John Shirk

JOHN SHIRK – Rest is a period of relaxation and refreshment.  A place of rest is often a peaceful place, where we can find relief from the stresses of our workday.

One of the Ten Commandments is “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God.”

God set the pattern for us by creating the world in six days and resting on the seventh day. There is something healthy about taking time out of our week to rest.  It helps to avoid burn out; thereby, making our work more productive when we are working.  It also can be a time of reflection and worship of God.  When we rest in the Lord, the refreshment is not just physical, but also spiritual.

Ultimately, Jesus is the fulfillment of the Sabbath-rest. He said, “Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

Rest is a quality that enables us to represent Jesus in the world today.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Valor is strength of mind that enables a person to encounter danger with firmness.  A person with valor exercises personal bravery.

Fear, doubt, worry, and discouragement are among the enemies that threaten to shake our faith in the Lord Jesus. However, with the focus of our faith fixed on Jesus, our courage is refreshed to go forward into our struggles, and confront them with His grace and truth.

First Corinthians 16:13 and 14 is a call to valor:  “Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. Do everything in love.”

Valor is a character quality that enables us to represent Jesus in the world today.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – To be helpful is to put our skills and resources to practical use to provide assistance for someone in need.

If someone we know is sick and unable to drive, we can do some simple errands for them.

If someone is getting ready to move, we can offer our hands to help them move furniture and other household items.

If someone wants to learn a skill that we have, we can take some time to mentor them.

These are just some ways that we can be helpful to others nearby.

Hebrews 6:10 says, “God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.”  God sees when we help others because of the love of Jesus impacting our hearts. Not only does He see, He also remembers and gives rewards.

Helpfulness is a character quality that enables us to represent Jesus in the world today.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Wholeheartedness is a quality of being completely and sincerely devoted. When it comes to the Christian life, there is unreserved enthusiasm in the life of the wholehearted believer.

The Apostle Paul said with unreserved enthusiasm, “I am not ashamed of the Gospel.” Jesus told us that the greatest commandment of all is to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all  your soul, and with all your mind.” Wholehearted devotion grows out of a sense that God loves us honestly and completely. We recognize that we would be desperately hopeless without the influence of His love.  And so, with a responsive heart, we pledge our allegiance to God, trusting Him to guide us in His ways. We willingly become full-time servants of the Gospel so that the name of Jesus might be lifted up in our lives. This is what God is seeking.

Second Chronicles 16:9 says, “For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.”

Wholeheartedness is a character quality that enables us to represent Jesus in the world today.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Stewardship is the management of someone else’s property or finances.

We have been entrusted by God to take care of His resources.  Psalm 24:1 tells us that “the earth is the LORD’s and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.”  So, whatever God provides for us to take care of ultimately belongs to God.  Even our own bodies belong to God.  We are accountable to God for the way in which we use material possessions. If we are committed to honoring God with our lives, we will be more conscious about the way we use God’s resources.

This is highlighted in the parable of the talents in Matthew 25.  Jesus talked about the man who had five talents and at once put his money to work.  The same thing happened with the person who received two talents. But the man who received one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master’s money.  At the return of the master, each person was called to account for how they used what they were given.  For those who put their money to use, the master said, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” This is the smile of heaven on the person who uses what they’ve been given to build God’s kingdom.

Stewardship is a character quality that enables us to represent Jesus in the world today.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Vitality can be described as having mental vigor and physical energy.

There is a spring in the step of someone who walks around with vitality.

God’s grace refreshes our spirit, so we are wise to remember His grace daily. His love is a vital source of encouragement each day.

You probably have spiritual vitality if you wake up with a sense of purpose to do God’s will faithfully.

You probably have spiritual vitality if there is devotion to God in your acts of service.

You probably have spiritual vitality if you are eager to learn and grow to become the person God wants you to become.

You probably have spiritual vitality if you have a song of praise to God that resonates in your heart.

In Colossians 1:10 and 11, the Apostle Paul prayed that the church would live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that they may have great endurance and patience, giving thanks to the Father….”

Vitality is a character quality that enables us to represent Jesus in the world today.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Diplomacy is defined as the practice of conducting international relations. One of the diplomat’s big assignments is to negotiate alliances, treaties, and agreements. The international diplomat is on a peacemaking mission, representing their leader in a foreign land.

There are some parallels with the role of an international diplomat and the follower of Jesus as an ambassador for Christ. This world is not our home.  We are citizens of heaven, and we represent our King who is in heaven while we live on the earth.  And God has a message  for us to share with the world. That message is a peacemaking mission, found in Second Corinthians 5:20: “Be reconciled to God.”

This is possible through faith in Jesus Christ, who gives us peace and equips us to be peacemakers.

Diplomacy is a quality that enables us to represent Jesus in the world today.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – To be dependable is to be consistent in performance and behavior.  This is vitally important for friendships to thrive.  If someone is consistently supportive day after day, our relationship has the opportunity to grow in trust and affection.  If someone is only a fair-weather friend, then that relationship is in trouble when the storms of life approach.

Jesus shows us by example how to be a dependable friend on good days and bad days. His love is a constant anchor whether times are stable or chaotic.

In a time of turmoil, Jesus said in John 15:13, “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.”  We can learn a lot about being a dependable friend by examining the life of Jesus.

Proverbs 17:17 says, “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”  That means, that true friends support one another in times of trouble and celebrate with each other in times of triumph.

Dependability is a character quality that enables us to represent Jesus in the world today.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Allegiance is defined by devotion or loyalty.  As our pledge of allegiance to the flag demonstrates patriotism for our nation, so our pledge of allegiance to Jesus expresses a different type of loyalty.

If we follow Jesus, our citizenship is in heaven, but currently we live on the earth as Christ’s ambassadors.  We are here to represent Him as a matter of first priority.  Part of representing Jesus well is to be loyal and responsible citizens to our governments. Romans 13:6 urges us to pay taxes for those who give their full time to governing.  “Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.”

Jesus said, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”  Caesar may have our taxes, but only God deserves our worship.  We are wise to set apart Christ as Lord, and have that firmly established in our mind and heart.  That way, if there is ever a conflict between what the government tells us to do and what Jesus tells us to do, we know which voice to heed.

Allegiance is a character quality that enables us to represent Jesus in the world today.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – There is generally a different view of freedom in our culture from what the Bible says.

For some people today, freedom means the right to do your own thing.  But this view of freedom leads to using other people for one’s own advantage, immoral conduct, and lawlessness.  People get hurt if this view of freedom is pursued. A train may be confined by railroad tracks, but those rails liberate the train to go forward and fulfill its purpose. If the train is derailed, the result is a train wreck.  The good news about Jesus is that if we get off track, His grace provides a way for us to get back on track, and to be liberated from “doing our own thing.”

In the Bible, freedom is connected with the truth of Jesus Christ.  Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

If the Son sets us free, we will be free indeed.  So, the key to living a life of freedom is following Jesus.

Freedom is a quality that enables us to represent Jesus in the world today.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com