Tim Landis – For the past twenty years or so the round red, white and blue logo of WJTL was an instantly recognizable symbol throughout central Pennsylvania . As a staff though we felt that it was time to freshen up the old logo. The basic design for the new logo has both 2D and 3D versions. The primary color is green although you will occasionally see the logo presented in other colors including orange. Obviously this means that your old bumper sticker is now either a collector’s item or obsolete depending on your view. You can pick up a new bumper sticker at any one of our live remotes or special events. We will also be sending out the new stickers in our receipt letters and other correspondence. Do you like the new logo? Please use the comment section below to let us know.

JOHN SHIRK – Fruitfulness can be described as “producing good results.”  Jesus talked about fruitfulness in John 15.  He said, “This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”  This happens when we are connected to Jesus just like the branches are connected to the vine. Jesus is the source of our strength, nourishing our souls with His grace and truth, flourishing our witness for Him under the influence of the Holy Spirit.

As we walk with God, He not only saves us from our sins, but also develops our character so that our witness for Jesus has a fruitful impact on other people.

Second Peter, chapter one talks about various character qualities that grow in us as we grow in the Lord. “Faith, goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love.”

Verse 8 says that “if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Fruitfulness is a character quality that enables us to represent Jesus in the world today.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Cooperation occurs when a group of individuals work together for a common purpose or benefit.

The church is described as a body-one unit with different parts.  It is necessary for the different parts to be working in cooperation with each other so that the head of the body, Jesus Christ, is honored in our efforts.  There are serious warnings in the Scripture about what will happen if the members of a church do not work together.

Galatians 5:15 says, “If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.”

However, if we back up a verse or two, we see how the church can be a thriving place of ministry and outreach.  “Serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ” Jesus is the reason that the church exists and the purpose of our mission.  Ephesians 4:16 says, “From Him, the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.”

Cooperation is a character quality that enables us to represent Jesus in the world today.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Graciousness is marked by kindness and courtesy. A gracious person is tactful in the way they use words.  They are not intentionally hurtful, but they are intentionally helpful to build up others according to their needs.  Graciousness overflows with mercy and compassion.

Graciousness is found in the person of Jesus Christ.  When we look to Him, He influences us to become gracious people.

Proverbs 22:11 notes that graciousness is the kind of quality that wins over the affection of noble leaders. “He who loves a pure heart and whose speech is gracious will have the king for his friend.”

Here we find a link between the condition of our heart and the choice of our words.  This is where the grace of the Lord Jesus is influential to set our heart free from bitterness and impurity and to guide our speech into gentle, kind, and pleasing words. Graciousness is like a magnet to draw people to the Gospel.

Graciousness is a character quality that enables us to represent Jesus in the world today.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – To have perception is to understand or recognize something.  A believing heart is essential for recognizing Jesus for who He is.

On one occasion, Jesus referred to the prophet Isaiah to expose the blindness of a hardened heart.  “For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.”

With a responsive heart to God’s Word, the Holy Spirit helps us to grow in our understanding of the Scriptures.  He gives us greater perception to go beyond what is happening in the physical realm to also understand what is happening in the spiritual realm.

Faith and understanding are seeds that lead to spiritual growth.  In the parable of the soils, Jesus said that the person who receives the message of God’s Kingdom with hearing and understanding is the one who produces a crop. That is the productive place to be.

Perception is a character quality that enables us to represent Jesus in the world today.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – With a sense of accountability, we accept responsibility for our actions, and we seek a support system to help us to stay true to our commitments. The Bible tells us that each person will give an account of ourselves to God someday.

The church is God’s design of a support system to help believers in Jesus follow Him faithfully.

Accountability involves encouragement:  First Thessalonians 5:11 says, “Encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.”

Accountability involves motivation:  Hebrews 10:24 urges us to consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.

And accountability involves transparency.  James 5:16 urges us to confess our sins to each other and to pray for each other so that healing may take place.  Grace and truth are essential ingredients in an atmosphere for accountability to thrive as God intended.

Accountability is a quality that enables us to represent Jesus in the world today.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

FRED MCNAUGHTON -The new studio is great for welcoming guests from the community. This morning Evangelical Seminary in Myerstown was our special guest. Here are a couple shots from this morning’s on air festivities.

FRED MCNAUGHTON – So many listeners want to see the new studio at the Junction Center. We aren’t quite ready for a visit yet. Lisa did have time to take a quick picture of her new view. This is what Lisa sees from her new perch in the new studio. I hope it doesn’t scare you! =]

JOHN SHIRK – One definition of sacrifice is to offer to God something precious. Another definition is the surrender or destruction of something desirable for the sake of something higher.

In the Old Testament of the Bible, it was customary to offer animal sacrifices to God. The animal became a substitute to suffer the wrath or punishment of the sins of a person. However, their sacrifice was not enough to forgive anyone’s sin.  Animal sacrifices were a sign of things to come, when Jesus would lay down His life for the sake of our sins. Speaking of Jesus, Hebrews 7:27 says, “He sacrificed for their sins, once and for all when he offered himself.”

What is our response to this great outpouring of God’s love for us? Romans 12:1 says, “In view of God’s mercy, offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship.”  The picture of the Gospel is a view of God’s people, dying to their sinful natures, and coming alive to God’s purposes.  Various Christians will make sacrifices in different degrees, but all Christians will have some type of cross to carry, surrendering selfish ambitions for the sake of Jesus Christ.

Sacrifice is a character quality that enables us to represent Jesus in the world today.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

STACEY GAGNE – Tomorrow we take the trek back over the mountain and make our way to Port Au Prince and then our team will say goodbye as we make our ways to our homes.  This week we have all had the opportunity to see Haiti in a way that we had not seen it before … both for those who had been here before and those of us who had not.  A lot has changed in Haiti since the earthquake.  There is destruction and rebuilding, frustration and hope, turmoil and joy.   Joy in Hope is in Jacmel Haiti with the desire to be a ripple … to help develop the people here.  They are not here to take over or give them everything they need, but to “teach a man to fish”.   They are impacting the lives of children through the children’s home and  other “strategic projects for the purpose of building mutual love and trust so that we may humbly speak the message of Grace.”   I saw evidence of this with them men we worked with, the diaper distribution program and even their interactions around the community.   I saw the family that is the Haitian Children’s Home.  I got to know Mike and Georgette and saw how they work with the construction team with respect, laughter and accomplishing the goal of beginning construction on the land.

I can’t wait to come back and see the progress on the land.  I am certain that there is a lot that I have learned.  I am confident that people saw the love of Jesus in me and our team.   I know that God loves Haiti, these people, this ministry and His purposes and plans here will be accomplished.