FRED MCNAUGHTON – WJTL is teaming up with Bob Lenz of Life Promotions as he ministers in Alaska. Bob is conducting school programs and rallies. Check out this video to find out what God is doing in Alaska.
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Bob’s intern, Brian is also blogging. Keep up with what’s happening here.
JOHN SHIRK – With a childlike faith, we live with the wonder and awe of what Christ has done for us. We rely completely on His grace. We trust hopefully in His promises. What He tells us, we will believe. Where we lack understanding, we ask questions with the sincere desire to learn what Jesus wants to teach us.
Oftentimes, adults think of ways they can be an example for children, but when it comes to faith, Jesus tells the adults to learn from the example of children.
In Matthew 18:2, Jesus called a little child and had him stand among them. Then, He said, “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”
A Childlike faith is a humble character quality that enables us to represent Jesus in the world today.
John Shirk
john@wjtl.com
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! =]
