JOHN SHIRK – In the Year to Shine, today’s Vital Step to a Radiant Faith is to Hold Fast to the LORD.

Moses was diligent with this word of encouragement for the Israelites.

On one occasion, he said in Deuteronomy 30:19 and 20, “Choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life.”

To hold fast is to cling to something or someone with a firm grip.

When the LORD means everything to us, we will want to embrace Him with all our heart, and not let go. His grace will be a treasure that far outweighs anything that this world has to offer us. His words will be a fountain of life, and move us to stand up for a culture of life, love, and liberty.

Holding Fast to the LORD is a vital step to a Radiant Faith that makes a difference in our world.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Light Reflection is from Second Timothy 4, verses 1 to 2.

The Apostle Paul was mentoring Timothy to become a thriving leader in the early church. Before his life ended on earth, he gave these final instructions:

“In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge” Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke, and encourage-with great patience and careful instruction.”

The Gospel is the word that has the power to transform lives and bring people into God’s kingdom of light. This world is in need of good news, and through the testimony of Jesus, good news is available. Acts 13:38 says, “Through Jesus, the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you.”

This Light Reflection inspires us to proclaim this good news wherever we go in the Year to Shine.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year to Shine, today’s Vital Step to a Radiant Faith is learning to discern the messages we hear.

There are many voices that speak into our lives in a given day. But how can we discern between truth and error? Not all voices lead us in the same direction.

Perhaps we can learn a framework for discernment by observing the example of the Berean Jews in Acts 17:11.

They were described as people with noble character, for they received Paul’s message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.

This group of people was eager to grow in their walk with God. Discernment helped them to stay on track with God so that their beliefs and way of life would be consistent with the attitude of Jesus.

According to verse 12, as a result, many of them believed.

Learning to Discern is a vital step to a Radiant Faith that makes a difference in our world.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Light Reflection is from Romans 14:17 and 18.

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval.

This passage encourages us to love our brothers and sisters in Christ through disagreements on disputable matters-those gray areas where the guidelines are not so clear. In this chapter, Paul the Apostle was talking about dietary matters. Some believers had restrictions Others took more liberties. Those differences were not supposed to disrupt unity.

The Kingdom priorities of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit can help believers remain unified through disagreements.

This is possible as we look to Christ daily, Seek His wisdom, embrace grace, live with humility, and show respect for others.

This Light Reflection inspires us to serve Jesus with righteousness, peace and joy in the Year to Shine.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year to Shine, today’s Vital Step to a Radiant Faith is to live with an undivided heart.

King Solomon had much wisdom, but he had many wives who led him to places of compromise. Toward the end of his life, his heart was not fully devoted to the LORD his God as the heart of David his father had been. This is how unholy alliances can weaken our loyalty to God.

Solomon’s father David prayed for a fully devoted heart to God in Psalm 86:11. “Teach me your way, LORD, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever.”

An undivided heart will free us to praise God joyfully and guide our activities into places that glorify His name. This kind of loyalty can begin with a single prayer.

An undivided heart is a vital step to a Radiant Faith that makes a difference in our world.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

Today’s playlist has a couple mini-themes: one is a little collection of modern songs with hymns woven in, and the other is based on Lamentations 3:20. Today’s mega-theme focuses on the Names of God: Jireh, Yahweh, Alpha, Omega, Emmanuel and more.

