JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Focus on God’s Goodness is found in Second Timothy 3:14 and 15.

“As for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy, you have known the Holy Scriptures which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.”

The word of God has the power to lead us to faith in Jesus Christ. The Bible gives us the opportunity to open our heart to the Gospel.

This happened to an Ethiopian man in Acts chapter 8. He was reading from the book of Isaiah. At first, he did not understand the meaning, but when Philip used that passage to explain the good news about Jesus, that man put his faith in Jesus and got baptized into the Christian faith.

The power of God’s Word reveals the goodness of God and is a reason to give thanks in the Year of Gratitude.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Focus on God’s Goodness is found in Isaiah 40, verse 8.

The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.

We can easily get distracted by putting too much priority on temporary things, which are here today and gone tomorrow.  There is more to life than the stuff of this world. There is a heavenly place, where Jesus reigns on the throne. Jesus told us to store up for ourselves treasures in heaven. That is where His Kingdom lasts forever. Worship of His name lasts forever. His love lasts forever. His grace lasts forever.

The final verse of the Bible declares: “the grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen.” And so it will be for eternity. That is where God’s Word can be found on the heart of everyone who lives there.

The enduring word of God reveals the goodness of God and is a reason to give thanks in the Year of Gratitude.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Focus on God’s Goodness is found in Psalm 97:11.

“Light shines on the righteous and joy on the upright in heart.”

The light of God shines on the person who is fully devoted to the Gospel.

There is joy in walking in fellowship with God. There is joy in following Him with a faithful heart. There is joy in embracing His love for us. There is joy is sharing this good news with others. There is joy in pondering a glorious future with Him. There is joy in praising Him for who He is and the many ways He has blessed us.

Psalm 97, verse 12 says, “Rejoice in the LORD, you who are righteous, and praise his holy name.”

The joy of knowing the LORD reveals the goodness of God and is a reason to give thanks in the Year of Gratitude.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Focus on God’s Goodness is found in John 6:11.

Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.

Jesus demonstrated that He can do a lot with the little that we offer him. A boy offered 5 loaves and 2 fish, and it was multiplied into a feast for thousands of people.

Jesus started this miracle by thanking His Heavenly Father for the food that was offered to Him. Food is a precious source of nourishment for our bodies. Where God provides for our physical needs, that is a reason to offer Him thanks. Where we see the need around us, that is a reason to be generous with others.

The provision of food reveals the goodness of God and is a reason to give thanks in the Year of Gratitude.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Focus on God’s Goodness is found in Romans 10:9.

If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

We are dead in our sins until we come alive to God. This transformation happens when we recognize our need for a Savior, and call on Jesus for forgiveness and the gift of eternal life. His resurrection is the defining moment in human history that makes eternal life possible.

The Apostle Paul reasoned in First Corinthians 15:17, “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.” But Paul affirmed that Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, and that means victory over death for those who follow Jesus as Lord.

The Resurrection of Jesus reveals the goodness of God and is a reason to give thanks in the Year of Gratitude.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Focus on God’s Goodness is found in First John 1:9.

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

It’s incredible to think about God’s provision of forgiveness for our sins. That is why Jesus went to the cross, to extend mercy and grace to a world that needed a Savior.

Jesus is the only one qualified to save us from our sins, because of what He accomplished at the cross and the empty grave.  He invites us into an honest relationship with Him, where we can be open about our sorrows, our struggles, and our sins. He is able to not only forgive us, but also to make our heart clean again, so that we are considered pure in God’s sight.

Forgiveness for the contrite heart reveals the goodness of God and is a reason to give thanks in the Year of Gratitude.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Focus on God’s Goodness is found in Ephesians 2, verses 8 and 9.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-not by works, so that no one can boast.

To understand the value of God’s grace, think about where we would be without God’s grace. There would be no Savior. There would be no hope. There would be no forgiveness. In this chapter, verse 3 tells us that we were by nature deserving of wrath.

But because of God’s great love for us, God is rich in mercy. He sent Jesus into the world to die for our sins and rise from the dead. That’s good news to embrace for our lives. Jesus is the difference maker who rescues us from the wages of sin.

The gift of grace reveals the goodness of God and is a reason to give thanks in the Year of Gratitude.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

Here’s our Praise & Worship Playlist filled with songs celebrating Jesus’ love-driven sacrifice, powerful and precious blood, and His defeat of death and the grave. I hope this lineup helps your heart focus on the events we remember in this Easter season—leading up to and including Resurrection Sunday—and overflow with worship.

