Journey of Life Lutheran Church

The angel Gabriel told Mary the Holy Spirit would come upon her and cause a child to be conceived in her womb that would be the Son of God. This same Spirit inhabits Christians and Christ's continued presence on Earth, his body, the Church. Just as Mary knew she was part of God's plan but didn't know what would happen (Would Joseph divorce her? Would her town ostracize hre? Or worse?) we can have our sure hope in God as an anchor for our soul.

The angel Gabriel told Mary the Holy Spirit would come upon her and cause a child to be conceived in her womb that would be the Son of God. This same Spirit inhabits Christians and Christ's continued presence on Earth, his body, the Church. Just as Mary knew she was part of God's plan but didn't know what would happen (Would Joseph divorce her? Would her town ostracize hre? Or worse?) we can have our sure hope in God as an anchor for our soul.

This podcast sends you audio recordings of the messages taught each Sunday at Journey of Life Lutheran Church, Orlando, Florida.

This podcast sends you audio recordings of the messages taught each Sunday at Journey of Life Lutheran Church, Orlando, Florida.

This podcast sends you audio recordings of the messages taught each Sunday at Journey of Life Lutheran Church, Orlando, Florida.

This podcast sends you audio recordings of the messages taught each Sunday at Journey of Life Lutheran Church, Orlando, Florida.

This podcast sends you audio recordings of the messages taught each Sunday at Journey of Life Lutheran Church, Orlando, Florida.

This podcast sends you audio recordings of the messages taught each Sunday at Journey of Life Lutheran Church, Orlando, Florida.

As Pastor John wraps up the 30 Days of Thankfulness series, he talks about the scientific case for gratitude as a healthy habit and then concludes by encouraging us to choose gratitude as an intentional focus grounded in our faith.

As Pastor John wraps up the 30 Days of Thankfulness series, he talks about the scientific case for gratitude as a healthy habit and then concludes by encouraging us to choose gratitude as an intentional focus grounded in our faith.

Fear, bitterness and despair stand in the way of living with gratitude, a key ingredient for experiencing joy. The scriptures give us the path to overcome these barriers. Love overcomes fear. Faith overcomes bitterness. Hope overcomes despair. Part of living a grateful life is getting rid of the barriers to gratitude.

Fear, bitterness and despair stand in the way of living with gratitude, a key ingredient for experiencing joy. The scriptures give us the path to overcome these barriers. Love overcomes fear. Faith overcomes bitterness. Hope overcomes despair. Part of living a grateful life is getting rid of the barriers to gratitude.

It's easy to be thankful when things are going well. But how do you be thankful when things are difficult. Pastor John talks about the daily habit of thankfulness like the little waves on the surface of the water and then helps us go deep to find thankfulness that is so solid that none of life's circumstances can take it away.

It's easy to be thankful when things are going well. But how do you be thankful when things are difficult. Pastor John talks about the daily habit of thankfulness like the little waves on the surface of the water and then helps us go deep to find thankfulness that is so solid that none of life's circumstances can take it away.

Many of us spend a great deal of time and effort getting our home and kitchen ready for the Thanksgiving holiday, but how much time and effort do we spend getting our spirits ready for the Thanksgiving feast? This message begins a new series called "30 Days of Thankfulness" to help us prepare spiritually for the feast of Thanksgiving. Pastor John lays out the foundation for continual thankful living, knowing that God who loves us so much that he moves toward us in our brokenness, weakness, anger, shame and rebellion. We don't have to get right to come to God. We acknowledge our need and God comes to us.

Many of us spend a great deal of time and effort getting our home and kitchen ready for the Thanksgiving holiday, but how much time and effort do we spend getting our spirits ready for the Thanksgiving feast? This message begins a new series called "30 Days of Thankfulness" to help us prepare spiritually for the feast of Thanksgiving. Pastor John lays out the foundation for continual thankful living, knowing that God who loves us so much that he moves toward us in our brokenness, weakness, anger, shame and rebellion. We don't have to get right to come to God. We acknowledge our need and God comes to us.

Concluding our 8-week series on Resolving Everyday Conflict, Pastor John examines the scripture to find out how a follower of Jesus acts when someone refuses to reconcile with him or her.

