JOHN SHIRK – In the Year to Shine, today’s Vital Step to a Radiant Faith is Perseverance.
Second Peter chapter 1 encourages us to add certain qualities to our faith, not because it adds to our salvation, but because it makes our faith more effective and productive.
One of those qualities in verse 6 is perseverance. Sometimes, disappointments, conflicts, or health challenges can wear us down and tempt us to give up. But God’s grace is a refreshing influence for our faith. Jesus endured the cross for us. When we persevere in the faith through trials, our witness for God is purified and proven to be genuine. This is one way we can be a light for others-by consistently living for God and relying on His love day-by-day and moment-by-moment.
In First Timothy 4:16, the Apostle Paul gave this counsel to a young pastor, “Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.”
Perseverance is a vital step to a radiant faith that makes a difference in our world.
John Shirk
john@wjtl.com
JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Light Reflection is from Romans 15:4.
For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide, we might have hope.
Bible history is a light to help us learn from the successes and failures of those who have gone before us.
First Corinthians 10 recalls moral failures of the Israelites who wandered in the wilderness in the days of Moses. Verse 6 says, “These things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did.”
On the positive side, James 5:10 says, “As an example in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. As you know, we count as blessed those who persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.”
This Light Reflection inspires us to find hope and encouragement in the lessons of Bible history in the Year to Shine.
John Shirk
john@wjtl.com
JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Faith-Building Verse is Job 23:10.
In the midst of grief, pain, and affliction, Job said, “But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.”
Job’s faith spoke through his perseverance. He endured suffering and saw the value of what suffering would produce in building his character. Not everyone responds to suffering in the same way. Suffering has the potential to make us bitter, but suffering also has the potential to refine our faith and build maturity into our character.
First Peter 1:6 and 7 says,, “For a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” This genuine faith is more valuable than gold.
This Faith-Building Verse inspires us endure times of testing with God in the Year of Relationship.
John Shirk
john@wjtl.com
JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Endurance, today’s Challenge motivates us to take a step toward hope.
Romans 15:4 tells us that “everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide, we might have hope.”
The Bible is not designed to be a weapon to condemn us, but rather a tool to help us to fight the good fight of faith.
In reading God’s Word, we will find encouragement from the examples of those who lived before us and walked with the Lord. We will learn the ways of God’s wisdom, which give direction for our lives. We will also see the evidence of God’s love at the cross and empty grave. The good news of the Bible will give us an eternal perspective that sees life through the eyes of God.
Take the daily challenge to walk in the way of God’s Word toward hope on the journey of faith.
John Shirk
john@wjtl.com
JOHN SHIRK – It’s 2021, the Year of Endurance at WJTL. Listen for devotionals throughout the year designed to motivate and encourage you to stay true to God on the journey of faith.
In the Year of Endurance, today’s Challenge motivates us to step toward integrity.
First John 1:5 says, “This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But 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.”
A life of integrity does not mean that we live a perfect life, but it does mean that we live with honesty-acknowledging our failures before God while living with honest intent to walk in the direction that Jesus leads us. His grace and truth will move us to meaningful relationships with others and keep us moving in the right direction.
Take the daily challenge to walk in the light of integrity on the journey of faith.
John Shirk
john@wjtl.com
