John Shirk

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Focus, we take a look at how to please God.

The foundation for pleasing God is faith as we see in Hebrews 11:6.

Without faith, it is impossible to please God because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

Faith in God is foundational for pleasing Him. From that foundation, there are action steps that please God when we are motivated by the love of Jesus.

First Timothy 2:3 tells us that prayer for our leaders and for all people is good and pleases God our Savior.

According to Hebrews 13:16, something else that pleases God is doing good and sharing with others.

Pleasing God is worth examining for a faith-focused life.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Praise Focus come from Luke 17:17 and 18.

Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?”

Ten men were healed from leprosy. One of them came back, praising God in a loud voice. He was a Samaritan who threw himself at the feet of Jesus and thanked Him.

This story encourages us to count our blessings from God, and to acknowledge His gracious hand in the ways that He provides for us, delivers us, and heals us. By the wounds of Jesus, we are healed from our sick condition of sin. Today, we can be like that Samaritan and offer God gratitude for the cleansing touch of His grace on our lives.

The healing hand of Jesus for our body and soul is a reason 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 the value of submitting to God.

James 4:7 urges us to submit ourselves to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you.”

In submitting to God, we bow to His authority over our lives. We commit to following His way, which is the path to life and love and freedom. When we submit to God, He gives us the power to overcome the temptations and schemes of the devil to deceive us.

Submission to God also opens the way for us to enjoy true intimacy with God, where we can experience the wisdom of His ways and the power of His transforming love.

The value of submitting to God is worth examining for a faith-focused life.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK-Today’s Praise Focus comes from Psalm 95, verses 1 to 3.

“Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods.”

When Jesus is the rock of our salvation, joy is the theme of our song-the kind of joy that celebrates the grace of the Lord Jesus. His love makes an impact on our lives and brings hope to our heart. We have the motivation to sing the wonders of His love. He has saved us and hurled our iniquities into the depths of the sea. He no longer holds our sins against us. That makes all the difference to release us from guilt so that we can go forward with faith in Him.

Knowing Jesus as the Rock of our Salvation is a reason 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 the burden of Nehemiah, turned into a prayer and mission.

In Nehemiah 1:3, the report came to Nehemiah in Persia from Jerusalem that the wall was broken down, and its gates burned with fire. Nehemiah responded by sitting down and weeping. Then he prayed to the God of heaven with reverence and humility.

He asked God for success to have favor with the king. He then approached the king with a request to rebuild Jerusalem. Nehemiah 2:8 relates the outcome: “Because the gracious hand of my God was on me, the king granted my requests.”

One of the ways that God accomplishes His purposes in us is to turn our burdens into prayer and steps of obedience to His plan. Where He guides, He provides us with the support we need.

The burden of Nehemiah, turned into a prayer and mission, is worth examining for a faith-focused life.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Praise Focus comes from Acts 28:15.

The writer Luke records, “And so we came to Rome. The brothers and sisters there had heard that we were coming, and they traveled….to meet us. At the sight of these people, Paul thanked God and was encouraged.”

On his voyage to Rome, Paul experienced dangerous weather conditions. He was refreshed at the sight of those who belonged to the family of God.

It is always good to recognize the blessing of sweet fellowship with other believers. Whenever they offer acts of kindness or hospitality, that is an occasion to be thankful to God. In times of trouble, the support from God’s people is a welcome sight that encourages us to remain faithful to God.

Support from the family of God 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 pursuit of what is right in the Lord’s eyes.

This becomes the longing of our heart when we fix our eyes on Jesus, and love Him as our Lord and God. His righteousness shapes our character.

When we see the example of Jesus, we see how He modeled service and sacrifice for His followers. We see true integrity and no hypocrisy. We see courage in the midst of opposition. We see perfect love reaching out to rescue a world that needed a Savior.

So, let’s fix our eyes on Jesus today, and He will help us pursue a life of love and holiness. Second Timothy 2:22 says, “Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”

The pursuit of what is right in the Lord’s eyes is worth examining for a faith-focused life.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Praise Focus comes from Psalm 32, verse 11.

“Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart.”

In this Psalm, David expressed the blessing of God’s forgiveness. For a period of time, David was silent about his sins, and his bones were wasting away. His strength was sapped. That is what can happen when we cling to our sins instead of clinging to God.

But after acknowledging his sin to God, his guilt was removed, and he lived in the joy of God’s unfailing love. The Lord gave David a glad heart. This can be our experience when we let go of our sinful ways and turn to Jesus for a new direction. He will put a new song in our mouth that overflows with praise, joy, and thanksgiving.

A glad heart in God’s unfailing love 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 God’s favorable response to humility.

Jonah obeyed the Lord to give a warning to Nineveh that it would be overthrown in 40 days. The Ninevites responded to this message with belief and humility. They put on sackcloth and fasted in their brokenness.

In Jonah 3:8, The king proclaimed, “Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence. Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish.”

That is exactly what happened. God responded to the urgent prayers of the Ninevites with compassion, and did not bring on them the destruction He had threatened.

James 4:6 has this word of wisdom for all of us: God opposes the proud, but shows favor to the humble.”

God’s favorable response to humility is worth examining for a faith-focused life.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Praise Focus comes from Psalm 145, verses 9 and 10.

“The LORD is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made. All your works praise you, LORD; your faithful people extol you.”

Everything God does draws attention to His glory. Not everyone pays attention to His mighty acts, but when we do pay attention and acknowledge Him, we are blessed by noticing what He has done.

Here are some of God’s magnificent deeds by His outstretched arm-the Creation of the world, Deliverance of the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt, His merciful hand on a cross pierced for our transgressions, His gracious touch on a person’s life to make them a new creation in Christ, and the eternal place He is preparing for those who love Him.

The merciful and mighty hand of God is a reason to praise Him in the Year of Focus.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com