JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Light Reflection is from Psalm 89:14 and 15.

Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; love and faithfulness go before you. Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, LORD.

Jesus is the firm foundation for the Christian faith. At the cross, God’s love and justice came together to demonstrate God’s righteous justice toward sin and faithful love toward sinners. Jesus paid the price for the sins that we commit. He is the advocate we need for forgiveness.

He has done all the work that is necessary for our salvation. Our proper response is to receive this gift of grace with gratitude and worship.

That word “acclaim” in this passage means to praise God publicly and with enthusiasm. This is how we can shine our light for God.

This Light Reflection inspires us to acclaim God and walk in the light of His presence in the Year to Shine.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Eye on Integrity is based on Jeremiah 9, verses 23 and 24.

“This is what the LORD says: ‘Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the LORD who exercises kindness, justice, and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight.’”

Any wisdom, strength, or wealth that we have is very limited compared to the treasures of knowing God. A relationship with God will change us so that we learn to delight in that which delights the LORD.

Walking in relationship with God is a virtue to embrace for our lives in the Year of Integrity.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Relationship-Building Principle comes from Isaiah 1:17.

The LORD says, “Learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow.

In applying this principle to situations today, it means taking a stand against bullying and being an advocate for those who are bullied. It means taking a stand against human trafficking, and being an advocate for those who are victims. It means being an advocate for the homeless, the orphan, and the widow, which may take us down the road to volunteerism, adoption, or some kind of sponsorship.

With such great need, there is much to do with the time that we have on this earth to be the hands and feet of Jesus. By ourselves, we cannot change the world. But through the grace of Christ, we can make a difference for someone in a place of need. As we commit our ways to God, listen to the burdens of our heart, and look for opportunities to make a difference, we can be encouraged by this truth in Psalm 37:6-“He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.”

Encouraging the oppressed is a vital relationship-building principle to take to heart in the Year of Connection.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com