JOHN SHIRK – 2023 has been designated the Year to Shine at WJTL. We will explore what it means to be the salt and light in this world that Jesus calls us to be. Listen for daily light reflections and for steps of faith that we can take to be a radiant witness for Jesus.

In the Year to Shine, today’s Vital Step to a Radiant Faith is being a doer of God’s Word.

James 1:22 says, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror, and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it-not forgetting what they heard, but doing it-they will be blessed in what they do.”

Being a Doer of God’s Word is a vital step to a radiant faith that makes a difference in our world.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Key Element for Thriving Relationships is freedom.

Second Corinthians 3:17 says “Now the Lord is Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”

The Spirit of God is about life and freedom. Where there are elements of coercion, intimidation, or manipulation in relationships, the Spirit of the Lord is not the influence behind them.

Where the Spirit of the Lord is, people are free to express their love for God with the personalities that God has given them.

Where the Spirit of the Lord is, people are free to worship God openly, using a variety of songs that glorify His holy name.

Where the Spirit of the Lord is, people are free to share with each other what they are learning and how God is moving in their lives.

Where the Spirit of the Lord is, people are free to serve others with their God-given abilities.

Freedom is a key element for thriving relationships that honor God.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Faith-Building Verse is Hebrews 11:29.

“By faith, the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned.”

The Egyptians were pursuing the Israelites to return them to slavery, but God set them free. The Red Sea was their breakthrough moment once and for all.

Exodus 14:29 records that the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left. That day the LORD saved Israel from the hands of the Egyptians.

Sin is like a harsh slave master that seeks to control us with addictions, false beliefs, and selfish pride.  God’s grace is the way forward to set us free. We can trust Jesus to lead the way.

This Faith-Building Verse inspires us to walk in the path that leads to freedom in the Year of Relationship.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

This week, it’s a Freedom & Fireworks theme on the Praise & Worship Program. I’m excited to celebrate liberty in Christ with vibrant worship-filled hearts! This year’s lineup includes songs like “Liberty” by Shane & Shane, “Praise Like Fireworks” from Rend Collective, “I Am Free” by Jared Anderson and lots more.

 

Kristi Leigh, WJTL DJ

Kristi@WJTL.com

Podcast: Spotify & Apple Podcasts & SoundCloud & Google Podcasts

Follow: Instagram & Facebook

Playlists: Spotify

SONG TITLE	Artist	Album	Year
6AM
What Freedom Feels Like	Cody Carnes	The Darker The Night-The Brighter The Morning	2017
Nail Scarred Hands	Dante Bowe	Single	2022
SING IT FROM THE SHACKLES	Rend Collective	Single	2020
Deliverer (feat. Lauren Lee)	North Point Worship	Single	2022
Living with a Fire (feat. Chris Quilala) [Live]	Jesus Culture	Living with a Fire (Live)	2018
More Than Amazing	Lincoln Brewster	Real Life	2012
Love Came Down	Brian Johnson	Love Came Down	2010
A New Hallelujah	Michael W. Smith	A New Hallelujah	2008
Liberated	Zealand Worship	Liberated	2018
Im Going Free (Jailbreak)	Vertical Worship	The Rock Wont Move	2013
Fires Gonna Fall	Martin Smith	Iron Lung	2019
Break Every Chain	Jesus Culture & Kristene DiMarco	Jesus Culture Awakening: Live From Chicago	2011
7AM
Christ Has Set Me Free	Rend Collective	Homemade Worship By Handmade People	2012
Nothing Holding Me Back	Bryan & Katie Torwalt	Here On Earth	2011
Deliverance (Live)	GATEWAY	Greater Than (Live)	2018
Hallelujah For the Cross	Chris McClarney	Breakthrough	2018
Where The Spirit Of The Lord Is (feat. Christy Nockels)	Chris Tomlin	Passion: Awakening	2010
He Is Faithful (feat. Bryan Torwalt)	Jesus Culture	Jesus Culture Awakening: Live From Chicago	2011
Freedom Looks Good on You	Maverick City Music	Jubilee: Juneteenth Edition	2021
Where Are The Chains (feat. Lucas McCloud)	Circuit Rider Music	Jesus People (Live)	2021
Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)	Chris Tomlin	Music Inspired By The Motion Picture Amazing Grace	2007
Hearts Ablaze (feat. Bethany Kuenzli)	Philip Herndon	Send Revival EP	2020
Liberty (Live)	Shane & Shane	Psalms Live	2016
8AM
Because of Your Love	Paul Baloche	A Greater Song	2006
No Chains On Me	Chris Tomlin	And If Our God Is For Us	2010
Deliverer	Matt Maher	Saints and Sinners	2015
We Are The Free	Matt Redman	10,000 Reasons	2011
Freedom Is Coming (Live)	Hillsong Young & Free	Out Here On A Friday Where It Began	2021
Freedom in the Spirit (feat. Adam Agin)	Sarah Kroger	Bloom	2019
Freedom	Jesus Culture	Living With A Fire	2018
Freedom Is Here	Worship Center Live	In This Place	2011
My Deliverer	Mandisa	Freedom	2009
Freedom Hymn	Austin French	Wide Open	2018
Resurrection Power	Chris Tomlin	Holy Roar	2018
Freedom Song	Christy Nockels	Let It Be Jesus	2015
Freedom Reigns (feat. Kim Walker Smith)	Jesus Culture	Come Away	2010
It Was For Freedom (feat. Jon Egan, Mia Fields)	New Life Worship	You Hold It All	2011
9AM
Set a Fire (feat. Will Reagan)	United Pursuit	Endless Years	2012
Freedom is Here	Esterlyn	Call Out	2011
Set Free (feat. Matt Redman)	Chris Tomlin	Passion: Here For You	2011
Where The Spirit of the Lord Is	Life Church	Death of Death	2019
I Am Free	Jared Anderson	51 Must Have Modern Worship Hits	2007
I Am Found, I Am Free	GATEWAY	Monuments	2017
Wild and Free	Jason Upton	A Table Full of Strangers, Vol. 2	2018
Free As a Bird	Rend Collective	Campfire II: Simplicity	2016
Free, Amen (Live)	We The Kingdom	Live At the Wheelhouse – EP	2019
I Am Set Free	All Sons & Daughters	Season One	2012
Praise Like Fireworks	Rend Collective Experiment	Campfire	2013
Awe (feat. Chris Quilala) [Live]	Jesus Culture	Living with a Fire (Live)	2018
Awe + Wonder	The Belonging Co	Awe + Wonder (Live)	2019

