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Posts Tagged ‘hope’

Daily Challenge-Step Toward Hope

January 21st, 2021 No comments

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

20/20 Insight-Purpose of Jesus To Enrich Our Lives

December 18th, 2020 No comments

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Vision, today’s 20/20 Insight focuses on the purpose of Jesus to enrich our lives.

Second Corinthians 8:9 says, “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes, he became poor, so that you, through his poverty might become rich.”

Jesus left His place of honor and glory in heaven to become the suffering servant on earth. This was for our benefit, not for the purpose of giving us material riches, but to give us God’s grace. That is the richest place for us to be. That is where we have the favor of God. That is where we have peace with God. That is where we experience the joy of the Lord. That is where we live with the hope of moving forward in God’s plan until we reach His glorious destiny. We gain access to these treasures through faith in Jesus to save us from our sins.

Focusing on the riches of God’s grace gives us greater clarity for living out the Christian life.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

20/20 Insight-Hope In God

November 11th, 2020 No comments

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Vision, today’s 20/20 Insight focuses on the heart of David to put his hope in God.

With hope, we have the confidence that God is at work in our lives, fulfilling some kind of purpose in us, whether we are aware of it or not.  

David lived with hope. He said in Psalm 62:5, “Find rest, O my soul, in God alone. My hope comes from him.”  

One way he expressed this hope was when he was hiding from a jealous king. He also looked after his parents during this dangerous time. So, he said to the king of Moab, “Would you let my father and mother come and stay with you until I learn what God will do for me?”  That is a statement of faith and hope. David believed that God would intervene on his behalf in the course of time.  

When we follow God, we may not know all of His plans for us, but we believe that He has a meaningful purpose for our lives, a blessed future, and love that stands the test of time.

Focusing on hope in Jesus Christ gives us greater clarity for living out the Christian life.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

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20/20 Insight-Mount of Olives

September 15th, 2020 No comments

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Vision, today’s 20/20 Insight focuses on the significance of the Mount of Olives.

This was the place where Jesus told His disciples of future events that would happen prior to His coming.

Some of those events were the appearances of deceivers, wars and rumors of wars, famines, plagues, and earthquakes in various places. He also said that the gospel of the kingdom would be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end would come.

The place where He spoke of the future is significant. Zechariah 14:4 tells us that when He comes again, His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives. On that day, there will be one LORD, and his name the only name. He will be king over the whole earth.

The Mount of Olives reminds us that while we live in a broken world, the future is in God’s hands. The future is a vision of victory for God’s coming Kingdom and for those who follow Jesus by faith.

Focusing on our future hope in Christ gives us greater clarity for living out the Christian life.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

Good News Focus-Light, Hope, Salvation

July 28th, 2020 No comments

John Shirk-Today’s Good News Focus is on Ephesians 6:17.

“Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

God’s salvation is reliable to protect us from the threats of our enemies in the spiritual realm. Nothing in all creation can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus. There is another place in the New Testament that refers to the helmet of salvation. First Thessalonians 5:8 urges us to put on the hope of salvation as a helmet. When we live with the awareness that God protects our soul, we live with a sense of security that our lives are in God’s hands, and that our future is with Him forever.

The sword of the Spirit is the word of God, serving as a reliable offensive weapon against the forces of darkness in the heavenly realms. Darkness retreats in the presence of light. Satan retreats when we break out God’s Word and live by it.

Jesus is our Source of Good News, leading us to places of light, hope, and salvation in the Year of Vision.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

Good News Focus-Heaven

January 29th, 2020 No comments

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Good News Focus is on John 14, verses 1 to 3.

Jesus told His followers, “Do not let your hearts be troubled.  You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.”

This statement gives us a view of what Jesus is doing right now. He is preparing a place for His followers to be with Him in His Father’s house. Today, we look around and we see the beauty of the earth which God has formed in six days. How much more beauty will we see in heaven, which Jesus has been preparing for two thousand years? In those days when we feel down or discouraged, we can look to the LORD with hope in our heart. Jesus is alive and well, and He is preparing a glorious future for His followers to be with Him in a glorious place.

Jesus is our source of good news, leading us to a place of heavenly hope in the Year of Vision.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

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Good News Focus-The Gift of God

January 13th, 2020 No comments

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Good News Focus is on Romans 6:23.

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

God’s grace is a gift extended to sinners. Instead of despair, we can live with hope, because God has remembered our desperate situation in our sinful condition, and provided a remedy through Jesus Christ.  

Just as employees earn wages by their work in the positive sense, so in the negative sense, we deserve death because of the sins we have committed. But when we receive Jesus as Lord and Savior, God no longer holds our sins against us for judgment. He sets us free from condemnation and releases us from guilt. God’s grace is the ultimate gift to save us from our sins.

Jesus is our source of good news, leading us to live with hope on the road that leads to heaven in the Year of Vision.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

20/20 Insight-Focus on God’s Faithfulness

January 10th, 2020 No comments

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Vision, today’s 20/20 Insight focuses on God’s faithfulness.

Lamentations 3:22 says, “Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” I say to myself, ‘The LORD is my portion; therefore, I will wait for him.’ The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him.”

In the morning, some people see a sunrise. In his view of the sunrise, the writer of Lamentations saw more. He saw hope in the Lord. He was reminded of the faithfulness of God.

Focusing on God’s faithfulness gives us greater clarity for living out the Christian faith.

John Shirk

John @wjtl.com

Freedom Phrase-Hope In Our Times of Trouble

September 20th, 2019 No comments

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Redemption, today’s Freedom Phrase is based on Second Corinthians 4, verses 16 and 17.

The Apostle Paul said, “We do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.”

Hardships can come to us in various ways-sickness, persecution, poverty, or stressful circumstances.

Paul had these hardships, and remained hopeful in his pain. He believed that God was working out His eternal purposes in the midst of that pain. He looked beyond his temporary circumstances. In our times of trouble, we are never without hope whenever we hold on to God. The grace of Jesus encourages us with the reality of God’s love for us and His plan of eternal glory.

Through Jesus, we are set free from discouragement and despair to put our hope in God.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

Freedom Phrase-Energizing Hope

July 29th, 2019 No comments

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Redemption, today’s Freedom Phrase is based on Isaiah 40, verses 29 to 31.

The LORD “gives strength to the weary, and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

Hope has a way of energizing us, giving us a reason to get up in the morning. Hope in the LORD is not just wishful thinking. It is built on the truth of God’s Word, which affirms that God loves us, He has a plan for our lives, and His plan will bear fruit for His glory as we follow Him. God is our source of wisdom and He is our source of strength. Because Jesus lives, we can live with the confidence that our labor in the Lord is not in vain.

Through Jesus, we are set free to move forward in our faith with energizing hope.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

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Eye On Integrity-Returning To The LORD

October 15th, 2018 No comments

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Eye on Integrity is based on Lamentations 3:40.

“Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the LORD.”

Many times, spiritual inventory comes in a time of crisis when we are humbled and broken of ourselves. That was where the Israelites were at the time this verse was written. The people were taken from their homeland. Their temple was destroyed. They had descended from a place of blessing to a place of bondage, and the writer recorded a series of laments in this book.

But in this broken place, there is also hope. Because of the Lord’s great love, we are not consumed. His compassions never fail. Great is God’s faithfulness.

When we come to the end of ourselves, there is grace waiting with open arms. God is ready to embrace anyone who is willing to renounce selfish ways and return to His grace.

Returning to the LORD after we have disobeyed Him is a virtue to embrace for our lives in the Year of Integrity.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com