JOHN SHIRK-Today’s Word of Encouragement is Adoption.
Parents who adopt children choose to welcome them into their family with open arms.
Adoption is one of God’s spiritual blessings for the person who puts their faith in Jesus Christ. We are welcomed into the family of God with open arms.
Ephesians 1:5 says, “In love, he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will-to the praise of his glorious grace.”
What a gift! To be included in God’s family and to enjoy the blessing of His acceptance and forgiveness-that is a compelling reason to praise Him every single day.
Find encouragement in the blessing of being adopted into God’s family in the Year of Endurance.
John Shirk
john@wjtl.com
JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Connection, today’s Encounter with Jesus examines His presence as the central focus of our lives.
In Mark 3:32, Jesus was the center of attention, when his family members came to take charge of him. At that time, they thought that Jesus was out of his mind.
There was a crowd sitting around him, and they told Jesus, “Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you.”
Jesus used this opportunity to identify the members of His spiritual family. He looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.”
What was happening there in the physical sense is where His church is blessed in the spiritual sense-We gather together with Jesus as the central focus of our faith, revolving around His agenda for our lives rather than the other way around.
A daily connection with Christ will lead us to a Christ-centered life.
John Shirk
john@wjtl.com
JOHN SHIRK – From Luke 8:21.
Jesus said, “My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice.”
This statement broadens our view of family. At the time when Jesus said this, someone approached Jesus to tell him that his mother and brothers were standing outside wanting to see him. But they were having trouble getting through because of the crowd.
That is when Jesus widened the definition of His family circle to include anyone who was receptive to God’s Word and applied His truth to their lives. This application includes receiving the good news of salvation found only in Jesus Christ. This family definition includes people of faith for future generations, including ours. Family membership is one of God’s spiritual blessings for the follower of Christ. He enlarges our family to include God’s people who are brothers and sisters in Christ. Our fellowship is meaningful through the blood of Christ.
Putting God’s word into practice is a vital sign of a changed life in the Year of Transformation.
John Shirk
john@wjtl.com
