JOHN SHIRK – In the Year to Shine, today’s Vital Step to a Radiant Faith is to see the eternal perspective from God’s point-of-view.

If our focus is only on today, or on matters in this present life, we are only seeing part of the picture. God has an eternal plan, and His desire is to be with His people forever in a place of pure joy and absolute peace.

In Psalm 73, Asaph admitted that his feet almost slipped. He wrote, “I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.”

When he saw how they lived a care-free life and prospered, he thought he kept his heart pure in vain, and he was troubled.

His perspective changed when he entered the sanctuary of God. In a place of worship, he understood their final destiny. His faith was strengthened when he realized that God guided him with His counsel, and afterward, God would take him into glory.

An Eternal Perspective is a Vital Step to a Radiant Faith that makes a difference in our world.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

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JOHN SHIRK – In the Year to Shine, today’s Vital Step to a Radiant Faith is to worship God from the heart.

Jesus told the woman at the well in John 4:23, “A time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

We might be inclined to associate worship with a church gathering or some of our favorite songs on the radio. While those influences can be part of our worship experience, there is more. Worship is a way of life that is focused on the glory of God. This involves committing our work, our relationships, and our activities to God.

First Corinthians 10:31 says, “Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”

Worshiping God from the heart is a Vital Step to a Radiant Faith that makes a difference in our world.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Light Reflection is from Psalm 119:111.

“Your statutes are my heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart.”

Joshua was a man of God who inspired a nation to walk with God when he said, “As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” It was his joy to obey God by leading His people.

The light of God’s Word fills us with joy. When we open up the Bible, we see the need of humanity for a Savior, which God provided through Jesus Christ. We are encouraged by His plan for our lives, to bless us with His grace and guide us in His truth.

We also see how His statutes are given in love to protect us and provide for us. From a heart of gratitude for all that God has done for us, we want to obey Him and honor His name. It is our joy to serve Him. First John 5:3 says “this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome.”

This Light Reflection inspires us to find joy in following God’s statutes in the Year to Shine.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Light Reflection is from Psalm 119:81.

My soul faints with longing for your salvation, but I have put my hope in your word. My eyes fail, looking for your promise; I say, ‘When will you comfort me?’”

In the Old Testament, there was a yearning for a Redeemer to come and rescue the soul from the penalty of sin. This was something that the law was powerless to do. This statement of hope expresses longing for the fulfillment of God’s promise of comfort. Jesus fulfills the longing of our heart for salvation.

Jesus said to those resisting Him in John 5:39, “You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.”

The light of God’s Word brings us hope in the presence of Jesus.

This Light Reflection inspires us to search God’s Word for the hope that is found in Jesus in the Year to Shine.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year to Shine, today’s Vital Step to a Radiant Faith is willingness to forgive others.

The way of following Jesus is the way of forgiveness. We learn this in Colossians 3:13-Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

One story of forgiveness that has had a huge impact on people’s lives is when a mother named Renee chose to forgive Eric, a drunk driver who took the life of her 20 year-old daughter. Renee was then given a platform to speak to groups about the dangers of drunk driving and the power of forgiveness.

Matthew West heard this story, and it caused him to take a look at his own life and ask himself if he could do what was humanly impossible-to choose forgiveness. He wrote a song about it. The lyrics to “Forgiveness” reveal that while forgiveness is not easy, it is possible with God’s help.

Being willing to forgive others is a Vital Step to a Radiant Faith that makes a difference in our world.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Light Reflection is from Psalm 119 verse 68.

“You are good and what you do is good; teach me your decrees.”

A decree in the Bible is a teaching from God to be obeyed.

The light of God’s Word will guide us in the good ways of God. His decrees will be consistent with His character. The way to know God’s will for living out faith can be found in the pages of the Bible.

In Micah 6:8, the LORD shows us what is good and what He requires of us: “To act justly, and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

First Timothy 2:1-3 is a call to prayer for all people, for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior.

This Light Reflection inspires us to learn and obey God’s good ways in the Year to Shine.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year to Shine, today’s Vital Step to a Radiant Faith is to grow stronger through our trials.

In the book Trusting God, Jerry Bridges points out that a particular moth needs to struggle to free itself from its cocoon. Without the struggle, the moth would not survive very long beyond the cocoon.

The struggles we face in our Christian journey have a good purpose.

James 1:2 through 4 says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

We don’t have to get excited about the actual trials that we are facing, but we can remain joyful at what God is able to do in us as we experience testing of our faith.

Growing stronger through trials is a Vital Step to a Radiant Faith that makes a difference in our world.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Light Reflection is from Psalm 119:45.

I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts.

America recently celebrated birthday number 247. We have enjoyed many freedoms in this nation through the years not experienced by other nations.

Those freedoms did not come easily, but came at a huge price for many.

The spiritual freedoms that we enjoy are even more precious, and came to us at the price of blood shed by Jesus at the cross.

God’s Word shows the way to true and lasting freedom, by following Jesus and obeying His commands. Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Jesus is able to set our heart free, so that we are not bound by the control of sin, but liberated to serve others by His love.

This Light Reflection inspires us to enjoy the freedom of living out God’s Word in the Year to Shine.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year to Shine, today’s Vital Step to a Radiant Faith is to endure hardship.

Hebrews 12:7 encourages us to endure hardship as discipline. When this is occurring, God is treating us as His children.

Sometimes, in our difficult challenges, we might incorrectly feel that God is far away and does not love us as much as He once did. If we conclude that, we become discouraged by our circumstances and feel like giving up on the path we were taking.

However, Hebrews chapter 12 is there to remind us that God still cares in our trials. He is working to refine our faith in Him, not to discourage us. Verse 10 says about our human fathers, “They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best, but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”

Enduring hardship is a Vital Step to a Radiant Faith that makes a difference in our world.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com