Has radio impacted your life?  It has significantly impacted mine, and that is why I am thrilled that WJTL is partnering with the Far East Broadcasting Company (FEBC) for the Give-A-Radio Project.

FEBC has the motto “Christ to the World By Radio” and is reaching into 40 countries with 770 hours of programming in 100 languages each day broadcasting the life-changing Word of God.  They reach into areas where it’s difficult for missionaries to go.

Our goal is to provide 400 radios, which will help FEBC go to the hardest-to-reach places.  $30 provides one radio, and every radio you give has the potential to reach 25 people with the Gospel.  Right now, a generous donor is even matching every donation so if we reach our goal that would be 800 radios provided!

I invite you to join our Give-A-Radio Project with Far East Broadcasting Company.   To join our Give-A-Radio Project call 877-532-2998 or give online at GiveARadio.org

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Q and A Segment explores the question, “How can I recognize when God is speaking to me?”

Exodus 33:11 records that the Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend.

Does God speak audibly to His servants today? While this form of communication is possible, this is not the most common way that God speaks to His followers today. We have something that the Old Testament prophets and servants did not have. We have access to the inspired word of God in the Bible. That is an important resource where we can turn to hear from God.

God does also guide us through the opportunities of our circumstances. He will sometimes place burdens on our heart so that we are motivated to take a stand for the Lord and against injustice. God may speak to us through the counsel of a friend. God has given people dreams and visions to bring them to faith in Christ or to start ministries that touch people’s lives. What a pastor says on a Sunday morning might be a timely word for us.

If we hear a message that directly contradicts what God reveals in the Bible, we can be confident that the message is not from God. Psalm 25:14 says, “The Lord’s loyal followers receive his guidance.”

Knowing Jesus, learning to trust Him, and growing in our understanding of the Bible are important pursuits for being able to recognize the voice of God in the Year of Exploration.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

Your playlist for the April 15/17 episode of Some Sort of Rock Show:

Hour 1

1. Running With Giants – Thousand Foot Krutch
2. Cage – Manafest
3. Look On Up – Relient K
4. Praise Him – Aaron Gillespie
5. Out Of My Head – Fireflight
6. Come Alive – Attaboy
7. Bring It On – Kutless
8. Cant Shut Up – Anthem Lights
9. Wasn’t Enough – XXI
10. It Was You – The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
11. Dance Like Nobody’s Watching – Family Force 5
12. Move (Keep Walkin’) – TobyMac
13. Happiness – NEEDTOBREATHE
14. Quit – NEEDTOBREATHE
15. Feel You Falling – Devin Williams

Hour 2

1. Choices – Graceful Closure
2. Diamonds in the Dark – We Are Leo
3. Beyond The Stars – Spoken
4. Promises – Thrice
5. Clarity – Come Wind
6. Fading West – Switchfoot
7. Come Alive – Matty Mullins
8. Satisfied – House of Heroes
9. Without A Fight – Lybecker
10. Lift Your Head Weary Sinner (Chains) – Crowder
11. Desperados – Andy Mineo
12. Messengers – Lecrae
13. So Far Away – RED
14. Take Me Over – RED
15. Running From The Scene – Manic Bloom

Five Fun Free Family Things To Do This Weekend – April 15-17, 2016

5 Morning Birdwalk tomorrow (Saturday, April 16) at 8 AM at Berks County Heritage Center, Red Bridge Road, Reading. The Birdwalk will be led by Katrina Knight from the Baird Ornithological Club. Wear good walking shoes and bring binoculars. Beginning bird watchers welcome. More Info: www.countyofberks.com/parks

4 Shakespeare’s Sonnets featuring Robert Bigley and Christopher Brooks will be performed tonight (Friday April 15) at 8:15pm at The Trust Performing Arts Center in downtown Lancaster. Songs, Sonnets and Prose Performed. More Info: LancasterTrust.com

