JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Word of Encouragement is Marvelous.

The meaning of marvelous is “Causing great wonder; extraordinary.” Another definition of this word is “Extremely good or pleasing; splendid”.

The Bible uses the word “Marvelous” to describe the deeds of God.

Psalm 86:9 and 10 says, “All the nations you have made will come and worship before you, Lord; they will bring glory to your name. For you are great and do marvelous deeds; you alone are God.”

Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s marvelous deeds. In His death and resurrection, Jesus demonstrated God’s love for the world and gained victory over the grave.

These events have paved the way for our redemption, so that we might saved from our sins.  Referring to Himself, Jesus said in Matthew 21:42, “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes.”

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

Find encouragement in the marvelous deeds of the LORD in the Year of Endurance.

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Endurance, today’s Daily Challenge motivates us to grow in meekness.

In Matthew 5:5, Jesus said, “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.”

The idea of meekness has to do with “strength through restraint”. It is a quality that combines humility with a gentle spirit. The perfect example of this was Jesus. Though he was rich, yet for our sake he became poor. Even though He had 72,000 angels at his disposal for protection, Jesus chose the way of the cross. For a period of time, He emptied Himself of His Heavenly glory and stepped into a human body to take the nature of a servant.

When we see the evidence of injustice, meekness is the quality that will help us to confront it the right way. Look to the example of Jesus. We are challenged to use our influence to shine the light of the Gospel with the attitude of Christ, who demonstrated gentleness, humility and patience to a world in need of His grace.

Take the daily challenge to experience the blessing of growing in meekness on the journey of faith.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Word of Encouragement is Foundation.

A strong foundation is necessary for any building to stand the test of time. We also build our lives on a certain foundation of beliefs or ideas. The Bible points us to the one sure foundation that is dependable for our faith.

In Isaiah 28:16, the Sovereign LORD says, “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who relies on it will never be stricken with panic.”

Later, in the New Testament book of First Peter, this statement was applied to Jesus, and says, “The one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.” We can rely on Jesus Christ to be the sure foundation for our times. All other ground, in the spiritual sense, is sinking sand.

Find encouragement in building our lives on the grace and truth of Jesus for our firm foundation in the Year of Endurance.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Word of Encouragement is Freedom.

Galatians 5:1 tells us that it is for freedom that Christ has set us free.

To be free in Christ is to be forgiven by His grace and to walk in His truth.

There are two main obstacles to freedom. One obstacle is trespassing God’s laws, where we disobey God and become slaves to sin. The other obstacle is legalism, where we depend on observing God’s laws to save us.  The truth is that we cannot save ourselves by doing good deeds, but Jesus can save us from our sins. That is why He came to the world. Trusting Jesus to save us will set us free from the control of those obstacles.

Jesus said in John 8:36, “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” Because of Jesus, we are set free to walk in an authentic relationship with God.

Find encouragement in the true and lasting freedom that Jesus provides for His followers in the Year of Endurance.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Endurance, today’s Daily Challenge motivates us to pursue righteousness.

This is what the Apostle Paul instructed a. young pastor to do in Second Timothy 2:22. Paul was instructing Timothy how to be an effective witness for the Gospel.

Pursuing righteousness was one of those instructions. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught us to seek first His kingdom and his righteousness. The pursuit of God’s righteousness is to be top priority for our lives. Jesus also said that those who hunger and thirst for righteousness are blessed, for they will be filled.

In our pursuit for righteousness, Jesus is the answer.

Romans 3:22 tells us “this righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.”  We can trust Jesus to set us free from the guilt of our sin. He will make us right with God, and give us the desire to do what is right in the eyes of God.

Take the daily challenge to pursue righteousness on the journey of faith.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Word of Encouragement is Secure.

The most secure place to be is in the grace of God. That is where the blood of Jesus purifies us from all sin. Our guilt is removed. Forgiveness is our reality, Jesus is our firm foundation, and His love is our source of confidence. Heaven is our destiny. With our focus on Jesus, faith becomes stronger than fear.

