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

Begin With Faith and Finish With Faith

Posted on January 21, 2013 by Mark Shields

Yesterday at the Church I attend, the sermon message was titled “Caleb’s Story”. The story of Caleb begins with faith and finishes with faith. Giants were in the land God had promised but Caleb was not afraid because he believed that with God, they could defeat them. The people didn’t want to listen and for 40 years they wandered in the desert but Caleb persistently had strong faith. Even at 85 years old, he still wanted God’s promise and was ready for the battle.

This day is Martin Luther King Day. Like, Caleb, he started with faith and finished his story with faith. He kept going and refused to be defined by the world but to be someone different in a troubled time. Here’s a video in his honor: Martin Luther King, Jr.’s last speech

The ultimate measure of a man or woman is not where they stand in comfort or convenience but where they stand at the time of challenge or controversy. – Martin Luther King Jr.

Caleb’s Story (thisdaywithgod.wordpress.com)
World-Herald editorial: MLK holiday a day to look back, ahead (omaha.com)
Martin Luther King – “I Have A Dream” (consciouslifenews.com)

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Caleb, Faith, First United Methodist Church Waco, God, Martin Luther King, Martin Luther King Day, Promise, Promised Land, United Methodist Church, United States, Washington DC | 4 Comments

Caleb’s Story

Posted on January 20, 2013 by Mark Shields

English: Joshua and Caleb, as in Numbers 13 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

We continued a four-part series at First United Methodist Church Waco titled “Amazing Stories”. Today’s message is “Caleb’s Story” and can be watched at this link. Below is an outline of the message.

1. START YOUR STORY WITH FAITH.

“But My servant Caleb, because he has had a different spirit and has
followed me fully, I will bring into the land which he entered, and his
descendants shall take possession of it.” – Numbers 14:24 (NASB)

2. REFUSE TO LET OTHERS DEFINE YOU.

“Then Caleb told the people near Moses to be quiet, and he said, ‘We
should certainly go up and take the land for ourselves. We can
certainly do it.’ But the men who had gone with him said, ‘We can’t
attack those people; they are stronger than we are.’ “ – Numbers 13:30-31 (NCV)

3. CHOOSE GODS PRESENCE OVER DOUBT.

“So give me the mountain country the Lord promised me that day long
ago. Back then you heard that the Anakite people lived there and the
cities were large and well protected. But now with the Lord helping me,
I will force them out, just as the Lord said.” – Joshua 15:12 (NCV)

4. COMMIT TO GOD’S PURPOSES NOT YOUR NEIGHBORS’.

“The other men who went with me frightened the people, but I fully
believed the Lord would allow us to take the land.” – Joshua 14:8 (NCV)

5. RESOLVE TO LIVE BY GOD’S PLAN RATHER THAN FEAR.

“The Lord’ said, ‘I have seen the troubles My people have suffered in
Egypt…I am concerned about their pain, and I have come down to
save them from the Egyptians. I will bring them out of that land and
lead them to a good land with lots of room – a fertile land….” – Exodus 3:7-8 a, b (NCV)

6. END YOUR STORY WITH MORE FAITH.

“Joshua blessed Caleb son of Jephunneh and gave him the city of
Hebron for his own…because he had faith and obeyed the Lord, the
God of Israel…. After this there was peace in the land.” – Joshua 14:13-15 (NCV)

Choosing an Attitude of Gratitude in 2013 (Part 1) (keepingandreaping.wordpress.com)
Sunday Sermon: The Disobedience of Fear (jimkane.wordpress.com)
Prayer For Courage and Determination (donkeywhispererfarm2010.wordpress.com)
New Title Helps Readers Gain a Personal Relationship with God (prweb.com)

Posted in Sermon Outline | Tagged Caleb, city of hebron, exodus 3, Faith, first united methodist, first united methodist church, God, God's Presence, God’s Plan, God’s Purposes, Joshua, List of minor biblical figures, Lord, Moses, religion, United Methodist Church | 3 Comments

Getting a Jump on What is Thrown Your Way

Posted on January 19, 2013 by Mark Shields

The purpose of this blog is to keep me accountable to daily Bible study and sharing with others about faith. What I have found is that starting the day out with God helps to get my day started right as I try to be the best I can to glorify Him. At this link, I write about being inspired to maximize performance. Also, here is a song that I hope gives a lift to your day: Here I Am to Worship by Chris Tomlin.

Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. – Psalm 86:11

Posted in Applied Faith | Tagged Applied Faith, Bible, Bible Study, Chris Tomlin, Christianity, daily bible study, Faith, Faithfulness, Glorify God, God, Heart, Jesus, Lord, Performance, psalm 86, religion, Religion and Spirituality, undivided heart, Worship | Leave a comment

Conditioning Our Faith

Posted on January 18, 2013 by Mark Shields

Thoughts fixed on the things of God and being thankful for God’s grace conditions our faith. God’s mercy is like an ocean which is always full and in constant motion as waves that travel to the shore. For me, James 5:13-20 is about spending more time each day in prayer and praise to God. Here’s a piano piece that can be clicked at this link: Be Thou My Vision: Norm Hastings,Piano or below as you think about what to pray for today. It might be for your day ahead; for a friend, your family, church, or job.

Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he. – Proverbs 29:18

Prayer and Praise (thisdaywithgod.wordpress.com)
“Give me Faith” (athisfeetwillistay.com)
Tragedy to Truth: A Tragic and Beautiful Story Of a Young Man’s Journey Through Loss, Faith, and Transformation (prweb.com)
Faithfulness (cxgentlemen.wordpress.com)
The one thing you just have to know about God (ptl2010.com)

Posted in James | Tagged Be Thou My Vision, Christianity, Church, Divine grace, Faith, faith god, Family, Friend, God, Grace, James, Jesus, Job, Mercy, piano piece, Praise, praise to god, Prayer, religion, religion & spirituality, spirituality, Thankful | 2 Comments

Prayer and Praise

Posted on January 17, 2013 by Mark Shields

We can spend time with God at all times of the day. As explained in James 5:13-20, during troubled times, there is the need for prayer and during happy times there is a cause for praise (v. 13). The condition for answered prayers is faith. Like an antenna to our soul, faith energizes, inspires, and transmits God’s power which lightens our load. We are able to lean on God as we talk to Him about what’s on our heart and He removes all obstacles in our way.

The book of James is a good instruction manual on how we can apply our faith in all that we do. Think about common task that might seem boring but could be approached with more enthusiasm if there was an attitude of praise or worship. Task like washing the dishes or other household chores, exercising, and doing yard work can be done while in silent prayer or thoughts of praise to God.

This day will be amazing because we can spend time with God at all times of the day; praising and praying. Our greatest power is prayer because we are speaking to the ONE who already has the answers.