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. Mon, 14 May 2012 14:34:54 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 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/2012/05/14/reconciling-gods-sovereignty-and-our-free-will/ http://shieldsgroup.com/2012/05/14/reconciling-gods-sovereignty-and-our-free-will/#comments Mon, 14 May 2012 14:34:54 +0000 Steve http://shieldsgroup.com/?p=2298 Continue reading →]]> http://shieldsgroup.com/2012/05/14/reconciling-gods-sovereignty-and-our-free-will/feed/ 0 0:30:42 From time to time, everyone misses the point. This happens in marriage, in the workplace, and even as we approach the Bible. One place this happens is in the opening verses of the book of Ephesians. I would guess that more theological energy has bee[...] From time to time, everyone misses the point. This happens in marriage, in the workplace, and even as we approach the Bible. One place this happens is in the opening verses of the book of Ephesians. I would guess that more theological energy has been poured into this passage extolling or refuting concepts of free-will and predestination than energy poured into understanding what the text is intended to teach. Unless we lay aside the consternation some have concerning the free-will / sovereignty debate we will miss the point regarding the blessings God has given those who’ve turned from their sins and placed their trust in Christ’s death to pay for their sins. Share This... Hide Sites grace Steve. Shields no no http://shieldsgroup.com/2012/05/06/scam-email-from-amazon/ http://shieldsgroup.com/2012/05/06/scam-email-from-amazon/#comments Sun, 06 May 2012 11:23:38 +0000 Steve http://shieldsgroup.com/?p=2288 Continue reading →]]> http://shieldsgroup.com/2012/05/06/scam-email-from-amazon/feed/ 0 http://shieldsgroup.com/2012/04/28/oh-be-careful-little-fingers-what-you-text/ http://shieldsgroup.com/2012/04/28/oh-be-careful-little-fingers-what-you-text/#comments Sat, 28 Apr 2012 13:22:50 +0000 Steve http://shieldsgroup.com/?p=2283 Continue reading →]]> http://shieldsgroup.com/2012/04/28/oh-be-careful-little-fingers-what-you-text/feed/ 0 http://shieldsgroup.com/2012/04/23/do-you-ever-ask-how-did-i-become-so-helpless/ http://shieldsgroup.com/2012/04/23/do-you-ever-ask-how-did-i-become-so-helpless/#comments Mon, 23 Apr 2012 20:09:24 +0000 Steve http://shieldsgroup.com/?p=2277 Continue reading →]]> http://shieldsgroup.com/2012/04/23/do-you-ever-ask-how-did-i-become-so-helpless/feed/ 0 http://shieldsgroup.com/2012/04/23/life-as-art/ http://shieldsgroup.com/2012/04/23/life-as-art/#comments Mon, 23 Apr 2012 13:49:39 +0000 Steve http://shieldsgroup.com/?p=2274 Continue reading →]]> http://shieldsgroup.com/2012/04/23/life-as-art/feed/ 0 0:31:40 In a message presented at Mosaic, Erwin McMannus spoke words like these to those assembled: Life is a work of art. The canvas you paint first is your life. Then your life becomes the brush from which you paint the world you touch, while you are on t[...] In a message presented at Mosaic, Erwin McMannus spoke words like these to those assembled: Life is a work of art. The canvas you paint first is your life. Then your life becomes the brush from which you paint the world you touch, while you are on this planet. (Erwin McMannus in Artisan: Soul — the Essence of Art 2/12/2012) Is that true? Is your life a work of art? The book of Ephesians says that we are God’s workmanship – his handiwork. In a sense, we are his artwork, and we are created for good works in Christ. This podcast examines several truths about how to live your life as a work of art. It discusses how to live well. Share This... Hide Sites Steve. Shields no no http://shieldsgroup.com/2012/04/22/becoming-a-woman-of-love/ http://shieldsgroup.com/2012/04/22/becoming-a-woman-of-love/#comments Sun, 22 Apr 2012 20:57:22 +0000 Steve http://shieldsgroup.com/?p=2271 Continue reading →]]> http://shieldsgroup.com/2012/04/22/becoming-a-woman-of-love/feed/ 0 http://shieldsgroup.com/2012/04/03/about-the-phrase-send-some-prayers-my-way/ http://shieldsgroup.com/2012/04/03/about-the-phrase-send-some-prayers-my-way/#comments Tue, 03 Apr 2012 12:20:53 +0000 Steve http://shieldsgroup.com/?p=2261 Continue reading →]]> http://shieldsgroup.com/2012/04/03/about-the-phrase-send-some-prayers-my-way/feed/ 