JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Moment Of Celebration reflects on God’s guidance.

In Exodus 13:21, we learn how God guided and provided for the Israelites after they were released from slavery in Egypt.

“By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.”

The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire at night was an indication that God was present with the Israelites. God was making a way for them to move forward in His plan. Without the pillar of cloud in the day, the people would have baked in the desert sun. Without the fire by night, the people would have stumbled in the darkness. God has not left His people without tools to go forward in His plan. God’s Word is described as a lamp for our feet and a light for our path. God’s Presence serves as our shade to refresh us in the midst of circumstances that drain the soul. Psalm 121, verse 5 says, “The LORD watches over you-the LORD is your shade at your right hand.” With a teachable spirit, we can enjoy the journey of moving forward in God’s plan, under His presence, in light of His Word.

God’s guidance is a reason to be glad in the Year of Celebration.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

INTERN KRISTIN – The WJTL Bumper Sticker Contest is taking place once again this summer! If the WJTL interns spot a WJTL bumper sticker on your vehicle, you could win some great prizes including gift certificates for ice cream in the local listening area, as well as CDs and DVDs from our prize stash. So how do you get your hands on a sticker for the chance to win? Just email us at interns@wjtl.com and tell us that you want a bumper sticker or a static sticker, and include your address so that we can send one right to you. Or, you can pick up a sticker for yourself at our table at any WJTL event. Once your WJTL bumper sticker is on your vehicle, you can wait for us to spot them OR you can send a picture of the sticker on your car right to us to put yourself in the running!

Entries Must Include:

• A picture of your WJTL bumper sticker or static sticker on your vehicle emailed to interns@wjtl.com
• Your name, address, phone number and your email address
• *One entry per person/vehicle

The contest is happening all summer long, so get a WJTL bumper sticker on your car and join in the fun and have the chance to win some great prizes!

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Moment of Celebration reflects on worship from the heart

In Psalm 69:30, David, a man after God’s own heart, said, “I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving. This will please the LORD more than an ox, more than a bull with its horns and hoofs.”

It was common for animal sacrifices to be used under Old Testament law to reveal our need for forgiveness and cleansing from sin. In reality, they were not the real cleansing agent, but they did foreshadow the complete cleansing from sin that we can experience through faith in Jesus Christ, who was the perfect sacrifice to take away our sins.

David was saying that sincere worship from a thankful heart would mean more to God than the offering of an ox or a bull on the altar.

Hebrews 10:22 invites us to draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith. God has given us music as an instrument to lift up the name of Jesus with words that overflow from our heart.

Worshipping God with a sincere heart is a reason to be glad in the Year of Celebration.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Moment Of Celebration reflects on the encouragement of a friend.

It happened in the book of Third John, when the Apostle John wrote to a follower of Jesus named Gaius

He said to his dear friend in verse 3, “It gave me great joy to have some brothers come and tell about your faithfulness to the truth and how you continue to walk in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.”

We all benefit by this kind of encouragement. If we see someone who is demonstrating their love for God in the way they live, that is a good opportunity to express how we see God at work in them. John noted the good report he was hearing of the faithful witness of Gaius. This report was giving John matchless joy. His words of encouragement in Third John are examples for us to build others up in the faith, so that they will continue to walk in the truth of the Gospel

The encouragement of a friend is a reason to be glad in the Year of Celebration.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Moment Of Celebration reflects on the value of wisdom.

If the LORD approached you and said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you”, how would you respond?

He said this to King Solomon as he began his reign as Israel’s king.

Solomon asked for wisdom. He said, “Give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong.” Solomon recognized that he was inadequate to be an effective leader in his own strength, and he also recognized what he needed in order to be an effective leader.

The Bible says that the Lord was pleased that Solomon asked for this, and promised to give him a wise and discerning heart.

The Lord invites us to ask Him for wisdom too. James 1:5 says that “if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.”

According to Proverbs 3, wisdom is worth more than gold or silver. Her ways are pleasant ways and all her paths are peace. Those who lay hold of wisdom will be blessed.

Having the treasure of God’s wisdom is a reason to be glad in the Year of Celebration.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Moment Of Celebration reflects on the peace of a faith-focused thought life.

In Philippians 4, the Apostle Paul listed a number of healthy habits that lead to peace with God.

One healthy habit was to rejoice in the Lord always.

Another healthy habit was to present our prayer requests to God with thanksgiving.

Another thing we can do is learn from those in places of spiritual authority-to listen to their teachings, to watch how they live, and follow their example as they follow Christ.

Verse 8 talks about yet another healthy habit that brings peace to our soul. “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things.”

When we think about Jesus, we are thinking of these qualities, because He defines them. When our minds are focused on Christ, we remember that our lives are in the hands of Someone who loves us very much and has proved it at the cross and empty grave.

The peace of a faith-focused thought life is a reason to be glad in the Year of Celebration.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Moment of Celebration reflects on a life transformed by God’s grace.

The Apostle Paul wrote in Second Corinthians 3:18, “We, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”

The power of the Holy Spirit works in the believer’s life to reflect the character of Christ. These character qualities include love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. These are the qualities that were fully demonstrated by Christ and they have a growing influence on our lives as we follow Jesus step by step.  These are the qualities of the Fruit of the Spirit, and they become the ingredients that invite others to taste and see that the Lord is good.

A life transformed by God’s grace is a reason to be glad in the Year of Celebration.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Moment of Celebration reflects on the words of the prophets.

Second Peter 1:19 says, “We have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”

The main purpose of prophecy is to draw our attention to the testimony of Jesus. Even before Jesus came into the world, the words of the prophets were indicating that when He came, He would be born of a virgin and born in Bethlehem. He would come in peace, riding on a donkey. He would be rejected by His people, betrayed by a friend, and abandoned by His disciples.  He would be pierced for our transgressions, but His body would not see decay. He would once again see the light of life and be satisfied.

These predicted events tell us that God knows the future, and keeps His promises. We can trust Him to do what He says He will do.

The words of the prophets are reasons to be glad in the Year of Celebration.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Moment of Celebration reflects on the steadfast, bold witness of the apostles.

When Jesus rose from the dead, He did not keep it a secret from His friends. According to First Corinthians 15:3, “Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures,…he was buried,….he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures….and he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve.” Here was a group of men who followed Jesus to Jerusalem, where they saw His suffering at the cross and the triumph of His resurrection. Brave souls will stand for the truth even in the face of persecution, but very few would die for a lie. Each of Jesus’ followers who saw Him alive again faced some type of persecution for their witness. Most of them died for their faith in Jesus.

In the life of the early church, the disciples went their separate ways, but they remained faithful to the mission of spreading the good news wherever they went. In their courageous witness for Jesus, they said to the governing authorities, who tried to silence them, “We must obey God rather than men.”

The steadfast, bold witness of Jesus’ followers is a reason to be glad in the Year of Celebration.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Moment of Celebration reflects on the empty tomb.

On the day of Pentecost, Peter preached a sermon that persuaded 3,000 people to come to faith in Christ. It was a moment when he preached the Gospel. In that sermon, Peter said in Acts 2:32, “God raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact.”

This happened fifty days after the crucifixion of Jesus. If opponents wanted to prove Peter wrong, they could have pointed people to a tomb where they placed the body of Jesus. But the stone had been rolled away, and the tomb was empty. The empty tomb tells us that Jesus has defeated death and conquered the grave. He leads His followers to eternal life, not a mortal end. Jesus told His disciples in John 14:19, “Because I live, you also will live.”

The empty tomb of Jesus is a reason to be glad in the Year of Celebration.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com