John Shirk

JOHN SHIRK -Today’s Eye on Integrity is based on Ephesians 4:15 and 16.

“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. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.”

Before we send a message to someone, it is good to ask these two questions: “Is it truthful?” and “Is it loving? Words of truth without love can come across as blunt and hurtful. On the other hand, words meant to build up, but not grounded in honesty amount to empty flattery.

But when we speak the truth in a spirit of love, good things happen. People are encouraged to grow in their relationship with God. The trust factor is strong. There is a greater atmosphere of freedom to be honest about our struggles because of the support structure that is in place. When this is happening in the church, God’s people grow together in love, and character is transformed more and more into the likeness of Christ.

Speaking the truth in love 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 Joseph.

In his teen years, Joseph’s brothers mistreated him badly. They sold him off to a foreign land.

Many years later, these same brothers came to Joseph to seek his help during a famine. What they did not know at the time was that they were seeking help from the brother they had disowned so many years ago.

Joseph had regard for God throughout his life. When given the opportunity to get revenge, he instead opened the door for reconciliation. In Genesis 50:20, he revealed his identity to them and said, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don’t be afraid, I will provide for you and your children.” And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.”

The faithfulness of Joseph to seek reconciliation with his brothers inspires us to overcome evil with good and to live a life of integrity.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Eye on Integrity is based on Psalm 19, verses 12 and 13.

“Who can discern their own errors? Forgive my hidden faults. Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then I will be blameless, innocent of great transgression.”

These thoughts express the earnest desire of a man to be cleared of wrongdoing and to have a right relationship with God. Prayer and surrender are good starting places for making things right with God. Prayer and surrender are good starting places with God every day.

Jesus came to set us free from the tyranny of sin. If we follow Jesus daily, His truth reigns over us, and sin no longer has control over our lives. His peace will fill our hearts, and enable us to live without fear of condemnation.

Walking a blameless 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 Psalm 37, verses 4 to 6.

“Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD, trust in him, and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.”

The starting place for standing for righteous causes is a relationship with God where we delight in Him. He then plants holy desires in our heart that become righteous causes.

For Billy Graham, that cause was preaching the Gospel.

For Mother Teresa, that cause was helping the poor.

For George Mueller, that cause was helping orphans in their distress.

For Chuck Colson, that cause was reaching out to prisoners and their families with the love of Jesus.

What will your righteous cause be? Let God be the One to move you and guide you. Commit that cause to God.

Walking with delight in the Lord 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 First John 4:19.

“We love because he first loved us.”

God is our teacher on the lessons of love. He initiated love at creation, and at the cross in the midst of our sinfulness. He gave His best for our worst, so that we might have the opportunity to be restored to Him through faith in Jesus Christ.

There is a Portuguese Proverb that says, “To love God is the greatest of virtues; to be loved by God is the greatest of blessings.”

There is a way for us to grow in love every day, and that is to embrace the grace that Jesus offers us and to walk in the footsteps of His love day by day.

Walking in the way of Christ’s love 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 the Prodigal Son.

This person is mentioned in a story taught by Jesus in Luke 15.

The word “prodigal” describes someone who spends money recklessly. In this story, the Prodigal Son left home and squandered his father’s wealth on wild living. There is nothing noble about that. But that is not where his story ends. People with godly integrity are not perfect, but they are purified.

Jesus said, “When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, “I will go home to my father and say, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant.” That is exactly what he did, and his father welcomed him with open arms. He was filled with love and compassion for his son as he returned home.

The faithfulness of the Prodigal Son to make things right with his father inspires us to be reconciled with our Heavenly Father through Jesus and to live a life of integrity.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Eye On Integrity is based on Psalm 1, verses 1 through 3.

“Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither-whatever they do prospers.”

We hear many different voices in a given day. The ones who influence us are the ones we believe. If we walk with the wise, we will grow wise. This Psalm is speaking to us about the productive blessing of delighting in God’s Word.

Meditation is the process by which the words of God leap off the pages of the Bible and find a place in our heart. If we feed on God’s Word today and consider it as a precious treasure, it will teach us the way of wisdom and lead us to a thriving faith in the Lord.

Walking in the delight of God’s Word 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 Romans 10:9.

“If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

The Gospel is the good news of what Jesus did for us when He went to the cross and rose from the dead three days later. This is the defining moment in history that gives us hope. No longer will God hold our sins against us if our faith is in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

Our failures are not fatal. Our faith is not futile. Death is not final. The resurrection of Jesus was a game-changer. His grace freely given is a life-changer.

Walking by faith in the resurrected 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 Matthew 6, verses 5 and 6.

Jesus said, “And 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, the religious leaders turned prayer into a spectator event. Jesus tells us that the purpose of prayer is not to impress a crowd, but to spend time in communion with God. In those quiet places of prayer, God will meet us and be there to strengthen our faith in Him.

Walking with pure motives in prayer 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 Barnabas.

He was a great encouragement to young believers in the Lord. When others were not sure if Paul’s conversion to the faith was authentic, Barnabas was there to help build bridges between Paul and other church leaders.

Barnabas was also influential when he visited believers in Antioch. Acts 11:23 records that “when he arrived and saw what the grace of God had done, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.”

Never underestimate the potential for encouragement to make a difference in someone’s life.

The faithfulness of Barnabas to bring people to faith in Christ inspires us to be a voice of encouragement today and live a life of integrity.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com