JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Vision, today’s 20/20 Insight focuses on the encouragement of God’s grace.

What we choose to see through the eyes of faith can really make a difference in how we relate with others.

An example of that can be seen in Barnabas who went to Antioch. Acts 11:23 says, “When he arrived and saw what the grace of God had done, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain to true to the Lord with all their hearts. He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.”

This is what the ministry of encouragement can do in the church when prompted by the evidence of God’s grace.

Focusing on the evidence of God’s grace gives us greater clarity for living out the Christian life. 

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Vision, today’s 20/20 Insight focuses on Jesus as the Good Shepherd.

That was His claim in John 10:11 and John 10:14.

In verse 11, He said, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”

And in verse 14, “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me.”

Sheep have a tendency to wander and are left vulnerable when they stray from the flock. But as the Good Shepherd, Jesus cares for each of His sheep. In Luke 15, He talks about a shepherd being willing to leave the 99 sheep who were found to search for the sheep that strayed from the flock. That is the heart of Jesus-to pursue us, to rescue us, and to restore us back to the fold of where we belong.

Jesus loves us. He was willing to die for us to bring us into His family of believers.

Focusing on Jesus as the Good Shepherd gives us greater clarity for living out the Christian life.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Good News Focus is on James 1, verses 2 through 4.

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” 

Here we see that there is purpose to the trials of our lives. That purpose is to grow in godly character. We may not like the trial, but we can rejoice in the fruit that is produces after we endure the trial.

The strong wings of a butterfly are made through the struggle to get out of the cocoon. If the struggle did not happen, the butterfly would likely never fly. In a similar way, our trials give us the opportunity to grow stronger in our faith. 

Jesus is our source of Good News, leading us to a place of godly character in the Year of Vision.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Vision, today’s 20/20 Insight focuses on Jesus as the Bread of Life.

Just after feeding thousands of people with fish and bread, Jesus made this claim about Himself in John 6:35.

“I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”

Just as bread satisfies the hunger of our stomach, so Jesus satisfies the hunger of our soul. He fills us with His love and truth, and sustains us by His grace.

Physical cravings are satisfied for a brief period of time when we fill up on food, but the grace and truth of Jesus fills the longings of our soul for righteousness so that we enjoy lasting peace with God.

Focusing on Jesus as the Bread of Life gives us greater clarity for living out the Christian life.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Vision, today’s 20/20 Insight focuses on Jesus as the one path to God, the Father.

In John 14:6, Jesus told His disciples, “I am the way, and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

This is a claim that puts Jesus in a different category from everyone else that walked on the earth. He is identifying Himself as the only One who is able to bring us into a relationship with God. Access to God comes through Jesus. He is the only One who died for our sins, and He is uniquely qualified to restore us to a peaceful relationship with God. He is our Mediator.

Ephesians 3:12 says about Jesus, “In him and through faith in him, we may approach God with freedom and confidence.” In relationship to God, He does not count our sins against us, but looks on us with eyes of grace.

Focusing on Jesus as our pathway to God gives us greater clarity for living out the Christian life.   

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Vision, today’s 20/20 Insight focuses on Jesus as the Light of the world.

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.”

There are two key points that we can learn from this statement regarding Jesus’ followers.

The first point is that following Jesus is a step-by-step journey. He leads the way, and we follow Him. As we follow Jesus, we can hear His voice more clearly by staying close to Him in relationship.

The second point is that Jesus is our source of light. His divine wisdom is greater than human reasoning, and is the guidepost for our lives that leads us to abundant and eternal life.

Focusing on Jesus as the Light of the world gives us greater clarity for living out the Christian life. 

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Good News Focus is on First Peter 4:8.

“Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.”

Love is life-changing. The Gospel is rooted in the love of God for us, and when we receive God’s love and pass it along in our relationships, we have the opportunity to represent Jesus in this world.

Notice, the passage does not call us to love superficially. God calls us to love each other from the heart, not just with our words or going through the motions. This will lead us to generous giving with a grateful heart, rather than fulfilling our duty with a complaining spirit. Then, when love is tested, we will keep reaching out with love and seek God’s best for those people that God has placed in our lives.

Jesus is our source of Good News, leading us to a place of loving people from the heart in the Year of Vision.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Vision, today’s 20/20 Insight focuses on a spiritual metaphor of snow.

It’s found in Isaiah 1:18, where the LORD says, 

“Come now, let us settle the matter. Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.”

Just as a blanket of snow covers the ground, so the blood of Jesus has the power to cover our sins. His grace is able to make our hearts pure again. 

Repentance is the pathway to forgiveness. That is the picture of turning around from going in the wrong direction to get back on track with God. To a nation whose hands were full of blood, God said, “Take your evil deeds out of my sight; stop doing wrong. Learn to do right; seek justice.” 

In the New Testament, Jesus said, “Repent and believe the good news!”

Focusing on the grace of God to cleanse us from sin gives us greater clarity for living out the Christian life.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s 20/20 Insight focuses on the value of God’s love.

In Ephesians 3:19, the Apostle Paul prayed that we might have power together with all the Lord’s holy people to grasp the value of Christ’s love to our lives.

This love surpasses knowledge. A good education can prepare us for a productive career, but the love of God prepares us for a thriving faith and an eternal inheritance in His Kingdom. Jesus has made it possible to know what God’s love is because He demonstrated it when He walked on the earth.

First John 3:16 says, “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.”

Focusing on the value of God’s love gives us greater clarity for living out the Christian life. 

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Vision, today’s 20/20 Insight focuses on the depth of God’s love.

In Ephesians 3:18, The Apostle Paul prayed that we might have power together with all the Lord’s holy people to grasp how deep is the love of Christ.

One of the ways we can tell that someone loves us sincerely is by their willingness to make sacrifices on our behalf. Jesus passes this sincerity test with flying colors.

In John 15:13, Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” That is exactly what Jesus would do less that 24 hours after making this statement.  Because of His sacrifice, we can call on God to save us from our sins, and He will be faithful to hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.

Focusing on the depth of God’s love gives us greater clarity for living out the Christian life.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com