John Shirk

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Faith-Building Verse is Luke 19:10.

“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

One of the big reasons that Jesus came to the earth was to pursue the lost. He had just witnessed the conversion of a tax collector named Zacchaeus when He made this statement. Jesus said, “Today, salvation has come to this house.”

Zacchaeus wanted to see who Jesus was. Jesus knew that his motives were sincere, and proceeded to invite Himself to the home of this wealthy tax collector.

The Gospel is a pursuit of the lost: seeking people who are outside of fellowship with God and inviting them to call on Jesus in faith and repentance. The kindness of Jesus draws them into God’s family, as we go forward in His name and reach out with His love.

This Faith-Building Verse inspires us to join the purpose of God to pursue the lost in the Year of Relationship.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Faith-Building Verse is John 12:46.

Jesus said, “I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.”

One of the reasons for Jesus coming to the earth was so that we might not remain in the darkness of our own sin. The light of Jesus brings the hope of a new day for our souls. We can begin again, change direction, and walk with Jesus in the light of His grace and truth.

By following Jesus, He will help us to see ourselves and others more clearly with value and dignity.

He will also give us clarity for going forward in God’s will. A prophecy in Isaiah 2:3 says that He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.

This Faith-Building Verse inspires us to come out of darkness into the radiant light of following Jesus in the Year of Relationship.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Key Element for Thriving Relationships is Walking with God’s Spirit.

Galatians 5:19 to 26 presents two very different lists. Which list contains qualities that lead to thriving relationships?  The first list consists of Hatred, discord, jealousy, impurity, fits of rage, selfish ambition.

The second list consists of love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness, and faithfulness.

The answer is obvious. The first list flows out of the acts of the flesh. The second list is the fruit of the Spirit and flows out of keeping in step with the Spirit of God.

This is how God’s Spirit instructs us to live. “You were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.”

Walking with God’s Spirit is a key element for thriving relationships that honor God.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Key Element for Thriving Relationships is consistency.

Proverbs 17:17 says, “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.”

A true friend is reliable to offer support in times of crisis. When the world becomes a cold place, we are comforted by the warmth of friends, who know us and love us through the ups and downs of this roller coaster ride called life.

The love of God inspires us to be a loyal friend for others, where we celebrate with them in their time of celebration and mourn with them in their time of sadness.

Being a consistent friend is a key element for thriving relationships that honor God.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Faith Building Verse is First John 3:8.

The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.

Satan has a plan for our lives, but it is not a good one. His agenda is to steal, kill and destroy. First Peter 5:8 says, “Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” When we conform to Satan’s plan, we become vulnerable to his schemes. The good news is that God has a plan for our lives to redeem us from Satan’s agenda. Jesus came so that we might have an abundant and eternal life in His saving grace. When we follow Jesus, Satan’s agenda for our lives is disarmed.

This Faith-Building Verse inspires us to embrace God’s plan of redemption through Jesus in the Year of Relationship.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

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JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Faith-Building Verse is John 3:17.

Jesus said to Nicodemus, “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”

This is an important reason highlighting why Jesus was born into the world. He came so that we might have life that is set free from guilt and shame.

Romans 3:23 tells us that all have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. That includes all of us. Our sin causes us to want to run and hide from God, much like Adam and Eve did after they ate the forbidden fruit. The good news is that God does not give up on us, but has pursued us by sending Jesus into the world. His sacrifice on the cross and resurrection from the dead paved the way for our salvation. His grace is able to do for us what we could never do for ourselves. His grace has the power to save us from our sins.

This Faith-Building Verse inspires us to receive God’s gift of forgiveness and walk by faith in Jesus in the Year of Relationship.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Key Element for Thriving Relationships is sharing good things with our instructors.

Galatians 6:6 tells us that the one who receives instruction in the word should share all good things with their instructor.

Some look to this passage as a basis for financially supporting those ministries that instruct us in God’s Word. That did happen in the early church. But that may not be the only way to apply this verse.

If we are being mentored by someone in the faith, we can also talk about the good fruit that God is producing in our lives because of what we are learning from them. They will be encouraged by hearing the words, “Because of what you said, this is what I did, and this is how God moved.”

The Apostle John was a leader in the church who said to his friend Gaius in Third John, verse 4, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.”

Sharing good things with our instructors is a key element for thriving relationships that honor God.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Key Element for Thriving Relationships is hospitality to God’s servants.

In Second Kings 4:8, there is a story about a well-to-do woman who urged Elisha to stay for a meal. Whenever he came by, he stopped there to eat. She said to her husband, “I know that 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 there whenever he comes to us.”

Elisha was receptive to their hospitality and expressed his gratitude for their efforts to provide him with a place to stay.

In Matthew 10:41, Jesus said, “Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward.”

Hospitality to God’s Servants is a key element for thriving relationships that honor God.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Faith-Building Verse is Isaiah 12:4.

In that day you will say: “Give praise to the LORD, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted.”

After Jesus rose from the dead, He commissioned His disciples to spread the word about Jesus and the good news of His saving grace. That commission continues in the testimony of believers today.

God has a purpose for our lives-to know Him and make Him known. As we learn from the teachings of Jesus, we get to know Him. As we learn to know Jesus, we learn to love Him. As we learn to love Jesus, we learn to praise Him. And as we praise Him, we bring glory to His name, and stir others to praise Him with their heart.

This Faith-Building Verse inspires us to declare the praises of God for His great deeds and enduring love in the Year of Relationship.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com