John Shirk

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Focus on God’s Goodness is found in Ephesians 1:8 and 9.

“With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ.”

Understanding of God’s will flows out of a relationship with Jesus. He gives us greater clarity for living a life that pleases God.

Jesus taught us that the Greatest Commandment was to love the Lord our God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength.

Jesus taught us the Great Commission, to make disciples of all nations and baptize them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

These are some of the big picture plans that God has for us to do with the breath and strength that He gives us.

Wisdom and Understanding reveal the Goodness of God and are reasons to give thanks in the Year of Gratitude.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Focus on God’s Goodness is found in Ezra 3:11.

With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the LORD: “He is good; his love toward Israel endures forever.” And all the people gave a great shout of praise to the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid.

Today, the church is a place where God’s people assemble together for worship. It is a place for prayer. It is a place for fellowship. It is a place for unity. It is a place for grace and truth when its foundation is built on Jesus Christ. The Gospel is preached faithfully. God is glorified. His people are edified, unified, and sanctified. God’s love is expressed openly and fills the atmosphere with the fragrance of Christ.

Psalm 149:1 says, “Praise the LORD. Sing to the LORD a new song, his praise in the assembly of his faithful people.”

The Faithful Church reveals the Goodness of God and is a reason to give thanks in the Year of Gratitude.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Focus on God’s Goodness is found in Second Kings 4:13.

A well-to-do woman showed kindness and hospitality to a prophet named Elisha. She urged him to stay for a meal. Whenever he came by, he stopped there to eat. She said to her husband, “I know this man who often comes our way is a holy man of God. Let’s make a small room on the roof and put in it a bed and a table, a chair and a lamp for him. Then he can stay whenever he comes to us.”

Elisha took note of her kindness. He said to his servant, “Tell her, ‘you have gone to all this trouble for us. Now what can be done for you?’”

First Peter 4:9 encourages God’s people to offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. This is a meaningful way to express our appreciation for God’s servants and to encourage them.

On the flip side, whenever we benefit from someone’s hospitality, that is also an opportunity to say “Thank you” and bless them for their act of kindness.

The practice of hospitality reveals the Goodness of God and is a reason to give thanks in the Year of Gratitude.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Focus on God’s Goodness is found in Deuteronomy 8, verses 17 and 18a.

The LORD was speaking through His servant Moses to the Israelites:

“You may say to yourself, ‘My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.’ But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth….”

Whenever the LORD gives us material possessions or the ability to do something productive, we have a choice to make. Will we take credit for the favorable outcome or give the credit to God? With God’s grace in view, we recognize that He is our source of strength and is worthy of our praise.

God’s provision for us reveals the Goodness of God and is a reason to give thanks in the Year of Gratitude.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Focus on God’s Goodness is found in Psalm 107, verse 8.

“Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind.”

This statement appears 4 times in this Psalm.  The writer points out different ways in which people in distress cried out to the Lord and He answered by saving them in their distress. This Psalm ends by saying, “Let the one who is wise heed these things and ponder the loving deeds of the LORD.”

In a moment of crisis, we are reminded that we need the grace of God. There is no more desperate state for the soul than to be lost in sin. But there is good news for the person in this desperate place. God has provided a Savior, whose name is Jesus.

Isaiah 59:1 says, “Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear.” That is especially encouraging to us when we find ourselves in a spiritual crisis.

The loving deeds of the LORD reveal the Goodness of God and are reasons to give thanks in the Year of Gratitude.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Focus on God’s Goodness is found in Acts 3:26.

“When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways.”

A relationship with Jesus will transform us from the inside out. His influence adjusts our attitude to be more like Jesus, which consists of obedience to God’s plan, a lifestyle of service, and willingness to sacrifice for others.

The influence of Jesus will transform our heart toward virtue that consists of the Fruit of the Spirit. Some of those qualities include love, joy, and peace. This makes a difference in the quality of our relationships.

The influence of Jesus will also move us away from sinful entanglements, so that we are set free from selfish ambition and destructive behavior. The resurrection of Jesus means that He is alive and well, and there is power in His name to experience the fullness of life.

Transformation reveals the Goodness of God and is a reason to give thanks in the Year of Gratitude.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Focus on God’s Goodness is found in Deuteronomy 32, verses 3 and 4.

Moses said, “I will proclaim the name of the LORD. Oh, praise the greatness of our God! He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.”

Moses was pointing to the praiseworthy attributes of God’s character. He is the Rock. He is the stable foundation for our faith. There is no flaw in what He says or does. He never makes mistakes. He is true to His promises and faithful to His people. We can trust in His unfailing love for us.

Perfect, Just, Faithful, and Upright-these are some of the praiseworthy attributes of God that we can celebrate today.

The praiseworthy attributes of God reveal the Goodness of God and are reasons to give thanks in the Year of Gratitude.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Focus on God’s Goodness is found in Second Corinthians 9:11.

“You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.”

Thanksgiving can be contagious. It is a way of life that is filled with thanks, and overflows into giving. As we are blessed by God, we have the opportunity to pass along a blessing to our friends, co-workers, family members, and even strangers. One of God’s purposes for our blessings is to share with those in need. As we are faithful to the task, needs are met, the attitude of thanksgiving spreads, and the name of Jesus is honored.

The Generosity of God’s People reveals the Goodness of God and is a reason to give thanks in the Year of Gratitude.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Focus on God’s Goodness is found in Isaiah 40, verses 25 and 26.

The Holy One says, “To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?” Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.”

The creation of God reveals His unique greatness. He made the universe, He manages the universe, and He rules the universe. David reflected on the heavens in Psalm 19, saying they declare the glory of God. The skies proclaim the work of his hands.

The brilliant stars, the glowing sun, and the silver moon point us to a mighty God who is creative and personal. He has the ability and the zeal to keep track of His creation, including people like you and me.

The Mighty Strength of the LORD reveals the Goodness of God and is a reason to give thanks in the Year of Gratitude.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Focus on God’s Goodness is found in First Peter 2, verse 6.

“For in Scripture it says, ‘See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.’”

Jesus is this precious stone who becomes the firm foundation of our lives when we put our trust in Him.

We can trust Jesus to forgive us. His purpose for coming into the world was to save us from our sins. When we put our faith in Him, our sins are no longer held against us.

We can trust Jesus to guide us in God’s will. He won’t lead us astray. He said to His first century disciples, “Follow me.” Jesus invites us to walk in His footsteps, to learn His ways, and follow His paths.

We can trust Jesus to bless us with His peace and grace. These are the blessings that we can experience daily by building our lives on the foundation of His Gospel.

The firm foundation of Jesus reveals the Goodness of God and is a reason to give thanks in the Year of Gratitude.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com