Concluding our 8-week series on Resolving Everyday Conflict, Pastor John examines the scripture to find out how a follower of Jesus acts when someone refuses to reconcile with him or her.

"Forgive and forget" is not only unrealistic, it's not even Biblical. When God says that he remembers our sin no more, he's' not talking about amnesia. He's saying that he won't dwell on them, bring them up or use them against against you. Same with us. Forgiveness is not saying that you won't be able to to recall hurtful memories. Forgiveness is a decision about what to do when the hurtful memories pop into your head.

"Forgive and forget" is not only unrealistic, it's not even Biblical. When God says that he remembers our sin no more, he's' not talking about amnesia. He's saying that he won't dwell on them, bring them up or use them against against you. Same with us. Forgiveness is not saying that you won't be able to to recall hurtful memories. Forgiveness is a decision about what to do when the hurtful memories pop into your head.

A well-crafted and sincere apology can lead to real breakthroughs when resolving conflict. Pastor John takes us through the Parable of the Wedding Feast and then talks about how to craft a great apology using the Seven A's from Peacemaker Ministries.

A well-crafted and sincere apology can lead to real breakthroughs when resolving conflict. Pastor John takes us through the Parable of the Wedding Feast and then talks about how to craft a great apology using the Seven A's from Peacemaker Ministries.

This is the 5th message in the Resolving Everyday Conflict series. Based on the Parable of the Tenants, Pastor John examines we can go temporarily insane during conflicts and how to avoid doing so.

This is the 5th message in the Resolving Everyday Conflict series. Based on the Parable of the Tenants, Pastor John examines we can go temporarily insane during conflicts and how to avoid doing so.

Pastor John teaches us to lean into reconciling with others by calling on the faith, hope and love the scripture tells us are the heart of the Christian life.

Pastor John teaches us to lean into reconciling with others by calling on the faith, hope and love the scripture tells us are the heart of the Christian life.

Of course there may be accountability and restitution when resolving conflict, but Pastor John reminds us in this message based on the parable of the laborers in the vineyard that we need to center on Grace. Where God is in charge, we all get much better than we deserve and we don't compare ourselves to others. One solution to conflict is to simply overlook it. Pastor John gives three practical ways to think about your conflicts that will help you really overlook an offense. (BTW - if you keep thinking about it, you are probably not really overlooking it and it's time to move to another peacemaking strategy.)

Of course there may be accountability and restitution when resolving conflict, but Pastor John reminds us in this message based on the parable of the laborers in the vineyard that we need to center on Grace. Where God is in charge, we all get much better than we deserve and we don't compare ourselves to others. One solution to conflict is to simply overlook it. Pastor John gives three practical ways to think about your conflicts that will help you really overlook an offense. (BTW - if you keep thinking about it, you are probably not really overlooking it and it's time to move to another peacemaking strategy.)

In this sermon, Pastor John reflects on the parable of the ungrateful servant who, though he was forgiven an unpayable debt, would not forgive his fellow servant a debt of much smaller proportion. Drawing from this story, Pastor John draws the lesson that compassion is part of resolving everyday conflict well. We need to see the other person as a fellow human who is suffering in the conflict. We need to stop, sit and breathe.

In this sermon, Pastor John reflects on the parable of the ungrateful servant who, though he was forgiven an unpayable debt, would not forgive his fellow servant a debt of much smaller proportion. Drawing from this story, Pastor John draws the lesson that compassion is part of resolving everyday conflict well. We need to see the other person as a fellow human who is suffering in the conflict. We need to stop, sit and breathe.

This is message 1 of 8 in the sermon series "Resolving Everyday Conflict." First of all, communicate. Some conflicts turn out not to really be conflicts at all. Second, recognize that you can't resolve every conflict. But you do have an opportunity in every conflict and recognizing this opportunity will change forever the way you see conflict. The first step in changing the way you work through conflict is to change your goal from "win" to "glorify God." What are you looking at? If "glorifying God" is your goal, then your feeling of having successfully navigated a conflict is not dependent on the other person(s).

