JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Promise of Hope is based on Isaiah 35:8.

“A highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness; it will be for those who walk on that Way.”

This chapter is a picture of wholeness and restoration. The eyes of the blind are opened. The ears of the deaf are unstopped. Water gushes forth in the wilderness. There are streams in the desert.

The Way of Holiness will be reserved for those who have been set free from the guilt of sin. Verse 9 records that only the redeemed will walk there. Those the LORD has rescued will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.

In many places of the world, the way of holiness is not very popular today, but it still is the way of Jesus. As we follow Him, He leads us on that path to take us to His glorious destiny.

The Way of Holiness is a promise of hope for those who follow Jesus in the Year of Trust.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Trust, today’s Focus on God examines the dimensions of His love.

According to Ephesians 3:17, it was the prayer of the Apostle Paul that we might be rooted and established in love, and may have power, together with the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.

As we explore the dimensions of God’s love in the Bible, we begin to see that His love is wide enough to remove our transgressions from us as far as the east is from the west.

His love is deep enough to bury our transgressions out of sight to the bottom of the sea.

His love is long enough to last forever.

And His love is high enough to reach us from heaven to earth.

The various dimensions of God’s love is a reason to trust in God for today and forever.

John  Shirk

john@wjtl.com

Kristi Leigh – WJTL DJ

Kristi@WJTL.com

Here is your handcrafted playlist for the August 4th/6th playlist:

Hour 1

1. Underneath – Zahna
2. Forever – RED
3. Bring Me to the Water – Everything New
4. Beautiful Lie – Decyfer Down
5. This Is Who We Are – Written in Kings
6. Fire – The Wrecking
7. Gold Frankincense & Myrrh Interview
8. Darkness – Gold Frankincense & Myrrh
9. Beneath The Skin – Gold, Frankincense & Myrrh
10. The Broken One – We Are Vessel
11. The War Inside – Switchfoot
12. House of Cards – Manafest
13. Rockin’ Me – Manafest

Hour 2

1. The Coming Storm – Matt Moore
2. Hero – Skillet
3. Found – Seventh Day Slumber
4. Look Away – Thousand Foot Krutch
5. Everybody Lose Your Mind – Family Force 5
6. Blue – Manic Drive
7. Live Again – torndown
8. Once And For All – Disciple
9. Commonwealth – Plankeye
10. Safe & Sound – We Were Once
11. Shouting Grounds – Crowder
12. Get Down Get Down – KJ-52
13. Tell Me – As We Ascend
14. Pretty Little Phase – Hearts Like Lions
15. Evil Lies – Gold Frankincense & Myrrh

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Trust, today’s Focus on God examines Jesus as the Lord of the Sabbath.

According to Jesus in Luke 6, “The Son of Man is the Lord of the Sabbath.”

The religious leaders in Jesus’ day had added human traditions to the observance of the Sabbath. Over time, these traditions were elevated to the status of God’s laws. They became legalistic and rigid in their interpretation of how someone should observe the Sabbath.

Jesus was saying here that no matter how many restrictions the Pharisees wanted to impose, they would not stop Jesus from healing on the Sabbath. Jesus, the Lord of the Sabbath, said, “It is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”

The words of Jesus remind us that while there is wisdom in setting aside one day out of the week for rest and intentional worship, there is also freedom to serve in ways that help people at their point of need.

Knowing Jesus as the Lord of the Sabbath is a reason to trust in God for today and forever.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

Five Fun Free Family Things To Do This Weekend
August 4-6, 2017

5 Mountville Lawn Concert featuring The Lancaster British Brass Band Sunday 7pm on the Lawn of Mountville Church of the Brethren, College Avenue and Clay Street in Mountville. Bring lawn chairs and blankets. More Info: mountvillecob.org

4 Servant Stage Companies “Sing Sing Swing” tomorrow (Sat. August 5) at Strasburg Community Park. A song-and-dance tribute to the Swing era, featuring Jive, Jitterbug, Lindy Hop, The Charleston, and the music of Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and Benny Goodman. The event is free, donations will be accepted. More Info: ServantStageCompany.com