Psalm 112:6 says, “Surely the righteous will never be shaken; they will be remembered forever. They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the LORD. Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear; in the end they will look in triumph on their foes.”

No matter what happens today, God is still on the throne, and His grace sustains us through times of trial and triumph. Our true security is ultimately found in Jesus Christ.

Find encouragement in the security of God’s grace in the Year of Endurance.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Endurance, today’s Daily Challenge motivates us to keep walking with Jesus.

Faith is a relational journey. Step-by-step we are moving on a pathway toward a specific destiny. If we are walking with Jesus by faith, we are moving in the narrow path of God’s will toward a place called heaven. That is where Jesus is right now. Someday, we will meet Him face-to-face and give an account of our lives to Him.

First John 2:28 instructs us to “continue in Him, so that when He appears, we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming.”

When sin entered the human race, Adam and Eve attempted to cover themselves because they felt shame. But in Christ, our shame is removed and is replaced with confidence in His grace to purify us. His righteousness covers us and gives us garments of praise.

Take the daily challenge to walk with Jesus on the journey of faith.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Word of Encouragement is Grace.

To be in God’s grace is to have God’s favor. For those who have sinned against God, we don’t deserve God’s grace, but out of God’s abundant goodness and love for us, He gives His grace to bless us.

Grace is a gift to be received, not a paycheck to be earned. The life-saving impact of grace is highlighted for us in Ephesians 2:8. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.”

And Romans 3:22 says, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement through the shedding of his blood-to be received by faith.”

That is what the death and resurrection of Jesus was all about-to offer the gift of grace to sinners like us, so that we might be redeemed, restored, and reconciled to Him.

Find encouragement in receiving the gift of God’s grace in the Year of Endurance.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Word of Encouragement is Immanuel.

We don’t have to wait for the celebration of Christmas to find encouragement in this name.

At the birth of Jesus, the Bible records in Matthew 1:22, “All this took place to fulfill what the Lord has said through the prophet, ‘The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him ‘Immanuel’, which means ‘God with us.’

God did not keep His distance from the human experience. He stepped right into it in the form of Jesus.

Jesus did not keep His distance from our pain and suffering and grief. Instead, He stepped right into it by going to the cross.

Jesus stepped into a world that needed a Savior, and showed us the way to a fulfilling relationship with God forever. God is not distant. He cares and is close enough to hear every humble prayer that reaches out to Him.

Find encouragement in the presence of God to meet us in our place of need in the Year of Endurance.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Word of Encouragement is light.

Light has a way of breaking the darkness, just as the power of God is dependable for breaking the power of sin. John 1:5 says that the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

We can trust in Jesus to overcome the forces of darkness because He is the light of the world. He made this claim in John 8:12.

“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

If we feel surrounded by darkness, whether it be the pressures of this world or the temptations by our own sinful desires, there is a light to lead us out of darkness. His name is Jesus. He is the source of light to shine on our hearts and give us the hope of an abundant and eternal life with Him.

Find encouragement in the light that Jesus provides to lead us out of darkness in the Year of Endurance.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Vision, today’s 20/20 Insight focuses on the purpose of Jesus to enrich our lives.

Second Corinthians 8:9 says, “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes, he became poor, so that you, through his poverty might become rich.”

Jesus left His place of honor and glory in heaven to become the suffering servant on earth. This was for our benefit, not for the purpose of giving us material riches, but to give us God’s grace. That is the richest place for us to be. That is where we have the favor of God. That is where we have peace with God. That is where we experience the joy of the Lord. That is where we live with the hope of moving forward in God’s plan until we reach His glorious destiny. We gain access to these treasures through faith in Jesus to save us from our sins.

Focusing on the riches of God’s grace gives us greater clarity for living out the Christian life.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com