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JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Endurance, today’s Daily Challenge motivates us to seek the unity of Christ’s body, the church.

That is what Jesus prayed for in John 17:20. “I pray for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you.”

If we want to be instruments of unity in the church, we need to have God’s love motivating our actions. We need to be praying for each other, building up each other in the faith, forgiving each other as Christ has forgiven us, and serving each other with humility.

There is a warning for those who stir up division in the church. Galatians 5:15 says, “If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.” Through Jesus, there is a way for us to be unified, because He is the head of the church, and His grace brings people together to share a common love and a common purpose.

Take the daily challenge to seek the unity of the Church on the journey of faith.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Endurance, today’s Daily Challenge motivates us to stay flexible to God’s plans.

Sometimes, God will redirect us to a different place than we imagined going.

In the early church, Paul and his companions were trying to get to a place in Asia, but the Lord redirected them through a vision to go to Macedonia. This was how the Gospel was introduced through missionary activity in Europe.

When we give our lives to the Lord, we are giving Him the right to overrule our plans with His higher purposes. This requires trusting God to lead us, even if His guidance calls for an adjustment in our plans. He sees the bigger picture and He knows what He is doing.

Proverbs 16:9 says, “In their hearts, humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps.”

Take the daily challenge to stay flexible to God’s direction for our lives on the journey of faith.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Word of Encouragement is Eagle.

An eagle is a large bird known for keen sight and soaring flight.

This bird has a huge wingspan that can soar at altitudes as high as 10,000 feet or more. The Bald Eagle is the national symbol of American culture to capture the spirit of freedom.

The Bible refers to an eagle’s flight to represent the hope that is found in the Lord.

Isaiah 40:31 says, “Those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

Hope is energizing, and moves us forward in our faith when we look to Jesus as our source of hope.

Find encouragement in the flight of the eagle to put our ultimate hope in Jesus in the Year of Endurance.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

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JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Endurance, today’s Daily Challenge motivates us to clothe ourselves with humility.

In First Peter 5 we see that this call of humility is specific toward how we respect church leaders and how church leaders serve those under their care.

Verse 3 is a message to church leaders: “Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care-watching over them-not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve, not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.”

Verse 5 has a message for those under church authority: “You who are younger, submit to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God opposes the proud and shows favor to the humble.”

These are the expressions of humility that build a healthy church.

Take the daily challenge to be clothed with humility on the journey of faith.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Word of Encouragement is Hope.

Thomas Fuller was quoted as saying “If it were not for hope, the heart would break.” Hope gives us the courage to press on in the faith through difficult trials, like broken relationships or broken dreams.

Jesus is the source of hope we need to live with real optimism and expectation of better things to come.

In Jeremiah 29:11, the LORD says, “I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Romans 5:2 through 5 reveals the journey to hope. “We boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character, and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.”

Find encouragement in the hope of God’s promises and the assurance of His love in the Year of Endurance.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Endurance, today’s Daily Challenge motivates us to pursue peace.

This is what the Apostle Paul instructed a young pastor to do in Second Timothy 2:22. Paul was instructing Timothy to be an effective witness for the Gospel.

Pursuing peace was one of those instructions.  Jesus offers us peace with God that is not dependent on favorable circumstances. Just before Jesus died on a cross, He told His disciples in John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

Peace is a gift from Jesus that equips us to live at peace with God and with others. First Peter 3:11 shows us how we can be intentional about pursuing peace. “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech. They must turn from evil and do good; they must seek peace and pursue it.”

Take the daily challenge to pursue peace in relationship to God and in our relationships with others on the journey of faith.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Endurance, today’s Daily Challenge motivates us to pursue love.

This is what the Apostle Paul instructed a young pastor to do in Second Timothy 2:22. Paul was instructing Timothy how to be an effective witness for the Gospel.

Pursuing love was one of those instructions. God’s love is the compelling influence to guide us in the way of love. Through Jesus, God demonstrated the kind of love that He has for us, and wants us to extend to others. It’s the kind of love that is patient and kind, serves others with humility and is willing to make personal sacrifices for others. Let’s look for ways to let God’s love flow through us.

First John 4:19 says, “We love because he first loved us.”  And First John 4:11 says, “Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.”

Take the daily challenge to pursue love in our way of life on the journey of faith.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Endurance, today’s Daily Challenge motivates us to pursue faith.

This is what the Apostle Paul instructed a young pastor to do in Second Timothy 2:22. Paul was instructing Timothy how to be an effective witness for the Gospel.

Pursuing faith is one of those instructions. This is how we can shine for Jesus today-with a testimony of faith that reflects His goodness and grace.

At the foundation of faith, we are trusting Jesus alone to save us from our sins and lead us in the way of righteousness until we reach our heavenly home. Our faith depends on what Jesus has done for us.

First Corinthians 15:3 says, “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.” This is the Gospel by which we take our stand and are saved.

Take the daily challenge to follow Jesus and trust Him completely on the journey of faith.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com