Today’s playlist has brand new music from Kim Walker-Smith, Jason Upton, Mack Brock and Mosaic MSC. Plus, mini-themes of PEACE, GARDENS springing to life and LIGHT breaking through! 

One of my favorite new songs in that GARDENS mini-theme is “Cherry Blossoms” by MoveSomebody. I talked with BJ & Lisa Sullivan and loved learning all about this song (and how the saxophone was instrumental in the recording process!)

Another song that is on my heart a lot this season is “Let The Light In” by Cody Carnes. I caught up with him recently and was thrilled to know it’s his pick for this season, too. He told me the story behind the song on the P&W Podcast. Listen right here!

Kristi Leigh, WJTL DJ 
Kristi@WJTL.com
Podcast: Spotify/Apple Podcasts Follow on Instagram & Facebook

Hello! I hope you and your family are doing well. There’s a lot going on, and it can be very easy to feel overwhelmed. So, I have a special theme for this morning: songs of wholehearted trust and unshakeable peace.  The lineup includes songs based on popular Bible verses like Psalm 23, Psalm 91, Jeremiah 29:11, Proverbs 3:5-6 and Lamentations 3:22-23. We’ll focus on His goodness in keeping His promises—and we’ll remember: He is still in control.

Kristi Leigh 
Kristi@WJTL.com 

On Instagram & Facebook 

Podcast: Spotify/Apple Podcasts

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Redemption, today’s Freedom Phrase is based on Psalm 29:11.

“The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace.”

God is our source of strength. Whatever good accomplishments flow out of our lives is ultimately because He gave us the strength to be successful. 

God is also our source of peace. His love for us speaks at the cross and tells us that we matter to God. 

Jesus invites us to follow Him with a faithful heart, and offers to replace our guilt with His righteousness. In saying “Yes” to this invitation, we are no longer isolated from God, but restored to a meaningful friendship with God. His love surrounds us, and we find comfort in His love.

Through Jesus, we are set free to celebrate His strength and peace.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Redemption, today’s Freedom Phrase is based on Romans 5, verses 1 and 2a.

“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.”

In the presence of violence and conflict, many of us crave peace. We want wars to end. We want crime to stop. We want the arguments and disagreements to disappear from our relationships. There are some types of conflict that we cannot control, but there is a pathway provided by Jesus that leads us to peace with God. That way is the good news of His grace, which we can receive as the ultimate gift.

He will be faithful to bring us into a peaceful relationship with God and to separate us from the guilt of our sins. There is no more war with God when our sins are covered by the blood of Jesus.

Through Jesus, we are set free to have peace with God forever.  

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Wisdom from the Red Letters is found in Luke 22:51.

Jesus said to Peter, “No more of this.” Then, He touched a man’s ear and healed him.

Peter had just drawn the sword and used it on the servant of the high priest. That was when Jesus stepped into say, “No more of this”-meaning, No more violence. He was telling Peter to put away his sword. 

Earlier, Jesus told the disciples to take two swords, but clearly, it was not for the purpose of preventing His arrest. Jesus told Pilate at His trial, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place.”

The words of Jesus inspire us to use peaceful means in our defense of the Gospel in the Year of Redemption.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Redemption, today’s Freedom Phrase is based on Psalm 23:2.

With the LORD as my shepherd, “He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters.”

In a relationship with God, we can rest in His grace. His love will be our source of peace and confidence. In a works-oriented religion, a person tries to earn the favor of God with good deeds, but with that mindset, there is never any true security that we have done enough to please our Maker. When we see God’s love through the cross, we see His grace as a gift to be received by faith, not a paycheck to earn by our good deeds.  

Our yearning for peace with God is satisfied in Christ, and our thirst for righteousness is satisfied by the gentle flow of His grace.   

Through Jesus, we are set free to enjoy God’s rest and refreshment.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Redemption, today’s Freedom Phrase is based on Philippians 4:8 and 9.

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-thing about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me-put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”

Sometimes, we can be disturbed by our thought patterns. Fear and anxiety paralyze us from moving forward in God’s will. Self-righteousness keeps us from loving people. Complaining thought patterns keep us from the joy of thanksgiving. But if we fix our thoughts on Jesus, a new way of thinking will emerge that focuses on the virtuous qualities of the Bible.

Through Jesus, we are set free to focus our thoughts on Jesus and experience His peace.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Wisdom from the Red Letters is found in John 14:27.

Jesus told His disciples, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

The peace of God is a wonderful treasure and is available for those who trust in Jesus completely. Just before Jesus died, He was talking about peace that was better than anything this world could give.

With faith in Jesus, we are able to rest in God’s grace. We don’t have  to prove our worth to Him. He has proved His love for us.

With faith in Jesus, we have a secure relationship that is built on sure promises of blessing.

With faith in Jesus, we have a Savior, who does not count our sins against us. We are forgiven and reconciled to God through Jesus.

The words of Jesus inspire us to embrace the peace that Jesus offers us in the Year of Redemption.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Eye on Integrity is based on Matthew 5:9.

Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”

One of the purposes of those who follow Jesus is to be agents of reconciliation. Second Corinthians 5:19 tells us that God has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We have good news to share with the world that God’s forgiveness is available through faith in Jesus Christ. There is no greater way to be a peacemaker than to be an influence for the Gospel, where people come into relationship with God and experience His peace.

Another way to be a peacemaker is to have a mediating role between two conflicting parties. This takes wisdom and patience to rebuild relationships that have been strained by conflict.

God’s peacemakers in the world will be called God’s children in His kingdom.

Walking as a peacemaker is a virtue to embrace for our lives in the Year of Integrity.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”  (Psalm 46:10 NIV)

Kristi Leigh – WJTL DJ

Kristi@WJTL.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Eye on Integrity is based on John 14:6.

Jesus told His disciples, “I am the life.”

He is the source of life. He spoke of two dimensions of life when He held out the offer of life to us-eternal life and abundant life.

In John 6:40, He said, “My Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”

In John 10:10, He said, I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.” Jesus offers the kind of life that abounds in peace, in love, in grace, in joy, in hope, in gratitude, and in good deeds. Receiving Jesus as Lord is the key to these abounding treasures.

Faith walks toward God, using the bridge that He has provided to cross over from death to life.

Walking in the life that Jesus has for us is a virtue to embrace for our lives in the Year of Integrity.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com