JOHN SHIRK – In Isaiah 7:14, the prophet said, “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.”

When Gabriel the angel announced to Mary that she would give birth to a son, she asked him, “How will this be since I am a virgin?”

That is when the angel explained how this would happen: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.” The Holy Spirit plants the seed for God’s holy purposes to be achieved.

Jesus was born as the Son of God, He never sinned, and became uniquely qualified to be our Savior and Lord by His death on the cross and resurrection from the dead.

The name “Immanuel” means “God with us.” Jesus was God’s visitation to the world and is God’s invitation to the world to know Him through faith in His holy name.

The promise that Jesus would be born of a virgin is a lesson of faith worth remembering.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In Micah 5:2, we read about the birthplace of God’s anointed leader:

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins  are from of old, from ancient times.”

The name “Bethlehem” is significant because it means “House of Bread.” Jesus identified Himself as the bread of life. So, entering the world stage as a baby in the manger, Jesus came to the House of Bread, as the Bread of Life.

His birth in Bethlehem was planned long before it really happened. The location of Christ’s birthplace is sending the signal to the world that just as bread satisfies physical hunger, so Jesus is our vital source for satisfaction for spiritual hunger.

And just as Jesus came to Bethlehem, which was considered small and insignificant, so He approaches people who are humble, and raises them up for extraordinary purposes.

The promise that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem is a lesson of faith worth remembering.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Ephesians 2:17 says about Jesus that “he came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him, we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.”

At the birth of Jesus, angelic messengers made the declaration, “Glory to God in the highest. And on earth, peace among men in whom he is well pleased.” The favor of God brings peace to the soul. Jesus offered Jews and Gentiles a message of peace with God. He invited us to come to Him to find rest for our weary soul. His blood shed on the cross is a message that we do not have to live as God’s enemies anymore. We can enjoy a relationship with Him that refreshes our spirit and makes us a new person. He can replace bitterness with tenderness. He can remove the weeds of hatred and plant the seeds of love. He can calm our fears and give us quiet assurance that through Jesus, our hope is secure.

The peace that Jesus brought with His coming is a lesson of faith worth remembering.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Isaiah 9:2 says, “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death, a light has dawned.”

This statement was connected to Jesus in Matthew chapter 4. Jesus fulfilled these words of the prophet with His words of life, His touch of healing, and ultimately, by His death and resurrection from the grave.

In the Bible, darkness is often connected with sin and death. There is a spirit of despair in the heart of someone who is caught in the grip of spiritual darkness. Jesus came as the Light of the world. As we welcome His light, the shadows that cause despair flee under His influence of grace and truth. We live with freedom from guilt and shame. We live with the certain hope of eternal life. We live with the awareness that God loves us with an unfailing love. We live with a sense of joy in belonging to His spiritual family. And we live with a heavenly purpose, to reach souls for the Gospel through our witness for Jesus.

The hope that Jesus brought with His coming is a lesson of faith worth remembering.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

Dear WJTL Listener,

Move the clock back 30 years and you would see WJTL just starting out in the attic of a small converted chicken house.   Low eaves meant ducking so as not to bump your head and the single downstairs restroom was shared with another office.  The DJ quickly learned to play an extra long song when nature called.

Much has changed since then but the mission of sharing the Good News of Jesus has not.   We are so grateful to the WJTL listeners who have remained committed to supporting the station in the midst of difficult economic times.

There is so much to be thankful for this year.  We praise God for bringing our dear friend Lisa Landis back from the brink of death and returning her to us.  She is working towards resuming a full schedule as her stamina allows.

The Junction Center continues to be a blessing and has allowed the station to expand its outreach to live concert broadcasts, The Kid’s Cookie Break Festival and other special events.  We have so enjoyed meeting and fellowshipping with our listeners in person.  Reaction to the cool new Junction Center Tent has been tremendous.  The tent will be up again in May for the WJTL Summer Concert Series and much more.

WJTL’s new studio facility was named The Junction Center because it captures our desire to connect people first to God and then to each other.  This was an easy choice also because our address is 1875 Junction Road.

Listenership continues to be very strong with the readers of Lancaster Newspapers again voting WJTL number #1 in popularity.  Your support is encouraging and very much appreciated.

Each day we get testimonies from listeners.  Whether it is the single dad excited to see his teenage daughter listening to good Christian music or the young mom blessed to hear her children singing along with the songs and enjoying WJTL.  Recently a cancer patient shared her struggles about how the station has uplifted her and provided a “spiritual retreat” during her treatments.  Do you have a story to share? We love to hear them.

Finally, I am happy to report that donations for 2013 are on budget as compared with the 4% decrease we saw last year this time.  It is important to know that one third of our donations come in from mid November to December 31.  This means that we still need to raise $323,000 by the end of the year to meet our minimum budget goal for 2013 and to start 2014 on a strong note.  Your generous gift today is greatly needed and very much appreciated.