Kristi Leigh, WJTL DJ

Kristi@WJTL.com

Podcast: Spotify & Apple Podcasts

Follow: Instagram & Facebook

Playlists: Spotify

Song Title	Artist	Album	Year
6AM
Resurrection Day	Rend Collective	Good News	2018
Nothing Holding Me Back	Bryan & Katie Torwalt	Here On Earth	2011
Is He Worthy (Live)	Shane & Shane	Hymns Live	2019
Forever	Brian Johnson	Tides	2013
King of Kings (feat. Brooke Ligertwood)	Hillsong Worship	Awake	2019
Son of Heaven (feat. Dante Bowe & Matt Maher)	Brandon Lake	House of Miracles (Live)	2021
Ashes (ft. Chris McClarney)	Dara Maclean	[Single]	2017
Because Of Christ (ft. Mitch Wong)	The Belonging Co	TEN	2024
Upon Him	Matt Redman	Studio Single	2020
I Believe	Jonathan & Melissa Helser	The Land Im Livin In	2022
Redemption Song	Canyon Hills Worship	Single	2019
7AM
The Wonderful Cross (feat. Pat Barrett)	Simple Hymns	Songs of Communion	2020
O What A Miracle (Seth Condrey)	North Point Worship	Single	2020
Son of Suffering	Matt Redman	Radio Single	2022
Jesus Over Everything	The Belonging Co	See The Light	2021
Empty	Chris McClarney	Empty – Single
Miracle Child	Brandon Lake	Coat of Many Colors	2023
The Blood (ft. Mitch Wong)	Jenn Johnson	Simple	2022
Remember	Bryan & Katie Torwalt	Single	2019
Lamb of God (Live)	Matt Redman & David Funk	Lamb of God (Live)	2023
Jesus Paid It All (feat. Kim Walker Smith)	Worship Circle	Worship Circle Hymns	2019
Christ And Christ Crucified (Live)	Lindy Cofer, Circuit Rider Music & Mitch Wong	I Saw The Lord (Live)	2022
A Thousand Hallelujahs	Brooke Ligertwood	Radio single	2023
8AM
How Great Thou Art (Until That Day)	Matt Redman	Single	2024
No Body	Elevation Worship	CAN YOU IMAGINE?	2023
Death Was Arrested (feat. Seth Condrey)	North Point	Nothing Ordinary	2017
Thank You Jesus for the Blood	Charity Gayle	Endless Praise	2022
Who Else	Gateway Worship	Radio Single	2023
Hallelujah For the Cross	Chris McClarney (of Jesus Culture)	Breakthrough	2018
How Precious Is The Blood (Live)	Cody Carnes	God Is Good! (Live)	2022
Behold Him (ft. Kim Walker Smith)	Paul Baloche	Single	2019
Lead Me To The Cross (ft. Martin Smith)	Brooke Ligertwood	EIGHT	2023
What Hes Done	Passion	Single	2022
Always	Chris Tomlin	Radio Edit	2022
Above All (Live)	Michael W. Smith	Worthy is the Lamb (Live) – EP	2024
Sunday Is Coming	Phil Wickham	Single	2023
9AM
How We Remember	Pat Barrett	Shelter	2023
Death Where Is Your Sting	Cory Asbury	Reckless Love	2018
Resurrection Day	Josh Baldwin	Where The Glory Is	2022
What I See (feat. Chris Brown)	Elevation Worship	LION	2022
Youve Already Won	Shane & Shane	Single	2023
Reign Above It All	The McClures	Single	2021
Ive Witnessed It (ft. Melodie Malone)	Passion	Single Version	2023
I Believe	Phil Wickham	I Believe	2023
O Praise The Name	Hillsong Worship	Open Heaven River Wild	2016
He Lives (feat. Chris McClarney) [Live]	Church of the City	Single	2020
Hosanna (feat. Steffany Gretzinger)	Ben Cantelon	Single	2021
Christ Be Magnified	Cody Carnes	Single	2020
Living Hope	Phil Wickham	Living Hope	2018
Graves Into Gardens (feat. Brandon Lake)	Elevation Worship	Graves Into Gardens	2020

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Focus on God’s Goodness is found in First John 2:1 and 2.

“My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father-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.”

In the spiritual realm, Satan is the accuser of God’s followers and Jesus is our defender. This comes to light especially when we disobey the Lord. After Satan tempts us, he accuses us before God. He tries to shame us and condemn us. On the other hand, Jesus is the influence who motivates to trust and obey God. When we fall short, His grace is sufficient to protect us from condemnation. His love for us is very great, and His kindness moves us to turn back from the error of sinful ways to follow Him faithfully.

Romans 3:23 says that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

The righteousness of Jesus to defend us reveals the goodness of God and is a reason to give thanks in the Year of Gratitude.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com