JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Word of Encouragement is “Ebenezer.”

This word shows up in First Samuel 7:12, when the prophet Samuel set up a stone and named it “Ebenezer” saying, “Thus far the LORD has helped us.”

This stone was set up to remind the Israelites of God’s faithfulness to them. Sometimes, they would be unfaithful to Him, and He would discipline them. But the purpose of the discipline was not to destroy the Israelites. Rather, His purpose was to turn their hearts back to Him.

Ebenezer means “Stone of Help.”  There are reference points that remind us that God has come to help His people.  Those places are at the cross and empty grave. Jesus is the evidence of God’s faithfulness, and we can count on Him to save us from our sins.

Find encouragement in the reference points of history that point to God as our source of help in the Year of Endurance.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Endurance, today’s Daily Challenge motivates us to use technology with discernment and moderation.

Today, it is possible to develop an addiction to our cell phones.

Chip Ingram says that “technology is a wonderful thing, but its excess and overuse is negatively transforming God’s people to embrace the values of the world…..The Utopia it promises is a myth. Its value is great only when used with wisdom and restraint.”

Here are three Bible verses that are relevant for exercising self-control in our use of technology.

From First Corinthians 6:12, “I will not be mastered by anything.”

From Proverbs 4:23, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”

And from Ephesians 4:15, “Speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.”

Take the daily challenge to use technology with discernment and moderation on the journey of faith.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4q0Xwkxa5hjS5bYkAt7BQ1?si=c4PiAh9yTIuZqUxUQQ_x5Q

Happy Resurrection Day! Today’s playlist is filled with songs celebrating our risen Savior. Plus, new local worship songs by LCBC Worship and Clay Collective.

https://soundcloud.com/user-254508556/wjtl-praise-worship-podcast-matt-greiner-talks-clay-collective

I interviewed Clay Collective founder, Matt Greiner, on the P&W Podcast! Check it out to hear the heart of this new worship band and stories behind the songs on their new album “Living Stones” which just released today.

 

Kristi Leigh, WJTL DJ

Kristi@WJTL.com

Podcast: Spotify & Apple Podcasts & SoundCloud

Follow: Instagram & Facebook

Playlists: Spotify

Song Title	Artist	Album	Year
6AM
True Love	Phil Wickham	Singalong	2008
Greatest Love Story	Philip Herndon	Decade	2019
Ashes (feat. Chris McClarney)	Dara Maclean	[Single]	2017
O Praise The Name	Hillsong Worship	Open Heaven River Wild	2016
Death Where Is Your Sting	Cory Asbury	Reckless Love	2018
This Is Amazing Grace	Phil Wickham	The Ascension	2013
My Victory	Crowder	American Prodigal	2016
Who is this Man	Clay Collective	Living Stones	2021
Clinging To The Cross (feat. Brooke Fraser)	Tim Hughes	Holding Nothing Back	2007
Nothing Holding Me Back	Bryan & Katie Torwalt	Here On Earth	2011
In Christ Alone (Live)	Shane & Shane	Hymns Live	2019
What A Beautiful Name	Hillsong Worship	Let There Be Light	2017
Upon Him	Matt Redman	Let There Be Wonder	2020
7AM
Overcome	Jeremy Camp	We Cry Out-The Worship Project	2010
The Wonderful Cross	Chris Tomlin	The Noise We Make	2001
Hallelujah For the Cross	Chris McClarney (of Jesus Culture)	Breakthrough	2018
Up & Alive	Luke + Anna Hellebronth	Single	2019
Hes Alive	Laura Hacket	Joy (LIVE)	2010
Worthy of Your Name (feat. Sean Curran of Bellarive)	Passion	Worthy Of Your Name	2017
He Lives (feat. Chris McClarney) [Live]	Church of the City	Single	2020
Bless The One (feat. Matt Maher)	Mack Brock	SPACE	2020
Beauty in the Death (Live)	LCBC Worship	Rise – EP	2021
Man Of Sorrows	Hillsong Worship	At Easter – EP	2021
God Of Calvary	Chris Tomlin	Never Lose Sight (Deluxe Edition)	2016
Risen King (Sons and Daughters) (feat. David Leach)	Life Center Worship	Debut EP	2019
8AM
For the Cross	Brian & Jenn Johnson	Tides	2013
At The Cross (Love Ran Red)	Chris Tomlin	Love Ran Red	2015
No Other Name	Hillsong Worship	No Other Name	2014
Jesus Paid It All (feat. Kim Walker Smith)	Worship Circle	Worship Circle Hymns	2019
Savior Of The World	Mack Brock	Single	2020
Hallelujah, To Saving Grace	Bellarive	Before There Was	2014
Kindness	Clay Collective	Living Stoes	2021
Living Hope	Phil Wickham	Living Hope	2018
King of Kings	Chandler Moore & Essential Worship	Single	2021
Reign Above It All	The McClures	Single	2021
Raise a Hallelujah	Jonathan & Melissa Helser	Victory	2019
Forever	Kari Jobe	Majestic	2014
Like A Lion	David Crowder Band	Passion: Awakening	2010
9AM
Behold the Lamb (feat. Kristian Stanfill)	Passion	Behold the Lamb (feat. Kristian Stanfill)	2019
The Lion And The Lamb	Big Daddy Weave	Beautiful Offerings	2016
You Cannot Be Stopped	Phil Wickham & Chris Quilala	Single	2019
Death Was Arrested (feat. Seth Condrey)	North Point	Nothing Ordinary	2017
Happy Day	Tim Hughes	Holding Nothing Back	2007
Graves Into Gardens (feat. Brandon Lake)	Elevation Worship	Graves Into Gardens	2020
This I Believe (The Creed)	Hillsong Worship	No Other Name	2014
Christ Is Risen	Mack Brock	Greater Things	2018
You Deserve It All	Josh Baldwin	The War Is Over	2017
Good News (Live)	LCBC Worship	Rise – EP	2021
Resurrection Day	Rend Collective	Good News	2018
Your Cross Changes Everything (feat. Matt Redman) [Live]	Passion	Worthy of Your Name (Live)	2017
It Is Finished (feat. Melodie Malone)	Passion	Follow You Anywhere (Live)	2019

