JOHN SHIRK – In the Year to Shine, today’s Vital Step to a Radiant Faith is remembering God’s benefits.
This is what Psalm 103, verse 2 tells us to do. “Praise the LORD, my soul, and forget not all his benefits.”
Some of those benefits are listed in this Psalm. He forgives all our sins. His healing of all our diseases. He redeems us from the pit and crowns us with love and compassion. He satisfies our desires with good things.
When you think of God’s benefits in your life, what comes to your mind?
Consistently remembering God’s benefits has a way of filling our heart with gratitude. With each expression of thanks that we offer to God, we are praising Him for His goodness and kindness.
Remembering God’s benefits is a Vital Step to a Radiant Faith that makes a difference in our world.
John Shirk
john@wjtl.com
JOHN SHIRK – In the Year to Shine, today’s Vital Steps to a Radiant Faith are gentleness and kindness.
Just as God’s grace is the compelling force to draw us to Jesus, grace is needed in our conversations with unbelievers. Heated exchanges are rarely going produce a fruitful outcome, and may cause more harm than good.
Second Timothy 2:23 is advice from one church leader to another: “Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome, but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.”
Gentleness and kindness are vital steps 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 Kindness.
This quality is identified in the fruit of the Spirit, showing tender concern for others. Kindness causes us to take notice of the person who feels forgotten or to be gentle with the person who feels anxiety.
Kindness is refreshing for someone who is beaten down by harsh words and discouraging influences.
Kindness is life-changing for someone who recognizes their need for God’s grace. Romans 2:4 tells us that the kindness of God leads us to repentance.
Because of God’s kindness toward us, we can be a voice of kindness and refreshment for others. Ephesians 4:32 says, “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
Kindness is a key element for thriving relationships that honor God.
John Shirk
john@wjtl.com
JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Key Element for Thriving Relationships is Gentle Instruction.
From one church leader to another, Paul the Apostle wrote in Second Timothy 2:25, “Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.”
When we take a stand for Jesus publicly, there will be times of opposition. That will be a test to our character, and an opportunity to display the love of Jesus. Paul encouraged Timothy to avoid foolish and stupid arguments, to be kind to everyone, able to teach, and not resentful. That is what we can do to keep the conversation going with those who have yet to believe in Jesus.
Gentle Instruction is a key element for thriving relationships that honor God.
John Shirk
john@wjtl.com
JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Endurance, today’s Daily Challenge motivates us to pursue love.
This is what the Apostle Paul instructed a young pastor to do in Second Timothy 2:22. Paul was instructing Timothy how to be an effective witness for the Gospel.
Pursuing love was one of those instructions. God’s love is the compelling influence to guide us in the way of love. Through Jesus, God demonstrated the kind of love that He has for us, and wants us to extend to others. It’s the kind of love that is patient and kind, serves others with humility and is willing to make personal sacrifices for others. Let’s look for ways to let God’s love flow through us.
First John 4:19 says, “We love because he first loved us.” And First John 4:11 says, “Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.”
Take the daily challenge to pursue love in our way of life on the journey of faith.
John Shirk
john@wjtl.com
JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Endurance, today’s Daily Challenge motivates us to persevere in love.
God’s will for our lives is to express our faith in love. He wants us to have thriving relationships.
In First Thessalonians 4:10, the Apostle Paul commended that church for loving God’s family throughout Macedonia, and then said, “Yet, we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more.”
When it comes to sharing God’s love with others, there is always room for us to grow.
First Corinthians 13:6 tells us that love always perseveres.
It shows in the form of showing compassion to one another, forgiving one another, being kind to one another, offering encouragement to one another, and serving one another. There are many opportunities to demonstrate God’s love every day.
Take the daily challenge to persevere in love on the journey of faith.
John Shirk
john@wjtl.com
JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Vision, today’s 20/20 Insight focuses on the contagious effect of kindness.
While the Coronavirus is having a contagious effect on the world in an unhealthy way, there are contagious influences that have a positive effect on our lives.
One of those influences is kindness.
Kindness uses a gentle tone rather than a Megaphone to draw attention to God’s love for the world. Kindness is how God moves us to places of repentance. Christ died for us while we were still sinners. When we think of the price He paid for our sins, we are humbled.
The Apostle Paul noted the contagious effect of God’s kindness on his life. He wrote in Titus 3:3, “At one time, we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived, and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.”
Focusing on the kindness of Jesus gives us greater clarity for living out the Christian life.
John Shirk
john@wjtl.com
JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Good News Focus is on Titus 3:4 and 5.
But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.
We can thank God for His mercy. It was God’s mercy that stopped the stoning of a woman who had been caught in adultery. It was God’s mercy that turned a persecutor of the church named Saul into an apostle of the church named Paul. And God’s mercy changes our lives when we see the kindness of God expressed in Christ.
Jesus did not come to a world that had its act together. Rather, He came to a world in a sinful condition. He came because we needed His mercy. That is what He provided for us when He shed His blood at the cross.
Jesus is our source of Good News, leading us to a place of new life in His kindness and mercy in the Year of Vision.
John Shirk
john@wjtl.com
JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Eye on Integrity is based on Second Timothy 2:24 to 26.
How is the Lord’s servant supposed to respond to voices of opposition? This is a good Scripture to study for wisdom.
“The Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome, but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.”
When God’s people are faced with opposition to our faith, there might be a temptation to enter into an argument over differences. But Paul reminds Timothy here that there is something more important than winning an argument. It is more important to win souls, and it is hard to win souls if we burn bridges with anger, heated arguments, or a spirit of resentment toward the very people we are trying to reach for the Gospel.
Walking with gentle instruction and kindness are virtues to embrace for our lives in the Year of Integrity.
John Shirk
john@wjtl.com
JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Eye on Integrity is based on Jeremiah 9, verses 23 and 24.
“This is what the LORD says: ‘Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the LORD who exercises kindness, justice, and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight.’”
Any wisdom, strength, or wealth that we have is very limited compared to the treasures of knowing God. A relationship with God will change us so that we learn to delight in that which delights the LORD.
Walking in relationship with God is a virtue to embrace for our lives in the Year of Integrity.
John Shirk
john@wjtl.com
JOHN SHIRK-Today’s Person of Integrity from the Bible is Joseph.
In his teen years, Joseph’s brothers mistreated him badly. They sold him off to a foreign land.
Many years later, these same brothers came to Joseph to seek his help during a famine. What they did not know at the time was that they were seeking help from the brother they had disowned so many years ago.
Joseph had regard for God throughout his life. When given the opportunity to get revenge, he instead opened the door for reconciliation. In Genesis 50:20, he revealed his identity to them and said, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don’t be afraid, I will provide for you and your children.” And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.”
The faithfulness of Joseph to seek reconciliation with his brothers inspires us to overcome evil with good and to live a life of integrity.
John Shirk
john@wjtl.com
