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

According to Acts 13:22, the Apostle Paul spoke of David as a man after God’s own heart. David reigned as king over Israel in one of their best moments in history, when they were established in the land under a king who trusted God.

Then, in the sermon, Paul pointed to a descendant who was even greater than David. “From this man’s descendants God has brought to Israel the Savior Jesus, as he promised.”

David was a king, but Jesus was the promised Messiah, the One foretold in the ancient Scriptures. He was the One people were anticipating.

Just as Jesus came to the world as the fulfillment of God’s promise, He will fulfill the promise of forgiveness and eternal life to all who call on His name for salvation.

Knowing Jesus as the Promised One is a reason to trust in God for today and forever.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Promise of Hope is based on Psalm 48:14.

“For this God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even to the end.”

We can cling to God with the assurance that He will never leave us or forsake us.

When we come to a fork in the road, God is there to guide us with His wisdom.

When we need a friend, He is forever faithful.

When we need strength to overcome temptation, God is there with His grace to help us in our time of need.

We needed the hope of heaven, and God provided the way when He sent Jesus into the world to become an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

God’s guidance to the end is a promise of hope for those who follow Jesus in the Year of Trust.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Promise of Hope is based on Zephaniah 3:17.

“The LORD your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.”

Here we see a picture of God’s people purified in His grace. If there is one thing that can bring comfort to our day, it’s music. It is an art form that can help us experience peace in a turbulent world. And here, God is using music to express His delight in those who belong to Him. He has won victories on their behalf and He has won their heart. There is a great celebration ahead for those who celebrate Jesus.

The enjoyment of Heavenly music 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 Jesus as the Savior of the world.

According to First John 4:14, “We have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.”

Love was the motivation behind Jesus’ entrance into the world. God recognized that we had a sin problem, and He provided Jesus to be the solution for our sin, so that we might receive forgiveness and eternal life through faith in His name. This salvation is offered to the world and is available to all who call on the name of the Lord.

At the announcement of Jesus’ birth to Joseph, the angel said about Mary, “She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

Knowing Jesus as our Savior is a reason to trust in God for today and forever.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

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

According to James 1:17, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”

God’s gifts to us are blessings that enable us to thrive for the glory of God. We are blessed to receive the perfect gifts of Jesus and the Holy Spirit. There are also good gifts that God provides for us, such as food to sustain us in life, abilities to enable us to serve, and people to encourage us in the faith.

For every blessing, we have an occasion to thank God for His gracious hand.

The good and perfect blessings of God are reasons to trust in God for today and forever.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

ANN D’ALESSANDRO-

So, I’ve tried to update our local artist list and got rid of the My Space links… (I guess it was probably about time to do an update!)

The WJTL listening area has been graced with lots of local talent! For example, going back “just a few years” we’ve had Innocence Mission, The Ocean Blue, Erik Schouten Band, FFH (Far From Home), Rainchildren, Unsettled, Jawbone Hill, The Beginners, Reveal, Skankin Bouvas and so many more that I can’t list them all here!
We get phone calls from people looking for local artists to perform at their events so I decided to try to compile a list of some of the current local artists and their websites:

-Allan Scott Band – Singer/Songwriter- https://www.allanscottmusic.com/

– Blue Sky Falls – modern pop band – https://www.facebook.com/BlueSkyFallsBand/

-Cristabelle Braden – Singer/Songrwriter – http://www.cristabellebraden.com/

-Steve Bridgeman: acoustic/folk/jazz – https://www.facebook.com/steven.bridgeman

-Mark Cable: worship/AC – markcable.com

-Steven Courtney: Kids Cookie Break – stevencourtney.com

-Michael Ferrari: alternative/acoustic – https://www.facebook.com/TheMichaelFerrari

-Randy & Jade Fisher: Authentic, family oriented stories & music.– https://www.randyandjadefisher.com/

