JOHN SHIRK – In the Year to Shine, today’s Vital Step to a Radiant Faith is to build our lives on God’s grace and truth.
Jesus came to the earth from the Father full of grace and truth. So, if grace and truth are going to be foundational in our lives, Jesus is going to be the central focus.
In Matthew 7:24, Jesus taught that everyone who hears His words and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The truth of Jesus’ teachings gives us a strong foundation for our faith and clear, moral direction for our decisions.
His grace has the power to set us free from the guilt of our sin. Romans 3:23 acknowledges that we all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. The shedding of Christ’s blood at the cross paved the way for us to find forgiveness in His grace.
Building our lives on God’s grace and truth is a vital step to a radiant faith that makes a difference in our world.
John Shirk
john@wjtl.com
JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Faith-Building Verse is Hebrews 11:28.
Referring to Moses, “By faith, he kept the Passover and the application of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.”
In the book of Exodus, it was the blood of the Passover lamb applied to the doorframes that protected the firstborn of Israel from death. This is a foreshadow to the spiritual reality of Christ. First Corinthians 5:7 says that “Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed.”
Our redemption depends on what Jesus did for us at the cross. Without the shedding of His blood, there would be no forgiveness. By faith, we are protected by the application of Christ’s blood to cover our sins. Forgiveness is found in God’s grace demonstrated through the perfect life, death and resurrection of Jesus.
This Faith-Building Verse inspires us to trust Jesus to save us from our sins in the Year of Relationship.
John Shirk
john@wjtl.com
JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Faith-Building Verses are First Peter 1:18 and 19.
“For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life….., but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.”
Some of the best athletes in the world are competing for the gold in Beijing. However, there are treasures even more valuable to embrace.
Gold or silver medals are awards, showing the achievements of athletes, but the blood of Jesus shed at the cross reveals His accomplishment to pay the price for our sins.
According to Ephesians 1:7, “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.”
These faith-building verses highlight the value of Christ’s blood to be worth more than gold in the Year of Relationship.
John Shirk
john@wjtl.com
