John Shirk

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Persons of Integrity from the Bible is the early church.

Acts 2:42 to 47 describes the patterns of the early church. Here is an abbreviated description: “they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer….They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”

Here was a community of believers who really loved God and enjoyed being together. They were teachable, sincere, and generous toward those with financial needs. They were committed to prayer and intentional worship. Their witness for Jesus was bearing fruit. This description of the early church shows how we can contribute to a healthier church by the way we live our lives.

The faithfulness of the early church to meet regularly for times of worship inspires us to be connected to a local church and to live a life of integrity.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Eye on Integrity is based on Matthew 7:3.

Jesus was confronting double standards when He said, “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye’, when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?’”

Jesus called for an end to this hypocrisy by saying, “First take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”

The way of self-righteousness puts down other people for their faults while giving oneself a free pass for bigger faults. The way of grace seeks to build up others in the faith and to confront barriers of sin (starting with ourselves) in a spirit of humility and honesty.

Walking with humility and grace are virtues to embrace for our lives in the Year of Integrity.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Person of Integrity from the Bible is Elisha.

The king of Aram had sent his horses and chariots to Dothan to surround the city. He did this to find Elisha and capture him.

When they moved into position, the servant of Elisha got up the next day and asked Elisha, “What shall we do?”

The prophet answered, “Don’t be afraid. Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” Then Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, LORD,, so that he may see.” Then the LORD opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

Sometimes, it may seem like we are surrounded by trouble. We feel the threats of evil on our soul, and it overwhelms us. But as Elisha saw, there is another reality that brings us hope. We are not alone in our battles. If we are in Christ, God is with us, and He is greater than our strongest foes.

The faithfulness of Elisha to see the bigger picture of the conflict inspires us to face our battles with God in the picture and to live a life of Integrity.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Person of Integrity from the Bible is a centurion with faith.

He encountered Jesus in Luke chapter 7. His highly valued servant was sick and dying, and so he sent messengers to Jesus to ask Him to come and heal his servant.

His message to Jesus was so filled with faith that the Bible says that Jesus was amazed at him. What did he say that was so astonishing?

He said, “Say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go’ and he goes.”

This man understood that just as his soldiers moved at his word, so sickness had to move at the command of Jesus. So, if Jesus would just say the word, then the centurion was confident that his servant would be healed. Jesus said about this man, “I have not found such great faith even in Israel.” The servant was then healed of his sickness.

The faithfulness of the Centurion to trust in the words of Jesus inspires us to believe the word of God and to live a life of integrity.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Eye on Integrity is based on Ephesians 4:29.

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”

In the transfer of materials, filters are meant to screen out impurities and let liquid pass through. Similarly, in the transfer of our thoughts into words, it is helpful to use the right filter. This is the filter that will help us screen out the bad words and let the good words pour into people’s lives in an edifying way.

Ephesians 4:15 tells us to speak the truth in love. That’s the filter. It applies to the words we speak, and also the words we communicate in social media.

Talking with edifying words is a virtue to embrace for our lives in the Year of Integrity.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Eye on Integrity is based on Job 23:10.

In his grief of losing wealth, health, and his children, Job made this statement of faith:

“He knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.”

Job recognized that God was taking him through the fire of adversity. Yet, he saw hope that he would come out of this season of mourning with a refined faith. Trials may tempt us to give up in discouragement or to grow bitter in spirit. But trials also have the potential to build our character and strengthen our faith in God if we trust Him through the storm.

Walking in hope through the trials of life is a virtue to embrace for our lives in the Year of Integrity.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Eye on Integrity is based 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.

Grace not only frees us from the guilt of sin, but also teaches us to stay away from it. When the love of God captures our heart, we receive a new heart and a new attitude that is focused on pleasing God. His grace is both effective for saving us from our sin and transforming our heart into the likeness of Christ. This happens more and more as we walk with God daily.

Walking in the light of God’s grace is a virtue to embrace for our lives in the Year of Integrity.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Person of Integrity from the Bible is Micah.

He was a prophet of God who ministered in the time of King Hezekiah. We don’t know much about him beyond what he wrote in the book of Micah.

His book addresses social ills of his day and warns of coming judgment. He said, “Woe to those who plan iniquity, to those who plot evil on their beds.”

But his message also contained hope, predicting the coming of the Messiah, highlighting God’s mercy to pardon sin, and showing us God’s will for living a life that God considers good.

In Micah 6:8, the prophet writes, “He has showed you what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

The faithfulness of Micah to turn people’s attention to what is good inspires us to follow after God’s own heart and to live a life of integrity.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Eye on Integrity is based on Galatians 6, verses 1 and 2.

“Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

A person who has sinned against God does not need words of condemnation from those who follow Christ. What that person needs is restoration. As we pursue those who have wandered from the truth, we reflect the love of the Savior who left the ninety-nine sheep to bring us into His flock.

This is a sacred pursuit. It’s delicate. Gentleness is required. Handle the situation with care and concern. Wounded souls are valuable and fragile. We are wise to protect our own hearts from compromising situations as we seek to restore the hearts of others back to God.

Walking in the gentleness of Christ is a virtue to embrace for our lives in the Year of Integrity.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Eye on Integrity is based on Exodus 20, verse 3.

The LORD says, “You shall have no other gods before me.”

This was the first commandment that the LORD gave in this chapter. Nine others would follow. This one establishes God as our most important priority. No politician, no religious leader, or athlete, or movie star deserves the kind of allegiance that we offer to God.

God was telling the Israelites in the preceding verse that He brought the Israelites out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

Jesus came to set us free from the bondage of sin. In light of what He has done for us at the cross, we can show our gratitude by setting Him apart as Lord.

Walking with full devotion to Christ is a virtue to embrace for our lives in the Year of Integrity.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com