-Bruce Fite: Kids Cookie Break – https://www.facebook.com/BruceFiteMusic

-Matt Goss: pop/soul – mattgossband.com

-Lindsay Graham: Singer/Songwriter – http://lindsaygrahammusic.com/

-Joy Ike: pop/soul – joyike.com

-Intent Worship: https://www.facebook.com/IntentWorship/

-Caitlin Jane: Piano Driven Music – Singer/Songwriter –  CaitlinJaneTunes.com

-Chris Kauffman: indie/acoustic- https://www.facebook.com/chris.kauffman.796

-Walt & Amy Lindberg: Worship Leaders – waltandamymusic.com

-Matt Monticchio: classical/experimental/jazz- https://www.facebook.com/matthew.monticchio

-My Heart To Fear: screamo/rock – https://www.facebook.com/myhearttofear/

-Mackenzie Paige: Folk-Singer/Songwriter – http://www.mackenziepaige.net/

-Phredd: Kids Cookie Break – phreddcentral.com

-Doug Plank: Worship Leader / Singer/Songwriter –https://soundcloud.com/walkdaplank

-Jim Rule: Kids Cookie Break – jimrule.com

-Marty Shaughnessy: folk/rock – https://www.facebook.com/MartyShaughnessyMusic

-Shelleen: Author/Singer/Songwriter – http://shelleensings.com/ & www.hiswordweaver.com

-Sorensen: Kimberly & Jeremy Sorensen – https://www.sorensenmusic.com/

-Matt Wheeler: Singer/Songwriter – http://www.mattwheeleronline.com/

-Christopher Wright: indie/rock/pop- christopherwright.com

-Matt Zook: https://www.facebook.com/Matthew-Zook-Worship-Leader-103061446400312/

Other:

-Brett A Myers – Illusionist – https://brettamyers.com/

-Piercing Word – http://www.piercingword.org/

-Promise Players – http://promiseplayers.org/promise-players

-Servant Stage Company –https://www.servantstagecompany.com/

(Sorry if I missed you! Please send your contact information so we can add you to the list!)

Updated November 2017

Ann D’Alessandro –
ann@wjtl.com

THANK YOU WJTL FAMILY!
YOU ARE EXTRAORDINARY GIVERS!!!

You helped WJTL raise $180,033 during yesterday’s Extraordinary Give. It means a lot to us, and to our mission going forward, when you support WJTL.

Thank you also to Lancaster County Community Foundation and their sponsors for championing giving and generosity and for celebrating many great organizations from our community.

Thank You for investing in the lives of thousands of listeners impacted daily by this ministry. We think our listeners are extraordinary every day of the year.

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

According to Psalm 90, verse 2, God is God from everlasting to everlasting.

There is never a period of time in which God did not reign as God. He is self-sufficient and self-existent.

This means that the birth of Jesus was not actually the beginning of His existence. He was honored in heaven before He suffered on earth. Before His crucifixion, Jesus prayed in John 17:5, “Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.” In that same prayer, He later said, “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory.”

His request is for His followers to be where He is and to see Him in His glory. This is fulfilled in the book of Revelation, where Jesus reigns for eternity. God’s grace is what makes forever possible for His people.

The eternal reign of Jesus is a reason to trust in God for today and forever.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Trust, today’s Focus on God examines His sympathy to those who are weeping.

To be sympathetic is to express sorrow with someone in the midst of their grief and loss.

Jesus expressed sorrow at the gravesite of his friend Lazarus. He came and was moved by the grief of Lazarus’s sisters-Mary and Martha.

When they greeted Jesus, they said basically the same thing. Lord, if you have been here, my brother would not have died. John 11:33 says that when Jesus saw Mary weeping and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. Verse 35 says, “Jesus wept.”

If Jesus was moved by their raw emotion, we can believe that Jesus is also moved in spirit when we experience a season of sorrow. Jesus is not removed from our suffering. Rather, He stepped right into it when He went to the cross.

The sympathy of Jesus for our tears is a reason to trust in God for today and forever.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

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

According to Psalm 34:18, the LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

The comfort of His love can be found in God’s compassion for us in our distress, and God’s capacity to see us through our times of trouble.

For the follower of Jesus, trouble is a season, not our final condition. Verse 15 says that the eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their cry.

Verse 19 says, “The righteous person may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all.”

The comfort of His love is a source of peace, a reason for hope, and an opportunity to grow in our sympathy for others when they experience similar times of trouble.

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

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com