Happy Independence Day!

This week’s Praise & Worship playlist has a Freedom & Fireworks theme.

Happy 4th,

Kristi

Kristi Leigh, WJTL DJ

Kristi@WJTL.com

Podcast: Spotify & Apple Podcasts & SoundCloud & Google Podcasts

Follow: Instagram & Facebook

Playlists: Spotify

Song Title	Artist	Album	Year
6AM
Christ Has Set Me Free	Rend Collective	Homemade Worship By Handmade People	2012
Wild and Free	Jason Upton	A Table Full of Strangers, Vol. 2	2018
Freedom in the Spirit (feat. Adam Agin)	Sarah Kroger	Bloom	2019
Nothing Holding Me Back	Bryan & Katie Torwalt	Here On Earth	2011
It Was For Freedom (feat. Jon Egan, Mia Fields)	New Life Worship	You Hold It All	2011
Refiners Fire	Brian Doerksen	Songs 4 Worship Ultimate	2011
Refiner (feat. Chandler Moore & Steffany Gretzinger)	Maverick City Music	Maverick City, Vol. 2	2019
God Ablaze	Charlie Hall	The Rising	2010
Burn for You (feat. David Brymer)	Rivers & Robots	Discovery	2018
Like a Fire (feat. Steffany Gretzinger)	Sean Feucht	The Things We Did at First	2016
Freedom	William Matthews	For The Sake Of The World	2012
Love Like Fire	Hillsong Worship	A Beautiful Exchange	2010
7AM
Where The Spirit Of The Lord Is (feat. Christy Nockels)	Chris Tomlin	Passion: Awakening	2010
Fires Gonna Fall	Martin Smith	Iron Lung	2019
Burning In My Soul	Brett Younker	Passion: Let The Future Begin	2013
Flame of Fire, Rushing Wind	Bryan & Katie Torwalt	Champion	2016
Freedom Song	Christy Nockels	Let It Be Jesus	2015
Living with a Fire (feat. Chris Quilala) [Live]	Jesus Culture	Living with a Fire (Live)	2018
Another In The Fire	Hillsong United	People (Live)	2020
I Am Set Free	All Sons & Daughters	Season One	2012
Freedom (Live)	Urban Rescue	City Sessions (Live In Los Angeles)	2017
SING IT FROM THE SHACKLES	Rend Collective	Single	2020
Lift Your Head Weary Sinner (Chains)	Crowder	Neon Steeple	2014
Chains	Bellarive	Before There Was	2014
Im Going Free (Jailbreak)	Vertical Worship	The Rock Wont Move	2013
8AM
Break Every Chain	Jesus Culture & Kristene Di Marco	Jesus Culture Awakening: Live From Chicago	2011
Liberated	Zealand Worship	Liberated	2018
Free As a Bird	Rend Collective	Campfire II: Simplicity	2016
Set Free (feat. Matt Redman)	Chris Tomlin	Passion: Here For You	2011
Im Free (Hymn) / Washed By The Water (Acoustic Live)	Needtobreathe	Acoustic Single	2019
Consuming Fire	Tim Hughes	When Silence Falls	2004
All Consuming Fire (Live)	Chris McClarney	Everything and Nothing Less (Live)	2015
Hearts Ablaze (feat. Bethany Kuenzli)	Philip Herndon	Send Revival EP	2020
Freedom Reigns (feat. Kim Walker-Smith)	Jesus Culture	Come Away	2010
Freedom (feat. Kim Walker-Smith) [Live]	Jesus Culture	Living with a Fire (Live)	2018
I Am Free	Jared Anderson	51 Must Have Modern Worship Hits	2007
I Am Found, I Am Free	GATEWAY	Monuments	2017
9AM
We Are The Free	Matt Redman	10,000 Reasons	2011
No Longer Slaves (feat. Jonathan David & Melissa Helser)	Bethel Music	We Will Not Be Shaken (Live) [Deluxe Edition]	2015
Finally Free	Rend Collective	The Art of Celebration	2014
Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone) [Live]	Shane & Shane	Hymns Live	2019
No Chains On Me	Chris Tomlin	And If Our God Is For Us	2010
Set Me Ablaze (feat. Katie Torwalt) [Live]	Jesus Culture	Let It Echo (Live)	2016
Burn Like A Star	Rend Collective	The Art of Celebration	2014
Calling On Fire	Bellarive	Before There Was	2014
Set a Fire (Live)	Jesus Culture	Live from New York (with Martin Smith) [Live]	2012
Fires	Matt Redman	10,000 Reasons	2011
Where The Spirit of the Lord Is	Life Church	Death of Death	2019
Free, Amen (Live)	We The Kingdom	Live At the Wheelhouse – EP	2019
Praise Like Fireworks	Rend Collective Experiment	Campfire	2013

