Say It. Tell It. Live It.: An Inspiring and Uplifting 52 Week Devotional

By J. Drew Sheard B.S. M. ED

We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. On our daily walks, we must be doers of the Word, not just listeners. We become better at living when we show everyone around us who God is by saying it, telling it, and living it.

In a weekly devotional, Bishop J. Drew Sheard offers Christians a wise, comforting, and inspiring spiritual companion that provides encouraging messages, biblical inspiration, and uplifting stories to remind Christians that life is a journey, not a destination. Within each reflection, Bishop Sheard shares nuggets of wisdom that lead believers down an introspective path within to rehearse daily obedience to God, avoid being caught up in a fleeting moment, live life lovingly unselfishly, treasure their destiny in the Kingdom of God, remember that salvation is the gift of God, and much more.

Say It. Tell It. Live It. is a weekly devotional that serves as both a reminder of God’s Word and as a tool for resolving life’s challenges in a way that pleases Him.

“All who are blessed to engage in this profound work will find a companion to expanding knowledge of the Word of God. This book is a must-read for all people of faith.”
— Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson, Chairman, The Conference of National Black Churches

• Language: English
• Publisher: Uriel Press
• Release date: Oct 2, 2023
• ISBN: 9798886120202

J. Drew Sheard B.S. M. ED

J. Drew Sheard earned a BS in education and a MEd in mathematics from Wayne State University. In 1988, he began his pastoral ministry at Greater Emmanuel Institutional Church in Detroit, Michigan. In 2021, he was elected to the Office of the Presiding Bishop of the Church Of God In Christ, Inc., the world’s largest Pentecostal group. Bishop Sheard and his wife have two children and two grandchildren.

Book preview

Copyright © 2023 J. Drew Sheard, B.S., M. ED.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.

Uriel Press

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.urielpress.com

844-752-3114

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

All Scripture quotations are taken from King James version of the Bible, public domain.

ISBN: 979-8-8861-2018-9 (sc)

ISBN: 979-8-8861-2019-6 (hc)

ISBN: 979-8-8861-2020-2 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2023917748

Urial Press rev. date: 9/29/2023

Bishop J. Drew Sheard stands in front of the Kathryn Kuhlman pulpit at the historical Bonnie Brae House, where the catalytic fire of the Azusa Street Revival was first ignited (Los Angeles, CA).

(Cover Photo Credit: Nathan Brown)

DEDICATION

I am grateful and most appreciative to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, for all of His benefits toward me.

To my loving family, my beautiful and multi-talented wife, I am what I am because of your loving support. To my awesome children, Kierra (Jordan) and J. Drew. Your phenomenal support is absolutely incredible! I thank God for trusting me with you both! My wonderful grandchildren. Jacob and Kali. To my brother, Ethan (Gwenda), thank you for everything. Your profound strength and support will never go unnoticed. To my incredible sisters: Dorinda (Greg) and Cindy. To my cousins, Bernita and Karen, for having my back.

To the absolute greatest church family in the world: GEI, I love all of you!

Thank you, Sis. Vickie, for your incredible assistance!

This book is dedicated to my parents.

Bishop John H. and Mother Willie Mae Sheard They are forever in my heart!

CONTENTS

Foreword

Introduction

A Good Name

A Torn Robe and a Shaven Head

Against the Odds

Drop It and Run

I Am in Now

Moments of Weakness

Proclaim the Gospel

Risky Business

The Bush Is Yet Burning

The Day That the Lord Has Made Is a Day to Rejoice

The House That Worship Built

The Journey of Love

The Practice of Giving

The Three Dimensions of Life

The Wait Is Over

The Urgency of Repentance

This Thing Is Serious!

What Should I Do Now?

When God Says It, Again

When It’s Too Late, It’s Just Too Late

A Bad Decision Costs a Promising Future

A Better Place

A Mission Made Possible

Whatever!