This is message 1 of 8 in the sermon series "Resolving Everyday Conflict." First of all, communicate. Some conflicts turn out not to really be conflicts at all. Second, recognize that you can't resolve every conflict. But you do have an opportunity in every conflict and recognizing this opportunity will change forever the way you see conflict. The first step in changing the way you work through conflict is to change your goal from "win" to "glorify God." What are you looking at? If "glorifying God" is your goal, then your feeling of having successfully navigated a conflict is not dependent on the other person(s).

In this message, Pastor John wraps up the idea of stewardship that we've been thinking about for 14 weeks. In the end, stewardship is taking responsibility for the mission of Jesus out of thanksgiving for what he has done for us.

In this message, Pastor John wraps up the idea of stewardship that we've been thinking about for 14 weeks. In the end, stewardship is taking responsibility for the mission of Jesus out of thanksgiving for what he has done for us.

As the Summer of Stewardship nears its end, we contemplate in this message that God has made us stewards of the very idea of faith. What does it mean to have faith? What does it mean to believe in God? What is this idea of a life of faith that we defend as Christians?

As the Summer of Stewardship nears its end, we contemplate in this message that God has made us stewards of the very idea of faith. What does it mean to have faith? What does it mean to believe in God? What is this idea of a life of faith that we defend as Christians?

This podcast sends you audio recordings of the messages taught each Sunday at Journey of Life Lutheran Church, Orlando, Florida.

This podcast sends you audio recordings of the messages taught each Sunday at Journey of Life Lutheran Church, Orlando, Florida.

This podcast sends you audio recordings of the messages taught each Sunday at Journey of Life Lutheran Church, Orlando, Florida.

This is the money sermon. Learn how the Bible says you should think about your money.

This is the money sermon. Learn how the Bible says you should think about your money.

Continuing a summer-long series on stewardship, Pastor John walks us through scriptures that demonstrate God's first desire for his community is love. We live in and grow in that love by living in and growing in the love God has shown for us by Jesus' death and resurrection.

Continuing a summer-long series on stewardship, Pastor John walks us through scriptures that demonstrate God's first desire for his community is love. We live in and grow in that love by living in and growing in the love God has shown for us by Jesus' death and resurrection.

In this episode, Dig Deeper with Pastor John into some aspects of Christian community, including love as the centerpiece, care for the poor, and care for the environment.

In this episode, Dig Deeper with Pastor John into some aspects of Christian community, including love as the centerpiece, care for the poor, and care for the environment.

Proverbs 4:23 tells us, "Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life." (NIV) Our "hearts" are our inner life -- our thoughts, feelings and ways of looking at our lives. In this edition of Dig Deeper, pastor John starts with Sunday's lessons on stewarding our hearts (taken from the Parable of the Sower) and explores four vital habits Christians need to steward their hearts.

Proverbs 4:23 tells us, "Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life." (NIV) Our "hearts" are our inner life -- our thoughts, feelings and ways of looking at our lives. In this edition of Dig Deeper, pastor John starts with Sunday's lessons on stewarding our hearts (taken from the Parable of the Sower) and explores four vital habits Christians need to steward their hearts.

Who teaches whom? What about corporal punishment? How do we teach the next generation? In this half-hour Bible study, Pastor John walks through many of the topics that come up with we think about the fact that we are stewards of the next generation. It is our responsibility to prepare them for life... and to steward subsequent generations. The core idea is of discipleship, raising the next generation to place their hope in God and remember his wonderful works.

Who teaches whom? What about corporal punishment? How do we teach the next generation? In this half-hour Bible study, Pastor John walks through many of the topics that come up with we think about the fact that we are stewards of the next generation. It is our responsibility to prepare them for life... and to steward subsequent generations. The core idea is of discipleship, raising the next generation to place their hope in God and remember his wonderful works.

This is an in-the-office recording of the sermon preached at Journey of Life Lutheran Church in Orlando, Florida on Sunday, July 6, 2014. The video is of the PowerPoint slides that accompany the sermon.

This is an in-the-office recording of the sermon preached at Journey of Life Lutheran Church in Orlando, Florida on Sunday, July 6, 2014. The video is of the PowerPoint slides that accompany the sermon.