http://shieldsgroup.com There are certain things in this world that God has for you to do; and you are just the right person to do them. Tue, 31 Jan 2012 22:26:26 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 2006-2012 steve@shieldsgroup.com (Steve. Shields) steve@shieldsgroup.com (Steve. Shields) 1440 http://www.shieldsgroup.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/steveanderic.png http://shieldsgroup.com 144 144 There are certain things in this world God has for you to do; and you're just the right person to do them. There are certain things in this world that God has for you to do; and you are just the right person to do them. Steve. Shields Steve. Shields steve@shieldsgroup.com no no http://shieldsgroup.com/2012/01/30/the-nature-of-grace/ http://shieldsgroup.com/2012/01/30/the-nature-of-grace/#comments Mon, 30 Jan 2012 20:57:09 +0000 Steve http://shieldsgroup.com/?p=2213 Continue reading →]]> http://shieldsgroup.com/2012/01/30/the-nature-of-grace/feed/ 0 0:29:56 A pastor I knew had just cared for the funeral of a woman who had never given God the time of day until the week before her death. There, on her death bed, she repented of her sin and placed her faith in Christ. The pastor, hoping his people would r[...] A pastor I knew had just cared for the funeral of a woman who had never given God the time of day until the week before her death. There, on her death bed, she repented of her sin and placed her faith in Christ. The pastor, hoping his people would rejoice over this child that was lost and had been found, mentioned this on the following Sunday in the morning worship service. He was surprised when a woman spoke up with: “That’s not fair.” It’s not fair. It’s grace. But if you have been working hard to coax God to accept you, it’s a little exasperating when you hear of someone who finds what you’ve been looking for comes by grace. This podcast speaks of the nature of grace, looking at the parable of the workers. Share This... Hide Sites grace Steve. Shields no no http://shieldsgroup.com/2012/01/25/a-powerful-thing-grace/ http://shieldsgroup.com/2012/01/25/a-powerful-thing-grace/#comments Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:07:16 +0000 Steve http://shieldsgroup.com/?p=2208 Continue reading →]]> http://shieldsgroup.com/2012/01/25/a-powerful-thing-grace/feed/ 0 http://shieldsgroup.com/2012/01/20/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-christ-follower/ http://shieldsgroup.com/2012/01/20/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-christ-follower/#comments Fri, 20 Jan 2012 08:35:23 +0000 Steve http://shieldsgroup.com/?p=2204 Continue reading →]]> http://shieldsgroup.com/2012/01/20/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-christ-follower/feed/ 1 0:00:01 What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus? Does it demand things of us? The Bible clearly teaches that it costs nothing to have your sins forgiven. Jesus paid it all. He took all the punishment as he hung on the cross. The wages of sin is death, b[...] What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus? Does it demand things of us? The Bible clearly teaches that it costs nothing to have your sins forgiven. Jesus paid it all. He took all the punishment as he hung on the cross. The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord. Forgiveness, regeneration, justification — these are free gifts from God through Christ. But the idea of following Jesus without there being a cost in doing so is completely alien to biblical teaching. The New Testament church would have considered such a concept as nonsense. So would Christ-followers in places like Sudan, Somalia, Pakistan, or Iran. This podcast speaks about the meaning of discipleship — the reality of being a Christ-follower. Share This... Hide Sites Steve. Shields no no http://shieldsgroup.com/2012/01/19/a-key-to-a-meaningless-life/ http://shieldsgroup.com/2012/01/19/a-key-to-a-meaningless-life/#comments Thu, 19 Jan 2012 17:29:38 +0000 Steve http://shieldsgroup.com/?p=2202 Continue reading →]]> http://shieldsgroup.com/2012/01/19/a-key-to-a-meaningless-life/feed/ 0 http://shieldsgroup.com/2012/01/10/replacing-discouragement-with-expectancy/ http://shieldsgroup.com/2012/01/10/replacing-discouragement-with-expectancy/#comments Tue, 10 Jan 2012 14:00:19 +0000 Steve http://shieldsgroup.com/?p=2194 Continue reading →]]> http://shieldsgroup.com/2012/01/10/replacing-discouragement-with-expectancy/feed/ 0 0:26:00 The story is told of a man who was walking along the beach, after the tide had gone. Scattered densely on the sand were thousands of starfish that the tide had brought in, but neglected to take out. In a short time, the sun and wind would dry the st[...] The story is told of a man who was walking along the beach, after the tide had gone. Scattered densely on the sand were thousands of starfish that the tide had brought in, but neglected to take out. In a short time, the sun and wind would dry the starfish, leaving them dead. The man, on his daily walk, was bending down, picking them up one at a time, tossing them back into the ocean. After watching this for a while, a tourist approached him and said, “There are so many starfish on this beach. What difference could what you are doing possibly make? What does it matter?” The man bent down, picked up another starfish, and just