John Shirk

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Endurance, today’s Daily Challenge motivates us to put our confidence in God through the seasons of life.

The circumstances of life may change and bring hardship in our lives. Crops may fail. Our health may fail. The empty promises of another person may fail. Our plans may even fail. But the love of Jesus will not fail us. Neither will His promises. We can fully trust Him.

Nothing in all creation can ever separate us from God’s love that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. His love is the reason we can live with confidence and security.

Jeremiah 17:7 says, “Blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”

Take the daily challenge to put confidence in God through the seasons of life on the journey of faith.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Endurance, today’s Daily Challenge motivates us to trust in God’s unfailing love.

That is what David did. He was one of the writers of the Psalms, and he wrote in Psalm 52:8, “I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God’s unfailing love for ever and ever. For what you have done, I will always praise you in the presence of your faithful people. And I will hope in your name, for your name is good.”

Olive trees sometimes live for more than a thousand years, and they can be productive for many, many years. This is the comparison made with someone who trusts in God’s unfailing love. Our faith has opportunity to thrive and to stand tall for the glory of God as we praise the name of Jesus and put our hope in His name. He will not fail us. He proved His love for us at the cross. Then, He rose from the grave victorious over death. That is the same hope we have when we put our faith in Him-life beyond the grave.

Take the daily challenge to trust in God’s unfailing love on the journey of faith.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Word of Encouragement is Immanuel.

We don’t have to wait for the celebration of Christmas to find encouragement in this name.

At the birth of Jesus, the Bible records in Matthew 1:22, “All this took place to fulfill what the Lord has said through the prophet, ‘The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him ‘Immanuel’, which means ‘God with us.’

God did not keep His distance from the human experience. He stepped right into it in the form of Jesus.

Jesus did not keep His distance from our pain and suffering and grief. Instead, He stepped right into it by going to the cross.

Jesus stepped into a world that needed a Savior, and showed us the way to a fulfilling relationship with God forever. God is not distant. He cares and is close enough to hear every humble prayer that reaches out to Him.

Find encouragement in the presence of God to meet us in our place of need 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 remember the deeds of the LORD.

In Psalm 77, Asaph was in a place of distress. In his time of trouble, he turned to God and said to himself in verse 11, “I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. I will consider all your works and meditate on all your mighty deeds.”

When he did this, he started to see that God was greater than his troubles. He said, “Your ways, God, are holy. What god is as great as our God?” His decision to remember God’s deeds became a turning point in Psalm 77.

We have even more history in our rearview mirror to see God’s miracles at work. Jesus died and rose again from the dead to show the world the miracle of His unfailing love.

Take the daily challenge to remember the mighty deeds of the LORD on the journey of faith.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Endurance, today’s Daily Challenge motivates us to remember those in poverty.

In Galatians 2:10, the Apostle Paul acknowledged that different church leaders were called to different mission fields.

But there was one group of people that all the leaders agreed to remember-those in poverty.

Not everyone has the same amount of resources to relieve people from poverty, but we can do something. Mother Teresa said “If you can’t feed a hundred people, then feed just one.”

Moses said in Deuteronomy 15:11 “There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore, I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land.”

Take the daily challenge to remember those in poverty and respond with a generous heart on the journey of faith.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Word of Encouragement is “Ebenezer.”

This word shows up in First Samuel 7:12, when the prophet Samuel set up a stone and named it “Ebenezer” saying, “Thus far the LORD has helped us.”

This stone was set up to remind the Israelites of God’s faithfulness to them. Sometimes, they would be unfaithful to Him, and He would discipline them. But the purpose of the discipline was not to destroy the Israelites. Rather, His purpose was to turn their hearts back to Him.

Ebenezer means “Stone of Help.”  There are reference points that remind us that God has come to help His people.  Those places are at the cross and empty grave. Jesus is the evidence of God’s faithfulness, and we can count on Him to save us from our sins.

Find encouragement in the reference points of history that point to God as our source of help in the Year of Endurance.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Endurance, today’s Daily Challenge motivates us to use technology with discernment and moderation.

Today, it is possible to develop an addiction to our cell phones.

Chip Ingram says that “technology is a wonderful thing, but its excess and overuse is negatively transforming God’s people to embrace the values of the world…..The Utopia it promises is a myth. Its value is great only when used with wisdom and restraint.”

Here are three Bible verses that are relevant for exercising self-control in our use of technology.

From First Corinthians 6:12, “I will not be mastered by anything.”

From Proverbs 4:23, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”

And from Ephesians 4:15, “Speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.”

Take the daily challenge to use technology with discernment and moderation 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 remember the empty grave.

Second Timothy 2:8 tells us to “remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David.” Paul the Apostle noted, “This is my gospel.”  Jesus is our source of good news too when we belong to Him through faith. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the reason for our victory over sin, death, and the pressures of this world.

Jesus told His followers the night before He died, “In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Even though we face temptation, turbulence, and the trials of life, we have much reason for optimism.  Jesus is alive today. We do not worship a dead Christ, but the risen Christ. Because of that, we have a living hope that outshines the brilliance of the sunlight and endures forever.

Take the daily challenge to remember the empty grave and the reason for our hope on the journey of faith.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com