JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Focus on God’s Goodness is found in Lamentations 3:22 and 23.
“Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”
God’s love is just as dependable as the rising sun every morning. Sometimes, clouds cover the sunrise, but that does not deny the reality that the sun has risen. In a similar way, the dark clouds of dire circumstances do not deny the reality of God’s constant love for us.
The writer of Lamentations wrote about the faithfulness of God in a national crisis. He said, “My soul is downcast within me.” But the thought that gave him hope was waking up to the reality of God’s constant love every single day.
The constant love of God reveals the goodness of God and is a reason to give thanks in the Year of Gratitude.
JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Focus on God’s goodness is found in Psalm 36:5.
“Your love, LORD reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies.”
This verse highlights the height of God’s love for us. Jesus came from heaven to earth so that we might ascend from earth to heaven. After accomplishing His mission on earth, Jesus returned to heaven.
Oswald Chambers noted the ascension of Jesus this way: “At his ascension our Lord entered heaven, and he keeps the door open for humanity to enter.”
The door is still open for us today to accept the invitation of Gospel. Now is the time of God’s favor. Now is the day of salvation.
Heaven is the destiny for all who belong to Jesus. It is a place where there is no more death, or mourning, or crying, or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.
The height of God’s love reveals the goodness of God and is a reason to give thanks in the Year of Gratitude.
JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Focus on God’s Goodness is found in Psalm 100, verses 4 and 5.
“Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.”
God’s love and faithfulness have enduring value that is relevant for our generation. The blood of Jesus was shed on the cross 2,000 years ago, and still has the power to cover our sins, so that we are declared “Not guilty”. For a love that stands the test of time, we can find it in the arms of God’s saving grace. Romans 10:13 tells us that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. That is still true today. God is faithful to His word. His love will not fail us.
God’s enduring love and faithfulness reveal the goodness of God and are reasons to give thanks in the Year of Gratitude.
JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Key Element for Thriving Relationships is telling our children about God’s faithfulness.
In Isaiah 38:19, King Hezekiah said to the LORD, “Fathers tell their children about your faithfulness.”
This is a significant way that the Gospel message gets passed on from generation to generation. This requires parents to be proactive in telling our children the good news about Jesus Christ. By sharing this message in a spirit of love, we are giving our children the gift of hope and spiritual direction.
Psalm 78:4 says, “We will not hide them from their children; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, his power, and the wonders he has done.”
Telling our children about God’s faithfulness is a key element for thriving relationships that honor God.
JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Faith-Building Verse is Joshua 21:45.
“Not one of all the LORD’s good promises to Israel failed; every one was fulfilled.”
The LORD is a promise keeper. It may take time for His words to be fulfilled, but He can be trusted to deliver on them at the right time. We can look at the nation of Israel as an example of God’s faithfulness.
Throughout the Old Testament, there were prophecies about a Messianic figure who would emerge onto the world stage. God delivered on that promise through the appearance of Jesus.
Romans 5:6 says, “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.”
This Faith-Building Verse inspires us to trust in God’s promises in the Year of Relationship.
JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Key Element for Thriving Relationships is Faithfulness.
This is one of the qualities found in the fruit of the Spirit.
God’s faithfulness is a consistent theme throughout the Bible. Lamentations 3:23 tells us that God’s compassions are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
To be faithful is to be reliable and trustworthy. Walking with Jesus will train us to live with godly integrity, keep our commitments, stay true to our promises, and be loyal to our friends.
One example of faithfulness in the Bible was a man named Epaphras. The Apostle Paul described him as a faithful minister of Christ. He taught the Colossian church about God’s grace. He was also faithful in prayer for God’s people to stand firm in all the will of God.
Jesus taught that whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much.
Faithfulness is a key element for thriving relationships that honor God.
Happy November! This month is a big Season of Gratitude Sunday mornings on WJTL. Every week there will be a special lineup meant to stir up thankful praises. This week the playlist is themed with a focus on remembering God’s faithfulness. It includes songs like “Great Is Thy Faithfulness”, “Faithful To The End”, “You Never Let Go”, “Yes and Amen”, “Promises” and more. Plus, a group of songs from local leaders and worship teams! See all the details below.
JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Good News Focus is on Romans 1:17.
For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed-a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: ‘The righteous will live by faith.”
The book of Romans makes it very clear that we have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God. That puts us in debt to God. We owe Him more than we can offer Him. Our good deeds are not enough to earn credit. Our tithes and offerings are not enough to buy credit. But God’s grace has been revealed through Jesus and is a gift by which we can receive the credit of righteousness, which clears our debt of sin.
Romans 3:22 says that this righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. That is how we can truly live in the light of God’s love.
Jesus is our Source of Good News, leading us to places of forgiveness, faithfulness, and righteousness in the Year of Vision.
This morning’s playlist includes lots of new songs from Rend Collective, Chris McClarney, MoveSomebody and a bunch from Matt Redman’s new release “Let There Be Wonder”! Plus, clips from my recent conversation with Cory Asbury. (You can hear the whole thing on the Praise & Worship Podcast, Episode 5)! I do have his very latest, the acoustic rendition of “The Father’s House” in today’s lineup.
Plus, some little song sets with encouraging reminders in the lyrics, focusing on God moving even in the winter season of our lives — and his new mercies and great faithfulness.
JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Vision, today’s 20/20 Insight focuses on God’s faithfulness.
Lamentations 3:22 says, “Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” I say to myself, ‘The LORD is my portion; therefore, I will wait for him.’ The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him.”
In the morning, some people see a sunrise. In his view of the sunrise, the writer of Lamentations saw more. He saw hope in the Lord. He was reminded of the faithfulness of God.
Focusing on God’s faithfulness gives us greater clarity for living out the Christian faith.
JOHN SHIRK -In the Year of Redemption, today’s Freedom Phrase is based on Lamentations 3:22 and 23.
“Because
of the LORD’s great love, we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”
God’s
faithful love for us is written in the sky each morning with the reliable
appearance of the sunrise. Even as the sunrise breaks the darkness of the
night, so the grace of God has the power to break the spiritual strongholds in
our lives that keep us in the darkness.
While
his people were living in captivity, the writer of Lamentations was comforted
by the compassion of God to be their source of light and hope.
Through Jesus, we are set free to receive a new start for a brighter day.
