Archive

Posts Tagged ‘new life’

Light Reflection-Romans 6:4 New Life

March 16th, 2023 No comments

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Light Reflection is from Romans 6:4.

Speaking of Jesus, “we were buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”

The light of the Gospel reveals the new life that we can have in Christ. We become new creations. The old has gone. A new way of life has begun, built on faith in Christ, and expressing itself in love.  We become united with Christ in His death and resurrection.

We die to sin and come alive to Jesus. Instead of living for selfish desires, we live to glorify God. This new life gives us a new focus, new priorities, and new identity as a child of God. We are refreshed in the cleansing power of God’s forgiveness and His unfailing love.

Romans 6:8 tells us that if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.

This Light Reflection inspires us to embrace the new life of being united with Jesus in the Year to Shine.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

Key Element for Thriving Relationships-Celebrate New Life

October 27th, 2022 No comments

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Key Element for Thriving Relationships is Celebrating New Life.

Life is miraculous. Each baby should be welcomed into the world as a precious person who is loved by God.

The same is true whenever someone turns to Christ and is born again in His grace. In Luke 15, Jesus told several stories to critics who complained that He was welcoming sinners and eating with them.

One of those stories was about a woman who had ten silver coins, and lost one. She swept the house and searched carefully until she found it. She was filled with joy and called her friends to share her joy in finding it. In the same way, Jesus said, “there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

New life is miraculous. Each new child of God is welcomed into the family of God and is saved by God.

Celebrating new life is a key element for thriving relationships that honor God.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

Categories: John Shirk, Staff Pages Tags:

Daily Challenge-Look for God Moving in His People

April 29th, 2021 No comments

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Endurance, today’s Daily Challenge motivates us to look for the evidence of God in a life of integrity.

One of the evidences of God’s existence is found in a person whose life is changed by His grace.

David prayed in Psalm 19:14, “May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.”

A person who says this kind of prayer and means it from the heart is under the influence of the Holy Spirit. David was a man after God’s own heart. He desired a relationship with God and pursued His will.

According to Ezekiel 36:6, this is how the LORD works to change someone’s heart and spiritual direction: The LORD says, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.”

Take the daily challenge to look for the evidence of God in the changed lives of God’s people on the journey of faith.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

Daily Challenge-Walk In the Light of Life

March 1st, 2021 No comments

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Endurance, today’s Daily Challenge motivates us to walk with Jesus for the light that we need.

Jesus said to the people in John 8:12, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.”

This is an open invitation for us to join Jesus on a journey of faith. He is qualified to lead us in the pathway of life.

This is a new life that brings us a fresh start. Our sins are washed away in forgiveness, and we have a new focus to glorify God.

This is an abundant life that overflows with grace, gratitude, and hope.

This is the way of eternal life that leads us to our home in heaven.

Take the daily challenge to walk with Jesus in the light of life on the journey of faith.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

Good News Focus-New Life

August 19th, 2020 No comments

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Good News Focus is on Genesis 2:7.

Then the LORD formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.

God’s breath has been life-giving to the human race. He made the earth to be populated, and started with Adam and Eve.

God’s breath is also life-giving for us spiritually. God made heaven to be populated, and has provided the way for us to join Him through Jesus Christ. The Bible is where we hear the message of His saving grace. His word plants the seed of faith in our hearts.

Second Timothy 3:16 says that “all Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 

Jesus is our Source of Good News, leading us to a place of new life in the Year of Vision.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

Freedom Phrase-New Life

March 25th, 2019 No comments

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Redemption, today’s Freedom Phrase is based on Romans 6:4.

“We were therefore buried with Jesus through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”

This new life that the Bible talks about is a life that shares in the sufferings of Jesus and His resurrection.

We can live with the confidence that if we share in His sufferings, He can identify with our pain, because He has been there. We catch a glimpse of what He willingly endured for us.

We can also live with the confidence that just as Jesus rose from the dead, we will overcome death too. We will rise after the death of our bodies to live with Him forever and see Him in His glory.

Through Jesus, we are set free to have a new life that walks in relationship with God.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

Categories: John Shirk, Staff Pages Tags:

Promise of Hope-New Creation

September 8th, 2017 No comments

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Promise of Hope is based on Second Corinthians 5:17.

“If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: the old has gone, the new is here!”

Through faith in Jesus, we are made new. This is evident in various ways.

In relationship with Christ, we have a new mind with a new attitude. Ephesians 4:23 says that we were taught to put off our old self and be made new in the attitude of our minds.

In relationship with Christ, we have a new heart. Ezekiel 11:19 says, “I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them.”

In relationship with Christ, we have a new home. Philippians 3:20 reminds believers that our citizenship is in heaven.

And in relationship with Christ, we have a new start. According to First Peter 1:3, “In his great mercy, he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”

Becoming a new creation is a promise of hope for those who follow Jesus in the Year of Trust.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com