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Word of Encouragement is Freedom.

Galatians 5:1 tells us that it is for freedom that Christ has set us free.

To be free in Christ is to be forgiven by His grace and to walk in His truth.

There are two main obstacles to freedom. One obstacle is trespassing God’s laws, where we disobey God and become slaves to sin. The other obstacle is legalism, where we depend on observing God’s laws to save us.  The truth is that we cannot save ourselves by doing good deeds, but Jesus can save us from our sins. That is why He came to the world. Trusting Jesus to save us will set us free from the control of those obstacles.

Jesus said in John 8:36, “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” Because of Jesus, we are set free to walk in an authentic relationship with God.

Find encouragement in the true and lasting freedom that Jesus provides for His followers in the Year of Endurance.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Vision, today’s 20/20 Insight focuses on the freedom of serving in a spirit of love.

Along with freedoms come responsibility for the actions that we take. The opportunity to use our freedom for good or evil is found in Galatians 5:13 to 15-“You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.”

This is a good word for us today. We can use our freedoms and opportunities for selfish gain or we can use our freedoms and opportunities to represent Jesus.  Selfish ambition leads to prideful actions that tear people apart. Love leads to humble service that inspires faith, hope, and love in the lives of others.

Focusing on the freedom of serving others gives us greater clarity for living out the Christian life.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

Kristi Leigh, WJTL DJ

Kristi@WJTL.com

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Today we reflect on—and celebrate–our liberty in Christ.  It’s a Freedom & Fire(works) themed playlist!

Happy Independence Day—we are free indeed! 

Kristi Leigh – WJTL DJ
Kristi@WJTL.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Q and A Segment explores the question, “What is the key to real and authentic freedom?”

Over the Fourth of July, America celebrates Independence Day with fireworks. Political liberties such as free speech, religious expression, freedom of assembly, and the freedom of the press are all granted in the U.S. Constitution. These are some of the liberties that we enjoy today, which many other nations do not experience.

As precious as these liberties are, they are not the keys to real and authentic freedom. Jesus offers us the key in John 8:36. He said, “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” Jesus was referring to Himself. He is full of grace and truth. One of His purposes for coming to the world was to set the captives free. In verse 31, He says, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

While political freedoms can be taken away, no one can steal away our spiritual liberty. The truth of Jesus’ words and His gospel of grace are keys to real and authentic freedom in the Year of Exploration.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com