JOHN SHIRK – After Jonah ran away from God, he ran into a violent storm that threatened the safety of everyone on the ship. Jonah knew that he was the cause of the storm, and so he told the crew to throw him overboard. Reluctantly, they did.

Then, the LORD provided a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the fish three days and three nights.

When a parent disciplines a child for disobedience, sometimes that discipline takes the form of a time out. The child has time to think about what happened, and how they might do things differently next time.

Jonah had a three-day time out.  While he was inside the fish, Jonah stopped resisting God’s will. His turning point is a prayer found in Jonah 2.

“When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, LORD, and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple. Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs. But I, with a song of thanksgiving will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed, I will make good. Salvation comes from the LORD.”

Jonah’s prayer of commitment is a lesson of faith worth remembering.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

March 1, 2 & 3, 2013

5) First Friday Lancaster, tonight (March 1) celebrate the arts in downtown Lancaster – Galleries, museums, artist studios, artisans, unique shops, music and more. More info: lancasterarts.com

4) For the Moms! Sisters In Christ Women’s Conference, tomorrow (Sat. March 2nd) from 6-9pm at Lancaster Bible College.  Worship and Speakers. Free event. More Info: PaSistersinChrist.com

3) The Making of a Picture Book with Author Lee Harper
tomorrow (Mar 2, 2013) at Lancaster Public Library, North Duke Street in Lancaster from 10:30-11:30am. Registration is encouraged, seating is limited. More info: (717) 394-2651

2) Dr. Seuss Birthday Party tomorrow (March 2) at Carlisle Theatre, 40 West High St, Carlisle beginning at 2pm. Meet-and-greet and birthday party with Dr. Seuss characters, activities and screening of “The Lorax”. Free event!  More info: CarlisleTheatre.org

1) Movie (Undaunted) at Life Streams Productions in Ronks. Tomorrow and Sunday (March 2,& 3) 7pm both nights. Undaunted is the true story of how Josh McDowell set out to prove Jesus Christ never existed — but ended up on a journey that brought him face to face with God’s love and transforming power. Free event, no reservations needed, freewill offering. More info: (717) 687-4263

JOHN SHIRK – It happened in Jonah chapter 1 of the Bible. The word of the LORD came to Jonah to go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness had come up before the LORD.

But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish. The map would indicate that Tarshish was in the opposite direction of Nineveh.

Why did Jonah run from this assignment?  We learn later in the book he was more afraid of a successful mission than a failed mission. He said to God, “That is why I was so quick to flee to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger, and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity.”

Jonah did not share God’s concern for the people of Nineveh. Consequently, he went the opposite direction and found himself in a storm of his own making.  If apathy causes us to run away from God’s will, He may bring a storm to shake up our world, not to destroy us, but to wake us up to the urgency of responding to His voice.

Jonah’s reluctance shows us the importance of being filled with God’s love for people, and is a lesson of faith worth remembering.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Goliath was the bully of the Old Testament, ridiculing the army of Israel, challenging someone to step forward to fight him man to man. He was an imposing figure, a champion fighter, who was over 9 feet tall. Every one was intimidated by him, except David.

When David approached Goliath, he said, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.” David was making the point that it is the LORD who saves, not someone’s physical weapons. This battle was the LORD’s and the LORD enabled David to strike the giant down.

The Bible says that our battle is not against flesh and blood but against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realm. God has provided us with help to fight the good fight of faith, such as the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the helmet of salvation,  and others. You can find the complete list in Ephesians 6. Using God’s weapons of righteousness, we can overcome the giants that threaten and intimidate us.

David and Goliath is a lesson of faith worth remembering.

JOHN SHIRK – In Luke 5:31, Jesus responded to a question as to why He was eating with sinners. His response was this: “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

Jesus is especially good at heart surgery. This is where the seat of ambition and desire is found. Jeremiah 17 describes the heart as “deceitful above all things and beyond cure.” This is our condition without the transforming effect of God’s grace on our hearts. The words of Jesus pierce the skin and serve as a cleansing agent for our corrupted heart. His grace changes us to follow after His heart rather than trusting our own heart. His desire becomes our desire. His passion becomes our passion.

So, why did Jesus relate with sinners? He came to heal hearts that were broken, sick, and deceitful. Ezekiel 18:31 says, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.”

The influence of Jesus as our Great Physician is a lesson of faith worth remembering.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

STACEY GAGNE –   It’s been encouraging to hear the response from listeners who were challenged, reminded and inspired to impact the life of a child during our 26 Hours of Compassion last week.  I’ve also gotten to catch up with some adult students  that I befriended during my trip.

