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The Discipline of Josiah

Posted on November 25, 2013 by Mark Shields

English: King Josiah by Julius Schnoor von Car...

King Josiah by Julius Schnoor von Carolsfeld (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

We discover in reading 2 Chronicles 34 that Josiah ruled much differently than his father and grandfather. His character contained the element of discipline and he sought God’s direction. His reforms were thorough as he set out to completely destroy the idols and images.

The Temple of the Lord was in terrible condition so Josiah set out to have it cleaned and repaired. It was during this work that the Book of the Law was found. Obvious to him was the fact that it had not been read or applied over the years. Upon hearing the Law read, Josiah was full of anger, sorrow, and sadness because he knew that past generations had not followed what was written.

The king had a strong influence over the people as shown in verses 31-33. Everyone pledged to follow the Lord and keep His commands. Let us pray for Christian leaders in each of our communities and in the government; that their influence for God may be strong.

Josiah was a king who went by the Book of the Law of the Lord and took action. This day with God, be inspired by the discipline of this king. Pray that our leaders today will make a change and understand the proven positive result of working faithfully by the Book.

2 Chronicles 34:1-2 – Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years. (church4u2.wordpress.com)
Staying Humble (devotionsinmotion.wordpress.com)
Why Pray for our Leaders? (underthecoverofprayer.wordpress.com)

Posted in 2 Chronicles | Tagged Book of the Law of the Lord, Books of Chronicles, Christianity, God, Josiah, Julius Schnoor von Carolsfeld, King Josiah, Lord, Religion and Spirituality, temple of the Lord | 8 Comments

Poem to Help Apply Faith

Posted on November 24, 2013 by Mark Shields

I’ve been studying in 2 Chronicles 31-33 this past week; there are some good kings and some bad kings. Even the best of leaders can fall into the traps of pride and materialism but there are steps one can take. The first step is to focus on God and work wholeheartedly for Him so that pride and materialism are not stumbling blocks. Here’s a poem that seeks to focus on God and help apply our faith: Steps to Take.

I hope you are having a great weekend with God and are looking forward to this week as we celebrate all that we are thankful for. One thing I’m thankful for are you my readers … Have an amazing day my friend!

Photo from Google Images

To Pick a Poem (wordatcornell.wordpress.com)
A Poem For Saturday (dish.andrewsullivan.com)
Inspirational Poem 11/23/2013 (thisdaywithgod.wordpress.com)

Posted in Applied Faith, Poems, Special Occasions | Tagged Christianity, God, Inspirational Poem, Materialism, People, Poetry, Religion and Spirituality, Requesting Help | Leave a comment

Inspirational Poem 11/23/2013

Posted on November 23, 2013 by Mark Shields

Studying in 2 Chronicles 31-33 this past week, I’ve learned that one of the main attributes of any leader is having confidence and this in turn gives confidence to their followers. Here’s a poem that this study has inspired: Giving Confidence.

Photo Credit – Google Images

I hope you have had a great week with God and are looking forward to next as we celebrate Thanksgiving. Have a wonderful weekend!

Questions for Reflection for Study of 2 Chronicles 31-36 (thisdaywithgod.wordpress.com)
a quiet day (ellenolinger.wordpress.com)
in which Twitter inspires a poem (begojohnson.com)

Posted in 2 Chronicles, Poems | Tagged Children and Youth, Chronicle Books, God, Google Images, Hezekiah, Holidays, Poetry, Thanksgiving, Uzziah | 1 Comment

Worship Service Update 11/22/2013

Posted on November 22, 2013 by Mark Shields

This weekend, the sermon message called “I’m thankful for …” will be presented at the church I attend. If you are not able to attend your local church service (traveling, health condition, etc) or live outside the Waco area, I invite you to this link of the podcast where past and future sermon messages can be seen or listened to.

Last week’s message was titled “First, Guard Your Heart”. It’s important to do a heart check review from time to time to make sure we keep each other accountable to knowing Christ personally in our heart. Some of the main points made in the message are that God is for all people. He is able to work within us to help gain a heart for welcoming everyone. We each have a part to play as we invite others to join and give encouragement each day.

Photo Credit – Google Images

Main points from the message

Pastor Steve brought the message to us with five main points. The first is that God’s heart is for people. We have a brief time to make a difference while on this earth and we need to think of ways we can make a difference. There are over seven billion people on our earth today. The population has exploded over the last fifty years and we are connected today by technology. Through a blog, smart phone, or iPad/tablet, we can connect with people all over the world.

A second point made is that our God is able. At times, we may not feel able to accomplish all the work that needs to be done but God is; His mighty power is at work within us and is able to get done much more than we could ever think.

Next, we must understand that everybody is welcome and that we are to love our neighbor as ourselves. The Pharisees complained that Jesus associated with the wrong crowd. He accepted everybody including tax collectors, prostitutes, lepers, the poor, and the sick. All were welcome … Is this still possible today?

In Christ, we are given a loving Spirit that makes all things possible so the fourth point presented is that anything is possible. We should welcome all to church and make them feel a part. Revival happens when we follow the fifth point of the message which is to give our best. In order to make it happen, below are some affirmations we can tell ourselves each day:

1. I put God first everyday
2. I pray each day for others and for situations in my own life
3. I believe God is able
4. I will love my brothers and sisters in Christ
5. I give God my best with my time and talents
6. I confess my sins and ask God to change me

Billy Graham’s Powerful Final Sermon to America: ‘I’ve Wept’ As ‘I’ve Seen How Far People Have Wandered From God’ (endtimeheadlines.wordpress.com)
Sermon: Christ in Us (wordsofgrace.wordpress.com)

Posted in Bible Study, Sermon Outline, Thoughts From Sermon | Tagged Christ, Christianity, Church service, Jesus, Religion and Spirituality, Sermon | Leave a comment

Steps to Take

Posted on November 21, 2013 by Mark Shields

In the journey through 2 Chronicles, I have taken note of how some kings were with God and others were against His ways. In every case, the ones who followed God were successful and the ones who didn’t were complete failures. Reflecting on this study, here’s a good video to go with this thought of taking the steps to to be with God and following His ways: What Can I Do – Paul Baloche.