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

Questions for Reflection – Psalm 97-99

Posted on September 6, 2012 by Mark Shields

Applying God’s principles of leadership, teamwork, and service is the best way to provide strength and growth. It takes a disciplined continuous effort but it benefits families, businesses, and organizations.

Victory in Christ gives momentum to keep our faith strong, our hope firm, and our love overflowing. Let us turn our eyes to heaven and praise Him for He is Holy. Value this victory God has given by holding it dear; using the momentum to keep growing.

The journey now takes us into Psalm 97-99. Faith depends upon the capacity to concentrate on what God can do until it inspires us with a burning obsession to participate in His work. Below are planned readings along with questions for reflection that will keep us on track and stimulate thought in the upcoming posts.

Psalm 97
Passage Lookup
What is the effect of God’s presence on nature? On mankind? On Zion? On You? Enumerate God’s promises and commands for those that love him. How can you appropriate them in your life?

Psalm 98
Passage Lookup
What calls for the festive joy? Who is invited to join the festivities? To what extent do you feel such an exuberant sense of joy in your life? In your fellowship with others? During worship?

Psalm 99
Passage Lookup
Characterize the aspects of God’s kingship as focused in Zion. How do you extend God’s justice into your daily living? His holiness? How can I stay focused on God’s presence, especially when he feels distant?

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

Please connect with me on facebook at This Day with God.

Patience in the Psalms (resources.wcrossing.org)
Using the Bible to Meet with God (paulburkhart.wordpress.com)
Psalm 94-96 Questions for Reflection (thisdaywithgod.wordpress.com)

Posted in Psalm | Tagged Bible, Bible Study, Business, Christ, Faith, Family, God, Growth, Heaven, Hope, Leadership, Love, Momentum, Praise, Principles, Psalm, Service, Strength, Teamwork, Technology, United Methodist Church, Values, victory, Zion | 4 Comments

SOUL-O-LO-GY

Posted on September 5, 2012 by Mark Shields

This past weekend’s message at the church I attend was brought to us to answer the question how is your soul doing? To listen or view you can click this link. Below is an outline of the message. The words in black are notes provided by the church staff and the notes in blue are notes I added as I listened to the Podcast.

1. ACKNOWLEDGING THAT YOU HAVE A SOUL.

“Bless the Lord, O my soul; ….” – Psalm 103:1a (NKJV)

A soul without a connection to God is like being in an abyss.

“Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? – Psalm 42:5a,b (NIV)”

“I will speak out … in the bitterness of my soul.” Job 7:11 b,c (NIV)

2. HONORING YOUR SOUL.

“I will put my dwelling place among you, and My soul will not reject you. I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be MY people.” – Leviticus 26:11 (NASB)

A striving soul that is hungry can only be satisfied by what God can give.

“My soul will not reject you.” – Leviticus 26:11b (NASB)

“A voice from heaven said. ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with Him, My soul is well pleased.”

3. CONFESSION IS GOOD FOR THE SOUL.

“Indeed, wine betrays him; he is arrogant and never at rest. Because he is as greedy as the grave and like death is never satisfied”. – Habakkuk 2:5 (NIV)

Top 10 most satisfying jobs are helping others. Being involved in ministry is the top one.

“O God, You are my God; Early will I seek you; My soul thirsts for you: … My Soul shall be satisfied….” – Psalm 63:1 & 5a (NKJV)

4. SURRENDER TO SATISFY THE SOUL.

““My heart is not proud, O Lord, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me. But I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me.” – Psalm 131:1-3 (NIV)

“Deliver my precious soul from the power of the dog… Rescue me from my enemies, my precious soul from these lions.” – Psalm 22:20-21 (NKJV).’”

Only ONE can satisfy our thirst and that is God. Without God, our soul cannot be satisfied. Surrender your time and thoughts to Him.

5. BUILDING A HEALTHY SOUL THAT LAST FOREVER IS ABOUT BELIEVING.

“But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared.’” – Luke 12:20 (NASB)

“My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet God?” – Psalm 42:2 (NIV)

“After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; ….” – Isaiah 53:11a (NIV)

“ ‘My Soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,’ He said to them. ‘Stay here and keep watch.’ ” – Mark 14:34 (NIV)

Know that Christ is the ONE that helps us make the connection.

The one possession that is ours forever is our soul. Honor it and understand that we are all disconnected yet can be reconnected by accepting the ONE who bled and died on the Cross. I would like to share this video to champion this reality: Surrender – Jeremy Camp. Enjoy and have a wonderful day. 🙂

September 5 (newstrength.wordpress.com)
Preserve my Soul (survivordynamics.wordpress.com)

Posted in Thoughts From Sermon | Tagged Christ, Cross, God, Podcast, Psalm, Satisfaction, Sermon, Soul | 4 Comments

Concentrate on What God Can Do

Posted on September 4, 2012 by Mark Shields

Faith depends upon the capacity to concentrate on what God can do until we confidently follow His direction with a burning obsession. He’s not distant but near and with technology we can work together to exert ourselves to do His work together. Here’s a video to help us concentrate on what He can do this day: Here Is Our King – David Crowder Band.

