JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Light Reflection is from Isaiah 6, verses 1 to 3.

Isaiah said, “In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne, and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were **seraphim, each with six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.”

Isaiah had a vivid view of God’s glory and it was a defining moment in his life. He would be called one of God’s prophets.

When we encounter the living God, we may be overwhelmed with amazement, and overcome by emotion. Like Isaiah, we may be grieved by our own sin in the presence of a holy God. But God’s mercy is also there to pardon our sin and prepare us for ministry. In the light of God’s glory, our faith is purified and our mission is clarified.

This Light Reflection inspires us to marvel at the brilliance of God’s glory in the Year to Shine.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Faith-Building Verses are Hebrews 7:26 and 27.

Such a high priest truly meets our need-one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once and for all when he offered himself.

Here we see that Jesus was the perfect sacrifice for our imperfect lives. The description of humanity points to our need for a Savior. Romans 3:12 says, “There is no one who does good, not even one.” Jesus is the exception. He lived a sinless life. He came from heaven to earth to reveal the way to be forgiven of our sins and enjoy life with God forever. Then, He laid down His life for us on the cross. He paid the price in full for our redemption.

These Faith-Building Verses inspire us to look to Jesus as the worthy sacrifice for our sins in the Year of Relationship.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Faith-Building Verse is First John 2:28.

And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears, we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming.

The promise of Christ’s return is meant to motivate our faith in a number of ways.

First, the promise of Christ’s return motivates us to be holy. First John 3:3 says that all who have this hope in Christ purify themselves.

Second, the promise of Christ to come back motivates us to share the Gospel with others. We want others to be saved. The Apostle Paul told Timothy, “in light of His appearing….preach the word.”

A third motivation is hope. Titus 2:13 talks about the appearing of Jesus Christ as the blessed hope. For those who love Jesus, the coming of Christ is not the end of the world, but the beginning of the full experience of joy in the presence of the Lord.

This Faith-Building Verse inspires us to walk with Jesus with godly integrity in the Year of Relationship.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Word of Encouragement is the Church.

Some people think of church as a building, but in reality, the church is the people of God. Jesus is the Head of the church and the builder of the church. He has designed the church to take the gospel to the world, and today, that assignment is still in motion.

It is also significant to note that Jesus loves the church. He died for the church and is in the process of purifying the church until He returns for His followers.

Ephesians 5:25 compares the relationship between Christ and His church to the intimacy of a marriage relationship. “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.”

Find encouragement in God’s love and purpose for the church in the Year of Endurance.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

Thanks to Bob for suggesting today’s Praise & Worship Show theme: “The Holiness Of God”!  He also provided a tip for those of you who are trying to find songs to fit themes: www.PraiseCharts.com/themes.  I checked it out and it did, indeed, help with some suggestions!  I also like to check iTunes, lyrics on Google and find Scriptures that relate to lyrics.  My husband, Sam, and I are worship leaders–so I also just sort through my brain, which has compiled a nice database over the years.  🙂

Below you’ll find my playlist for the program.  Please get in touch (email me or comment on this post) if there’s a theme you’d like to hear on the show in the future!

If you’re into the theme today, Isaiah 6 is a passage in the Bible that many of these songs reference.  Click here to read it online at Bible Gateway’s site.

Kristi Leigh – WJTL DJ

Kristi@WJTL.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Moment Of Celebration reflects on the holiness of God.

The angels make this declaration in Isaiah 6, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty. The whole earth is full of his glory.”  It was the kind of statement that caused Isaiah to feel doomed as a sinner. Yet, God’s holiness was accompanied by His compassion, and that makes all the difference for anyone who has sinned against God. Instead of being condemned as a sinner, he would be called into service as a saint. The holiness of God had a purifying impact on Isaiah, and it has a purifying impact on those who belong to Jesus.

The holiness of God refers to His absolute moral purity. There is no sin in Him. His glory shines with brilliance. God’s holiness also refers to His greatness. He is a cut above the rest. No persons or idols match the worth of God to the human soul.

One of God’s purposes for our lives is to make us holy, not in the sense that we are able to attain to His level of greatness, but in the sense of purifying our faith by the Word of God.  His holiness becomes an incentive for us to grow in holiness. First Peter 1:15 and 16 says, “Just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do, for it is written, “be holy, because I am holy.” Heaven celebrates the supreme holiness of God constantly.

The holiness of God is a reason to be glad in the Year of Celebration.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com