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

Live to the Fullest Now

Posted on February 25, 2013 by Mark Shields

A take away from the message at church yesterday for me was that we shouldn’t live in the past or the future but live everyday to the fullest right now. Don’t take things for granted. Marvel at the sun coming up, the flowers blooming, the birds singing, and the children growing. Take the joy of Jesus and be filled so you can fill others.

The message inspired the poem below.

Unstoppable Joy

God is with you and me,
And His Joy is unstoppable.
Receive the joy and let it be,
Everything is possible.

A great day in every life,
Is today even in strife.
The joy He can bring,
Makes everyone sing.

The sun comes up every day,
Look outside as children play,
The flowers bloom,
There is no gloom.

Share joy with others,
Sisters and brothers,
Even in pain,
There is only gain.

For this amazing day,
Unstoppable joy on the way,
For this is what we prayed,
And the Lord Okayed.

Unstoppable Joy (thisdaywithgod.wordpress.com)
Unstoppable Cross (thisdaywithgod.wordpress.com)
3 thoughts on First things first: (gadberry.me)
Live your life to the fullest… (amasupahliscious.wordpress.com)
February: The Shortest & Fullest Month Of The Year (traymarartists.wordpress.com)
Take Up Our Cross Daily and Be A Servant (dailymannablog.wordpress.com)
Living a life of love…. (greatriversofhope.wordpress.com)
Expect the Best (tapcopim.com)
Freeing You – Part 1 (amatterofheartdevotions.wordpress.com)

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Christianity, Christianity for Seekers, Evangelism, God, Lord, Nature, outdoors, People, religion, Religion and Spirituality, spirituality, United Methodist Church | 1 Comment

Unstoppable Joy

Posted on February 24, 2013 by Mark Shields

English: (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The second message of the series called “Unstoppable” at First United Methodist Church Waco was presented today. It is titled “Unstoppable Joy” and can be watched at this link. Below is an outline of the message.

1. THE GREATEST DAY OF YOUR LIFE IS RIGHT NOW.

“This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be
glad today!” – Psalm 118:24 (NCV)

2. JOY IS AT THE VERY HEART OF GOD.

“And she will have a Son, and you are to name Him Jesus, for
He will save His people from their sins.” – Matthew 1:21 (NLT)

3. TAKING IT FOR GRANTED TAKES OUR JOY.

“Then God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light. God
saw that the light was good, so He divided the light from the
darkness.” – Genesis 1:3-4 (NCV)

4. TO MISS OUT ON JOY IS TO MISS OUT ON THE REASON FOR YOUR EXISTENCE.

“I have told you this so that you will be filled with My joy. Yes,
your joy will overflow.” – John 15:11(NLT)

“Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again – rejoice!” –
Philippians 4:4 (NLT)

5. AUTHENTIC JOY CAN EXIST IN THE MIDST OF PAIN.

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you. When
you cross rivers, you will not drown. When you walk through fire,
you will not be burned, nor will the flames hurt you.” – Isaiah 43:2 (NCV)

6. THIS IS THE DAY THE LORD HAS MADE.

“Let us look only to Jesus, the One who began our faith and Who
makes us perfect. He suffered death on a cross. But He
accepted the shame as if it were nothing because of the joy that
God put before Him….” – Hebrews 12:2ab (NCV)

Unstoppable Cross (thisdaywithgod.wordpress.com)
Joy Means ‘Strength’ (brokenbelievers.com)
Psalm 32: 1,11 – JOY! (deannafreeman.wordpress.com)
– The Joy of the Lord – (hiseternalword.wordpress.com)
real joy (sharingloveandtruth.org)

Posted in Sermon Outline | Tagged Christianity, Epistle to the Philippians, Faith, first united methodist, first united methodist church, God, Jesus, Joy, light from the darkness, Lord, Psalms, religion, United Methodist Church | 4 Comments

Commitment to Prayer

Posted on February 23, 2013 by Mark Shields

Prayer Space.JPG (Photo credit: bhsher)

Prayer is very important in our daily life as God helps us build strong families, communities, and nations. Like a seed planted in fertile soil, prayer mixed with faith gives growth to all good plans or ideas. Here’s a link to read more about applying our faith through prayer: Faith Built on Prayer.

