John Shirk

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Focus, we take a look at prayer support for the Apostle Paul.

This is how Paul recognized the value of prayer support:

He said to the church in Second Corinthians 1:10 that God “has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.”

The prayers of God’s people were making a difference for Paul and his co-workers to deliver them from harm. Our prayers for God’s servants today will be a blessing to support their ministries. God moves powerfully in our churches and communities when His people pray.

Prayer Support for the Apostle Paul is worth examining for a faith-focused life.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Praise Focus comes from Romans 12:11.

Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.

Having zeal for God means we are enthusiastic about belonging to Him and lifting up the name of Jesus with praise.

There are various ways to praise the Lord-with our songs, with our love for people, with our words, and in our service. When we think of the ways that God has gifted us to serve, those are opportunities to be a blessing to people in our worship for God.

We can be consistent in our zeal by staying close to God and delighting in His love for us. His zeal is the key to His accomplishments on our behalf, which motivates us to serve Him with zeal.

The zeal of the Lord 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 Reliance on God.

This is how Paul the Apostle lived as a follower of Jesus. He recalled his experiences in ministry in Second Corinthians 1, verses 8 and 9.

We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves, but on God, who raises the dead.

Sometimes, God brings us through hardships to increase our dependence on His power of grace to see us through.

Corrie Ten Boom experienced much hardship in a concentration camp during World War II. After her release, she would tell others of the lessons of obedience, forgiveness, and trust she had learned in her trials. She would say, “You can never learn that Christ is all you need, until Christ is all you have.”

Reliance on God is worth examining for a faith-focused life.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Praise Focus comes from Psalm 13:6.

I will sing the LORD’s praise, for he has been good to me.

This is the final verse in a Psalm that is filled with questions, complaints, and earnest pleas to God for help.

The questions begin with “How long?” How long, LORD, will you forget me forever?”

Through the struggles of our lives, we can be honest with our emotions as we pour out our heart to God. David did that with an underlying confidence in God’s faithfulness. He said to the LORD in this Psalm, “But I trust in your unfailing love. My heart rejoices in your salvation.”  This reality is a firm foundation for our soul, even when we wrestle with our thoughts.

The goodness of God toward us 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 the prayer of Moses for a leader to succeed him.

It happened in Numbers 27:15 after the LORD told him that his life on earth was soon coming to an end.

We might wonder what will happen after we have breathed our last on earth. Who will take our place of service? What kind of legacy will we leave behind? Moses turned thoughts of the future into a prayer.

“May the LORD, the God who gives breath to all living things, appoint someone over this community to go out and come in before them, one who will lead them out and bring them in, so the LORD’s people will not be like sheep without a shepherd.”

The LORD answered Moses, “Take Joshua, son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit of leadership and lay your hand on him.”  This led to the commissioning of Joshua to be Israel’s next leader.

The Prayer of Moses for a leader to succeed him is worth examining for a faith-focused life.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Praise Focus comes from Second Corinthians 9, verse 7.

“Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

God delights in cheerful giving from a willing heart. As we are generous with God’s blessings, His name is honored. Verse 13 says that others will praise God for our generosity in sharing with them.

Cheerful giving is possible as we remember the generous ways that God has blessed us through Jesus Christ. John 3:16 tells us that God so loved the world that He gave His one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

God’s generous gift toward us 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 the prayer of Jesus for His disciples to be sanctified.

In John 17:17, Jesus prayed for His followers this way: “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.”

He was praying for us to be set apart as holy and to be a useful instrument of grace in His kingdom. When we read the Bible, we have access to the truth that can change us and set us free from sin.

The words of Jesus have the power to purify our heart with faith, unite us in love with God’s people, and protect us from the deception of the evil one. Those were the prayer requests of Jesus for His people in John chapter 17.

Growing in God’s grace is how we can become an answer to this prayer request from the heart of Jesus.

The prayer of Jesus for His disciples to be sanctified is worth examining for a faith-focused life.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Praise Focus comes from Jeremiah 17:14.

The prophet Jeremiah said, “Heal me, LORD, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise.”

Jeremiah recognized the LORD as his source of healing and salvation. When Jesus came on to the world stage, He talked about the sick needing a doctor. He pointed out that the purpose of His coming was to call sinners to repentance.

Jesus is the One who heals our hearts, breaking the chains of sin, and restoring us to a relationship with God that brings eternal joy. His death on the cross was the catalyst for this healing to take place. First Peter 2:24 says, “He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; By his wounds you have been healed.”

The healing and salvation 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 Elijah’s prayer for the turning of hearts back to God.

In First Kings chapter 18 of the Bible, Elijah invited people from all over Israel, (including hundreds of false prophets) to meet him at Mount Carmel. That is where he would lay down the challenge, “If the LORD is God, follow him, but if Baal is God, follow him.”

He prayed, “LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. Answer me, LORD, answer me, so these people will know that you, LORD, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.”

God intervened in a miraculous way that caused all the people to cry, “The LORD-he is God! The LORD-he is God!”

Elijah’s prayer can reflect our desire to see people turn their hearts back to God and for us to be part of the solution.

Elijah’s prayer for the turning of hearts back to God is worth examining for a faith-focused life.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Praise Focus comes from John 9, verses 36 and 37.

Jesus opened the eyes of a blind man. Then, He said to the man, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”

The man asked, “Who is he, sir? Tell me so that I may believe in him.”

Jesus said, “You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.”

Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.

This man experienced two miracles in a short space of time. He gained physical sight, and spiritual eyes for seeing Jesus. He saw Jesus for who He is, and was moved to a place of worship.

The identity of Jesus and His marvelous mercy are reasons to praise God in the Year of Focus.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com