Our Favorite Songs: How He Loves (anakinredeemed.wordpress.com)
Sermon Notes: 1 Samuel ch. 1 (acolorfulcacophony.wordpress.com)

Posted in Psalm | Tagged Arts and Entertainment, Chris Tomlin, Concentration, Confidence, Contemporary worship, David, David Crowder Band, Direction, Faith, God, God’s Work, Obsession, religion & spirituality, Teamwork, United States | 2 Comments

Praise All Aspects of God

Posted on September 3, 2012 by Mark Shields

The strength of God and the beauty of His creation are being praised in Psalm 96. All aspects of God are being praised; His deeds are being praised, the heavens rejoice, the earth is glad, the sea resounds and all in it, the fields are jubilant and everything in them, the trees of the forest sing for joy. God is not distant but near.

Click on the Internet through your laptop, PC, iPad or phone and be reminded of His amazing truth throughout your day. It is impossible to be bored when we focus on God; singing, working together, telling others about His presence in all we see. This day with God will be amazing because we have a chance to encourage, build up others, and humbly pray for Spiritual growth.

Psalm 94-96 Questions for Reflection (thisdaywithgod.wordpress.com)
How Praising God Enriches my Life (lancelottuckerblog.com)
The Reality of Revelry (elderyvesjohnson.wordpress.com)
Seeking God (chrysalisjourney.wordpress.com)
Does God need our praise? (thoughtsonmyfaith.wordpress.com)

Posted in Psalm | Tagged Beauty, Bible, Christianity, Churches of God, Encouragement, Field, Forest, God, Heaven, Joy, Lord, Praise, Prayer, Psalm, religion & spirituality, Sea, Singing, Spiritual Growth, Strength | Leave a comment

Workers Deserve A Holiday

Posted on September 2, 2012 by Mark Shields

What is “Labor Day”? It’s a federal holiday in the United States observed on the first Monday in September to celebrate the economic and social contribution of workers. Workers deserve a holiday. Think of the issues faced at work; people issues, personality issues, change issues, and technology issues. The people that work for any organization are very important and valuable for its success.

This past week, Texas Farm Bureau Insurance recognized this value in giving employees a free lunch and a fifty dollar gift certificate in appreciation for winning the J.D. Power “Highest Customer Satisfaction Among Auto Insurers in the Central Region”. We had the highest score in the central region and second highest score among all Auto Insurance companies in the United States.

Another way the company I work for has demonstrated the value it places in its employees is to set up a state of the art physical health workout facility at the state office headquarters. The better people feel, the better they can serve their customers. Some companies realize the tremendous benefits of their employee’s health so like Texas Farm Bureau Insurance, they’ve set up workout areas at the business and allow their employees to increase their physical health on company time.

Studies have also been made to show that faith has a positive effect on physical and mental health. Real faith is not just something you say or believe; it’s something you do. The athlete gains stamina and strength with exercise, the Christian gains faith by reading the bible and applying this to help others. To develop the “Just do it” attitude, we need self discipline. Keep in mind that the bible tells us that our bodies are the dwelling for the Holy Spirit so this should motivate us to have good habits that maintain our bodies. Also, through prayer we can receive directions and develop plans to be more self disciplined.

The mission of this blog is to demonstrate an instrument for Bible study that uses technology to develop a better way to study the Bible by integrating the principles or core values God gives into our daily lives at work and at home. The Bible teaches how to recharge our batteries. It is up to us to listen and receive the Spirit. Be excited about the future and live each day to the fullest. Today is the first day of the rest of our life. We should learn from the past but not dwell on the mistakes of the past. We should determine what we are enthusiastic about and what inspires us. It may be things like music, friends, Christmas, church, books, movies, travel, eating out, romance, gardening, painting, or sports.

In the old testament of the bible, the temple was burned down. The people put in a lot of hard work and time to rebuild the temple because it was so important. In 1 Co 3:16 Paul says “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s spirit lives in you?” We all need to respect each other as the Temple of God. With this mindset maybe societies would be more self-disciplined. Proper eating habits and exercise would make everyone healthier. Young people would study and learn making the education system much better. Crime would hardly exist. There would be no stopping the economy as companies would flourish.

Next weekend, I will continue my thoughts on integrating good physical and mental health as a key principle or core value that God gives us to live an amazing life.