JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Light Reflection is from John 8:12.

Jesus identified Himself by “I Am” statements, which are recorded for us in the Gospel of John. These statements open our eyes to the reality of who Jesus is and what He can accomplish on our behalf.

As morning light broke through to chase away the darkness of the night, Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Just as physical light has a way of breaking the darkness, the light of grace and truth is able to break the darkness of our sin. Just before Jesus said this, a woman was caught in adultery. A crowd was ready to stone her to death. But Jesus disarmed these religious men by saying, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”  He let her go free by saying, “Neither do I condemn you. Go now and leave your life of sin.”  This is how grace and truth can set us free.

This Light Reflection inspires us to come out of the darkness of sinful patterns and follow Jesus in the Year to Shine.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Light Reflection is from John 11:25.

Jesus identified Himself by “I Am” statements, which are recorded for us in the Gospel of John. These statements open our eyes to the reality of who Jesus is and what He is able to accomplish on our behalf.

Just as Jesus was about to raise Lazarus from the grave, He said to Martha, the sister of Lazarus,

“I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

How would you answer that question? Martha responded by saying, “Yes, Lord. I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”

The raising of Lazarus from the grave would confirm this statement made by Jesus. Those who die in Christ will live again and enjoy fellowship with God forever in a place where death is no more.

This Light Reflection inspires us to believe in Jesus as the Resurrection and the Life in the Year to Shine.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Light Reflection is from Revelation 1, verses 14 through 16.

John had an encounter with Jesus before he wrote the book of Revelation.  This is part of the description of what he saw.

“The hair on his head was white as wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.”

John responded by falling at his feet. The hand of Jesus was on him.  The voice of Jesus spoke to him: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One.”

An encounter with Jesus will lead us to faith, reverence, and worship. We will understand that we are in the Presence of someone greater than ourselves, but we will be truly grateful that we are loved by Him. Our faithful service will lead to the glory of His name and will flow out of a relationship with Jesus.

This Light Reflection inspires us to find love and purpose in the Presence of 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 to fix our eyes on Jesus.

It’s amazing how much our perspective can change from darkness to light when we focus on Jesus.

His extreme love will inspire us. His gentle humility will move us. His righteous example will give us a pattern for godly living. He will purify our faith so that it sparkles and shines brightly for His glory.

Hebrews 12:1 and 2 encourages us to “throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him, he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”

Fixing our Eyes on Jesus is a Vital Step to a Radiant Faith that makes a difference in our world.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year to Shine, today’s Vital Step to a Radiant Faith is to tell someone about Jesus.

In a world where people are seeking to be loved and accepted, there is no one who can do that like Jesus. He is the reason for our hope. This day is an opportunity to share the refreshing news of God’s unfailing love.

We can tell others how He meets our deepest needs by His grace. We can point them to the reality of the cross and the empty grave, and share what His death and resurrection mean for our lives-specifically, forgiveness and eternal life.

Simon Peter came to Christ after his brother Andrew said to him, “We have found the Messiah (that is, the Christ).”  John 1:42 says, “And he brought him to Jesus.”

Telling someone about Jesus 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 James 1:17.

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”

The blessings of God are expressions of His love for us. These blessings enrich our lives in various ways and reflect God’s goodness toward us.

His good gifts consist of resources that we need to survive, the things that He provides for our enjoyment, and the precious people in our lives that we know as “Friends.”

His perfect gifts are Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and His amazing grace. Jesus is the perfect remedy for our sin. The Holy Spirit is the perfect power source for living out the Christian life. And grace is the perfect plan of redemption that God designed before the world began.

This Light Reflection inspires us to marvel at the brilliance of God’s blessings in the Year to Shine.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Light Reflection is from Ephesians 2, verses 6 and 7.

“And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.”

God’s grace is an amazing expression of His love for us where we receive what we do NOT deserve. God’s grace is a gift that saves us from our sins.  That gift was made available through the price that Jesus paid with the shedding of His blood.

God’s grace not only saves us from sin, but also raises us to a new position in Christ. We are declared “Not guilty”.  When Jesus died on the cross, the curtain of the temple was torn from top to bottom, giving us access to the Presence and holiness of God by faith.

God’s grace also gives us access to the treasures of heaven. We have a living hope that the future looks bright in the picture of eternity.

This Light Reflection inspires us to marvel at the brilliance of God’s grace 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 – Today’s Light Reflection is from John 1:14.

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

The Bible says that the knowledge of God’s glory was displayed in the face of Christ. He came as the light of the world, so that those who walk in darkness might be set free from sin and be reconciled to God.

The grace and truth of Jesus was clearly evident in His encounter with a woman who was caught in the act of adultery. The religious leaders were ready to stone her to death, but Jesus disarmed them by saying, “Let any of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” And as her accusers gradually went away, Jesus told the woman, “Neither do I condemn you, go now and leave your life of sin.”

This Light Reflection inspires us to find forgiveness and freedom in God’s grace and truth 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 offer our eyes to God.

Jesus said in Matthew 6:22, “the eye is the lamp of the body. If our eyes are healthy, our whole body will be full of light. But if our eyes are unhealthy, our whole body will be full of darkness.”

Our desires often follow what we choose to see. A negative example of that is the Garden of Eden, when Eve saw that the forbidden fruit was good for food and pleasing to the eye. She was not glancing at the fruit. She was focusing on it, and thinking about it, until it led to an unholy desire and disobedient choice. There is something for us to learn from that moral failure.

If viewing the forbidden fruit can lead us into sinful actions, then it stands to reason that noble actions flow out of fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.

Offering our Eyes to God is a vital step to a radiant faith that makes a difference in our world.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year to Shine, today’s Vital Step to a Radiant Faith is to offer our feet to God to share His good news.

Jesus told His disciples to “Go into all the world and make disciples of all nations.”

He has entrusted us with a message to share with the world. Through Jesus, the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you.

Some believers have traveled great distances to share this message overseas. Others have walked across the street to share this good news with their neighbors.

Isaiah 52:7 says, “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!” As we go in Jesus’ name, we get to proclaim Jesus as the good news of God’s peace plan.

Offering our feet to God for spreading the Gospel is a vital step to a radiant faith that makes a difference in our world.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com