John Shirk

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Praise Focus comes from Second Corinthians 1, verses 3 and 4.

From the New Living Translation of the Bible-“All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.”

In moments of stress and anxiety, we can turn to God for the comfort that we need. Jesus is not distant from our distress. He knows by experience what it is like to have pain and to suffer.

Isaiah 26:3 tells us that God keeps in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in the LORD.

And Philippians 4:7 tells us that the peace of God guards our hearts and minds as we find our joy in the Lord, pray to God in every situation, and thank God for His blessings.

Knowing God as our source of comfort is a reason to praise Him in the Year of Focus.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Focus, we take a look at persistent prayer.

Jesus told a parable in Luke 18 to show His disciples that they should always pray and not give up.

There was a judge in a certain town who neither feared God or cared what people thought. A widow from that town kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’

For some time, he refused. But finally, he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’

Jesus calls us to consider that if an unjust judge will grant justice for a persistent widow, then surely God will bring about justice for His chosen ones, who cry out to Him day and night. He will see that they get justice, and quickly.

Persistent Prayer is worth examining for a faith-focused life.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Focus, we take a look at a prayer request seeking restoration for God’s glory.

It’s found in Psalm 106, verse 47.

“Save us, LORD our God, and gather us from the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name and glory in your praise.”

There is something meaningful about coming together to praise the Lord. That is when fellowship and worship merge in a way that honors the Lord. There were times in Israel’s history where the people were scattered in foreign lands. They lost that connection with each other. This was a sincere prayer for God’s mercy to bring His people together again, so that joy would be restored.

Where there is discord, dissension, and disunity, we can pray for God’s mercy to restore fellowship and worship among God’s people.

Seeking restoration for God’s glory is worth examining for a faith-focused life.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Praise Focus comes from Psalm 103, verse 8.

“The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.”

This description of God highlights His eagerness to bless us and not to destroy us. In God’s justice system, the wages of sin is death, but that is not where the sentence ends. Romans 6:23 adds that the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. The presence of Jesus brings to light the compassion of God for people who confess our need for Jesus to save us from sin.

He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

The graciousness and compassion of the LORD are reasons to praise Him in the Year of Focus.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Focus, we take a look at a prayer for joy and peace.

It was the heartfelt desire of the Apostle Paul for the church to grow and stand firm in the faith.

He wrote in Romans 15:13, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Faith in Jesus invites the joy of the Lord and peace with God. Paul desired for these qualities to flourish in the church. As they did, God’s people would enjoy sweet fellowship with God and have a thriving influence for the Gospel. This is how we can pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ today-for joy and peace to reign in our hearts, so that the Spirit of God may stir the people of God to overflow with the hope of good news.

A Prayer for Joy and Peace is worth examining for a faith-focused life.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Praise Focus comes from Joshua 21:45.

Not one of all the LORD’s good promises to Israel failed; every one was fulfilled.

God is a promise keeper. In His love for us, He provided the gift of grace through faith in Jesus Christ. In His mighty strength, He fulfilled in Jesus what had been foretold through the prophets. God has the power to complete His redemptive plans. Throughout the Bible and throughout history, God has worked through miracles to prove His faithfulness. He tore down the walls of Jericho in Joshua’s day. He broke the barriers of sin at the death and resurrection of Jesus.

The faithfulness of God to His promises is a reason to praise Him in the Year of Focus.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Praise Focus comes from Job 1:21.

In a place of brokenness, Job fell to the ground in worship, saying, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised.”

Job was in a place of extreme suffering, losing so much of what he had. In that setting, he worshiped the One who was refining his faith and enabling his testimony to shine like gold. With the trials we endure, God is still good and remains on the throne. He still loves us with compassion and mercy. Job persevered in the faith through his pain, and was greatly blessed in the end. In the realm of eternity, this is the experience of the true worshipers of God-grace and blessing beyond the pain of living.

James 5:11 says, “You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.”

The compassion and mercy of the Lord are reasons to praise God in the Year of Focus.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Focus, we take a look at prayer as a two-way dialogue.

Billy Graham has described prayer as a “two-way conversation. It is our talking to God and His talking to us.”

We have a God in heaven who hears and answers prayer.

This was the kind of relationship that David had with God. In Psalm 5:2 and 3, he wrote, “Hear my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray. In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.”

With folded hands and an open Bible, we can approach God each morning and have a conversation that prepares us for the challenges and opportunities for the upcoming day.

Prayer as a two-way dialogue is worth examining for a faith-focused life.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Focus, we take a look at the value of seeking prayer for clarity and opportunity to spread the Gospel.

If we want to share the good news of Jesus Christ with others, that’s a good focus point for our faith. It is also a sacred platform calling us to represent Jesus in our words, actions, and attitudes. So, it is good to seek prayer support for our efforts.

In Colossians 4, verses 3 and 4, that is what the Apostle Paul requested.

He said to the church, “Pray for us too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly as I should.”

The prayer support of God’s people helps to prepare the way for us to be effective witnesses for Jesus.

Seeking prayer for clarity and opportunity to spread the Gospel is worth examining for a faith-focused life.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Praise Focus comes from Revelation 5:12.

“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!”

This is the way Jesus is honored in heaven by the multitudes of angels in heaven. They encircle the throne to exalt the name of Jesus with a shout of praise. He is their central focus of worship as they draw attention to the worthy sacrifice of Jesus for our sins. His death on the cross was part of God’s plan all along, and for that, we can be eternally grateful.

When Jesus is the central focus of our faith, joy and gratitude overflows into expressions of worship, preparing our own hearts for that blessed day when we join the heavenly choir to celebrate the name of Jesus.

The Worthiness of Jesus is a reason to praise God in the Year of Focus.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com