JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Exploration, today’s Reason to Believe is the tombs of the prophets.

All throughout Israel, and the Middle East, there are graves of various prophets and patriarchs.

The traditional site of King David’s tomb is located on Mount Zion. First Kings 2:10 records that David rested with his fathers and was buried in the City of David.

The grave site of Moses is somewhere in Jordan, although the exact location is unknown. This is consistent with the Biblical account which says in Deuteronomy 34:6 that God buried him in Moab, but to this day no one knows where his grave is.

Joseph’s tomb is a familiar site in Nablus. As he was about to die, he gave instructions for his bones to be carried from Egypt when God came to the aid of Israel to guide them to the Promised Land.

In Matthew 23, Jesus acknowledged that the Pharisees built tombs for the prophets and decorated the graves of the righteous.

The tombs of the prophets indicate that these people really did live on the earth, and they were part of God’s great story of redemption that led to the time of Christ.

The tombs of the prophets are reasons to believe in God’s good news.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Q and A Segment explores the question, “What is the priestly blessing?”

In Numbers 6:24, The LORD instructed Moses how to direct Aaron and his sons to bless the Israelites:

“The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you: The LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.”

This is a benediction sometimes given at the end of church services today. This blessing reflects God’s heart for us to know His peace and grace, which satisfies our soul and makes our joy complete.

This blessing is ultimately realized through a relationship with Jesus Christ, who is the way for us to experience God’s favor. Grace and peace prevail in the hearts of those who turn away from sin and turn to Christ for forgiveness and direction in the Year of Exploration.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Exploration, today’s Reason to Believe is God’s perfect timing.

Second Peter 3:9 tells us that the Lord is not slow in keeping his promise. His promises may be fulfilled at a slower pace than we would prefer, but that does not mean that God is running behind schedule. It might mean that we are trying to run ahead of Him. Going at God’s timing sometimes requires waiting on the Lord.

An example of God’s perfect timing can be found in John chapter 4, when a royal official asked Jesus to heal his son before he died. Jesus replied, “You may go. Your son will live.” The man took Jesus at his word and departed. While he was a long way off, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living. When the royal official inquired as to the time when his son got better, they told him that the fever left him at the seventh hour. Then the father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus said to him, “your son will live.” So, he and all his household believed.

According to Romans 5:6, it was at just the right time when Christ died for the ungodly.

God’s perfect timing to fulfill His perfect will is a reason to believe in God’s good news.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Q and A Segment explores the question, “Who was Asaph and what was his struggle?”

Asaph was a gifted musician in the time of David, and he used music as a tool to glorify God.

But Asaph lost focus at one point in his life, and he wrote about it in Psalm 73. In his testimony, he recalled, “I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.” He started to perceive their lives on the other side of the fence as having no struggles, free from burdens, and with healthy bodies. He said, “This is what the wicked are like-always carefree, they increase in wealth.” This perspective led him to false thinking, and it is the kind of path that might tempt us if we perceive the same things. He said, “Surely in vain have I kept my heart pure.”

But before he went further down this path of envy, something gave him perspective. He entered the sanctuary of God. Then he understood their final destiny. The result was a celebration of being in relationship with God. He said to the LORD, “You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory.”

Asaph’s journey shows how an eternal perspective brings clarity when we come to God in a place of worship in the Year of Exploration.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Q and A Segment explores the question, “What is the role of spiritual leadership in the church?”

Ephesians 4:11 tells us that it was Jesus who gave gifts for “some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service.”

The purpose of teachers and preachers is to proclaim God’s word in a way that accurately represents God’s character and mobilizes God’s people to live out the Christian faith in acts of service.

As God’s word is faithfully proclaimed, the church body will grow in a number of ways:

According to Ephesians 4:12, the body of Christ will be built up. This implies that the faith of the church will grow stronger.

According to verse 13, the church will be unified in the faith.

And according to the same verse, the church will become mature in the faith so that we can reflect Jesus in our witness.

Leadership sets the tone for the church to grow together in faith and to express our faith through love in the Year of Exploration.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Exploration, today’s Reason to Believe is people all over the world.

Today, there are over 7.1 billion people in the world, and God is the creator of each person who lives on the face of the earth at this time.

Psalm 145, verse 9 tells us that “ the LORD is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.”

