John Shirk

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Relationship-Building Principle comes from James 4:1.

“What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you?”

Resolving conflict can be a messy, uncomfortable process. It requires examining where the relationship has gone sour, so that amends can be made and reconciliation might take place.

James is addressing conflict in the church, and is confronting the selfish tendencies of those who quarrel and fight. Addressing problems is not a negative perspective, as long as we are committed to seeking solutions. When we are embroiled in conflicts, we can find insight in the writings of James. We can ask ourselves if our own selfish tendencies are contributing to the conflict. Is pride keeping me from accepting responsibility for my actions? Is there anything that I need to say or do to make amends for the hurt that I have caused?

James discusses the causes of conflict, and then offers solution for getting relationships back on track, and it’s found in James 4:7 and 8.

“Submit yourselves, then to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you.”

Submitting ourselves to God with humility is a vital relationship-building principle to take to heart in the Year of Connection.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK -Today’s Relationship-Building Principle comes from Proverbs 14:22.

“Do not those who plot evil go astray? But those who plan what is good find love and faithfulness.”

Plans indicate our intentions to act. This verse is referring to the principle of sowing and reaping.

If we sow evil plans, we will stray off course from God’s intended will for our lives, and the outcome leads to confusion, dissension, and pain. Someone gets hurt when evil plans are carried out. If our plans are evil, God’s remedy is for us to turn back before we carry out those plans.

If the Lord directs our plans, those plans will be consistent with love and faithfulness, and good fruit will flow out of our actions. A generous person who refreshes others will be refreshed. What we send out is often what comes back. Those who plan what is good open the door for thriving relationships and for the name of the Lord to be honored.

Making plans that are good in the eyes of the Lord is a vital relationship-building principle to take to heart in the Year of Connection.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Relationship-Building Principle comes from Psalm 63, verses 1 through 3.

“O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water. I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory. Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.”

This is a Psalm of David, whom God described as a man after His own heart. In times of emptiness, it is a human tendency to seek fulfillment in the things of this world. In our thirst, we reach for water, which satisfies our physical thirst for a period of time, until we get thirsty again. The things of this world may satisfy our longings briefly, but not forever. Jesus told the woman at the well, that there was water that could permanently satisfy the longings of her soul, and that water is His grace.

In times of emptiness, David would seek satisfaction in the love of God; God would be glorified in David’s life.

An earnest search for God with our soul is a vital relationship-building principle to take to heart in the Year of Connection.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – God’s people are called to live in community. The evidence of that can be found in the “One another” statements of the Bible. This week’s relationship-building principles have been taking a look at some of these “one another” statements to better understand how God wants us to relate with other members of God’s family.

First John 3:11 says, “This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another.”

Love is at the heart of the “one another” commands in the Bible. These specific commands scattered throughout the New Testament include: “Encourage one another, serve one another, forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another, accept one another as Christ accepted you, spur one another on toward love and good deeds, honor one another above yourselves, live in harmony with one another, offer hospitality to one another without grumbling, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, instruct one another. Be kind and compassionate to one another.

These specific “one another” statements are useful to help us examine whether or not we are walking in love as God calls us to love.

Loving God’s family with a godly attitude is a vital relationship-building principles to take to heart in the Year of Connection.

God’s people are called to live in community. The evidence of that can be found in the “One another” statements of the Bible. This week’s relationship-building principles take a look at some of these “one another” statements to better understand how God wants us to relate with other members of God’s family.

Today’s Relationship-Building Principle comes from Hebrews 13:1.

“Keep on loving one other as brothers and sisters.”

The command to love one another is given at least 12 times in the New International Version of the Bible. Here, the emphasis on love is to be consistent in expressing love for God’s people as family members. Sometimes, family members have conflict, but when the love of God is our guiding influence, these conflicts are opportunities to grow more mature personally, and grow closer in community.

Every new day is an opportunity to connect with a person in our church community and show them the love of Jesus. It could be through a phone conversation, a visit to the hospital, or a service opportunity. As long as we are serving the Lord, we will hear the Holy Spirit whisper in our conscience that there is more love to share with others. Romans 13:8 says, “Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.”

Persistent love for others is a vital relationship-building principle to take to heart in the Year of Connection.