https://soundcloud.com/user-254508556/wjtl-praise-worship-podcast-matt-greiner-talks-clay-collective

My latest guest on the Praise & Worship Podcast is Matt Greiner! He’s a founding member and drummer for metalcore band August Burns Red, and is starting up a new worship band in Lancaster called Clay Collective. Matt joined me to talk about the heart of this group and share stories behind the songs of their debut album “Living Stones” (out April 4th!)

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Endurance, today’s Daily Challenge motivates us to remember the empty grave.

Second Timothy 2:8 tells us to “remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David.” Paul the Apostle noted, “This is my gospel.”  Jesus is our source of good news too when we belong to Him through faith. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the reason for our victory over sin, death, and the pressures of this world.

Jesus told His followers the night before He died, “In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Even though we face temptation, turbulence, and the trials of life, we have much reason for optimism.  Jesus is alive today. We do not worship a dead Christ, but the risen Christ. Because of that, we have a living hope that outshines the brilliance of the sunlight and endures forever.

Take the daily challenge to remember the empty grave and the reason for our hope on the journey of faith.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Endurance, today’s Daily Challenge motivates us to remember why Jesus died for us.

Here are three Bible verses that give us compelling reasons.

From Second Corinthians 5:15, “He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.” That’s godly purpose.

From First Thessalonians 5:10, “He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him.”  That’s a forever relationship between God and His people.

And First John 4:9, “This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.” That’s power to live out the good news.

The common thread is that Jesus died so that we might live. His grace moves us to live with godly purpose, in meaningful relationship, and with the strength to press on in the faith.

Take the daily challenge to remember why Jesus died to give us life on the journey of faith.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK-In the Year of Endurance, today’s Daily Challenge motivates us to remember Jesus’ prayer in the Garden just before He was arrested.

Jesus understood the gravity of the moment.  Hope for the human race depended on the mission of Jesus. That time was approaching for Him to be handed over to the Gentiles for crucifixion. He was in great anguish.

In Luke 22:42, Jesus prayed, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”

The next day, Jesus hung on a cross. This request is a powerful reminder that Jesus was God’s Plan A, and there was no Plan B.

Jesus yielded to His Father’s will, even though it was the way of suffering. His example moves us to be humble before God and submit ourselves to His plan whatever the cost.

Take the daily challenge to remember Jesus’ prayer in the Garden and yield to God’s will on the journey of faith.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

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

This is what the crowd was shouting in Matthew chapter 21 when Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey. “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven.”

Hosanna is a term that means “Save.” It was an expression of praise, celebrating Jesus as the source of salvation.

The Old Testament expressed a plea for salvation. Psalm 118:25 says, “LORD, save us! LORD, grant us success! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD.”  Later, Jesus would enter Jerusalem, coming in peace while riding on a donkey, and presenting Himself as Israel’s king.

Hosanna speaks the compelling truth that through Jesus, our plea for salvation turns into an expression of praise when we welcome Him as our King, Savior, and friend.

Find encouragement in the shouts of Hosanna in the Year of Endurance.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/02iWNWHcgIp9rk4VY5LRkb?si=320kdJmwTKeL2_wf4F1TOg