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

This is an acknowledgement to God that we have sinned against Him and need His forgiveness. God does not despise a truly contrite heart.  God sees all and knows everything about us, our good deeds and bad deeds, our pure motives and impure motives. He is not eager to condemn us, but patiently waits for us to turn to His grace.

First John 1:8 says, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

After David confessed sin to God in Psalm 51, he said, “Then I will teach transgressors your ways, so that sinners will turn back to you.” Confession brings our sin into the light of God’s grace and breaks the power of darkness over us. Then we will be in a better place to help others.

Confession 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 First Thessalonians 5, verses 5 to 8.

“You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate and the hope of salvation as a helmet.”

Here we see how faith, love, and hope are part of the armor of light. Those qualities of the Christian life help us to be alert to the voice of God and in tune with the heart of God. They protect us from temptations and spiritual attacks from the forces of darkness.

Wearing the armor of light is a good way to move forward in our relationship with God and fight the good fight of faith.

This Light Reflection inspires us to be vigilant in our walk with God 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 Consideration.

According to James 3:17, wisdom from above is considerate. This kind of wisdom sensitizes us to think about how our words and actions might affect others, for better or worse. When this is the case, we will be motivated to demonstrate gentleness, respect, and graciousness in a way that represents Christ.

Jesus was teaching us this quality with the Golden Rule. “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”

How do we want to be treated by others? Go and do likewise.

Consideration 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 Romans 13:11.

And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.

As we get ready for a new day, we go through the process of deciding what to wear for that day. We might dress to impress or we might dress for comfort. Spiritual preparation for the upcoming day is also important. There will be opportunities and challenges ahead. There will be temptations and trials. Spending time with God in His word and in prayer prepares us for the decisions that we will make in a given day.

Romans 13:14 encourages us to clothe ourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.

This Light Reflection inspires us to put on the armor of light as we prepare for each new day 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 loving our enemies.

This is a call to extraordinary love. Jesus said that even sinners will do good to those who are good to them. But to do good for those who hate us? That takes love from above. Jesus did that for us when He died on the cross.

Jesus said in Luke 6:35, “Love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting anything back. Then your reward will be great and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.”

Another way we can love our enemies is to bless them and pray for them. That is what Jesus told us to do in Luke 6:28.

The way of the world is to fight against our enemies or avoid them altogether. But the way of Jesus is to love our enemies in the hope that they might be won over as friends of God.

Loving our Enemies 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 Daniel 12:2 and 3.

Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.

The stars in the universe have been created by God and declare His glory.

Those stars can be a source of motivation for us to be witnesses for Jesus to a world that is experiencing spiritual darkness. We were made to shine and reflect His goodness and glory. As we do, we become a voice of hope to point people to the light of God’s love through faith in Jesus Christ.

This Light Reflection inspires us to be an influence for righteousness in the Year to Shine.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Light Reflection is from Philippians 2, verses 14 and 15.

Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life.

The word of life is a remedy for grumbling and arguing, filling us with reminders of God’s love for us and moving our faith to shine for His glory.

Dwight Moody once said, “Remember, a small light will do a great deal when it is in a very dark place.” Our faith has opportunity to shine in dark places as we hold firmly to the word of life and hold out the word of life in our personal connections.

This Light Reflection inspires us to do everything without grumbling or arguing 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 Hospitality.

The motive behind hospitality is love for strangers. There was a time when your friends today were strangers. Someone needed to break the ice and reach out with some gesture of kindness. Hospitality is one effective practice of turning strangers into friends. The practice of hospitality not only builds relationships, but also meets needs.

In the days of the early church, God’s servants would travel from place to place and need a place to stay for the night. They would find it in the hospitality of believers in the Lord who opened their home to them.

Third John verse 7 says, “It was for the sake of the Name that they went out, receiving no help from the pagans. We ought therefore to show hospitality to such people so that we may work together for the truth.”

Romans 12:13 instructs us to “share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.”

Hospitality 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 – Today’s Light Reflection is from Psalm 148, verses 1, 3, and 5.

“Praise the LORD. Praise the LORD from the heavens; praise him in the heights above….Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars…Let them praise the name of the LORD, for at his command they were created.”

God’s creation is designed to reflect His glory. As we do what God created us to do, we find delight in fulfilling our purpose of magnifying Him.

Psalm 95 calls us to bow down in worship and kneel before the LORD our Maker, for he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care.

This Light Reflection inspires us to join with God’s creation to praise the LORD in the Year to Shine.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com