; strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit” (v. 14).

Daniel told the king the dream applied to him because he was that tree. He says, “O king, you are that tree! You have become great and strong; your greatness has grown until it reaches the sky, and your dominion extends to distant parts of the earth” (v. 22). Pride and overconfidence had gotten the best of the king and now he would be humbled.

The stump of the tree would be left with roots in the ground. Daniel continues to interpret the dream and tells the king that he would be driven away from people to live among the wild animals until he acknowledges God is sovereign over all kingdoms. Leaving the stump with the roots means that Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom would be restored once he acknowledged that Heaven rules (v. 26).

Everything Daniel had explained in the dream came about and the judgment upon king Nebuchadnezzar was handed down. He lived among the beast of the field for seven years until he acknowledged God’s sovereignty. Then his mind was restored and he was reinstated to his throne (vv. 36-37).

Are there areas in your life where pride is a problem? This day, put God in charge. Ask for advice, for humility, and restoration. Like a tree being pruned, new growth happens once the unproductive aspects of our character are cut out. Good things happen as we thrive in faith by simply trusting, obeying, and following. Before long, we are building momentum and accomplishing things that really matter.

Image Credit – Google Images

Posted in Daniel | Tagged abundant fruit, Advice, Daniel, Dream, enormous tree, Faith, God, Growth, Heaven, Humility, Judgment, king nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar’s, Pride, Restoration | 5 Comments

Overcoming Fear

Posted on February 11, 2014 by Mark Shields

I wrote yesterday about three friends of Daniel who demonstrated courage by standing up to the king and refusing to worship a gold statue. The king put them in a burning furnace but God saved them. Fear can be overcome when God is with you. What ways can others see God acting in your life? What are some examples you see in others that demonstrate how God works in their life?

Think of the fires we sometimes have to put out in work situations. Think of first responders and other heroes who go into real fires to bring people to safety. Think of those who go into a hornet’s nest to save a fellow soldier like in the movie “Saving Private Ryan”.

My Pastor Steve Ramsdell at First United Methodist Church Waco said once in a sermon that we should expect God’s presence all the time. We may not know it but God can be present in the things we read, the experiences we go through, or the people we meet.

With God beside us, there is no fear and here is a video to affirm this thought: Whom Shall I Fear – Chris Tomlin.