Archive

Posts Tagged ‘Kingdom of God’

Vital Step to a Radiant Faith-Put God First

September 25th, 2023 No comments

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year to Shine, today’s Vital Step to a Radiant Faith is to put God first.

Making God first priority in our lives is the right thing to do because He is worthy of our ultimate allegiance. In the first of the 10 Commandments, the LORD says, “You shall have no other gods before me.” Anything that becomes more important to us than God is an idol.

According to First Corinthians 15:3, the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus is a matter of first importance. Jesus instructed us to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness. The first and greatest Commandment in the whole law is to love the Lord our God with all our heart, mind, and soul.

When we put God first, our priorities become aligned with God’s priorities. Our focus turns to the treasures of His kingdom.  Romans 14:17 tells us that the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

Putting God first is a Vital Step to a Radiant Faith that makes a difference in our world.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

Light Reflection-Romans 14:17-18 Kingdom of God

June 13th, 2023 No comments

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Light Reflection is from Romans 14:17 and 18.

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval.

This passage encourages us to love our brothers and sisters in Christ through disagreements on disputable matters-those gray areas where the guidelines are not so clear. In this chapter, Paul the Apostle was talking about dietary matters. Some believers had restrictions Others took more liberties. Those differences were not supposed to disrupt unity.

The Kingdom priorities of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit can help believers remain unified through disagreements.

This is possible as we look to Christ daily, Seek His wisdom, embrace grace, live with humility, and show respect for others.

This Light Reflection inspires us to serve Jesus with righteousness, peace and joy in the Year to Shine.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

Red Letter Wisdom-Kingdom of God

August 28th, 2019 No comments

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Wisdom from the Red Letters is found in Luke 13, verses 20 and 21.

Jesus said, “What shall I compare the kingdom of God to? It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough.”

Many times in the Bible, yeast is considered a bad thing, but not in this parable. Jesus is referring to the permeating influence of God’s Kingdom to have a strong impact on the world. 

The Gospel also has a permeating influence on our lives. When we receive Jesus as Lord and Savior, His influence becomes the dominating factor that transforms us, so that we are moved to honor Him with our entire being.

The words of Jesus inspire us to invite God to move in us and through us to advance His Kingdom in the Year of Redemption.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

Reason To Believe-Parables

March 3rd, 2016 No comments

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Exploration, today’s Reason to Believe is the parables taught by Jesus.

Jesus fulfilled many prophecies in the Old Testament. One of them comes from Psalm 78:2, which says, “I will open my mouth in parables.” In the New Testament, the Gospel of Matthew tells us that Jesus fulfilled these words when He spoke in parables.

These parables were stories that Jesus told to describe what God’s kingdom is like. To the average person, these were interesting stories. To the person who had understanding, these parables were more than just interesting stories. They reflected important truths about the nature of God’s Kingdom.

In Matthew 13, Jesus told His disciples why he taught the people in parables. He said to them, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance.” The parables were structured in such a way that His followers could understand them, because they accepted His words. But to the hearts that were calloused, they heard, but did not understand. Yet, if their hearts were open to His message, they would understand and turn to God for the healing of their souls.

Each parable taught by Jesus is a reason to believe in God’s good news.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

Encounter With Jesus-The Great Banquet

August 6th, 2015 No comments

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Connection, today’s Encounter with Jesus examines one of the parables He taught from Luke 14.

“A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ But they all alike began to make excuses. One said, “I just bought a field, another I just bought oxen, another, I just got married.”

The invitations went out, but the invited guests had other priorities. Parables are stories about the kingdom of God. Jesus is talking about the great banquet that God is preparing for His people in heaven. Yet, when the value of this invitation is not fully appreciated, we tend to make excuses for not accepting this invitation. We have business to run. We have plans to make. We have places to go, and people to see.

But if we stop and consider the treasure of His grace, and how His love brings refreshment to our soul, and restoration with God, the incentive for saying “Yes” outweighs our excuses for saying “no.”

God’s grace continues to reach out with the simple invitation to come to Jesus, and to trust Him as Savior and Lord. He desires for His house to be full. There is room for you.

A daily connection with Christ leads to a celebration of His love and the eternal life that He gives.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com