JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Eye on Integrity is based on Matthew 6:33.

Jesus said, “Seek first his Kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

God’s Kingdom is firmly established. David wrote in Psalm 145:13, “Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom and your dominion endures through all generations.” Earthly kingdoms will rise and fall, but God’s kingdom will never be shaken.

God’s Kingdom also has great value. In one of Jesus’ shorter parables, He said that the kingdom of heaven was like a treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.

God’s Kingdom is also filled with good fruit. Romans 14:17 says that the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.

Making God’s Kingdom and righteousness top priority is a virtue to embrace for our lives in the Year of Integrity.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Eye on Integrity is based on First Timothy 6, verses 10 and 11.

The Apostle Paul wrote these words to a young church leader named Timothy: “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.”

Money has the potential to lead us astray if the treasures of this world become the pursuit of our heart. If Paul was warning a church leader about the dangers of loving money too much, then his words are worth heeding for us. Godliness has greater value than money. That is why Paul urges Timothy to run from the pursuit of material wealth and pursue the richness of knowing Christ. Flowing out of that relationship will be the building of character qualities with great value.

Walking in pursuit of godliness is a virtue to embrace for our lives in the Year of Integrity.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Eye on Integrity is based on Matthew 5, verses 43 to 45a.

Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven.”

The way of the world is to love those who love us, but Jesus calls us to extraordinary love-the kind of love that He demonstrated on the cross for us. Romans 5:8 says that “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

We will need the influence of Jesus to love our enemies. This is not something we can do on our own strength.

Walking with love for our enemies is a virtue to embrace for our lives in the Year of Integrity.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Eye on Integrity is based on Second Timothy 2:24 to 26.

How is the Lord’s servant supposed to respond to voices of opposition? This is a good Scripture to study for wisdom.

“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 them 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.”

When God’s people are faced with opposition to our faith, there might be a temptation to enter into an argument over differences. But Paul reminds Timothy here that there is something more important than winning an argument. It is more important to win souls, and it is hard to win souls if we burn bridges with anger, heated arguments, or a spirit of resentment toward the very people we are trying to reach for the Gospel.

Walking with gentle instruction and kindness are virtues to embrace for our lives in the Year of Integrity.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Person of Integrity from the Bible is Zechariah.

He was a prophet who wrote a book in the Old Testament. There are significant themes found in his writings.

He called people to return to the LORD.

He spoke about the strategic and prophetic significance of Jerusalem.

He spoke of a day to come when the LORD would be king over the whole earth.

And he spoke of the events surrounding Palm Sunday with these words, “Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey.”

The faithfulness of Zechariah to draw attention to Jesus inspires us to do the same with our words and to live a life of Integrity.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Eye on Integrity is based on Lamentations 3:40.

“Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the LORD.”

Many times, spiritual inventory comes in a time of crisis when we are humbled and broken of ourselves. That was where the Israelites were at the time this verse was written. The people were taken from their homeland. Their temple was destroyed. They had descended from a place of blessing to a place of bondage, and the writer recorded a series of laments in this book.

But in this broken place, there is also hope. Because of the Lord’s great love, we are not consumed. His compassions never fail. Great is God’s faithfulness.

When we come to the end of ourselves, there is grace waiting with open arms. God is ready to embrace anyone who is willing to renounce selfish ways and return to His grace.

Returning to the LORD after we have disobeyed Him is a virtue to embrace for our lives in the Year of Integrity.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Eye on Integrity is based on First Peter 2:24 and 25.

Speaking of Jesus, “He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; ‘by his wounds you have been healed.’ For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.”

The expression of God’s grace was costly to Jesus. He paid for our redemption with His own blood. That is the payment we needed, and that is what He offered. That is why His grace is enough, and why we do not need to add anything else as a condition for salvation. If we trust in Jesus, we will know the blessing of His grace and be moved by His righteousness to do what is right in the eyes of God.

Walking in righteousness is a virtue to embrace for our lives in the Year of Integrity.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Eye on Integrity is based on Exodus 20:17.

“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

This is one of the Ten Commandments. It is not always apparent when this commandment is broken because it is a sin of the heart. However, it can lead to actions that bring much harm to others and ourselves if we feed thoughts of coveting.

We can easily go down this slippery path when we start to compare ourselves with others. The cure for coveting is godly contentment, which enables us to find joy and fulfillment in the sufficiency of God’s grace. This can happen with us when our focus is on the blessings that Jesus offers us rather than what we can take from our neighbor.

Walking in godly contentment is a virtue to embrace for our lives in the Year of Integrity.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Person of Integrity from the Bible is Zadok the Scribe.

He was one of four men that Nehemiah considered trustworthy to distribute supplies to their brothers. He handled tithes of grain, new wine and oil from the storerooms. Nehemiah trusted him to be honest and fair with how he distributed these gifts devoted to God.

Zadok had some of the qualities that employers look for in dependable employees today-Honesty and a work ethic that follows through on their tasks.

The faithfulness of Zadok to be trustworthy with God’s property inspires us to be honest in how we carry out our responsibilities and to live a life of Integrity.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Eye on Integrity is based on Zechariah 8, verses 16 and 17.

These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to each other, and render true and sound judgment in your courts; do not plot evil against each other, and do not love to swear falsely. I hate all this,” declares the LORD.

We reflect God’s character when we are honest with others and uphold matters of justice based on the truth. There are some things people do that the LORD hates, such as false testimony and plotting to harm someone. God is also grieved at the sight of injustice. Proverbs 17:15 says, Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent-the LORD detests them both.

Learning to love what God loves and hate what God hates are virtues to embrace for our lives in the Year of Integrity.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com