Over the weekend, I had the opportunity to chat with a couple of the college students in Compassion International’s Leadership Development Program who came up through the Child Sponsorship Program.   They were involved in some service projects this past week that included prison ministry, serving at Compassion projects in the local church,  serving by painting in the homes of some of the sponsored families,  helping to train parents and volunteers and just loving the children.  How inspiring to know that these young adults are already having such an impact!    This is the kind of God given hope and opportunity that our sponsorship provides!

We have heard from several listeners about ways that God has already reaffirmed things that He was speaking to their heart about missions, child sponsorship and our responsibility during the 26 Hours of Compassion.  I (literally) ran into someone in the mall who flagged me down to introduce their family to me and thank WJTL for this opportunity!

We discovered that there are still a handful of students at WJTL’s project that are still waiting to “get into the classroom”.   I’m highlighting their photo’s below.  Please consider the impact that you can make on a life or share the opportunity and this link with a friend.

Good morning, everybody!  Here is all the song info for today’s Praise & Worship show!

Kristi Leigh – WJTL DJ

Kristi@WJTL.com

STACEY GAGNE – There will be much rejoicing at the Tedecha Mechane Yesus Church, the Ethiopian Compassion Office and the homes of hundreds of children and their family.   Wow!  As I write this, 287 children have been sponsored and there are still people making decisions to go online and sponsor children!  We are thrilled that our community has sponsored another entire project in Ethiopia plus other children all over the world including several that have been on a waiting list for some time.  We hoped to sponsor at least 250 children and together have exceeded that goal.

This is something to celebrate!  Let’s give God the glory for the lives about to be changed both overseas and here in our community… because child sponsorship not only changes the life of the child and their family but that of the sponsor, too.

In the upcoming weeks and months, we’ll be sharing about an opportunity to travel to Ethiopia where you can meet your sponsored child, see their home,  visit a Compassion project and even participate in some sort of service project, too.

So, thank you for listening, for praying, for sponsoring and for your faithfulness to the ministry of WJTL and our partnership with Compassion International. 

February 22, 23 & 24, 2013

5) River Towns Fourth Friday tonight 5-9pm at all the river towns – Visit galleries, antique shops, local eateries, and specialty shops in the Columbia, Marietta, and Wrightsville. View exhibits from local and visiting artists, enjoy refreshments and discover the uniqueness of towns along the Susquehanna River. More Info: (717) 684-5249

4) A Comedy presented by the BBCoB youth group tomorrow (Sat. Feb. 23rd) at 7pm and Sunday (Feb. 24th) at 2 & 7pm both days at Blue Ball Church of the Brethren in Blue Ball.  An offering will be taken to benefit the youth summer mission trip.  More info: 717-354-7990

3) The Crispus Attucks Association of York is sponsoring a Lecture Series in celebration of Black History Month at the Early Learning Center in York (the corner of S Duke St and E Boundary Ave) Sunday (February  24) at 2 PM.  In addition to the lectures, light refreshments and auxiliary exhibits related to the lectures.  The Lecture Series is free and open to the public.  More Info: 717-848-3610 x 280

2) Watch the Schreiber Volleyball Bash tomorrow (Sat. Feb. 23rd) from 9am-9pm at Millersville University.  12-hour non-stop Volleyball Bash for All ages. Spectators are welcome. Benefits Schreiber Pediatric. More Info: schreiberpediatric.org

1) Glenview Alliance Church in Glen Rock  is hosting A Winter Family Fun Day with Forgotton Friends Reptile Sanctuary’s Jesse Rothacker tomorrow (Saturday, Feb 23) 10:00-11:30 A.M.  An interactive reptile show, crafts, snacks, and door prizes.  More Info: (717)428-2502.

STACEY GAGNE –   “God mobilizes the heart of the world even for just one child”.   When I visited the Ethiopian office for Compassion International, the Country Director said this and it really impacted me.  Of course He does.  God did it for me.  He did it for you and He is doing it all over the world… creatively drawing people to Himself.  I am confident that Compassion International is one of those ways.

Child sponsorship is so powerful because it focuses in on the individual but then impacts many.  As we “honor the image of God” in a young person and value their holistic care we are also speaking to the fact that they matter.  As a sponsor you get to be a part of a childs journey as they are fed spiritually, economically, socially and of course physically.   You also get to encourage them to follow Jesus as they pursue their dreams.    Your sponsorship also encourages that childs family, community and the local church that is hosting their project.

I invite you to pray about taking this journey with a child this week.  Call 1-866-392-3690 Wednesday or Thursday or click here to sponsor a child right now.