JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Good News Focus is on John 14, verses 1 to 3.
Jesus told His followers, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.”
This statement gives us a view of what Jesus is doing right now. He is preparing a place for His followers to be with Him in His Father’s house. Today, we look around and we see the beauty of the earth which God has formed in six days. How much more beauty will we see in heaven, which Jesus has been preparing for two thousand years? In those days when we feel down or discouraged, we can look to the LORD with hope in our heart. Jesus is alive and well, and He is preparing a glorious future for His followers to be with Him in a glorious place.
Jesus is our source of good news, leading us to a place of heavenly hope in the Year of Vision.
Praise & Worship Podcast Episode 4 features special guest, Nathan Horst of Life Center Worship and Attic Studios–both in Harrisburg, PA. (Formerly of SisterBrother, too!) I loved talking studio gear, tempo, worship leading, cappuccino-making and more with Nathan. He’s detail-oriented, great with adjectives, and drops lots of songwriting tips through our conversation. Plus, some motivational ideas to get your kid to practice that instrument you’ve rented! We also follow up on the last episode, and compare notes with David Leonard.
On a personal note, Life Center is my home church. I’ve sung the songs we talk about for years–and love the stories behind the house favorites. Life Center Worship released their official Debut EP last year, and some new songs are on the way soon! Get a little heads up on them in this episode, and stream the Debut EP until then.
Today’s lineup features an excellent variety of ADJECTIVES in the lyrics, describing God in so many ways: Matchless, Wonderful, Extravagant, Amazing, Great, Fascinating, Breathtaking and Indescribable (to name a few).
JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Vision, today’s 20/20 Insight focuses on the Father’s will.
Jesus said in John 6:40, “For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”
The Bible tells us that salvation is found in no one else. Jesus is the name given to mankind by which we must be saved. He is God’s precious gift from heaven. As we look to Jesus with a believing heart, He will be our source of righteousness and salvation. He will be our source of peace in times of conflict; He will be our source of confidence in times of crisis.
Focusing on Jesus as the reason for our hope gives us greater clarity for living out the Christian life.
Praise & Worship Podcast Episode 3 features special guest, David Leonard! Singer/Songwriter, Worship Leader, Producer–he’s a Dove Award winning unstoppable generating force of creativity. We talk about filming a music video with his dad, corporate versus individual worship songs, and breaking away from the keyboard on MercyMe’s 2020 tour. Plus, miscarriage from a man’s perspective: how it feels and what helps.
On a personal note: David Leonard‘s album, “The Wait”, was huge for my husband and me. If you know our story, you know Sam was diagnosed with testicular cancer right after we were married. I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer a couple years later. Doctor’s said we had a one in a million chance at having a baby. It was 7 years before our son, Josiah, was born with some help from IVF. We say (hands down!) infertility is harder to go through than cancer. You might also know that last year: after trying and waiting for even more years, we got pregnant–but it was ectopic, which meant emergency surgery and incredible shock. Pain like that threatens to destroy you. But, surprisingly God has encouraged us deeply, reawakening our hearts and our hope! After that hardest hit yet, we feel more compelled than ever to share and encourage you. We know so many can relate. For me, songs are essential in this process. Lyrics give you voice while music does its work on your soul. If you are in this boat too, I’d love to share this conversation with you. You can find it on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and SoundCloud. I pray it helps you feel more hope (and less alone).
JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Vision, today’s 20/20 Insight focuses on the eyes of the Lord.
Second Chronicles 16:9 says, “the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.”
Where God sees faithfulness in us, He notices and encourages us with His love. Satan also does a scan around the world with his eyes, but with very different motives. The devil is our enemy who prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. He is looking for the worst in us, while God is looking to bring out the best in us. And so, the devil will tempt us and accuse us, while God will seek us in order to encourage us, so that we might walk with Him in the refreshment of His grace.
Focusing on the encouragement of God’s love gives us greater clarity for living out the Christian life.
JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Vision, today’s 20/20 Insight focuses on racial equality.
The love of God breaks down racial barriers. Peter was a Jewish leader in the early church who learned this lesson of faith when he went to the house of a Gentile named Cornelius.
He made this statement in Acts 10:34, “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism, but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right.”
No one race of people is superior or inferior to another race. God will welcome into His presence faithful believers from all races. Revelation 7:9 views the picture of heaven with a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb.
Focusing on God’s love for all races of people gives us greater clarity for living out the Christian life.