Kristi Leigh, WJTL DJ

Kristi@WJTL.com

Podcast: Spotify & Apple Podcasts

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Playlists: Spotify

Song Title	Artist	Album	Year
6AM
More Than Able (feat. Chandler Moore & Tiffany Hudson)	Elevation Worship	Single	2023
God of the Living	Meredith Andrews	Single	2023
Holy Spirit	Bryan & Katie Torwalt	Here On Earth	2011
Again and Again	Red Rocks Worship	Things of Heaven	2021
Goodness Goes On And On	Daniel Doss	Single	2023
On Repeat	Hillsong UNITED	On Repeat – Single	2022
Light a Fire / Great Are You Lord (Live)	David Leonard	Single	2022
Holy Forever	Chris Tomlin	Always	2022
Trust In God	Elevation Worship	Radio Single	2023
HIStory (feat. Benjamin William Hastings)	JUDAH.	Single	2023
Those Who Have Not Seen (feat. Paul Baloche, Matt Maher)	Anchor Hymns	Single	2023
7AM
Be Still And Know (feat. DOE)	Housefires	How To Start A Housefire, Pt. II	2023
Honey in the Rock (feat. Davy Flowers)	The Worship Initiative	Single	2023
Sound of Your Kingdom (feat. Gable Price)	Caleb & Bethany Kuenzli	Heaven Is Here	2023
The Jesus Way	Phil Wickham	Single	2023
Anywhere You Go (Live)	7 Hills Worship	Single	2023
Praise (feat. Brandon Lake, Chris Brown & Chandler Moore)	Elevation Worship	CAN YOU IMAGINE?	2023
Miracle in Me	Red Rocks Worship	Ascend	2023
Over And Over	Influence Music & Matt Gilman	REBELS (Deluxe)	2020
It is Well (feat. Kristene DiMarco)	Kristene DiMarco	You Make Me Brave (Live)	2014
Christ Is Risen	Mack Brock	Greater Things	2018
Live Up To Your Name	Danny Gokey	Single	2022
8AM
Theres No Other Name (feat. Francesca Battistelli)	Bethel Music	Starlight	2017
Jehovah (feat. Chris Brown)	Elevation Worship	CAN YOU IMAGINE?	2023
Jireh (feat. Chandler Moore & Naomi Raine)	Elevation Worship & Maverick City Music	Old Church Basement	2021
Alpha And Omega (feat. Steffany Gretzinger & John Wilds)	Jesus Image	JESUS (Live)	2022
Call On The Name (Live)	Cody Carnes	Single	2023
1,000 Names	Sean Curran	1,000 Names	2021
Yeshua (Live)	Jesus Image	JESUS (Live)	2022
Yahweh	Rend Collective	Good News	2018
9AM
The Power of Your Name (feat. Matt Redman)	Jon Reddick	Single	2020
His Name is Jesus	Jeremy Riddle	His Name is Jesus – Single	2022
Emmanuel	Martin Smith	Back To The Start	2014
LION (feat. Chris Brown & Brandon Lake)	Elevation Worship	LION	2022
Sing We the Song of Emmanuel	Matt Boswell & Matt Papa	His Mercy Is More	2019
What A Beautiful Name	Hillsong Worship	Let There Be Light	2017
Yeshua (Friend Of Sinners)	Mike Donehey	Single	2023
Father Of Lights	Chris Tomlin	Always	2022
Emmanuel (God with Us Forever)	Bryan & Katie Torwalt	Champion	2016
Great I Am (feat. Jared Anderson)	New Life Worship	You Hold It All	2011
Mention of Your Name	Jenn Johnson	After All These Years	2017
YAHWEH (No One) (feat. Elevation Worhip)	Chris Tomlin	Always	2022

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0qxbWf5aDcaqaACB1OSa87?si=5c7cc0098838439b

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Light Reflection is from Revelation 21:23 and 24.

The Apostle John was describing the new Jerusalem which will shine with the glory of God.

“The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it.”

Many people wonder what heaven is like. The book of Revelation describes heaven as a beautiful place. Nighttime does not exist in the New Jerusalem. Jesus is the source of light for this coming Kingdom. The great street of the city is of gold as pure as transparent glass. The city sparkles with brilliance like a precious jewel. And those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life will be there.

This Light Reflection inspires us to live with the hope of heaven through faith in Jesus in the Year to Shine.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year to Shine, today’s Vital Steps to a Radiant Faith are gentleness and kindness.

Just as God’s grace is the compelling force to draw us to Jesus, grace is needed in our conversations with unbelievers. Heated exchanges are rarely going produce a fruitful outcome, and may cause more harm than good.

Second Timothy 2:23 is advice from one church leader to another: “Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome, but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.”

Gentleness and kindness are vital steps to a radiant faith that makes a difference in our world.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Light Reflection is from Matthew 13:43.

Jesus said, “Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let him hear.”

Jesus was explaining what would happen at the end of the age. There will be weeds that are pulled up and burned in the fire. The Son of Man will send out his angels and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father.”

Having the righteousness of Christ is key to a bright future in God’s Kingdom. This is how we can be clothed with His righteousness. Romans 1:17 says, “the righteous will live by faith.”

This Light Reflection inspires us to trust in Jesus and live for His glory in the Year to Shine.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com