before tossing it into the sea said, “It matters to this one.” If there is one tool of the enemy that is nearly universal in its effectiveness, it is the tool of discouragement. Often, because the task embodied in The Great Commission seems overwhelming, believers just give up. This podcast strives to help us avoid this. It helps us recover our lost expectations. Share This... Hide Sites Steve. Shields no no http://shieldsgroup.com/2012/01/02/setting-your-sights-on-spiritual-depth/ http://shieldsgroup.com/2012/01/02/setting-your-sights-on-spiritual-depth/#comments Mon, 02 Jan 2012 20:56:19 +0000 Steve http://shieldsgroup.com/?p=2189 Continue reading →]]> http://shieldsgroup.com/2012/01/02/setting-your-sights-on-spiritual-depth/feed/ 0 0:34:01 In the 1800s, in the area of Virginia City, NV, Americans discovered a bonanza — a vein of silver which is said to have funded a great deal of the Union’s part in the Civil War. The shaft of silver was called, “The Comstock,” named after one of its [...] In the 1800s, in the area of Virginia City, NV, Americans discovered a bonanza — a vein of silver which is said to have funded a great deal of the Union’s part in the Civil War. The shaft of silver was called, “The Comstock,” named after one of its early investors. The discovery was so important that it is argued that the city of San Francisco would have been nothing more than a ghost-town, were it not for the Comstock. The Comstock was an unusual mine in that the deeper they dug, the hotter things got due to the hot-springs in the ground. The temperature in the Comstock silver mine was in the triple digits —even around 150 degrees F. When they hit a vein of water, miners would be scalded — sometimes to death. A man named Adolph Sutro put together the money to dig a tunnel, almost four miles long, to meet the miners as they were digging down from Virginia City. The tunnel was one of the wonders of the time, being able to accommodate teams of mules in and out. Sutro’s plan was for the tunnel to meet the mine shaft as it descended. It was an impressive project. But Sutro set his sights too shallowly. By the time his horizontal tunnel intersected the vertical mineshaft, the digging was being done below his tunnel. Sutro sold out and went to San Francisco. When I first heard that story, I thought of how much we tend to be like that — missing the mark when we set our sights. Whether you’re speaking about, students in high school, young adults thinking about college, or people choosing a vocation, setting our sights deeply enough is often a struggle. It’s not the end of the world if you do that academically or even vocationally. Anyone who studies human beings can tell you that those outcomes don’t dictate happiness. And I can tell you, as a pastor, that success in life can actually hinder closeness with God, unless you set your mind to prevent that from happening. On the other hand, if I may, I’d like to say that often spiritually, we all tend to set our  sights too shallowly concerning spiritual objectives we might want to reach. In this podcast, we think about where we want to be, spiritually speaking, down the road.  In order to be sure to set our sights deeply, we’ll look at Philippians 3, reading our way through it as we go. And we’ll take our cue from the Apostle Paul — who set his sights on something deep. Share This... Hide Sites Steve. Shields no no http://shieldsgroup.com/2011/12/12/an-advent-sermon-on-fresh-meaningful-life/ http://shieldsgroup.com/2011/12/12/an-advent-sermon-on-fresh-meaningful-life/#comments Mon, 12 Dec 2011 20:58:15 +0000 Steve http://shieldsgroup.com/?p=2178 Continue reading →]]> http://shieldsgroup.com/2011/12/12/an-advent-sermon-on-fresh-meaningful-life/feed/ 0 0:45:40 This week I did a little homebrew research. I googled three phrases: “I feel like a failure.” Google found that phrase over 2 million times on the internet. “I feel like a loser.”Google found that phrase over 4 million times. “I feel guilty.” 67 mil[...] This week I did a little homebrew research. I googled three phrases: “I feel like a failure.” Google found that phrase over 2 million times on the internet. “I feel like a loser.”Google found that phrase over 4 million times. “I feel guilty.” 67 million times. What I conclude from this  research is that guilt is a huge issue in human lives. And when we think about it, we’ve some pretty good reasons to feel guilty. And we know it. But Jesus doesn’t say, “Hey — what you’re doing isn’t that bad. Lighten up!” Jesus says,“Yeah — you’re right. You should feel guilty about what you’ve done. But I am here to take that guilt. I died on the cross to pay for your sin. You can be forgiven if you turn from your sin and trust in me. You can trade in your old life for a new one. I’ll give you a clean slate.” This Advent sermon is about three exchanges: Exchanging an old life for a new one; Exchanging a phony life for a real one; And exchanging a meaningless life for one of purpose. Share This... Hide Sites christianity Steve. Shields no no http://shieldsgroup.com/2011/12/05/an-advent-sermon-on-peace/ http://shieldsgroup.com/2011/12/05/an-advent-sermon-on-peace/#comments Mon, 05 Dec 2011 15:49:26 +0000 Steve http://shieldsgroup.com/?p=2176 Continue reading →]]> http://shieldsgroup.com/2011/12/05/an-advent-sermon-on-peace/feed/ 0 0:23:15 I read this week that the