JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Focus on God’s Goodness is found in Second Timothy 3:14 and 15.

“As for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy, you have known the Holy Scriptures which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.”

The word of God has the power to lead us to faith in Jesus Christ. The Bible gives us the opportunity to open our heart to the Gospel.

This happened to an Ethiopian man in Acts chapter 8. He was reading from the book of Isaiah. At first, he did not understand the meaning, but when Philip used that passage to explain the good news about Jesus, that man put his faith in Jesus and got baptized into the Christian faith.

The power 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 Focus on God’s Goodness is found in Romans 10:9.

If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

We are dead in our sins until we come alive to God. This transformation happens when we recognize our need for a Savior, and call on Jesus for forgiveness and the gift of eternal life. His resurrection is the defining moment in human history that makes eternal life possible.

The Apostle Paul reasoned in First Corinthians 15:17, “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.” But Paul affirmed that Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, and that means victory over death for those who follow Jesus as Lord.

The Resurrection of Jesus 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 Focus on God’s goodness is found in Isaiah 59:1.

“Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear.”

God’s love is long enough to reach us and rescue us from our sin. Verse 2 tells us that our iniquities have separated us from God. That is why we need redemption. Jesus stretched out His arms at the cross to extend forgiveness to us. Our barrier of sin is removed when we open up to God’s grace.

Jesus went to great lengths from heaven to earth to save us. With His long arm of salvation, He embraces us with His love, brings us into His family of believers, and gives us eternal life. Eternity is a long time. His grace lasts forever.

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

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year to Shine, today’s Vital Step to a Radiant Faith is to put on the full armor of God.

The Christian life is a spiritual battlefield, not with the weapons of the world, and not against flesh and blood.  Our battle is against spiritual forces in the heavenly realms. The weapons available to us consist of truth, faith, prayer, salvation, righteousness, and God’s Word.

Ephesians 6:11 tells us to put on the full armor of God, so that we can take our stand against the devil’s schemes.

Satan tries to influence us through temptation, accusation, condemnation, and confusion. But the weapons that God provides for us are strong enough to resist the devil’s influence, so that we can follow Jesus with a fully devoted heart.

Second Peter 1:3 tells us that God’s “divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.” The armor of God equips us to stand firm in the faith.

Putting on the full armor of God 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 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 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 – Today’s Faith-Building Verse is Hebrews 9:26.

Speaking of Jesus, “He has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.”

Jesus appeared to take away our sin. John the Baptist told us to look to the Lamb of God who takes away our sin. But as we look at our lives, we know in our heart of hearts that we still fall short of God’s glory by disobedient thoughts, words, and actions.

The good news is that our story is not over. By looking to Jesus as the author and perfecter of our faith, He breaks the power of sin over us and releases us from the punishment of sin.

The reason that the angel told Joseph to name Mary’s firstborn son “Jesus” was because He will save His people from their sins. Jesus lives up to the meaning of His name.

This Faith-Building Verse inspires us to celebrate God’s promise of salvation to those who believe in Jesus in the Year of Relationship.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Faith-Building Verse is Acts 4:12.

Peter said, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

He did not make this statement in a church or at a Bible study among believers. He said this in front of very influential men who were not believers in Jesus. Just a few weeks earlier, Peter denied knowing Jesus three times. But this time, Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit and with courage.

This kind of courage flows out of spending time with Jesus in His Word and in prayer. The teachers of the law observed the courage of two disciples that day-Peter and John. They noted that these unschooled, ordinary men had been with Jesus.

This Faith-Building Verse inspires us to turn to Jesus to save us from our sins in the Year of Relationship.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Faith-Building Verses are Psalm 18:1 and 2.

“I love you, LORD, my strength. The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”

This is a window into the heart of David who loved God in a real and personal way. We might often think of prayer as a time to ask God for help. That is certainly a noble prayer. But there is more to prayer than making petitions. Prayer is also an opportunity to tell God that we love Him and to tell Him what He means to us.

David was a man after God’s own heart, who sought Him in times of need, trusted God in times of uncertainty, and praised Him in times of victory.

These faith-building verses inspire us to tell God how much we love Him and what He means to us in the Year of Relationship.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Endurance, today’s Daily Challenge motivates us to proclaim the Gospel boldly.

We have a life-giving message to share with the world.

The disciples declared this message about Jesus 2,000 years ago. “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

How could these men be so bold about their faith? We gain insight from Acts 4:13, where the rulers and elders of the people saw the courage of Peter and John and took note that these men had been with Jesus.

Spend time alone with Jesus is the key to learning from Him and gaining confidence to share the reason for our hope. In Ephesians 6, The Apostle Paul asked the church to pray that he would declare the Gospel fearlessly, as he should.

Take the Daily Challenge to proclaim the Gospel boldly on the journey of faith.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

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

A tower is a tall structure that symbolizes strength, security, and greatness.

There was a time in history when the world came together to build the Tower of Babel. The people of that time wanted to make a great name for themselves.

But God frustrated their plans by confusing their language. Humans are not able to accomplish what only God can do for the world. We cannot save ourselves, but God can save us through faith in Jesus Christ. He is our source of salvation, strength, and security. And His name is very great-the name above all names.

Proverbs 18:10 says, “The name of the LORD is a strong tower. The righteous run to it and are safe.”

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

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com