John Shirk

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Light Reflection is from Revelation 5, verse 9.

The Apostle John saw a vision of heaven. One of the scenes he saw was a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders.

They fell before the Lamb and sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.”

Heaven resounds with worship for Jesus, who is glorified at the throne. These words are spoken in a loud voice: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power, and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!”

This Light Reflection inspires us worship Jesus reverently on earth as He is honored in heaven in the Year to Shine.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year to Shine, today’s Vital Step to a Radiant Faith is the Pursuit of Wisdom.

The starting place for finding wisdom is NOT in gaining knowledge. The starting place for wisdom is reverence for God and walking in His ways. There are opportunities to grow in wisdom every day that we grow with God.

Proverbs 16:16 highlights the value of wisdom to our lives. “How much better to get wisdom than gold, to choose understanding rather than silver.” We are blessed by the Lord when we seek wisdom and find it.

Wisdom is consistent with the attitude of Jesus and is expressed in these productive ways. James 3:17 says that “the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.”

The pursuit of Wisdom is a Vital Step to a Radiant Faith that makes a difference in our world.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

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JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Light Reflection is from Matthew 28:9.

After Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to the tomb of Jesus, they encountered an angel who announced that Jesus was not in the tomb and had risen from the dead. He sent them on their way to tell this good news to the disciples of Jesus.

As they hurried away from the tomb, suddenly Jesus met them, saying “Greetings.” They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him.

Jesus was glorified at His resurrection. There was a pattern here. The eyewitnesses to the resurrection of Jesus would worship Him, and then Jesus would tell them to spread the good news of His resurrection.

This is the calling of His followers today-to worship Jesus and be a light that tells other people that He is alive and able to save us from sin.

This Light Reflection inspires us to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus with faith, worship, and testimony in the Year to Shine.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year to Shine, today’s Vital Step to a Radiant Faith is godly contentment.

A reporter once asked the richest man on earth, “how much is enough?” His reply was “just a little more.”

Godly contentment can prevent us from always craving more than what we have or coveting what other people have.

Godly contentment is a state of the mind and heart that is at peace with God and finds sufficiency in His grace.

First Timothy 6:6 says, “godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.” In Philippians 4:13, Paul the Apostle shared his secret to contentment. “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”

Godly contentment is a vital step to a radiant faith that makes a difference in our world.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Light Reflection is from John 12:32.

Jesus said, “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”

There is good reason to believe that Jesus was referring to His crucifixion here, because the next verse says, “He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.”

Darkness covered the land when Jesus died, but the cross stands as a light to a dark world where hope can be found.

Galatians 3:13 tells us that Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.” Jesus did this willingly for us. He was cursed so we could be blessed. He bled so we could be healed. The message of the cross continues to be the power of God for those who are being saved.

This Light Reflection inspires us to draw near to Jesus with worship and gratitude in the Year to Shine.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year to Shine, today’s Vital Step to a Radiant Faith is to pray for each other.

This is a powerful way to support each other as we go to God with our prayer requests.  Here are some examples of prayer in the Bible.

The Apostle Paul said to the church in Second Thessalonians 1:11, “We  constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling, and that by his power, he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith.”

He told the church in Philippians 1:9, “This is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ….”

Charles Finney once said, “Nothing tends more to cement the hearts of Christians than praying together. Never do they love one another so well as they witness the outpouring of each other’s hearts in prayer.”

Praying for each other is a Vital Step to a Radiant Faith that makes a difference in our world.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Light Reflection is from John 2:11.

What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.

The glory of God is a light that draws people to faith and worship. One of the ways Jesus revealed His glory was through signs and miracles.

A miracle is an extraordinary event that cannot be explained by natural or scientific laws. Jesus healed people instantly from sickness. He raised the dead. He walked on water. He fed 5,000 people from five loaves and two fish. In Cana of Galilee, Jesus turned water into wine at a wedding banquet. This miracle led His disciples to put their faith in Jesus.

The miracles of Jesus were written for our benefit too.  John 20:30 and 31 says, “Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”

This Light Reflection inspires us to believe in the miracles of Jesus in the Year to Shine.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year to Shine, today’s Vital Step to a Radiant Faith is Cooperation.

One of the great building projects in Nehemiah’s day was completed through the cooperation of many workers.  Nehemiah 4:6 says, “So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart.”  Later, we learn that the wall was completed in 52 days.

Cooperation comes from the heart and works in harmony with others to accomplish something productive.  There is cooperation with the leader and cooperation with others who are serving on the project.

This is one of the ways that the name of Jesus can be honored in the church. Jesus is the head of the church. Ephesians 4:16 says, “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.”

Cooperation is a Vital Step to a Radiant Faith that makes a difference in our world.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Light Reflection is from First John 2, verses 9 and 10.

Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness. Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing to make them stumble.

Love is a light that represents Jesus to the world, but hatred is a dark place that hinders our view of God and keeps us from reaching out with His love.

The way of love starts with God, who showed His love to us by sending Jesus to the world. There is more to love than mere words. The proof is in our actions. First John 3:17 asks the question, “If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need, but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech, but with actions and in truth.”

This Light Reflection inspires us to love our brothers and sisters with words and actions in the Year to Shine.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com