JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Faith-Building Verse is Matthew 1:23.

The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel (which means, “God with us.)

God’s love is seen in the birth of Jesus. Recognizing that God is for us and with us will make a huge difference in how we approach life.

We can live with courage, just like Joshua, who heard these words from the LORD before entering the Promised Land, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”

We can also live with godly contentment. Hebrews 13:5 says, “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

And we can live with confidence in God’s love for us. I John 4:16 says that we know and rely on the love God has for us.

This Faith-Building Verse inspires us to approach life with the awareness that God loves us in the Year of Relationship.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Key Element for Thriving Relationships is Delighting in the LORD.

This is foundational to a sustainable, productive journey of faith.

When we delight in the Lord, we are moved by God’s love to do God’s will, and make a difference for God’s Kingdom.

When we delight in the Lord, we will be motivated to reach out to others with God’s love and share His good news.

After the shepherds visited Jesus at the manger, their hearts were moved to tell others about Jesus, and all who heard their words were amazed.

Psalm 37:4 says, “Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.”

Delighting in the Lord is a key element for thriving relationships that honor God.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6ByG2xeuFgOov2kGdSYtSs?si=f96c1720ab3c4df1

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Faith-Building Verse is Isaiah 9:2.

The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.

New hope was born for us at the birth of Christ. Jesus fulfilled this Old Testament prophecy in His ministry.

He is the great light that we need to find our way out of spiritual darkness. The message of Jesus was to repent-to turn from selfish ways and false beliefs and turn toward Jesus as the way, the truth, and the life. That is where the real hope for a brighter day can be found-following in His footsteps.

Jesus said in John 8:12, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.”

This Faith-Building Verse inspires us to walk into the light of God’s grace by following Jesus in the Year of Relationship.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Key Elements for Thriving Relationships are peace and holiness.

Hebrews 12:14 says, “Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.”

A life of holiness flows out of a heart that is wholly devoted to the Lord. His holiness will inspire us to be holy before God and to have pure relationships. That includes having pure motivations to love people sincerely in ways that benefit them.

God’s love for us inspires us to seek peaceful relationships. His purpose for sending Jesus to the world was to reconcile us to Himself. Jesus became the bridge that enabled us to have peace with God. That is the kind of peace that can spread through our witness for Christ. Romans 12:18 says, “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”

Peace and Holiness are key elements for thriving relationships that honor God.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Faith-Building Verse is Hebrews 9:26.

Speaking of Jesus, “He has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.”

Jesus appeared to take away our sin. John the Baptist told us to look to the Lamb of God who takes away our sin. But as we look at our lives, we know in our heart of hearts that we still fall short of God’s glory by disobedient thoughts, words, and actions.

The good news is that our story is not over. By looking to Jesus as the author and perfecter of our faith, He breaks the power of sin over us and releases us from the punishment of sin.

The reason that the angel told Joseph to name Mary’s firstborn son “Jesus” was because He will save His people from their sins. Jesus lives up to the meaning of His name.

This Faith-Building Verse inspires us to celebrate God’s promise of salvation to those who believe in Jesus in the Year of Relationship.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Key Element for Thriving Relationships is Integrity.

Titus 2:7 is a word for anyone who wants to have an influence for Christ in this world.

“In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness, and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.”

Integrity backs up words with action. Charles Swindoll has said that “few things are more infectious than a godly lifestyle-not prudish. Not preachy. Just honest to goodness deep, non-hypocritical integrity.”

With this kind of integrity, we can make this world a better place, serving as a light to guide people to Jesus, and encouraging others to a higher standard.

Integrity is a key element for Thriving Relationships that honor God.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Key Element for Thriving Relationships is Sharpening one another.

Proverbs 27:17 says, “as iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.”

The Christian life is to be lived out in the context of a community.

As we connect with each other, we have the opportunity to sharpen each other to be useful instruments of God’s grace.

This is how the early church was a dynamic force of the Gospel. They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer….Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts.

Acts 2:47 says that the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Sharpening one another is a key element for thriving relationships that honor God.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Faith-Building Verse is John 18:37.

Jesus told Pilate when He was on trial, “You say that I am a king. In fact, 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.”

In a world that is concerned about the spread of misinformation and fake news, we can take comfort in the truth of the good news found in Jesus Christ.

The truth that Jesus taught was not a confining message to ruin our fun. It was a liberating message to save us from our sins. Jesus said in John 8:32 that the truth will set you free. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

This Faith-Building Verse inspires us to walk in the truth of God’s good news in the Year of Relationship.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com