JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Focus on God’s Goodness is found in Psalm 119, verse 105.

“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”

There is a very good reason that we can trust God’s Word to guide us in the right direction.

Psalm 18:30 says, “As for God, his way is perfect: the LORD’s Word is flawless.” The prophet Jeremiah described God’s way as the good way that leads to rest for our souls.

Following the words of God will not always be easy. They are in conflict with the value system of the world, which is built on pride, greed, and lust. Not everyone will be pleased when we seek to follow the words of Christ. But we will have the applause of God and His peace as we walk by faith in Him daily.

The direction of God’s Word reveals the goodness of God and is a reason to give thanks in the Year of Gratitude.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Light Reflection is from Psalm 36:9.

For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light.

To get to our desired destination, we need to follow the right directions. To find correct answers, we need to have reliable information. Every strong building starts with a firm foundation.

Jesus is the light source we need for a vibrant relationship with God. He is the pathway to an eternal destiny. He is the answer to solve the problem of our sinful nature. He is the foundation for a thriving faith. Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

This Light Reflection inspires us to look to Jesus for the clarity we need everyday 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 wake up to the voice of grace.

Ephesians 5:14 says, “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”

The voice of God’s grace is calling us out of a place of spiritual slumber into the light of God’s glory. That is where we can truly shine in this generation with His goodness, righteousness, and truth.

The voice of grace calls us out of apathy into the way of love.

The voice of grace calls us away from the deeds of darkness into the light of God’s pleasing will.

The voice of grace awakens our hearts to seek God’s Kingdom and righteousness as the top priority of our lives. Jesus becomes the focus of our faith and our ultimate treasure. The joy we have from His love overflows into our relationships.

Waking up to the voice of grace 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 Psalm 89, verses 35 to 37.

The LORD says, “Once for all, I have sworn by my holiness-and I will not lie to David-that his line will continue forever and his throne endure before me like the sun; it will be established forever like the moon, the faithful witness in the sky.”

Indeed, there is a spiritual heritage coming through David’s line that shines forever. Jesus came through David’s line. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne. He is known by His love and faithfulness. God is true to His promises.

The brilliance of His reign is compared to the likeness of the sun. And the establishment of His kingdom is compared to the moon, the faithful witness in the sky.

Just as the moon reflects the light of the sun, so, God’s people are called to reflect the light of God’s One and Only Son-Jesus.

This Light Reflection inspires us to be a faithful witness for Jesus in the Year to Shine.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Light Reflection is from John 12:46.

Jesus said, “I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.”

Jesus fulfilled the words of the prophet Isaiah who said, “the people walking in darkness have seen a great light.”

We are walking in spiritual darkness until we step into the light of God’s grace, and the way to cross over from darkness to light is to put our faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior.

To believe in Jesus as Lord is to embrace Him for who He is. He is the Son of God, the Anointed One, the Lamb of God, sent from heaven to be the ultimate sacrifice for our sins. That was the meaning of His death on a cross.

To believe in Jesus as Savior, is to embrace what He is able to do for us. Because Jesus was obedient to His mission, He is able to completely forgive our sins and lead us to a faith that glows with His love. We can trust Him to do this for us.

This Light Reflection inspires us to believe in Jesus in the Year to Shine.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Light Reflection is from Revelation 21:23 and 24.

The Apostle John was describing the new Jerusalem which will shine with the glory of God.

“The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it.”

Many people wonder what heaven is like. The book of Revelation describes heaven as a beautiful place. Nighttime does not exist in the New Jerusalem. Jesus is the source of light for this coming Kingdom. The great street of the city is of gold as pure as transparent glass. The city sparkles with brilliance like a precious jewel. And those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life will be there.

This Light Reflection inspires us to live with the hope of heaven through faith in Jesus in the Year to Shine.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Light Reflection is from Psalm 27:1.

The LORD is my light and my salvation-whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life-of whom shall I be afraid?

The light of God’s favor on David made a difference in his life. In the presence of dangerous circumstances, he was able to go forward with confidence and courage in the LORD rather than shrink back in fear.

The LORD’s salvation is a comfort for the person who follows Jesus. He is our source of security. His grace has a firm grip on us. We can live with the confidence that He is able to protect us from the schemes of our spiritual enemies. Nothing in all creation is able to separate us from God’s love that is in Christ Jesus. If God is for us, who can be against us?

This Light Reflection inspires us to keep our focus on Jesus as the stronghold of our lives 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 compassion.

Recently, our family of listeners participated in a Compassion event to help kids in Kenya and in other parts of the world. Kenya has experienced some disasters in recent years that have led to malnourishment among many children.

But you responded to the need. 124 listeners became sponsors with Compassion International. Now, many children will face a brighter future because of the support of their new sponsors.

Isaiah 58:10 says, “If you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness and your night will become like the noonday.”

Compassion 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 a good deed for God.

According to Jesus, this is how we let our light shine. In the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:14 to 16, Jesus said, “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

So, what can we do today to shine our light for Jesus? Look for opportunities, let love be the motivation, and watch how God works through those simple steps of obedience to encourage someone with the reality that they are loved by God.

A good deed for God is a vital step to a radiant faith that makes a difference in the world.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Faith-Building Verse is Isaiah 9:2.

The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.

New hope was born for us at the birth of Christ. Jesus fulfilled this Old Testament prophecy in His ministry.

He is the great light that we need to find our way out of spiritual darkness. The message of Jesus was to repent-to turn from selfish ways and false beliefs and turn toward Jesus as the way, the truth, and the life. That is where the real hope for a brighter day can be found-following in His footsteps.

Jesus said 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.”

This Faith-Building Verse inspires us to walk into the light of God’s grace by following Jesus in the Year of Relationship.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Faith-Building Verse is John 12:46.

Jesus said, “I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.”

One of the reasons for Jesus coming to the earth was so that we might not remain in the darkness of our own sin. The light of Jesus brings the hope of a new day for our souls. We can begin again, change direction, and walk with Jesus in the light of His grace and truth.

By following Jesus, He will help us to see ourselves and others more clearly with value and dignity.

He will also give us clarity for going forward in God’s will. A prophecy in Isaiah 2:3 says that He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.

This Faith-Building Verse inspires us to come out of darkness into the radiant light of following Jesus in the Year of Relationship.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com