JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Focus on God’s goodness is found in Psalm 103, verse 12,
“As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”
God’s love is wide, extending to people of all nations, ethnic groups, and languages around the world. His love is full of mercy, extending forgiveness and salvation to those who put their faith in Jesus. According to the Bible, everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
Psalm 103 instructs us to remember all of God’s benefits, and then identifies some of them. Mercy stands out as one of those benefits. He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. He is able to separate us from sin so that nothing in all creation can separate us from His love.
The width of God’s love reveals the goodness of God and is a reason to give thanks in the Year of Gratitude.
John Shirk
john@wjtl.com
JOHN SHIRK – 2024 is the Year of Gratitude at WJTL. In our 40th year of ministry, we are thankful to God for His faithfulness and thankful for our family of listeners.
Each weekday, we will share a Scripture with you that focuses on God’s goodness, which gives us a reason to be grateful.
Today’s Focus on God’s goodness is found in First Timothy 1:15.
Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners-of whom I am the worst.
The Apostle Paul lived with profound gratitude to God for His grace and mercy that reached him when he was at the lowest depths of depravity. He had been filled with hatred toward followers of Jesus, but was stopped in his tracks on the way to Damascus, where he had an encounter with Jesus that changed his life. The journey of Paul to faith reminds us that no one is a hopeless cause beyond God’s ability to reach them.
The mission of Jesus to save sinners reveals the goodness of God and is a reason to give thanks in the Year of Gratitude.
John Shirk
john@wjtl.com
JOHN SHIRK – In the Year to Shine, today’s Vital Step to a Radiant Faith is to view God’s mercy.
The pattern of the Bible often reveals what God did for us before telling us what to do for Him. Keeping God’s mercy in view motivates us to honor Him with our lives. His kindness leads to repentance.
Here are some examples of this pattern from the Bible. Romans 12:1 says, “In view of God’s mercy, offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God-this is your true and proper worship.”
Colossians 3:12-“Therefore as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”
Before giving the Ten Commandments, the LORD said, “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.” We love because God loved us first.
Viewing God’s mercy is a Vital Step to a Radiant Faith that makes a difference in our world.
John Shirk
john@wjtl.com
JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Light Reflection is from Luke 18:9 to 14.
Jesus told this story to some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else.
Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed, ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people-robbers, evildoers, adulterers-or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’
But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’
Jesus said, “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
This Light Reflection inspires us to confess our need for God’s mercy in the Year to Shine.
John Shirk
john@wjtl.com
JOHN SHIRK – In the Year to Shine, today’s Vital Step to a Radiant Faith is the exercise of spiritual gifts.
When God’s people serve with love and with their spiritual gifts, the church has a significant light to shine in the local community.
The Bible teaches us that different members of the church have different gifts. Romans 12:6 says, “We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.”
This is a picture of the body of Christ serving freely by the grace of God for the glory of God.
Exercising our Spiritual Gifts 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 Step to a Radiant Faith is Mercy.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said in Matthew 5:7, “Blessed are the merciful for they will be shown mercy.”
Mercy can be shown in different forms. Both expressions are life-giving in our relationships. One way to express mercy is to reach out with a helping hand to someone in distress. The Good Samaritan extended this kind of mercy to a man that was badly beaten by robbers. He attended to his needs and helped him get back on his feet.
Another way to express mercy is to forgive someone who has wronged us. Jesus equated mercy with forgiveness in one of His parables. Ephesians 4:32 encourages us to be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
The demonstration of mercy is a powerful way to represent Christ and to refresh others with hope and encouragement.
Mercy is a vital step to a radiant faith that makes a difference in our world.
John Shirk
john@wjtl.com
JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Faith-Building Verses are Titus 3:3 to 5.
At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, 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.
It is an amazing miracle to ponder the mercy of God triumphant over judgment. His grace covers our sins at the moment of our conversion to Christ. From there, we experience a change of heart. Our motives change. Our words change. Our attitudes change. Some of these areas of change may not happen overnight, but over time, God works in the hearts of His believers to transform us into the likeness of Christ. Real-life transformation will lead us into a life of love and holiness because of what Jesus did on the cross and how He is working in our hearts.
These Faith-Building Verses inspire us to celebrate the mercy of God that changes our lives in the Year of Relationship.
John Shirk
john@wjtl.com
JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Key Element for Thriving Relationships is Letting go of past hurts.
Painful memories can be hard to overcome. But the mercy of God toward us enables us to pass along mercy to others.
In Genesis 45:5, Joseph took this step to reconcile with his estranged brothers, who did great harm to him years earlier.
His brothers unknowingly came to him for food relief during a famine. When Joseph revealed his identity to his brothers, they were terrified. But Joseph said to them, “Come close to me. I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt. And now do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.”
Joseph’s relationship with God kept his heart tender to his brothers, enabling him to overcome evil with good.
Letting go of past hurts is a key element for thriving relationships that honor God.
John Shirk
john@wjtl.com
JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Faith-Building Verse is First Peter 2:9.
But you are a chosen people-a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
When God transforms our heart to trust in Jesus, we live with the assurance that we belong to Him. He has given us a testimony of praise that reveals God’s mercy that was shown to us.
The goodness of His grace is the reason for our testimony. That is why He deserves the credit for the good ways that we are changed by the Gospel. The writer of Psalm 66:16 says, “Come and hear, all you who fear God; let me tell you what he has done for me.”
This Faith-Building Verse inspires us to declare praise for God for His mercy and acceptance in the Year of Relationship.
John Shirk
john@wjtl.com
JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Key Element for Thriving Relationships is Wisdom.
The way of wisdom leads to character qualities that build better relationships.
Wisdom can be defined as “the ability to discern what is true, right, or lasting.”
James 3:13 asks the question, “Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.”
Verse 17 in that same chapter says, “Wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.”
Wisdom is a key element for thriving relationships that honor God.
John Shirk
john@wjtl.com
JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Faith-Building Verses are Ephesians 2, verses 4 and 5.
“Because of his great love, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions-it is by grace you have been saved.”
The mercy of God is rich, abundant, and life-changing. For that, we can be thankful. Where would we be without mercy? Ephesians 2:3 says we were by nature deserving of wrath as a result of our disobedience to God. But in His great love for us, God awakens us from our spiritual slumber to see our need for His forgiveness.
We can be glad that God’s mercy spares us from getting what we deserve. According to the Bible, the wages of sin is death. But Romans 6:23 also says, “the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” That’s the difference between God’s wrath and mercy in the picture of eternity, and that is a reason to praise Him for His plan of salvation.
These Faith-Building Verses inspire us to receive God’s mercy and come alive to Christ in the Year of Relationship.
John Shirk
john@wjtl.com
