JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Light Reflection is from Psalm 84:11.
For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.
God is the source of light for anyone whose walk is blameless. As a sun, God provides for us, He gives us the light of understanding and direction to follow His will. As a shield, God protects us. He keeps our soul secure in His grace. Nothing in all creation can separate us from His love. He delights in pouring out His good and perfect gifts on those who walk with Him in fellowship. The joy of being in God’s presence is emphasized in this Psalm. This leads us to worship time and time again.
Psalm 84:12 says, “LORD Almighty, blessed is the one who trusts in you.”
This Light Reflection inspires us to look to the LORD as our sun and shield in the Year to Shine.
John Shirk
john@wjtl.com
JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Faith-Building Verses are Hebrews 7:26 and 27.
Such a high priest truly meets our need-one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once and for all when he offered himself.
Here we see that Jesus was the perfect sacrifice for our imperfect lives. The description of humanity points to our need for a Savior. Romans 3:12 says, “There is no one who does good, not even one.” Jesus is the exception. He lived a sinless life. He came from heaven to earth to reveal the way to be forgiven of our sins and enjoy life with God forever. Then, He laid down His life for us on the cross. He paid the price in full for our redemption.
These Faith-Building Verses inspire us to look to Jesus as the worthy sacrifice for our sins in the Year of Relationship.
John Shirk
john@wjtl.com
JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Faith-Building Verse is Hebrews 11:7.
“By faith, Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith.”
Sometimes, God calls His people to big projects that consume enormous amounts of time and energy. And sometimes, our calling will not make sense to a watching world. Noah had that experience. God handed Noah the blueprints for the ark, and Noah carried out the work faithfully.
If we want to be ready for those big assignments that God has for us, we can start with simple steps of obedience to God today. That is what prepared Noah for his assignment to build the ark. Genesis 6:9 says, “Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God.”
This Faith-Building Verse inspires us to build God’s Kingdom, using His instructions in the Year of Relationship.
John Shirk
john@wjtl.com
JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Word of Encouragement is the Church.
Some people think of church as a building, but in reality, the church is the people of God. Jesus is the Head of the church and the builder of the church. He has designed the church to take the gospel to the world, and today, that assignment is still in motion.
It is also significant to note that Jesus loves the church. He died for the church and is in the process of purifying the church until He returns for His followers.
Ephesians 5:25 compares the relationship between Christ and His church to the intimacy of a marriage relationship. “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.”
Find encouragement in God’s love and purpose for the church in the Year of Endurance.
John Shirk
john@wjtl.com
JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Eye on Integrity is based on Proverbs 20, verse 7.
The righteous lead blameless lives; blessed are their children after them.
Noah and Job were men in the Bible described as blameless. Noah walked faithfully with God. Job feared God and shunned evil.
A blameless person is not a perfect person. We have all disobeyed God at some point in our lives. But there are Scriptures that can help us better understand what it means to lead a blameless life.
Psalm 15:2 describes the way of blamelessness as doing what is righteous, and speaking the truth from our heart.
In Psalm 19, David prayed that God would keep him from willful sins, so that they don’t rule over him. Then, he would be blameless, innocent of great transgression.
Walking the way of a blameless life is a virtue to embrace for our lives in the Year of Integrity.
John Shirk
john@wjtl.com
JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Eye on Integrity is based on Psalm 19, verses 12 and 13.
“Who can discern their own errors? Forgive my hidden faults. Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then I will be blameless, innocent of great transgression.”
These thoughts express the earnest desire of a man to be cleared of wrongdoing and to have a right relationship with God. Prayer and surrender are good starting places for making things right with God. Prayer and surrender are good starting places with God every day.
Jesus came to set us free from the tyranny of sin. If we follow Jesus daily, His truth reigns over us, and sin no longer has control over our lives. His peace will fill our hearts, and enable us to live without fear of condemnation.
Walking a blameless life is a virtue to embrace for our lives in the Year of Integrity.
John Shirk
john@wjtl.com