Aggravated in Church

An Invitation to Destiny

Enemies of the Family

From Victim to Victor

God’s Property

The Cutting Edge

I’ve Got to Get Back to Beth-El

Launch Out into the Deep

A Prayer for the Knowledge of Him

After a Meeting with Jesus

Getting Good out of Bad

Blinded Minds

The Spirit for Renewal

What a Fool Believes

When Trouble Comes

Can We Survive?

Drawing Water from the Right Wells

Thanks, But No Thanks. I Need God for This One

Uncontrolled Appetites

What If? A Horrible Hypothetical Situation

Don’t Be Surprised When God Answers Your Prayers

Be Careful Who Keeps You Warm

Judge Not

Life in a Crooked World

Lodebar Is Not a Place for Royalty

The Year of Manifestation

The Holy Ghost as a Counselor, Teacher, and Reminder

Will Somebody Please Pass the Salt?

FOREWORD

Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson, Chairman,

The Conference of National Black Churches

A voice of fresh insight for these troubled times.

I am humbled by the opportunity to recommend this Epistle of Good News to the global Christian family and to those who are carrying an uncultivated seed of salvation in their hearts. The following pages collectively form an earnest, passionate, and profound missive to all people, born in the heart of a prayerful and faithful servant.

As Chief Prelate of the Church Of God In Christ (COGIC), the Most Reverend J. Drew Sheard is one of our most spiritually empowered, socially relevant, and biblically informed religious leaders. On the pages that follow, he has provided a road map for developing and practicing mature and relevant faith, especially during these uncertain and turbulent times.

Bishop Sheard provides fresh manna from on high for a maturing spirituality and a pathway for spiritual development. His gifts of sacred and pastoral insights are on full display in these devotionals. The richness of his exegetical skills provides a relevant application of his extensive biblical understanding. He takes the ancient texts and gives them practical relevance for every man, woman, boy, and girl.

In this collection of devotions, we can feel Bishop Sheard’s passion for people and his love of God in Christ. As you read this sequence of messages, you will experience the delicate weaving of a warm security blanket of hope as you confront the daily issues of these times. Be prepared to be inspired and spiritually impacted as you encounter these gems of inspiration.

The framework of this presentation provides a disciplined opportunity for the reader to incorporate basic biblical insights in a sequential weekly format, ultimately developing or renewing his or her Christian faith. It provides a supplement to weekly Bible study and Sunday worship. Here we have an inter-testament excursion into biblical truth intended to enrich our faith in Christ. Bishop Sheard uses the scriptures as a vehicle to communicate the whole truth of the human predicament, which he makes clear is salvageable by the grace of God. Both pastor and parishioner will discover illumination and inspiration encountering the engaging terrain of this insightful presentation. All who are blessed to engage in this profound work will find a companion to expanding knowledge of the Word of God. This book is a must-read for all people of faith. I hope you find it as nurturing as l have. There is a blessing waiting here for you!

INTRODUCTION

A process, in its most basic definition, is a sequence of stages or actions carried out to accomplish a specific goal. We start aiming for perfection as soon as we accept that Jesus is the Son of God, that He suffered death on the Cross, and that He rose from the dead after three days. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: sanctification is a process. Every believer has a responsibility to get closer to God, and it is the role of every pastor, along with apostles, prophets, evangelists, and teachers, to aid in that process.

Although there are many different ways that the process of sanctification takes place, comprehending God’s Word for appropriate life application is the most crucial part of the process. Pastors speak to congregations about texts on different days of the week with the hopes that the ideas will be understood, remembered, and recited when necessary for success in life.

The weekly devotionals presented here are intended to serve as both a reminder of what God has said and as a tool for resolving life’s challenges in a way that pleases God. As you read these pages, I hope they remind you that you can accomplish anything through Christ who strengthens you, that this is a journey, that we improve each day, and that we must be doers of the Word rather than merely hearers. Keep