Spirit of Joy Lutheran Church Orlando FL

Let’s be honest: there’s a good chance you don’t know everything about the 10 commandments. If you had to memorize them in Sunday School you probably can’t flawlessly recite them now. It’s time for a 10C refresher and a chance to learn a little more about the heart behind them.

A large number of scientific studies have proven that stress is the number one modern day killer. It’s one of the major causes of the staggering increases of cancers, strokes, and heart attacks in the past few decades. Do we just accept a life riddled with stress? Or does God offer us a peace that can calm any measure of stressor?

If we take a good look at our lives, there’s a good chance we’ve left some ashes in our wake. Whether it be from the bridges we’ve burned, addictions we’ve battled with – heartbreaks, losses, mistakes, among a myriad of other things – we may find a dismal sea of gray that keeps us from truly living. Today we learn that God breathes life into our ashes – and because of this we find life – life of beauty and abundance.

There are those that have never spoken the name Jesus (other than the times they’ve stubbed their toe) and those that wake up at 3am to begin their first of 40 daily prayer sessions. Perhaps you find yourself somewhere in between but you’re constantly trying to improve your faith journey. Well you’re in luck! This week we look at some spiritual habits to implement into that busy life of yours.

It’s pretty foolish. In fact, one could argue that it’s crazy. In today’s message we find a shepherd that leaves everything to find a lost sheep. Did you know that’s how God’s heart works? God will go to any and every length to reach those that are lost.

We are called to be the salt of the world, light in the darkness. According to Matthew we shouldn’t hide our light but rather put it in a stand so that it may give light to all those that surround you. What does it mean to be the salt and light of the world when everything around us seems so confusing?

In some bibles, everything Jesus says is colored red. Ira Klopsch came up with this idea in the late 1800s when reading Jesus's words, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you" (Luke 22:20), he thought of printing all of Jesus's words in red, the color of his blood. But today we’re looking at the things Jesus did (black letters). It turns out, actions sometimes speak louder than words.

Last week we talked about how through God, all things are possible – if we have faith even the size of a mustard seed, God will move mountains.  This week we again talk about a mustard seed and how it likens to the Kingdom of Heaven. God loves to lift up even the smallest of things!

We sometimes forget that God is GOD. There is a part of our brain that says, “whelp, not even God can fix this.” God steps in - time and time again - and reminds us that IMPOSSIBLE just isn’t part of His vocabulary

Guest Preacher Jose Aenlle

We all stumble. We all fall. What’s important to remember is that we know whose arms we are falling into – no matter how hard the fall, God is in the midst of it all – there to pick us back up.