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

Light the Fire From Within

Posted on July 25, 2013 by Mark Shields

Studying Ecclesiastes 1:1-11, the author who is believed to be Solomon seemed to have nothing to live for and nothing more to accomplish. What can give us more enthusiasm in life? One idea might be to work for a good cause and be hopeful that the world is a better place because of that cause.

God can light that fire from within because He gives us a purpose, He frees us from our past, and we are ready to face the future with enthusiasm. Something small can turn into something big if we learn each day and work towards what God wants us to be.

We can pray, listen for instructions, and get things done now. Opportunities to do great things are right in front of us so let’s give God our best. Each day with Him can be amazing because He inspires us to live out loud like the video below: Live Out Loud – Steven Curtis Chapman.

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. – 1 Corinthians 9:24

Father / daughter wedding dance video – Cinderella by Steven Curtis Chapman (4simpsons.wordpress.com)
Questions for Reflection for Study of Ecclesiastes 1-4 (thisdaywithgod.wordpress.com)
The Ultimate Question. (enlightenmesome.wordpress.com)

Posted in Ecclesiastes | Tagged Ecclesiastes, First Epistle to the Corinthians, God, Jesus, Live Out Loud, Religion and Spirituality, Solomon, spirituality, Steven Curtis Chapman | Leave a comment

Set Free

Posted on July 24, 2013 by Mark Shields

The author of Ecclesiastes is thought to be Solomon. He reflects on the experiences of life. His philosophy of conflicting thoughts on materialism, pleasures of life, and our duty to God. Ecclesiastes deals with the feeling of emptiness even when people have everything.

Solomon, the son of David became king at a very young age. God gave him wisdom, a discerning heart, and great wealth. He ruled under a time of peace and the economy flourished. Solomon was a great intellectual; known all through the world during his time for great wisdom. Unfortunately, he married many wives from other nations and they led him astray. He began to follow other gods and his kingdom began to tear apart.

As we read in Ecclesiastes 1:1-11, life to Solomon is repetition and is tiresome. It was as if he had nothing to live far, nothing more to accomplish. He’s recording his own folly, shame, and his disappointment. He’s learned a hard lesson that wealth and the things of this world do not benefit the soul, judgment, or eternity.

amy Whale, breaching, Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I once heard a story about some people who were doing some studies of whales. They came across one whale that was hung up in a net and dying. After hours of work, they were able to set the whale free. The whale put on a display as he was free and gained speed in the water; doing some of those “Sea World” whale jumps with an expression of joy and thankfulness for those that set him free.

We too get mired in nets that trap us in life and we need help being set free. Let us be reminded before we pray today that God is sovereign, majestic and all-powerful. Nothing is too difficult for Him; He is bigger than any problem we could bring to Him.

This day with God, we know that Jesus sets us free and we can leap for joy at God’s amazing grace.

Questions for Reflection for Study of Ecclesiastes 1-4 (thisdaywithgod.wordpress.com)
Consider Solomon (authorjodiwoody.com)
Summer Schedule – Beginning Ecclesiastes This Week! (graceofourlord.com)
Day 192: Ecclesiastes 1-4; Meaningless? Meaningless? (orcministries.wordpress.com)
Vanity: an Act of Time Wasting (mfmdelaware.wordpress.com)
stepping back (cherishthenow.wordpress.com)

Posted in Ecclesiastes | Tagged author of ecclesiastes, David, Davidic line, Ecclesiastes, ecclesiastes 1, expression of joy, God, Jesus, national marine sanctuary, Religion and Spirituality, Solomon, stellwagen bank national marine sanctuary, Whale, world whale | 3 Comments

Questions for Reflection for Study of Ecclesiastes 1-4

Posted on July 23, 2013 by Mark Shields

I recently finished questions for reflection to help study Esther 5-10. To review where I’ve been over the last few weeks along with a synopsis of the answers, I wrote a poem at this link: Lessons From the Book of Esther.

The next part of the travel will take me to Ecclesiastes 1-4. The book of Ecclesiastes deals with the feeling of emptiness even though God has given everything.

Over the next few weeks, I will be posting about the journey and will use the questions below to help focus on each passage.