phrase, security blanket, was actually invented by Linus van Pelt. Linus’ sister, Lucy was always bothered by Linus’ attachment to that blanket. She tried to make Linus drop it. She stole it and hid it. Once she cut it up t[...] I read this week that the phrase, security blanket, was actually invented by Linus van Pelt. Linus’ sister, Lucy was always bothered by Linus’ attachment to that blanket. She tried to make Linus drop it. She stole it and hid it. Once she cut it up to make shapes for a flannel-graph. Another time she cut it into squares for Linus to use to clean his glasses. She once made a kite out of it and “accidentally” let go of it. Another time Lucy buried the blanket, causing a frantic Linus to dig up almost the entire neighborhood before Snoopy found it. Why would she do that? Because she was the annoying big sister. Because she was Lucy. There are a lot of Lucys in this world. In fact, it sometimes seems that the whole world is nothing but a mean old Lucy who tries to prevent us from having any kind of peace of mind. Now the Bible doesn’t speak about security blankets, but it does speak of being secure. The Bible speaks about being safe — about peace. That’s what this podcast is about today: Peace. If you’re looking for peace, give it a listen. Share This... Hide Sites christianity Steve. Shields no no http://shieldsgroup.com/2011/11/29/finding-meaning-at-christmas-mercy-purpose-and-redemption/ http://shieldsgroup.com/2011/11/29/finding-meaning-at-christmas-mercy-purpose-and-redemption/#comments Tue, 29 Nov 2011 13:39:49 +0000 Steve http://shieldsgroup.com/?p=2173 Continue reading →]]> http://shieldsgroup.com/2011/11/29/finding-meaning-at-christmas-mercy-purpose-and-redemption/feed/ 0 0:28:00 It’s Advent — the time of year when we remember the birth of Christ. We kind of look back in time through the lens of faith and remember some things. We remember the Baby, born in a stable, the angels singing, shepherds, magi — wise men. And that wh[...] It’s Advent — the time of year when we remember the birth of Christ. We kind of look back in time through the lens of faith and remember some things. We remember the Baby, born in a stable, the angels singing, shepherds, magi — wise men. And that which we look back upon is what people hundreds, even thousands of years earlier, looked forward to, through the lens of faith. One of the passages that helped them do this is Isaiah 40. Isaiah 40:1-5 (NIV) 1Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. 2Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the LORD’S hand double for all her sins. 3A voice of one calling: “In the desert prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God. 4Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. 5And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.” From the time Isaiah wrote those words until over 700 years later, when Jesus was born, people had to see this through the lens of faith. Those living in Jesus’ day — blessed are they — saw this come to pass. When John the Baptist showed up, Matthew said… Matthew 3:3 (NIV) 3This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’” You and I, however, look back in time and see the same things. We do this through the lens of faith. This podcast teaches us what to look for at Christmas. More importantly, this podcast tells you how to find Mercy, Purpose, and Redemption in the Christmas Season.   Share This... Hide Sites christianity Steve. Shields no no http://shieldsgroup.com/2011/11/20/characteristics-of-thankful-people/ http://shieldsgroup.com/2011/11/20/characteristics-of-thankful-people/#comments Sun, 20 Nov 2011 19:57:40 +0000 Steve http://shieldsgroup.com/?p=2164 Continue reading →]]> http://shieldsgroup.com/2011/11/20/characteristics-of-thankful-people/feed/ 0 0:33:20 I thought this Thanksgiving week that it would be wise for us to take a Thanksgiving Quiz. This is not the standard Thanksgiving Quiz, with questions like, “How many turkeys can dance on the head of a pin?” Instead, the questions are more about your[...] I thought this Thanksgiving week that it would be wise for us to take a Thanksgiving Quiz. This is not the standard Thanksgiving Quiz, with questions like, “How many turkeys can dance on the head of a pin?” Instead, the questions are more about your own heart of thankfulness. So — let’s give it a try. There are ten T/F questions. Count every one you say “true” to: I follow Jesus’ example and give thanks for meals (John 6:11). When I sing songs to God, I am purposefully thanking him for his goodness to me. I have personally given thanks to God for his mercy in the past week (Psalm 136). I thank God for hard things that come into my life because of how he uses them to change my heart. I thank God for my church family. When I place my tithes and offerings in the plate, I am expressing my thanks to God. I thank God that I can do things for him (1 Timothy 1:12). I give thanks because I know it pleases God. When I catch myself being ungrateful, I apologize to God and thank him for his grace. I am careful not to give thanks simply with my lips, but also with heart. How did you do? I hope you scored a ten, but whether you did well or not, it’s good to talk about being thankful. In this podcast, you discover three characteristics of thankful people. Share This... 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