John Shirk

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Wisdom from the Red Letters is found in John 10:17 and 18.

Jesus
said, “The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life-only to take it
up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have
authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I
received from my Father.”

This
statement from Jesus indicates that His death and resurrection was the plan of
redemption all along. Jesus talked about it before it happened, and then He
walked toward Jerusalem to offer Himself as the Lamb of God.

No one
could have taken the life of Jesus if He had not laid it down for us. He said
on one occasion, “Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once
put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?” Jesus had a heavenly
army who could defend Him. But He did not call for their intervention, because
He was willing to die for us so that we might be with Him forever.

The words of Jesus inspire us with the thought that He willingly died for us so that we could be with Him and live for Him in the Year of Redempion.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Wisdom from the Red Letters is found in Matthew 6:13b.

Jesus
taught us to pray, “For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory
forever. Amen.”

This is
an acknowledgement of the greatness of God, placing Him on His rightful place
on the throne, having authority to reign with supreme power and eternal glory.

This
underscores an important point about worship being at the heart of our prayer
life. God is glorified and our soul is edified when we express adoration for
Him, and exalt His worthy name.

Psalm
40:16 says, “May all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who
long for your saving help always say, ‘The LORD is great!’”

The words of Jesus inspire us to a place of worship in the Year of Redemption.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Redemption, today’s Freedom Phrase is based on Romans 6:4.

“We
were therefore buried with Jesus through baptism into death in order that, just
as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may
live a new life.”

This
new life that the Bible talks about is a life that shares in the sufferings of
Jesus and His resurrection.

We can
live with the confidence that if we share in His sufferings, He can identify
with our pain, because He has been there. We catch a glimpse of what He
willingly endured for us.

We can
also live with the confidence that just as Jesus rose from the dead, we will
overcome death too. We will rise after the death of our bodies to live with Him
forever and see Him in His glory.

Through Jesus, we are set free to have a new life that walks in relationship with God.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Redemption, today’s Freedom Phrase is based on Ephesians 4:22 and 23.

“You
were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self,
which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires, to be made new in the
attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in
true righteousness and holiness.”

The
Gospel presents us with a new way of thinking that flows out of a renewed mind.
The word “Repentance” means to change one’s mind. We were going in the wrong
direction, but the grace of God tapped us on the shoulder, captured our
attention, and changed our mind to follow Jesus.

A
renewed mind will transform our attitude to be kind and compassionate,
forgiving, and generous. God’s grace moves us to study the mind of Christ, so
that we can learn to think more like Him.

Through Jesus, we are set free to a new way of thinking that is transformed by the attitude of Christ.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Redemption, today’s Freedom Phrase is based on Psalm 40, verse 3.

David
said, “He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will
see and fear the LORD and put their trust in him.”

It is
not a coincidence that David wrote over 70 Psalms that reflect his love for God
in various ways.

There
is something that happens in our spirit when we open our heart to God and
consider His love for us an eternal treasure. We might not all write songs, but
our music begins to change to the tune of a new Conductor. God puts a song in
our heart that celebrates the name of Jesus and His amazing grace given to us.

Through Jesus, we are set free to sing a new song of praise to the LORD.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Redemption, today’s Freedom Phrase is based on Acts 16:34.

One
person whose life was dramatically changed by the Gospel was a jailer who put
his faith in Jesus.

He was
filled with joy because he had come to believe in God-he and his whole
household.

He was
suicidal after an earthquake shook the prison he was guarding. But Paul and
Silas intervened. They assured the jailer that none of the prisoners had
escaped. Then the jailer asked the life-changing question, “Sirs, what must I
do to be saved?”

They
replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved-you and your
household.” That is exactly what happened. Through faith in Jesus, the love of
Jesus has the power to fill us with the joy of Jesus from this time forward.

Through Jesus, we are set free to experience a new joy that is based on knowing Him.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Redemption, today’s Freedom Phrase is based on Acts 17:28a.

The
Apostle Paul said, “For in him we live and move and have our being.”

The
good news of Jesus gives us a new purpose in life. Our focus when waking up in
the morning is to know God better and be an instrument that makes Him known in
the world. First Corinthians 10:31, says, “whether you eat or drink or whatever
you do, do it all for the glory of God.”

As we
walk with God, our mind becomes trained to commit all our activity to the glory
of God, even in the ordinary activities of eating and drinking. This is the
main purpose of our lives-to glorify God. That is also the motivation of our
heart that enables our faith to be a thriving witness for Jesus.

Through Jesus, we are set free with a new purpose to glorify God.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK -In the Year of Redemption, today’s Freedom Phrase is based on Lamentations 3:22 and 23.

“Because
of the LORD’s great love, we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”

God’s
faithful love for us is written in the sky each morning with the reliable
appearance of the sunrise. Even as the sunrise breaks the darkness of the
night, so the grace of God has the power to break the spiritual strongholds in
our lives that keep us in the darkness.

While
his people were living in captivity, the writer of Lamentations was comforted
by the compassion of God to be their source of light and hope.

Through Jesus, we are set free to receive a new start for a brighter day.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Redemption, today’s Freedom Phrase is based on Ezekiel 36, verse 26.

“I will
give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your
heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you
and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.”

The
Gospel is a message of hope for change. This change begins in the heart to
recognize the value of God’s grace to save us from our sins and transform us
into His likeness.

He
gives us new ambitions, so that our ultimate desire becomes pleasing God with a
faithful heart. Flowing out of that faithfulness is a willing heart to serve
God and to obey His Word. His love will compel us to express our faith in love.

Through Jesus, we are set free to receive a new heart that is focused on following Him.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Redemption, today’s Freedom Phrase is based on Second Corinthians 5:17.

If
anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come. The old has gone, the new is
here.

A
relationship with Jesus begins our journey of a redeemed life. 

We
become a new person with a fresh hope and a greater purpose beyond ourselves. God’s
love moves us to a place of forgiveness.

Before
Christ, we were lost without clear direction. After coming to faith in Christ,
we are found in His grace. 

Before
Christ, we were enslaved by sin. But after coming to faith in Christ, we were
set free.

Before
Christ, we were condemned without Jesus. But after coming to faith in Christ,
we were saved to be with Jesus.

Through Jesus, we are set free to become a new creation in relationship to Him.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com