Photo Credit : consultinggrad.com

Ecclesiastes 1:1-11
Passage Lookup
What is the background of the writer (1 Kings 3-4, 11)? What are Solomon’s intellectual, Material, aesthetic and spiritual resources? Would you say that this initial passage is a view of life with or without a living God?

Ecclesiastes 1:12-2:11
Passage Lookup
To what extent is the search for knowledge for its own sake a legitimate pursuit for a Christian? Is the search for meaning satisfied by knowledge? How is the Christian supposed to use his mind?

Ecclesiastes 2:12-26
Passage Lookup
Does this passage suggest there may be another vantage point from which to view life? Why does man seem to have lost his enjoyment of the creation? How is God related to pleasure? To wisdom? To work?

Ecclesiastes 3
Passage Lookup
What are the dangers inherent in viewing life strictly from within the perspective of time? What element in man makes him different from the world around him (v. 11)?

Ecclesiastes 4
Passage Lookup
To what extent is the element of competitiveness inherent in man’s nature? What are some ideas for how a society can set up a win-win situation for all people? What is the fatal flaw in a society with bad leaders remaining in power?

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

Monday Meditations: Psalm 1 (foreveraboveme.wordpress.com)
Maker of all Things: Motivational Monday (flawlessfaith.wordpress.com)

Posted in Ecclesiastes, Questions for Reflection | Tagged human-rights, jesus is god, religion | 11 Comments

Wisdom for Parents

Posted on July 22, 2013 by Mark Shields

Yesterday, we continued the sermon series “Wisdom for Life”. At this link: Pastor’s Podcast, you can see each message of the series. Yesterday, the message was titled “Wisdom for Parents”.

Here is a link to the main points of the message: outline of the message:

The book of Proverbs in the Bible gives us wisdom that can really guide our life and help in being a parent. There are Proverbs that tell us to use words that lead a child in the right direction. There are Proverbs that help us to know what matters most which is to pattern our life after Jesus. There are Proverbs that tell us to make each day matter and that our job as a parent is to direct children to God’s path. There are Proverbs that tell us to be consistent as we set boundaries and parameters that guide children. Most of all, we should understand that our Heavenly Father through Christ is the best parent that ever lived.

The Way – Jeremy Camp

But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. – James 3:17

(#31) The Proverbs of Solomon 10:26-30-Being Lazy or Wicked Ends Badly (fellowshiproom.org)
Proverbs 9. Wisdom and stupidity. Wisdom’s invitation. True wisdom. (bummyla.wordpress.com)
Jesus Increased In Wisdom – Luke 2:52 (trinitarianliving.wordpress.com)
Proverbs 8. In praise of wisdom. Wisdom is everlasting. Wisdom speaks. (bummyla.wordpress.com)
Getting Wisdom (thecranmerproject.wordpress.com)
Proverbs 2. The value of wisdom. The rewards of wisdom. Wisdom and bad friends. Wisdom and sexual purity. (bummyla.wordpress.com)
What Is A Proverb? (practicalbibleteaching.wordpress.com)
Your Word for This Day: Go Get It! (thotam.com)

Posted in Thoughts From Sermon | Tagged Bible, Book of Proverbs, Christ, Christianity, God, Jeremy Camp, Jesus, proverb, Proverbs and Sayings, religion, sermon series, theology, true wisdom | 1 Comment

Rewards Beyond What We Could Ever Imagine

Posted on July 21, 2013 by Mark Shields

By speaking up and taking action to secure the good of the Jewish people, Mordecai secured his own good; eventually rewarded with a promotion to second in rank to the king. Under the leadership of Esther and Mordecai, the Jewish people were freed from destruction. They worked for a cause larger than themselves and the lesson learned is we should all find a cause to work toward.

Working for a cause greater than life has rewards beyond what can be imagined. The cause we have as Christians binds us to work for the rewards that come as fellow heirs of Christ. The Jewish people were set free in the book of Esther and we are set free by the amazing grace of God through Christ. Here’s today’s inspiring video to either redirect your day or provide momentum for an already amazing day: Amazing Grace – Chris Tomlin.

Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. – Revelation 22:12