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JOHN SHIRK – In the Year to Shine, today’s Vital Step to a Radiant Faith is restoration.

When we are made aware that someone has gone astray, we have a choice to make. Will we do nothing about it and hope they come to their senses? Will we give up on the person? Or will we seek their restoration?

Galatians 6:1 shows us what to do. “Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted.”

This moment requires love and humility. Our own hearts are capable of compromise. The goal of reaching out to them is to restore them to a place of unhindered fellowship with God and the body of Christ. This is possible with a gentle spirit that upholds grace and truth.

Restoration is a vital step to a Radiant Faith that makes a difference in our world.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Light Reflection is from Psalm 119, verse 130.

The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.

The Bible is a light that leads us to a greater understanding of Jesus. The eyes of our heart become open to the truth in Scripture and help us to gain insight into the Kingdom of heaven.  The Bible addresses the basic soul-searching questions of life. Where did I come from? Why am I here? What is my purpose in life? What is God’s plan for my life in the future?

These basic questions are clarified in the light of who Jesus is and what He has done for us at the cross and empty grave.

This Light Reflection inspires us to read the Bible for greater understanding of who Jesus is in the Year to Shine.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year to Shine, today’s Vital Step to a Radiant Faith is pursuing our God-given purpose.

In Jeremiah 1:5, the LORD said to Jeremiah, “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”

Jeremiah responded by pointing out the ways he was inadequate for the task. He said, “I do not know how to speak; I am too young.”

We might raise objections too, but God’s wisdom is greater than ours, and we can trust His wisdom. Eventually, Jeremiah accepted His call.

Our specific calling might not be like Jeremiah’s calling, but our God-given purpose is to follow Jesus and to be a light that reflects His goodness and glory. In the course of time, God will show us His plan and prepare the way for us to shine for Him.

Pursuing our God-given purpose is a vital step to a radiant faith that makes a difference in our world.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Light Reflection is from John 17:17.

Jesus prayed for His disciples this way, “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.”

Lies deceive us and take us away from the joy of following Jesus. Truth, however, is like a reliable compass, pointing out God’s standards, and giving us direction in the light of God’s will. The words of Jesus accurately reflect the will of God. If we are guided by the words of truth, we will be sanctified. That means we will be set apart by God for a useful purpose that brings glory to His name. We will grow in God’s grace and in godly character, so that our lives yield the fruitful qualities of love, joy, peace, and patience.

Jesus said in John 18:37, “The reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”

This Light Reflection inspires us to be sanctified by the truth of God’s Word in the Year to Shine.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Light Reflection is from Matthew 7:24 and 25.

As Jesus was concluding His sermon on the mount, He said, “Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.”

The words that Jesus spoke in the Sermon on the Mount are vitally important for our lives. They are a light to guide our way forward in the wisdom of God. They will put our faith on a firm foundation that is strong enough to withstand the storms of life, so that our faith is not shaken.

Take time to digest the words of Jesus in Matthew chapters 5 to 7, and then, discover the wisdom of putting them into practice.

This Light Reflection inspires us to build a strong foundation on the words of Jesus in the Year to Shine.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year to Shine, today’s Vital Step to a Radiant Faith is trusting God’s unfailing love.

In Psalm 52:8 and 9, David wrote, “I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in your unfailing love for ever and ever. I will praise you forever for what you have done; in your name I will hope, for your name is good. I will praise you in the presence of your saints.”

In this Psalm, David highlights the difference between a boastful man and a worshipper of God. The boastful man trusts in his great wealth, and grows strong by destroying others. But this is not the way of the person who flourishes in the house of God. The worshipper trusts in God’s unfailing love and lifts up His name in the assembly of the saints.

Trusting in God’s unfailing love is a vital step to a radiant faith that makes a difference in our world.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

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