John Shirk

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Good News Focus is on John 14:23.

Jesus said, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.”

Doing good deeds does not always reflect love for Jesus with pure motives. However, a sincere love for Jesus always motivates us to obey the teachings of Jesus.  

Humility is the quality that we need to be teachable and to stay on track with God.

God gives grace to the humble and makes Himself at home with the humble heart. Isaiah 57:15 talks about the two dwelling places of God. One of those places is a high and holy place, but the other place is with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit. He revives the heart of the contrite.

Jesus is our Source of Good News, leading us to a place of meaningful relationship with God in the Year of Vision.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Vision, today’s 20/20 Insight focuses on prayer with God in a place of privacy.

In Matthew 6:5, Jesus taught, “When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then, your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”

In Jesus’ day, hypocrites were actors who appeared religious on the outside, but inside, they were full of greed and self-indulgence. The reward they received for their religious show was praise from people, but not favor from God.  Jesus instructs us to find a quiet place and have a talk with God. That is where our relationship with God has an opportunity to grow stronger. Then the practice of our faith will be guided by pure motives that reflect our love for God.

Focusing on personal time with God in prayer 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 extraordinary faith of ordinary men.

Peter and John were two of Jesus’ disciples.

In Acts 4:12, Peter made this public declaration about Jesus, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

Here is how the religious leaders responded to this statement: When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.  

One of the demonstrations of extraordinary faith is courage, and the pathway to extraordinary courage is time well spent with Jesus.

Focusing on being with Jesus daily 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’ compassion for people.

The ministry of Jesus changed people’s lives in dramatic ways. He would go through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. That is what Jesus did for people. Here is why He did those things.

Matthew 9:36 says, “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” 

Compassion was at the heart of Jesus’ ministry, and moves His followers today to reach the world with God’s love.

Focusing on the compassion of Jesus for people gives us greater clarity for living out the Christian life.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Good News Focus is on Colossians 3:1.

Since then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.

With eyes of faith, we set our affections on Christ, His Kingdom, His truth, His grace, and His priorities. What matters to Jesus is what matters to us. This is what happens when we identify with Christ. He forms our identity into His likeness. 

Colossians 3:4 describes Christ as our life. He is our motivation for waking up in the morning. He defines our purpose and mission in life. He is the reason we have hope in broken circumstances. He is the spark that ignites love in our heart to glorify His name, and encourage others with His love.

Jesus is our Source of Good News, leading us to a place of aligning ourselves with God’s priorities in the Year of Vision.  

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Good News Focus is on James 5:13.

Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise.

We will experience different seasons of life. Sometimes, we will be on the mountaintop of celebration. At other times, we will be in the valley of grief and sorrow. The circumstances of our lives give us opportunities to draw closer to God if we respond to them with faith.

Rick Warren has said, “In happy moments, praise God. In difficult moments, seek God. In quiet moments, worship God. In painful moments, trust God. In every moment, thank God.”

Jesus is our Source of Good News, leading us to places of prayer and praise through the various seasons of life in the Year of Vision. 

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK- Here are some highlights from the Retro-Countdown from early October 2002 on the Friday Time Capsule.

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Good News Focus is on Titus 2, verses 11 and 12.

“For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age.”

Here we see the power of God’s grace to save us and transform us through Jesus Christ. He gave Himself to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is good.

Jesus is our Source of Good News, leading us to places of freedom and pure devotion in the Year of Vision. 

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Good News Focus is on Luke 24:44 and 45.

Jesus said to His disciples, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms.” Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.

There were times during Jesus’ ministry when He would tell the disciples that He was going to the cross and then would rise from the dead.  They had no idea what He was talking about.  But after the fact, and after Jesus explained the meaning of it all, then they understood. 

Sometimes, when we read the Bible, we might not understand everything we read. But the more we search the Scriptures, the more we will learn, and the more we learn, the better we will understand. Jesus invites us to approach Him and learn from Him. He guides the humble and teaches them His way.

Jesus is our Source of Good News, leading us to places of understanding the Scriptures in the Year of Vision.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com