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Relationship-Building Principle comes from Ephesians 4:15.

“Speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into 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.”

The pathway to a thriving and growing church comes through the pattern of speaking the truth in love. We spur believers toward a stronger relationship with Jesus and with each other. We also give unbelievers hope that they can be set free from the guilt of their sins, by coming to faith in Christ as Lord and Savior. Jesus serves as the supreme example of upholding the truth while expressing love.

He told the woman caught in adultery, “Neither do I condemn you, go and sin no more.” This is a statement that extends grace while expressing the truth of God’s will.

Speaking the truth in love is a vital relationship-building principle to take to heart in the Year of Connection.

JOHN SHIRK -2015 is the Year of Connection at WJTL. We will examine God’s insights into healthy relationships. Listen for Relationship-Building Principles throughout the upcoming year.

Today’s Relationship-Building Principle comes from Proverbs 17:17.

“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”

Real friends are not just fair-weather friends who love you when you are healthy, wealthy, and wise. Real friends are also supportive in your times of need, when you are in the hospital, when you have lost your job, or when you have lost a loved one. That is when the value of real friendships is felt. That is the kind of friend that God wants us to be for others. That is the kind of friend Jesus is for us. He talked about real friendship this way in John 15:12 and 13:

“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” Less than 24 hours later, Jesus was hanging on the cross, reaching out with love, dying for our sins, offering forgiveness and eternal life to those who will receive His gift of grace.

Real friendship is a vital-relationship-building principle to take to heart in the Year of Connection.

JOHN SHIRK – 2015 will be designated as the Year of Connection at WJTL. The Junction Center is the home of WJTL, and that word Junction is more than just the name of the road that we are on. The meaning of that word is closely associated with the vision of WJTL. Junction means “a point of connection.” And we really do sense that the Lord has brought us to this place to be a place of connection for people-A place where people can connect with the Lord in a meaningful relationship; a place where people can connect with each other, with the staff, and sometimes to connect with the artists through our Live From the Junction Center events.

The focus of making connections implies the building of relationships, and that is what the focus of 2015 is going to be about-focusing on cultivating life’s most important relationship with God, and developing thriving relationships with the people that God has placed in our lives. So, we invite you to join us in that journey throughout 2015, in our devotional thoughts and in the events that are held at the Junction Center.

Here is a good focus point for all of us in 2015, from Second Corinthians 5:9, echoing the words of Paul the Apostle, when he said, “So we make it our goal to please the Lord.” Let’s pursue that noble purpose together in 2015.

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Moment of Celebration reflects on the chorus of praises surrounding the birth of Christ.

Christmas reminds us that Jesus is God’s ultimate gift to the world.

The birth of Christ was a cause for celebration for Mary, the mother of Jesus, who said, “My soul glorifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.”

The birth of Christ was a cause for celebration for the shepherds. After their encounter with the baby Jesus, they returned to their fields, glorifying and praising God for what they had heard and seen.

The birth of Christ was a cause of celebration for the wise men, who brought gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to Jesus. They also bowed down and worshiped him.

The birth of Christ was a cause of celebration for the heavenly angels, who said on the night of His birth, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

We can join the chorus of praises in response to a loving God who remembered us and came to meet us at our point of need.

The birth of Christ is a reason to be glad in the Year of Celebration.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Moment Of Celebration reflects on the gift of God’s love.

John 3:16 is one of the most quoted verses of the Bible. It’s a fitting verse for the Christmas season and the Easter season. It’s a fitting verse to describe how someone can be born again into the family of God.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His One and Only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”

Here we see God’s love freely given to us as a gift through Jesus Christ. For a gift to be a gift, there needs to be a giver and a receiver. God clearly gave. That gift is ours to receive. This is why the Christmas season is so special among those who receive Jesus as Savior and Lord. We recognize that without the treasure of God’s grace, we would be lost in our sin and without God because sin separates us from God. But when Jesus enters our world, His light invades the darkness of our soul. Despair is replaced with hope. Doubt and fear are replaced with faith. Selfishness is replaced by love. In Jesus, we find the freedom to experience abundant and eternal life with Him. God invites us to say “Yes” to His invitation to live with Him forever.

The gift of God’s love through Jesus Christ is a reason to be glad in the Year of Celebration.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com