3 Eleventh Annual Single Reed Concert, tomorrow (Saturday, April 16) 5:30pm at Millersville University’s Biemesderfer Concert Hall. The Single Reed showcases the talents of guest artists for clarinet & saxophone. More Info:  ArtsMU.com/Event

2 The Lancaster Bible College Woodwind Quintet and Cavod Academy of the Performing Arts are coming together to present “Peter and the Wolf”, tomorrow (Saturday, April 16) for Two Performances: 9:30am & 11:00am at The Trust Performing Arts Center in Lancaster. Admission is free and tickets are not required. More Info: LancasterTrust.com

1 Lancaster Barnstormers Free Fan Fest, tomorrow (SATURDAY, April 16th) Gates for the event will open at noon with the Barnstormers taking the field against the defending Freedom Division Champion Southern Maryland Blue Crabs at 1pm for a Spring Training Game. Games, Prizes and meet the Barnstormers. More Info: http://www.lancasterbarnstormers.com/

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

Bread is a type of food that sustains our strength. Having human bodies, we need food to live. And Jesus encourages us to pray for our Heavenly Father to give us our daily bread.

In the days of Moses, the Israelites received manna from heaven. It would appear every morning except the Sabbath day. God would provide for their needs in this way, but they were not supposed to take more than they needed.

Bread is a symbol of what we need-no more, no less. Perhaps that is why Jesus said, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven.” We need all the spiritual food that Jesus has to offer for the strength to live the Christian life, abundantly and eternally. Anything less would be insufficient. Anything apart from Jesus would be baggage.

Jesus said in John 6:35, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” His grace is the spiritual nutrition that truly satisfies our hunger and thirst for righteousness.

The bread of life is a reason to believe in God’s good news.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Q and A Segment explores the question, “What is the purpose of encouragement?”

Barnabas was a believer in the Lord known for his encouragement. When others were skeptical about the authentic conversion of the Apostle Paul, Barnabas served as a bridge to help him gain acceptance in the church. He explained to the apostles how the Lord had transformed his life.

On another occasion, Barnabas went to a place called Antioch, where he saw the evidence of God’s grace in people’s lives. Acts 11:23 records that he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord.

Encouragement offers someone support, confidence and hope. In the Christian context, it builds up faith in the Lord and spurs God’s followers to a life of love and good deeds. When we see God at work in someone’s life, that is an opportunity to point out specifically how God is moving in that person for redemptive purposes. With words of encouragement, we can motivate them to continue living for Jesus with a devoted heart in the Year of Exploration.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

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

The Bible reveals that earthquakes have struck at strategic times in history. There was an earthquake on the day when Jesus died on a cross. There was also a violent earthquake on the morning that He rose from the dead. Zechariah 14 records there will be an earthquake at the time of Christ’s return. Jesus talked about the increase of earthquakes in various places as a sign of the end of the age.

As we see earthquakes happen in the world, we are reminded that physical life is fragile, our things in this world are breakable, and disasters can strike with sudden impact. But there is a place where security can be found for our soul.

In Hebrews 12:26, the Lord promises, “Once more, I will shake not only the earth, but also the heavens. The words ‘once more’ indicate the removing of what can be shaken-that is, created things.”

Verse 28 says, “Since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so, worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.”

The Unshakeable Nature of God’s Kingdom in a climate of earthquakes 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 faith of Jesus’ half-brothers.

There is a noticeable change in the attitude of family members toward Jesus as His ministry unfolds. Earlier, in Jesus’ earthly ministry, John 7:5 records that “even his own brothers did not believe in him.”

But that changed after the resurrection. First Corinthians 15:7 records that after Jesus rose from the dead, He appeared to various people, including James, referring to His half-brother. James became an influential leader in the church in the book of Acts, and wrote the book of James.

Another brother who came to believe in Jesus is Jude. He is listed in Jesus’ family in Matthew 13. He also wrote one of the last books in the New Testament. Early in his book, he describes himself as the brother of James and a servant of Jesus Christ.

The transformation of Jesus’ half-brothers from unbelief to faith is a reason to believe in God’s Good News.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com