0 http://shieldsgroup.com/2012/03/26/transitions-at-the-cross-from-foe-to-friend/ http://shieldsgroup.com/2012/03/26/transitions-at-the-cross-from-foe-to-friend/#comments Mon, 26 Mar 2012 20:26:14 +0000 Steve http://shieldsgroup.com/?p=2257 Continue reading →]]> http://shieldsgroup.com/2012/03/26/transitions-at-the-cross-from-foe-to-friend/feed/ 0 0:39:20 I looked in the cupboard this week and saw that our Easter Bunny had bought the Candy-coated Milk Chocolate Eggs. They are making their procession from Hershey to the grocery store to our cupboard to the Easter Basket. The Shields family is heading [...] I looked in the cupboard this week and saw that our Easter Bunny had bought the Candy-coated Milk Chocolate Eggs. They are making their procession from Hershey to the grocery store to our cupboard to the Easter Basket. The Shields family is heading quickly toward Easter. You and I are doing something similar. We’re not stocking up on chocolate bunnies here at church, but we are progressing from Sunday to Sunday on our way to Resurrection Sunday. And as we travel this road, we are giving thought to some transitions brought about by the Cross of Christ. We’ve talked about the transitions from… Fear to Freedom. Remembering to Rejoicing. And Impossibilities to Realities. In this podcast, I talk about the Transition from Foe to Friend. It’s the Cross of Christ that makes this transition possible. Share This... Hide Sites Steve. Shields no no http://shieldsgroup.com/2012/03/12/turning-impossibilities-into-realities/ http://shieldsgroup.com/2012/03/12/turning-impossibilities-into-realities/#comments Mon, 12 Mar 2012 08:49:36 +0000 Steve http://shieldsgroup.com/?p=2249 Continue reading →]]> http://shieldsgroup.com/2012/03/12/turning-impossibilities-into-realities/feed/ 0 0:00:01 Do you have a life-song? I know some people who would like to pick Steppenwolf’s Born to be Wild as theirs. Maybe Bobby McPherin’s Don’t Worry; Be Happy is more to your liking. Or your life-song might be I Did It My Way. Some people choose hymns or [...] Do you have a life-song? I know some people who would like to pick Steppenwolf’s Born to be Wild as theirs. Maybe Bobby McPherin’s Don’t Worry; Be Happy is more to your liking. Or your life-song might be I Did It My Way. Some people choose hymns or other Christian music as a life song. Amazing Grace or Trust and Obey. I think one of the best responses to the question, “What do you want to define your life?” might be a song from Man of La Mancha. It’s been sung by everyone from Jim Neighbors to Luther Vandross to Elvis to Jim Bell to Brennan Bell. To Dream the Impossible Dream.  Have you seen that song being presented in the Honda commercial?    In Mark 10:17ff, a man has a dream of inheriting eternal life. And as far as we know, he never realizes this dream. The disciples wonder if it is an impossible dream. But Jesus shows them it isn’t. And I believe that part of what Jesus is leading to here is that the cross transitions impossibilities to realities. This podcast speaks of how the cross transitions from impossibilities to realities. Share This... Hide Sites Steve. Shields no no http://shieldsgroup.com/2012/03/06/from-remembering-to-rejoicing/ http://shieldsgroup.com/2012/03/06/from-remembering-to-rejoicing/#comments Tue, 06 Mar 2012 12:22:30 +0000 Steve http://shieldsgroup.com/?p=2239 Continue reading →]]> http://shieldsgroup.com/2012/03/06/from-remembering-to-rejoicing/feed/ 0 0:01:34 I believe that the cross of Jesus changes everything. A symbol of intersection, it actually stands for transitions: transitions from death to life; transitions from sinners to saints; and, as this podcast notes, transitions from remembering to rejoi[...] I believe that the cross of Jesus changes everything. A symbol of intersection, it actually stands for transitions: transitions from death to life; transitions from sinners to saints; and, as this podcast notes, transitions from remembering to rejoicing. The cross gives us much to remember and many reasons to rejoice, and Communion concentrates those elements in our lives. As you listen to this podcast, give some thought to how much we have to be thankful for because of the Cross of Christ. Share This... Hide Sites grace Steve. Shields no no