John Shirk

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Vision, today’s 20/20 Insight focuses on Solomon’s dream.

It happened in First Kings chapter 3. At Gibeon, the LORD appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”  If God gave you this opportunity, how would you respond?

Solomon had just ascended to the throne as king of Israel. He said to the LORD, “I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?”

The Bible says that the LORD was pleased that Solomon had asked for discernment. Proverbs 8:11 tells us that wisdom is more precious than rubies. If we lack wisdom, God invites us to ask Him, and He is generous to provide what we lack.

Focusing on God as our source of wisdom gives us greater clarity for living out the Christian life.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Here are some of the musical highlights over the Lunch Break on the Friday Time Capsule from July 23, 2001.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Vision, today’s 20/20 Insight focuses on Paul’s vision of a man in Macedonia.

It happened in Acts, Chapter 16. Paul and his traveling companions were trying to preach the word in Asia, but the Holy Spirit kept them from entering.  During the night, Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”  After Paul had seen the vision, they got ready to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called them to preach the gospel to them.

This marked the advance of the Gospel into Europe. God had used this vision to redirect Paul’s missionary journey. God may close doors to our plans in order to open other doors of opportunity later. That is what he did through Paul’s vision in Acts 16.  

Focusing on God’s agenda for our lives gives us greater clarity for living out the Christian life.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Good News Focus is on Acts 17, verses 26 and 27.

These were words spoken by the Apostle Paul when he preached a sermon in Athens.

“From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.”

We are not here by accident or random chance. We were placed in this part of the world at this moment of human history for a reason. God has a purpose for our lives, and one of those purposes is to know Him personally.

Jesus is our Source of Good News, leading us to a place of a personal relationship where we fully trust in His love in the Year of Vision.  

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Good News Focus is on John 16:13.

Jesus told His disciples, “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.”

Jesus was assuring His followers that after He left them, He would not leave them alone. He would ask the Father to send the Holy Spirit to be with them and to guide them in the truth.

The Holy Spirit gives us counsel that will move us in the direction of pleasing God. His influence moves us toward the fruitful qualities of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

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

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Good News Focus is on John 15:13.

Jesus said to His disciples, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

Less than 24 hours later, Jesus went to the cross to lay down His life for us. How do we comprehend this kind of supreme love? What is our response to His sacrifice on our behalf?

The nails did not hold Jesus to the cross. His love did. Jesus said He could have called for 12 legions of angels to come to His rescue, but how would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen this way? Jesus went to His death willingly, because He loved us, and wanted us to become part of His forgiven family.

Jesus is our Source of Good News, leading us to profound gratitude for His supreme love in the Year of Vision.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Good News Focus is on Acts 17, verses 24 and 25.

“The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else.”

God did not create us because He needed us. He was doing fine before He made the world. After He made the world and placed humanity in the Garden of Eden, He delighted in what He made.

He is our Creator. We are His creation. He does not need us, but we certainly do need Him. And He places us where we live at this point in time so that we might seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him.  He is not far from any one of us. He is just a prayer away, and is able to give us a new life that is built on the grace and truth of Jesus Christ.

Jesus is our Source of Good News, leading us to a place of depending on Him for life and breath and everything else in the Year of Vision.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Here is the Playlist that was featured at Noon on Friday, July 10th. These were the top 12 songs as they appeared 15 years ago in July 2005. How many of these songs are familiar to you? Enjoy the Playlist.

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Vision, today’s 20/20 Insight focuses on the freedom of serving in a spirit of love.

Along with freedoms come responsibility for the actions that we take. The opportunity to use our freedom for good or evil is found in Galatians 5:13 to 15-“You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.”

This is a good word for us today. We can use our freedoms and opportunities for selfish gain or we can use our freedoms and opportunities to represent Jesus.  Selfish ambition leads to prideful actions that tear people apart. Love leads to humble service that inspires faith, hope, and love in the lives of others.

Focusing on the freedom of serving others gives us greater clarity for living out the Christian life.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – My thanks to Quinn for filling in for me to present the Friday Time Capsule from early July 2012. Here is the playlist of that Retro-Countdown. To clarify the order, the first song on the Playlist was at number 12 on the Countdown and the last song was number 1.