Today’s playlist is filled with super singable songs of worship: “Way Maker”,”How Great Is Our God”, “Who You Say I Am”, “How He Loves”, “No Longer Slaves”, “Great I Am”, “It Is Well” and many more. The whole lineup is below.
By the way, the Praise & Worship Podcast is available now on Spotify and Apple Podcasts! Episode 1 Paul Baloche, Episode 2 Matt Goss and Episode 3 coming this Tuesday!
Kristi Leigh, WJTL DJ
Kristi@WJTL.com
Follow on Instagram @WJTLradio_PNW Highlight Playlists on Spotify (another one coming this week!)
Song Title
Artist
Album
Year
6:00 a.m.
Lion and the Lamb
Leeland
Invisible
2016
Behold Him (feat. Kim Walker Smith)
Paul Baloche
2019
All Hail King Jesus
Jeremy Riddle
More
2017
Hallelujah For the Cross
Chris McClarney
Breakthrough
2018
Jesus Paid It All (feat. Kim Walker Smith)
Worship Circle
Worship Circle Hymns
2019
Beautiful
Phil Wickham
Cannons
2007
Who You Say I Am (Live)
Hillsong Worship
There Is More (Live)
2018
Reckless Love (feat. Tori Kelly)
Cory Asbury
Reckless Love (feat. Tori Kelly) – Single
2020
His Mercy Is More
Matt Boswell & Matt Papa
His Mercy Is More: The Hymns of Matt Boswell and Matt Papa
2019
How Great Is Our God
Chris Tomlin
Passion: How Great Is Our God
2005
From Whom All Blessings Flow (Doxology)
Hillsong Worship
Awake
2019
7:00 a.m.
Great Is Thy Faithfulness (feat. Christy Nockels)
Worship Circle
Worship Circle Hymns
2019
Death Was Arrested (feat. Seth Condrey)
North Point
Nothing Ordinary
2017
How He Loves
John Mark McMillan
The Medicine
2010
O Praise The Name
Hillsong Worship
Open Heaven River Wild
2016
Here For You
Matt Redman
10,000 Reasons
2011
Holy Spirit
Bryan & Katie Torwalt
Here On Earth
2011
Waiting Here for You (feat. Martin Smith) [Live]
Jesus Culture
Live from New York (with Martin Smith) [Live]
2012
See A Victory
Elevation Worship
At Midnight – EP
2019
Way Maker (Live)
Leeland
Single
2019
Defender
Rita Springer
Battles
2017
Living Hope
Phil Wickham
Living Hope – Single
2018
8:00 a.m.
King of Kings (Live)
Hillsong Worship
Single
2019
This I Believe (The Creed)
Hillsong Worship
No Other Name
2014
My Heart Is Yours (feat. Passion)
Kristian Stanfill
Passion: Take It All
2014
My Jesus I Love Thee (With Every Breath) [feat. Meredith Andrews]
Worship Circle
Worship Circle Hymns
2019
Here I Am To Worship (Live)
Chris Tomlin
Passion: Our Love Is Loud
2002
It is Well (feat. Kristene DiMarco)
Bethel Music
You Make Me Brave (Live)
2014
Stand in Your Love (Live)
Bethel Music & Josh Baldwin
Victory (Live)
2019
No Longer Slaves (feat. Jonathan David & Melissa Helser)
JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Vision, today’s 20/20 Insight focuses on the motivation of a godly example.
In Philippians 3:17, the Apostle Paul said, “Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters. And just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do.”
If you think of someone who is a godly example in your life, you are probably thinking of someone with exceptional character qualities. They love Jesus and it shows in the way they live their lives and treat other people. They are grateful to God and serve others with an attitude of humility. Observe how people like that live out their faith. They will motivate us to be faithful to God. As a mentor to others, Paul encouraged others to follow him as he followed Christ.
Focusing on godly examples gives us greater clarity for living out the Christian life.
JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Good News Focus is on Romans 6:23.
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
God’s grace is a gift extended to sinners. Instead of despair, we can live with hope, because God has remembered our desperate situation in our sinful condition, and provided a remedy through Jesus Christ.
Just as employees earn wages by their work in the positive sense, so in the negative sense, we deserve death because of the sins we have committed. But when we receive Jesus as Lord and Savior, God no longer holds our sins against us for judgment. He sets us free from condemnation and releases us from guilt. God’s grace is the ultimate gift to save us from our sins.
Jesus is our source of good news, leading us to live with hope on the road that leads to heaven in the Year of Vision.