The LORD knew about each one of us before we were born, He knew what we needed, and He provided a way for us to live forever with Him when He sent Jesus to the world.

The writer of Psalm 95 acknowledged God as Creator and responded with worship. Verse 6 says, “Come let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker; for he is our God.” Our breathing proves that we exist, but our worship reflects that we thrive for the glory of God.

The people of the world have been made in the image of God, and were made to bring glory to God. The existence of people on the earth is a reason to believe in God’s good news.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Q and A Segment explores the question, “What does it mean to be made in God’s image?”

In Genesis 1:26, God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air.”

Here we see the creation of humans set apart from the animal kingdom. Humans have been uniquely made in God’s image.

That reflection was marred in a moral sense when sin entered the human race, but according to James 3:9, humans are still being made in God’s likeness.

There are several ways in which we are made in God’s likeness. God communicated when He created us. And we have the capacity to communicate by putting our thoughts into words.

God also gave us the capacity to reason. In Isaiah 1:18, He says to humans, “Let us reason together.”

God also gave us the capacity for love. The Bible tells us that God is love, and He also demonstrated His love for us by sending Jesus to the world. First John 4:19 says, “We love because he first loved us.”

These are some of the ways we are made in God’s image in the Year of Exploration.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Q and A Segment explores the question, “What does the Bible have to say about zeal?”

There are several positive statements and cautious statements about zeal in the Bible.

Romans 12:11 says, “Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.” This kind of enthusiasm can be a contagious quality when directed by love for the Lord.

But there is danger in misplaced zeal. Before knowing Christ, the Apostle Paul said that in his zeal, he persecuted the church. So, he knows what he is talking about when he says in Galatians 4:18, “It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good.”

And it is good to understand what the zeal of God accomplishes. Isaiah 9:7 talks about the coming kingdom that Jesus establishes with peace, justice, and righteousness. It is the zeal of the LORD Almighty that accomplishes this.

So, in misplaced zeal, we see the danger of fanaticism if it is not based on knowledge or directed to a good purpose. But we also see that zeal is a spark that God can use in us to accomplish His purposes in the Year of Exploration.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Exploration, today’s Reason to Believe is the providence of God.

Providence refers to the guiding hand of God moving in the events of our lives with His wisdom and love.

An example of God’s providence in the Bible was the encounter of Cornelius and Peter for a redemptive purpose. Both Cornelius and Peter were experiencing a vision from God close together for the purpose of bringing them together. Each person had something to learn from the other.

From Peter, Cornelius and his relatives heard the good news of Jesus and received the Holy Spirit.

From Cornelius, Peter learned that God’s grace was available not just for the Jews, but also the Gentiles. He said in Acts 10:34, “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism, but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right.”

The Providence of God orchestrates the circumstances of our lives with Divine appointments, and is a reason to believe in God’s good news.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Exploration, today’s Reason to Believe is the peace that flows out of thoughts focused on Jesus.

In Philippians 4:8, the Apostle Paul gave this word of instruction:

“Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things.”

Jesus fits the description of all these qualities-He is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy. This verse is a call to setting our minds on things above, not on earthly things.

What we think about can have a huge impact on our personal ambitions and affections. Jesus tells us in the Greatest Commandment of all to love the LORD God with all of our being, which includes our mind. According to Philippians 4:9, as we focus our thoughts on the virtuous qualities of God’s kingdom and put them into practice, the peace of God will be with us. We can rest in the grace of God, knowing that our lives are built on a firm foundation.

The peace that flows out of thoughts focused on Jesus is a reason to believe in God’s good news.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Exploration, today’s Reason to Believe is the contribution of Christian influence in the world.

Tim Keller has said that “the Christian worldview has made foundational contributions to our own culture that may not be readily apparent.”

As we look at history, we see how compassion prompted followers of Jesus to start orphanages, hospitals, and rescue missions.

Many colleges in our nation (including Ivy League schools) began with a Christian foundation.

Through the influence of Christ’s followers, slavery was abolished in some nations.

And missionaries have traveled to other nations to spread the message of salvation through Jesus Christ.

Many of these influences in society are still vibrant today, focusing on healing, serving, educating, and building communities for the glory of God. These are some of the ways that Christians have followed the words of Jesus to serve as salt in the earth and light in the world.

The contribution of Christian influence to our communities is a reason to believe in God’s good news.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com