John Shirk

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Endurance, today’s Daily Challenge motivates us to run the race of faith with a forward focus.

If you ever watch a footrace, you rarely see athletes looking back. They know by doing so, their progress would slow down, and as a result, they could lose the race.

The Apostle Paul gives us direction for our focus by his example. He did not want to look back on his journey with regrets or with a sense of retreat. He was focused on moving forward with Jesus, step by step. He was on a journey. He had not yet arrived, but he was making good progress.

This is what he wrote in Philippians 3:13, “Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead. I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

Take the daily challenge to run the race with a forward focus on the journey of faith.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Endurance, today’s Daily Challenge motivates us to run the race of faith with purpose.

Have you ever heard of an Olympic athlete who shows up at the games without training for their event?  In reality, each athlete has invested an enormous amount of time, energy, and training to fulfill their dream of representing their country, and to win a gold medal.

The Apostle Paul looked to the dedicated athlete and said to the church in so many words, “we can learn from their example as we apply it to the Christian life.”

He wrote in First Corinthians 9:24, “Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.”

If we keep our focus on Jesus, He will give us incentive to run a good race with every step we take.

Take the daily challenge to run the race with purpose on the journey of faith.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

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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