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

The Word of God Planted in a Soul

Posted on April 21, 2013 by Mark Shields

The Word of God planted in a soul with integrity is like seed planted in fertile soil that flourishes into a banner crop.

Photo Credit – Meditations from Zion

We can learn lessons from others in how to live but we can also learn lessons from others in how not to live. Remember how greed put Peter in a difficult situation and he didn’t handle things with integrity in Luke 22:54-71. People may make you an offer that you think you can’t resist but that doesn’t mean it’s in your best interest to take them up on the proposal. A person of integrity desires faith, hope, and love more than fame, fortune, and status.

Maintain integrity by trusting in the Lord, asking Him to examine your heart and mind. Associate with good people, love the Church, and tell others about the qualities of God’s character. Even if people are treating you bad, keep your integrity and keep doing the right thing. If they get you upset and you try to pay them back, you may be the one that gets in trouble. Instead, try to forgive and believe that God will bring victory into your life. Make a decision to be a person of integrity.

To read more about integrity, visit this post: What Integrity Does For Us.

The Hand of God is not Limited to Building Leaders (blessedaaron08.wordpress.com)
God’s Faithfulness to Our Family (diasolifeontheborder.org)
Bloom Where You Are Planted (angiewebb.wordpress.com)
Bad Weather Farmers – Psalm 126:5-6 (stevesbiblemeditations.com)
Turn Your Hurts Into Harvests! (simplyjuliana.com)

Posted in Integrity | Tagged Character, Church, Faith, Fertility (soil), Forgiveness, God, Gospel of Luke, Hope, Integrity, Lessons, Lord, Love, Luke, Nature, Peter, religion, Saint Peter, Soul, spirituality, victory, Word of God | 5 Comments

Leave Yesterday and Tomorrow to God

Posted on April 20, 2013 by Mark Shields

In the previous post, I shared about how we are wonderfully made by God and we should praise Him for how far we’ve come. His Spirit lives in us as pointed out in 1 Corinthians 3:16, “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you?” If you are like me, you tend to worry over the smallest of things. Today, I’d like to offer this video: At The Foot Of The Cross – Don Moen to remind us that God cares for us and will be with us every step of the way. Enjoy the video and God bless! 🙂

When we lay every burden down at the foot of the cross, we can leave yesterday and tomorrow to God and simply concentrate on how amazing this day with Him will be. He will provide music for our ears, laughter for the soul and a rainbow after every storm.

Don Moen,Jonathan, Blair, others for House on the Rock’s ‘Rock Cathedral’ Opening @ lekki (msmediacreationsite.wordpress.com)
It’s The Preaching (frompastorsdesk.wordpress.com)
How to Make Wise Decisions (1 Corinthians 10) (edevotional.com)
What is God’s purpose for me (Part 4) Fellowship (jeffreydallen.wordpress.com)

Posted in Psalm | Tagged Burdens, Christ, Christianity, Church, Churches of God, Cross, Don Moen, First Epistle to the Corinthians, foot of the cross, God, Laughter, Music, Praise, Rainbow, religion, Religion and Spirituality, Spirit, spirituality, Temple | 14 Comments

Praise God for Bringing Us This Far

Posted on April 19, 2013 by Mark Shields

At the ancient festivals of Israel like Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles the people would thank God for what He had done in the past. For example: the history behind Passover is acknowledging God’s help when He passed by the blood-marked homes during the tenth plague called the death of Egyptian first-born. The Israelites were instructed to mark the doorposts of their homes with the blood of a lamb, upon seeing this, the Spirit of the Lord knew to pass over the first-borns in these homes, hence the name of the festival.

Today, we should praise God for passing over each of us marked with the blood of Christ so that we are spared from death eternal into life everlasting. Our needs are provided for because there is abundant life and eternal rewards through His Son.

His Word provides light for understanding and awareness which allows bright days even during dark times. Each person is of equal standing and God has concern for the joy of His people. He has great plans for our life because we have come so far. In Genesis 1:27, the Word says God created us in His own image. The God of the universe miraculously put us together in our Mother’s womb and He’s made us each unique with potential to do amazing things.

