JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of God’s Word, this is what the LORD says in Isaiah 40:25.

“To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?”

The worshipper of God realizes that the LORD stands apart as the Holy One, who is mighty, majestic, and full of compassion and mercy.

The LORD’s unique greatness is described in the verse that follows: “Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.”

Elsewhere, David was a man after God’s own heart who said in Psalm 86:8, “Among the gods there is none like you, Lord; no deeds can compare with yours.”

Isaiah 40:25-that’s today’s God Quote for us to embrace for Life.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Word from God’s Word is Near.

In the Bible, this word can have various meanings. One of those meanings has to do with a close relationship with God.

In Psalm 73:28, Asaph wrote, “As for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge. I will tell of all your deeds.”

The closer we are to God, the more clearly we will hear Him, the more vividly we will be in tune with His will, and the more passionately we will praise Him with our heart. God is moved by the person who seeks after His heart.

James 5:7 and 8 reveals what happens when we draw near to God, “Submit yourselves, then to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you.”

Discover how the word “Near” can have an impact on your life in the Year of God’s Word.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of God’s Word, this is what the Lord says in Luke 19:10.

“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.”

This was the mission of Jesus to seek people like Zacchaeus. He had been a dishonest tax collector who had lost his way. But his heart changed through an encounter with Jesus. As a result, he resolved to change his ways. He made this pledge to Jesus.  “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”

Acknowledging Jesus as Lord will have a life-changing impact on our lives. He will replace selfish greed with generous love. He will replace idolatry of all kinds with the truest kind of worship for Jesus.  Jesus saw the change in Zacchaeus and declared, “Today salvation has come to this house.”

Luke 19:10-that’s today’s God Quote for us to embrace for Life.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Word from God’s Word is Compassion.

This is a form of love that means “to have mercy, to feel sympathy, and to have pity.”

Compassion is the quality that helps us to notice people in need and take action to help them. With compassion, we see the suffering of others and take action to stop the suffering. The Bible tells us that the Lord is full of compassion and mercy. He saw our need for a Savior and gave us Jesus.

God can use our heart of compassion to make a difference. In Luke 10, Jesus told the story of the Good Samaritan who saw a man beaten by robbers and responded with compassion. He bandaged his wounds and took care of him. This Good Samaritan was an instrument of healing for this man who was suffering.

Discover how the word “Compassion” can have an impact on your life in the Year of God’s Word.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of God’s Word, this is what the Lord says in Luke 18:14b.

“For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Jesus said this to people who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else. He confronted their attitudes and engaged them with a story.

Two men went up to the temple to pray. A Pharisee, who was a religious leader, prayed about himself and thanked God for not being like people who broke God’s laws, including the man beside him. Meanwhile, the tax collector would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ Jesus said that it was the tax collector who went home justified before God, not the Pharisee. God knows the worst parts about us, so we can be honest with Him about our weaknesses and find freedom in His forgiveness.

Luke 18:14b-that’s today’s God Quote for us to embrace for Life.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Word from God’s Word is Steadfast.

To be steadfast is to be spiritually grounded. Our faith does not depend on favorable circumstances, but on the favor of God. With a steadfast faith, we are firmly planted in the truth of the Gospel, and not tossed back and forth by deceptive words or times of trouble.

The resurrection of Jesus is the life-changing event in history to make our faith steadfast. His empty grave assures us that Jesus conquered death. That is a foreshadow of things to come for those who are in Christ.

First Corinthians 15:57 says this in the New King James Version, “Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”

Discover how the word “Steadfast” can have an impact on your life in the Year of God’s Word.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of God’s Word, this is what the LORD says in Zechariah 13:9.

“This third I will put into the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on my name and I will answer them; I will say, ‘They are my people’, and they will say, ‘The LORD is our God.”

This is a picture of the future when God purifies the inhabitants of Jerusalem. The fire of affliction is one of the ways that God gets our attention. He is passionate about purifying His people from sin. This is why He sent Jesus to the cross, so that we might call on His name, and find forgiveness in His grace.

We do not have to live in Jerusalem to come to Jesus and to belong to Him. He hears us from anywhere. Acts 2:21 says, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Zechariah 13:9-that’s today’s God Quote for us to embrace for Life.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Word from God’s Word is Still.

To be still means that we stop striving on our own strength and find our rest in the Lord. His presence gives us peace. His love gives us joy. His sure promises give us hope.

Being still helps us to cope with the chaos of life. We are less fearful and less prone to go into panic mode. We are more likely to trust God.

Psalm 37:7 says, “Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.”  Time spent with God reminds us that He reigns on the throne, and that no one will take away His power or authority.

In Psalm 46:10, He says, “Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

Discover how the word “Still” can have an impact on your life in the Year of God’s Word.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of God’s Word, this is what the Lord says in Mark 10:14.

Jesus said to His disciples, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.”

One of the familiar Sunday school songs learned by children at an early age is “Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world.” It is believed that the writer of that song, Herbert Woolston was moved by those statements of Jesus that spoke honorably of children.

While the disciples appeared to be annoyed by the little children, Jesus welcomed them, and challenged His disciples to become like children in certain ways. He said, “Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” Jesus draws our attention to little children as examples of faith and humility.

Mark 10:14-that’s today’s God Quote for us to embrace for Life.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com