In Christ,

Tim Landis
President/CEO, WJTL – Creative Ministries

Click here now to donate online.

JOHN SHIRK – Philippians 2:14 gives us a direct word of instruction that will affect our relationships and our witness for God if we heed the message.

“Do everything without complaining or arguing.” Persistent complaining or an argumentative spirit saps the energy from relationships. The Israelites in Moses’ day were known for complaining about their plight on the way to the Promised Land, and they got nowhere fast. Complaints focus on the problem, without seeking a solution or without turning to prayer. A thankful person will recognize problems, but can also see opportunities through life’s challenges.

Paul, the writer of Philippians, knew that complaining or arguing undermined the strength of the church’s witness for Jesus. And so, he proceeds to explain why we should do everything without complaining or arguing-“So that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe, as you hold out the word of life.”

With gratitude to God, we can chase away a complaining or arguing spirit, and shine the light of the Gospel to this generation.

The credible witness of a thankful person is a lesson of faith worth remembering.

There are many organizations and ministries lending aid to those impacted by the storm in the Phillipines.  Please pray for the victims and prayerfully consider how and where you can pitch in to those in need:

AMG International :  AMG has a large ministry presence in the Philippines, including in the hard-hit Visayas Region. Our field staff there, led by national director Hector Araña, has sprung into action collecting relief supplies, working to establish communication with our partners in the affected areas, and preparing to travel into the disaster zone to assess damage and distribute supplies to the thousands of families AMG serves through our childcare ministries there.is providing relief supplies from our Disaster Relief Fund (www.amgdisasterrelief.org), and funds are urgently needed to sustain this response. You can donate now at www.amgdisasterrelief.org, over the phone at (423) 894-6060, or by mail to AMG International, 6815 Shallowford Rd., Chattanooga, TN 37421.

HarvestNet International: Gifts through this link will be entrusted to pastors with congregations in the devastated area.  Locally based HarvestNET International has over 100 partner churches and ministries in the Philippines.

World Vision:  World Vision is launching an emergency response to help affected children and families in the Philippines.

Compassion International:   Your gift makes possible interventions such as: emergency food and water, temporary shelters, personal items, cooking utensils, trauma counseling and spiritual support, replacing clothing, school supplies and household items, restoring supplies a family needs for earning income, providing continued counseling and support as needed

Samaritans Purse:  A Samaritan’s Purse disaster response team is in the Philippines to help in the aftermath of one the strongest storms ever recorded.  “Our multinational team is coordinating relief efforts on the Leyte and the neighboring island of Samar, working with local Christians to deliver relief to those most in need. Community water filters, protective tarps, blankets, hygiene kits, and emergency family food packets are being rushed to affected areas.”

SEND International:  SEND has set up a Typhoon relief option that will allow people to give to Filipino churches who will aid in disaster relief

MCC:  Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) is responding to Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines, providing funding for relief, supporting an initial assessment team of an MCC partner organization and working with partners to determine needs for longer-term recovery.

CCT: Center for Community Transformation:  HOPE International’s local partner, the Center for Community Transformation (CCT), works in the regions hit hardest by the typhoon, and they are currently mobilizing to provide these communities with immediate help.

JOHN SHIRK – While physical death is the result of our sin, eternal life is the promise of God for those who receive His grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

Revelation 21 pictures a new heaven and a new earth. Life’s harsh realities in our world today will not be present in God’s new world order.

Verse 3 says, “God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

No more funerals, no more brokenness, no more hospitals, no more bad news. This is the picture of God’s restoration when He makes everything new.

The restoration that God has promised for His people is a lesson of faith worth remembering.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – The redemption of Jesus as a Presidential Pardon.

Most presidents in our nation’s history have granted pardons. When this happens, a person who committed a crime is forgiven and restored to the innocence they had before they committed the crime. Their crime is not held against them.

That is the way it works with God’s forgiveness. For the person who looks to Jesus as Savior and Lord, He grants the pardon that releases them from the guilt of their sins.

Isaiah 55 explains how we can experience this life-saving pardon:

Verse 6 says, “Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.”

The redemption of Jesus as a Presidential Pardon is a lesson of faith worth remembering.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – A defense attorney represents someone facing a lawsuit or criminal prosecution.

In the courtroom of heaven, God is the judge, and Satan is the prosecuting attorney. He is our accuser. He makes a compelling case for our guilt, as he recites the list of sins that we have committed in our lifetime. But then another voice comes forward to defend us. Jesus makes the case for our innocence, not by denying we did those things, but by acknowledging the shedding of His blood to cover our sins. This is what it’s like for the person who confesses their need for Jesus to save them from their sin.

First John 2:1 says, “My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense-Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours, but also for the sins of the whole world.”

The redemption of Jesus as a defense attorney in a courtroom is a lesson of faith worth remembering.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com