JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Q and A Segment explores the question, “What is the value of hearing reports from missionaries serving in other parts of the world?”

Something similar to this scenario happened in the early church when Paul and Barnabas traveled to different places to share the good news of Jesus.

Eventually, they returned to the church that commissioned them for service. Acts 14:26 says, “they sailed back to Antioch where they had been committed to the grace of God for the work they had now completed. On arriving there, they gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.”

When missionaries share with us how God has worked through their service, it gives us a bigger picture of how God is at work in other parts of the world. If we are supporting their work, it will encourage us to see how our investment is advancing God’s Kingdom. Their visit will give us an opportunity to bless and encourage them. As they share specifics of their missionary journey, we will gain better understanding of how to pray for them. And sometimes, reports from missionaries spur more missionary activity. These are some ways that reports from missionaries can build up believers and advance God’s Kingdom in the Year of Exploration.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Exploration, today’s reason to believe is the inner conflict between right and wrong.

If you ever felt the tension between the desire to do what is right and the tendency to do what is wrong, you are not alone. Even the prophets and apostles of the Bible experienced this tension.

We see this reality in Romans 7:18, where the Apostle Paul wrote, “ I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do-this I keep on doing.” Lamenting his sinful nature, Paul concludes, “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?”

By the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Paul offers a solution by which we can overcome the struggle and the condemnation from our failures.

In Romans 7:25, he says, “Thanks be to God-through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Divine help to overcome the conflict between right and wrong is a reason to believe in God’s good news.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Exploration, today’s Reason to Believe is the harsh reality of war, and God’s solution for peace.

Jesus told us that there would be wars and rumors of war until the end of the age. Daniel mentioned that wars would continue to the end.

That is the sad and harsh reality of our time, which is the result of a world affected by sin.

The tragedy of war gives many people a yearning for peace. That is where Jesus is the solution for our most volatile conflict-our war against God. He is our Mediator to establish peace with God.

Colossians 1:21 says, “Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation.”

Jesus will establish peace among nations when He sets up His kingdom, but until that day, we have the opportunity to live at peace with God through faith in Jesus Christ. That is the foundation that motivates us to live at peace with others, as far as it depends on us.

The reality of war and God’s peace plan are reasons to believe in God’s good news.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

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JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Exploration, today’s Reason To Believe is how the Gospel changes lives.

If you have been touched by the grace of God, it is quite likely that you can recall specific ways you changed after coming to faith in Jesus-attitudes, behavior, or priorities.

The disciples became followers of Jesus and would later be appointed as leaders of the early church.

After an encounter with Jesus, the heart of Zacchaeus changed from being greedy to being generous.

A jailer put his faith in Jesus and was changed from being suicidal to being filled with joy.

God’s grace changes people’s lives in various ways, but one common thread is that in whatever way the person changes, it results in bringing glory to God.

One example of that is how Christians responded to reports of the Apostle Paul’s conversion. Galatians 1:23 says, “They only heard the report: ‘The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.’ And they praised God because of me.”

“Changed lives” reveal the power of the Gospel and is a reason to believe in God’s good news.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Exploration, today’s Reason to Believe is the snowflake.

God has made each snowflake unique with different shapes and different sizes. The variety of snowflakes reminds us that God has made each human with their unique characteristics. In Psalm 139, verse 14, David said to God, “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”

In the Bible, snow is associated with purity, which is the result of God’s forgiveness of a sin-stained heart. After confessing his sin to the LORD, David prayed, “Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.” In Isaiah 1:18, the LORD said, “Come now let us reason together. Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow.” God’s grace is the cleansing agent to clear us from the guilt of our wrongdoing and make our hearts clean.

A snowflake reminds us of the purification that comes through faith in Jesus and is a reason to believe in God’s good news.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Q and A explores the question, “What does the Sovereignty of God mean?”

One definition of the word “Sovereign” is “possessing supreme or ultimate power.”

The LORD identified Himself to Abraham as “God Almighty”. One of the implications of His supreme power is that nothing is too difficult for Him. He can do anything that is consistent with His character.

God’s Sovereignty can be a very comforting truth when our world seems to be falling apart. God’s Sovereignty assures us that He is on the throne and He is in control. He is working through history and the circumstances of our lives to reveal His glory. He is able to take what is meant for evil and overcome it with good. He is able to take our tears of sorrow and enable us to be a source of comfort for others. God’s Sovereignty teaches us that when we do not perceive His hand at work, we can still trust Him with our soul.

Psalm 46:10 is a picture of God’s Sovereignty: Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted in the earth.”

In 2016, God is still on the throne in the Year of Exploration.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Exploration, today’s Reason to Believe is Fulfilled Prophecy.

According to Revelation 19:10, the spirit of prophecy is the testimony of Jesus. Many scholars who teach on this subject believe that Jesus fulfilled at least 300 Old Testament prophecies when He came 2,000 years ago. There are other prophecies that He has yet to fulfill. The fulfilled prophecies about Jesus at His first coming give us reason to believe that Jesus will fulfill the other prophecies yet to be fulfilled.

One person in the Bible who was led to believe in Jesus through prophecy was an Ethiopian official in Acts chapter 8. He was reading a prophecy in the book of Isaiah. Philip was a follower of Jesus who came alongside of the man to explain how Jesus fulfilled that prophecy, and told him the good news about Jesus.

Second Peter 1:21 says that “prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”

Fulfilled prophecies in the Bible are reasons to believe in God’s good news.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Q and A explores the question, “What does the Bible have to say about race relations?”

Galatians 3:28 says, “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male or female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

Different national origins, languages, or color of skin are not barriers between two people who have the love of God in their heart. God is the maker of the different races and called his creation of humanity very good. So, He celebrates the variety of His creation.

It was the dream of Martin Luther King that one day his children would live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.

What we learn about the nature of God is that He looks beyond the surface of things and evaluates the motives of our heart. Proverbs 20:27 says, “The lamp of the LORD searches the spirit of a man; it searches out his inmost being.” God’s perspective takes us beyond the surface to appreciate the beauty of godly character. With that perspective, racial differences do not deter followers of Jesus from rich, Christian fellowship.

The humility and love of Jesus dissolves attitudes of race superiority in the Year of Exploration.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Q and A explores the question, “Why is church participation important?”

Participating in our local church allows us to be part of a support system where we can encourage others to grow in their faith, and others will encourage us in our walk with God. We were not made to live in isolation. We were made to be part of a community. The church is a community of believers where we can learn to follow Jesus faithfully as we find out His will for our lives.

Hebrews 10:24 and 25 says, “Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another-and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

Participating in our local church is an opportunity to grow in our relationship with God in the Year of Exploration.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com