3 Manheim Grace Brethren Church Community Day tomorrow (Saturday Aug. 5) 3pm-7pm at the church in Manheim. Kids’ Games, Inflatables, Puppets, Live Music & More. More Info: www.manheimgrace.com

2 Fun In The Son tomorrow (Saturday, Aug. 5) 3pm-7pm at Ephrata United Zion Church. Bounce houses, face painting, petting zoo, candy scramble, balloons, free food and entertainment from “Bible Dude” Greg Donough & His Horses and The Cherry Pickers Blue Grass Concert. Rain or Shine. Bring chairs & blankets. More Info: www.ephratauz.org

1 Paradise Bible Fellowship Church Block Party, tomorrow (Saturday, Aug. 5) 11am-3pm at the church on Lincoln Highway in Paradise. Free food, ice cream, games, crafts and performances by juggling team The DKers. More Info: 717-687-7577

This is the first summer season for my family in our new home. We moved from a shaded yard to one with lots of sunshine. Now blueberry bushes, a vegetable patch and mammoth sunflowers are finally a success! When the conditions are right, the plants just do some very simply things–bask in the sun and soak up the rain–and they grow strong and straight and produce lots of fruit and flowers. When I tried gardening in the shade, I found that plants grew in all the wrong shapes and directions.  They ended up slanted and leaning and reaching and fruitless. We are kind of the same way. Here is a set of songs to focus on and appreciate what God can form out of the dirt and the dust. He is the loving Gardener of our hearts and lives.  He plants seeds, pulls weeds, causes the sun to shine and rain to fall…all to bring forth fruit and blooms as we abide in the vine.  Isaiah 58:11 says “And the LORD will continually guide you, and satisfy your desire in scorched places, and give strength to your bones.  And you will be like a watered garden, like a spring of water whose waters do not fail.”

Kristi Leigh – WJTL DJ

Kristi@WJTL.com

We’re now less than a month from the big party:  Kid’s Cookie Break Fest!  August 26th, The Junction Center grounds will be alive with family fun with inflatables, petting zoo, pedal cars, barrel train, carnival games and more!  Live in Landis Hall you’ll find our very own Lisa Landis and performances by Jim Rule, Chip Richter & The Munks, This Way Up, Jesse Rothacker & Forgotten Friend Reptiles, Phredd and much more!  We have two programs:  10-2, and 3-7 and free tickets become available on Monday August 14th at 10am.

We have had a great response for volunteers so far.   I am still looking for a number of people to help during the afternoon and evening shifts.   Some specific needs are:  Selling Artist Merchandise (which is inside), Carnival Games, Handing Out Box Lunches,  Ticket Taking  and some other miscellaneous areas.    If you could volunteer a couple of hours or more in the afternoon or evening, please email stacey@wjtl.com and I’ll help you out with more details.    We’re getting pumped for another really fun day with the Kids Cookie Break community on August 26th!

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Promise of Hope is based on Psalm 23:6.

“Surely, your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.”

David wrote this Psalm. As David walked with God, he was absolutely sure that he would be surrounded by the goodness and the love of God. His heart’s desire was to glorify God and to praise Him in worship. He said in Psalm 27:4, “This is what I seek; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life.”

In our daily pursuit of God’s glory, we come to notice God’s goodness and love pursuing us, each and every day of our lives.

Having the assurance of God’s goodness and love following us is a promise of hope for those who follow Jesus in the Year of Trust.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

How are you? Feeling challenged or discouraged lately? Here is a special lineup of songs, celebrating our strong God who helps us in times of battle. It’s a playlist packed with songs of Victory! I pray you’ll be encouraged, no matter what you’re up against.

“Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.” (1 Corinthians 2:14)

Kristi Leigh – WJTL DJ

Kristi@WJTL.com