Your Word for This Day: A reason to praise! (thotam.com)
God Deserves our Praise for He alone is “Good” (blessedaaron08.wordpress.com)

Posted in Psalm | Tagged ancient festivals, Blood of Christ, Christ, Christianity, eternal rewards, God, Israel, Israelite, Light, Lord, Passover, Pentecost, Potential, Praise, religion, Rewards, Tabernacles, tenth plague, theology | 6 Comments

Knowledge or Intimacy

Posted on April 18, 2013 by Mark Shields

The second message in a series has started at the church I attend called “Not a Fan”. This week’s message is titled “Knowledge or Intimacy” and can be watched at this link. All sermons are available by clicking on Pastor’s Podcast at this link: First United Methodist Church Waco.

What I took away from the sermon is how two people can encounter the same experience yet be affected differently. What makes the difference is courage, holding nothing back, recognizing they need God’s help, and only accepting the best.

In the sermon message, we find out that two people were affected differently after they encountered Christ. One is the immoral woman and the other is Simon the Pharisee. The woman opens up her heart with courage, holds nothing back, and recognized she needed Jesus. Simon knew so much that he couldn’t recognize Jesus and didn’t need any help. He held back and wouldn’t let Jesus into his heart. The woman was transformed into a follower of Christ but Simon simply settled to remain as a fan.

The Meal at the House of Simon the Pharisee (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Below is an outline of last Sunday’s message.

1. INTIMACY WITH GOD IS WITH THE WHOLE HEART.

“These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far away.” – Matthew 15:8

“But the time is coming and is already here when true worshipers will worship the
Father in spirit and truth. The Father is looking for anyone who Will worship him that way.” – John 4:23 (NLT)

2. INTIMACY WITH GOD TAKES COURAGE.

“A certain immoral woman heard he was there and brought a beautiful jar filled with
expensive perfume” – Luke 7:37 (NLT)

3. INTIMACY WITH GOD HOLDS NOTHING BACK.

“Then she knelt behind him at his feet, weeping Her tears fell on his feet, and she wiped
them off with her hair. Then she kept kissing his feet and putting perfume on them” – Luke 7:38 (NLT)

4. INTIMACY WITH GOD RECOGNIZES SOMETHING IS MISSING

“This proves that Jesus is no prophet. If God had really sent him, he would know what kind of woman is touching him. She’s a sinner.” – Luke 7:39-bc (NLT)

5. INTIMACY WITH GOD WON’T SETTLE FOR LESS.

“Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, ‘Do you see this woman?’” – Luke
7:44 (NIV)

“I tell you, her sins – and they are many – have been forgiven, so she has shown me much
love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only a little love.’ Then Jesus said to the
woman, ‘Your sins are forgiven.’ …and Jesus said to the woman, ‘Your faith has saved you;
go in peace.’” – Luke 7:47 and 50 (NLT)

Fan or Follower? (thisdaywithgod.wordpress.com)
Words of Jesus – Real Authority (burningfireshutinmybones.wordpress.com)
A Life of Sublime Intimacy with God (felixcaeliporta.wordpress.com)
Be Thankful in Every Circumstance (womeninwhite.wordpress.com)

Posted in Thoughts From Sermon | Tagged Christ, God, Gospel of Matthew, Luke, Pharisee, Simon | 3 Comments

Great Works of God

Posted on April 17, 2013 by Mark Shields

In the post yesterday about Psalms 111-112, I wrote about what we can praise God for. He is majestic, righteous, compassionate, faithful, and just. By just looking at nature, we are witnesses to the great works of the Lord; a sunrise, rainbow, waterfall, mountains, fall foliage, snow covered countryside, or a sunset.

Our faith brings light to a dark world and builds momentum for each day. We may not know how a light bulb works but we know when we turn on the switch, there is light. Opening up God’s Word is like turning on that switch; bringing contrasting light to a dark place. This video is about this light of faith that guides us each and every day and my hope is that it gives momentum for a great day: Walk By Faith – Jeremy Camp.