Faith Built on Prayer (mdshields.wordpress.com)
Be in Prayer (sthaelrazor.com)
prayer. (hooleywithaz.com)
My Sister In Need-Morning Prayer (gwenrelationshipsstartwithyou.wordpress.com)
…prayer… (rosesintherubble.com)

Posted in Applied Faith | Tagged Christianity, Community, Faith, Family, God, HolySpirit, Ideas, morning prayer, Nation, Organizations, Plans, Prayer, Prayer Request Pages, religion, religion & spirituality, Seeds, spirituality | Leave a comment

Things of God That Reward Our Life

Posted on February 22, 2013 by Mark Shields

We were created to praise Him. My Pastor once brought out the following thought in a sermon: the sunrise, sunset, flowers, lightning storm, rainbow, mountains, meadows, and seas. These things of God reward our lives and we reward God by praising him.

I really enjoy growing in the Lord with you and sharing videos that hopefully bless and uplift. I’d like to share this video with you to offer some encouragement and inspiration. Just click this link: O Praise Him – David Crowder Band. God Bless 🙂

Here’s a Psalm for giving thanks.

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! – Psalm 100:1-2

Reasons for Praising God (thisdaywithgod.wordpress.com)
Bless the Lord O My Soul (shareaverse.wordpress.com)

Posted in 1 Chronicles | Tagged Christianity, David Crowder Band, Encourage, encouragement and inspiration, God, Growing, Inspire, Israelite, Lord, mountains meadows, Praise, Psalm, Psalm 100, rainbow mountains, religion, Religion and Spirituality, Sharing, spirituality, Uplift | 1 Comment

Reasons for Praising God

Posted on February 21, 2013 by Mark Shields

The Arc of the Covenant would now be near them in a tabernacle and David delivers this psalm found in 1 Chronicles 16:7-43 as a thanks to God. This same Psalm is recorded again in Psalms 105:1-15; 96:1-13; 106:1, 47-48 and was to be used by the church from this point forward throughout history. Asaph and his associates ministered at the Arc regularly for people to praise God in prayer and music.

In verses 8-12 are verbs that show the various aspects of worship. We should be thankful, sing praises to God, be joyful, look to God for strength, and remember what He has done. When we do, the world works as it should. Even nature gives praise on land or sea and God’s love endures forever (v. 28-36).

Those who give praise receive God’s wonder in return as they celebrate each day. David put praises to God into order with this psalm and then made available Asaph with his brethren to minister near the ark continually, with songs of praise. We praise God because His wonders inspire us. Strength, love, joy, and peace are with Him forever. We have freedom and liberty in Christ.

This day with God, think of some of the Lord’s “marvelous deeds” which you have personally experienced. Write out a list of them on notebook paper and keep this list nearby where you see it often so it is a reminder to praise God for each item listed. Be sure and take some time to give Him thanks.

Below is a poem I wrote titled “Thank You God”.

Thank you God for freedom
like an eagle gliding in the sky
Thank you for eyes to see your magnificent creation
like the mountains way up high
Thank you for the ability to hear music
pleasing to the Spirit
I love to hear it.

Thank you God for the sense of smell
like roses which are so sweet-smelling
Thank you for the sense of touch
like holding a baby even if screaming and yelling
Thank you for the ability to imagine
into the future as it moves faster than a wild stallion
I simply hope for a roof over my head
and food that is Italian.

Thank you God for my daily bread as I smell pizza
and know it will taste out of sight
Thank you for hopes and dreams
as I look ahead with a future so bright
Thank you for what’s still beyond my reach
like the horizon on the other side of the tree
I have faith in you and thank you for loving me
so much to send your Son to die for thee.

This Day with God will be amazing because you will be blessed and others will be blessed because of your praises.