JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Focus on God’s goodness is found in Psalm 90:14.

“Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.”

The unfailing love of the LORD is satisfying to our soul. God’s love is like the sunrise-a dependable source of light for our day.

As God’s love refreshes us with grace, we are filled with joy. We have a reason to sing songs of praise to the LORD.  We have motivation to share His love with others because of what the Lord has done in our lives. Thanksgiving overflows into a testimony of God’s goodness.

As we journey through this life, we will find God’s love as the fulfilling place to be. There is power in the blood of Jesus to forgive our sins. There is strength in God’s hand to lead us to a destiny of victory.  Exodus 15:13 says, “In your unfailing love, you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength, you will guide them to your holy dwelling.”

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

John@wjtl.com

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Light Reflection is from Romans 6:4.

Speaking of Jesus, “we were buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”

The light of the Gospel reveals the new life that we can have in Christ. We become new creations. The old has gone. A new way of life has begun, built on faith in Christ, and expressing itself in love.  We become united with Christ in His death and resurrection.

We die to sin and come alive to Jesus. Instead of living for selfish desires, we live to glorify God. This new life gives us a new focus, new priorities, and new identity as a child of God. We are refreshed in the cleansing power of God’s forgiveness and His unfailing love.

Romans 6:8 tells us that if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.

This Light Reflection inspires us to embrace the new life of being united with 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 trusting God’s unfailing love.

In Psalm 52:8 and 9, David wrote, “I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in your unfailing love for ever and ever. I will praise you forever for what you have done; in your name I will hope, for your name is good. I will praise you in the presence of your saints.”

In this Psalm, David highlights the difference between a boastful man and a worshipper of God. The boastful man trusts in his great wealth, and grows strong by destroying others. But this is not the way of the person who flourishes in the house of God. The worshipper trusts in God’s unfailing love and lifts up His name in the assembly of the saints.

Trusting in God’s unfailing love 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 Looking to the Lord.

It is when we look to God for strength and courage that our fears are relieved. This is the pattern that we find in the Psalms.

One vivid example is found in Psalm 34, verses 4 and 5. David wrote, “I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.”  Looking to the Lord is the way to overcome fear and shame. That is where we find a love that never fails.

Looking to the Lord is a vital step to a radiant faith that makes a difference in the world.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Light Reflection is from Psalm 31:16 and 17a.

This is a prayer from the heart of David: “Let your face shine on your servant; save me in your unfailing love. Let me not be put to shame, LORD, for I have cried out to you.”

David certainly had his enemies. They were strong and intimidating. But in his time of need David turned to the LORD for His favor. We have that same opportunity in our times of crisis. The whole world could be against us, and yet, we could still live with hope if we knew that God is with us.

To have God’s face shining on us is to have God’s favor-to be in a secure relationship that reflects God’s glory with a radiant faith.

This Light Reflection inspires us to humbly seek God’s favor in the Year to Shine.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK- Today’s Faith-Building Verse is Exodus 15:13.

There were songs of celebration after the Israelites crossed the Red Sea safely and were delivered from slavery in Egypt.

They celebrated God’s deliverance with these words: In your unfailing love, you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling.

This was not only true for the Israelites, but also a picture of the Gospel for those who follow Jesus faithfully today. With His blood shed at the cross, He has redeemed us from sin and condemnation. He leads us in His unfailing love, and He has a glorious destiny for us in His holy dwelling at His heavenly throne.

This Faith-Building Verse inspires us to trust in God’s unfailing love to guide our steps in the Year of Relationship.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Faith-Building Verses are Psalm 13:5 and 6.

“But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing the LORD’s praise, for he has been good to me.”

This Psalm was written in a time of deep struggle and questions of faith. The first few verses begin with questions that we might have already asked God in some of our circumstances.

“How long, LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart?”

Through our honest questions and struggles, we can find hope in the unfailing love of God for us who has provided His gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. He has been good to us. That is our hopeful reality in a world broken by sin, sickness, and sorrow.

These Faith-Building Verses inspire us to trust in God’s unfailing love through the hard questions of life in the Year of Relationship.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Endurance, today’s Daily Challenge motivates us to trust in God’s unfailing love.

That is what David did. He was one of the writers of the Psalms, and he wrote in Psalm 52:8, “I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God’s unfailing love for ever and ever. For what you have done, I will always praise you in the presence of your faithful people. And I will hope in your name, for your name is good.”

Olive trees sometimes live for more than a thousand years, and they can be productive for many, many years. This is the comparison made with someone who trusts in God’s unfailing love. Our faith has opportunity to thrive and to stand tall for the glory of God as we praise the name of Jesus and put our hope in His name. He will not fail us. He proved His love for us at the cross. Then, He rose from the grave victorious over death. That is the same hope we have when we put our faith in Him-life beyond the grave.

Take the daily challenge to trust in God’s unfailing love on the journey of faith.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Redemption, today’s Freedom Phrase is based on Psalm 32:10.

“Many are the woes of the wicked, but the LORD’s unfailing love surrounds the one who trusts in him.”

That is an amazing thought to consider how the LORD’s unfailing love is all around us when we trust in Him.

His unfailing love is in front of us-providing us with grace and peace as the LORD turns his face toward us with His favor.

His unfailing love is below us-giving our faith a firm foundation.

His unfailing love is behind us-giving direction for our journey. His voice behind us says, “This is the way, walk in it.” 

His unfailing love is also above us, sending us good and perfect gifts from heaven.

And His unfailing love is beside us, providing us with friendship on the road that leads to heaven.

Through Jesus, we are set free to celebrate the LORD’s unfailing love surrounding us.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Eye on Integrity is based on First John 4:16.

And so, we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.”

We would not lean on an object if we questioned its strength to support us. There are various things in this world that may offer us temporary happiness, but they cannot sustain us or support us like the love of God. Here are some of the words used in the Bible to describe God’s love.

Psalm 36:7 says, “How precious is your unfailing love, O God!”

In Psalm 136, God’s steadfast love endures forever.

Ephesians 2:4 describes God’s love as great.

God’s love stands the test of time, carries the weight of all our sin, and never fails us. God’s love is life’s precious gift.

Walking in reliance on God’s love is a virtue to embrace for our lives in the Year of Integrity.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Moment Of Celebration reflects on the evidence of God’s unfailing love.

Thomas saw the evidence in John 20. The disciples had seen Jesus and told Thomas, “We have seen the Lord!” Thomas was skeptical. He would not believe it unless he saw the nail marks in his hands.

A week later, Jesus appeared to doubting Thomas and made him a believer by showing him his nail-scarred hands. Thomas responded by saying “My Lord and my God.”

In that moment, Thomas was seeing three significant things. The first thing that he saw was that Jesus was brought back to life. His grief turned into joy after seeing His beloved leader alive again.

A second thing that Thomas saw was the power that Jesus had over the grave.  In seeing the resurrection power of Jesus, Thomas’s fears turned into hope.

A third thing that Thomas saw was the expression of love that was evident in the nail scars. His doubts turned into confidence that Jesus is alive, and he could trust that the love of Jesus would never fail him.

The evidence of God’s unfailing love is a reason to be glad in the Year of Celebration.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com