JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Focus on God’s goodness is found in Revelation 5:9.
And they 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.”
This verse highlights the cost of God’s love for humanity and the vast impact of His love. The blood of Jesus was shed for us at the cross and is a sufficient payment to redeem us. Today, the Gospel is bearing fruit all around the world, and will be the good news that reaches people from every ethnic group before the end of this age.
We owed a debt we could not pay. Jesus paid the debt that He did not owe. Because of His sacrifice on our behalf, Jesus is worthy to open the seal that unlocks the future, and He is worthy of our praise.
Revelation 5:12 says about Jesus, “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!”
The cost of God’s love reveals the goodness of God and is a reason to give thanks in the Year of Gratitude.
John Shirk
john@wjtl.com
JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Focus on God’s goodness is found in Galatians 3:13 and 14.
“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.’ He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.”
The curse of the cross became a lifeline to the lost. This was the journey that Jesus took to find us and set us free from sin. The love of Jesus extends this offer of forgiveness and eternal life to all who will put their faith in Him. This is how we are restored to a right relationship with God. Second Corinthians 5:21 explains:
“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
God’s plan of redemption through Jesus reveals the goodness of God and is a reason to give thanks in the Year of Gratitude.
John Shirk
john@wjtl.com
JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Focus on God’s goodness is found in Romans 5:6.
“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.”
God’s redemption plan was put into place at the right time to meet our deepest need for a Savior. Jesus did not come to us in our loveliness. He did not wait to come to earth until we got our house in order. Instead, He saw our need for forgiveness, and then He did something about it by going to the cross.
While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. That is how God demonstrated his own love for us. That is how He rescues us from our sinful condition.
The demonstration of God’s love for us reveals the goodness of God and is a reason to give thanks in the Year of Gratitude.
John Shirk
john@wjtl.com
JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Light Reflection is from Revelation 1:18.
Jesus identified Himself by various “I Am” statements. These statements open our eyes to the reality of who Jesus is and what He can accomplish on our behalf.
Jesus said to John in Revelation 1:18, “I am the Living One; I was dead, and now, look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.”
Jesus really did die on that cross 2,000 years ago, but the good news is that He did not stay in that grave. He rose from the dead 3 days later and lives forever. That means He can hear the prayers of our heart, He can help us in our time of need, and He can save us from our sins. He has authority over our eternal destiny. He has the power to give us a place in His Heavenly Home, where there is no more death, or mourning, or crying, or pain.
Romans 10:9 says “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
This Light Reflection inspires us to trust in Jesus as the Living One who faithfully loves us in the Year to Shine.
JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Light Reflection is from Isaiah 53:4 and 5.
This is a prophecy about Jesus, “Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him and by his wounds we are healed.”
This prophecy came to light at the cross, where Jesus died for our sins. At the time this prophecy was written, crucifixion had not been invented. Yet, the prophet wrote about the way Jesus would be pierced for our transgressions.
The cross was the place of the great exchange, where the Savior suffered for our sins so that we could be forgiven by God and restored to a peaceful relationship with God. Our ultimate healing flows from the blood of Jesus shed at the cross.
This Light Reflection inspires us to remember the price that was paid for our redemption in the Year to Shine.
John Shirk
john@wjtl.com
September 24th, 2021
john
JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Word of Encouragement is Blood.
In the Gospel, blood is the cleansing agent for our heart. Hebrews 9:22 says that without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness.
This is why Jesus went to the cross, so that he might pay the price as a ransom to set us free from the death penalty. All have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. That includes each one of us.
But here is the good news for us to embrace, and this is why the message of the cross is the power of God for those who are saved in His grace.
First John 1:7 says, “If we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” All of our sin is erased. All of our guilt is removed when we come into the light of His grace and truth.
Find encouragement in the blood of Jesus to make us clean before God in the Year of Endurance.
John Shirk
john@wjtl.com
JOHN SHIRK -Today’s Good News Focus is on Romans 5, verses 6 to 8.
“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
It is hard to fathom a love that is willing to go the extra mile like this. Jesus did not die for those who were righteous, because there were none righteous except for Him. Jesus died for us in our sinful condition. His motive for going to the cross was love, which moves us to receive His gift of forgiveness.
Romans 6:23 tells us that the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Jesus is our source of Good News, leading us to a place of redemption in the Year of Vision.
John Shirk
john@wjtl.com
JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Redemption, today’s Freedom Phrase is based on Romans 12:21.
Do not
be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
The
crucifixion of Jesus is the most vivid way this verse has been lived out. Jesus
was using the hatred of humanity against Him to offer the gifts of forgiveness
and eternal life to those who would put their faith in Him.
God’s
love is the inspiration for us to seek the well-being of our enemies. Romans
12:20 says, “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him
something to drink.”
The way
of Jesus shows us a better way to respond to hatred than through revenge. Offer kindness and respect. Serve them and
pray for them. Leave room for God’s wrath rather than taking matters into our
own hands.
Through Jesus, we are set free to overcome evil with good.
John Shirk
john@wjtl.com
JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Redemption, today’s Freedom Phrase is based on First John 4:16.
“And
so, we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in
love lives in God and God in them.”
The
reason why we have the capacity to love God and other people is because God
loved us first. If we want to know what the true nature of love is, we can look
to Jesus who demonstrated God’s love for us in this way: While we were still
sinners, Christ died for us. The worthy Savior gave His life for unworthy sinners.
He loved us in our worst moments, not just our best.
His
example can help us to love our children in the midst of their temper tantrums,
to offer hospitality to someone who cannot return the favor, and to overcome
hatred with love.
Through Jesus, we are set free to love people as God loves us.
John Shirk
john@wjtl.com
JOHN SHIRK – All this week, the person of Integrity from the Bible that we are examining is Jesus.
Hebrews 12:2 urges us to fix our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. For the joy set before him, he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
Here we see that Jesus willingly went to the cross. He did not do this reluctantly or begrudgingly. His love for us kept Him moving forward to reach the goal. Jesus kept the joy of His future glory in mind as He was going to the cross.
Keeping God’s eternal promises and His unfailing love in view will strengthen us to press on in the faith through the trials of life.
The faithfulness of Jesus to endure the cross inspires us to endure hardship for Him and to live a life of integrity.
John Shirk
john@wjtl.com