rssfeed - Strength For The Journey

Royalty Recognized

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0000

At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, . . . [and] every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. —Philippians 2:10-11

As a kid, I loved watching the film Little Lord Fauntleroy. The story focuses on Cedric, a boy growing up in a poor home with his mother in Brooklyn. He discovers the stunning news that he is actually the direct descendant of the Earl of Dorincourt and the heir of…

God’s Heart Revealed

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0000

As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. —Revelation 3:19

It’s easy to think of God as a divine fly-swatter, just waiting for you to land so that—whap—He can nail you for your sins. But that’s not what we see in Revelation 2:1 – 3:22 in His letters to the seven churches. The pattern of the letters demonstrates God’s loving…

New Covenant People Part 3

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0000

"In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you." Luke 22:20

Are you listening? You’ve previously heard about the privileges that come with living as “New Covenant People.” But big consequences result when we don’t tune in to the Holy Spirit who dwells within us. In this message, Joe Stowell reveals the good fruit you can enjoy by staying in step…

Somebody Cares

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0000

“Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” Hebrews 4:16

When I was a little boy growing up in Hackensack, New Jersey, I would often fall asleep listening to my little radio. One of my favorite shows was “Big Joe’s Happiness Exchange,” beamed to my bedside from the heart of nearby New York City. The program always began with a…

The Safety Zone

Sun, 19 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0000

“The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe” Proverbs 18:10

The first church I pastored was in Springfield, Ohio. Our home was situated near Wright-Patterson Air Force Base—directly in the flight path of landing B-52 bombers that were coming home after circling the globe in our nation’s defense. Needless to say, these low-flying nuclear warehouses made a horrible racket as…

A Little Herod in All of Us

Sat, 18 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0000

“When King Herod heard this he was disturbed.” Matthew 2:3

When archaeologists excavated King Herod’s palace—an opulent structure boasting a pool large enough to float boats! It stood on a hill outside Bethlehem that allowed the king to monitor the happenings of that little town. The prophet Micah had spoken of a ruler who would emerge from Bethlehem, and Herod,…

Graffiti on the Face of Jesus

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0000

"For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2:10

The graffiti mafia struck again. I read about it in the morning paper after Chicago gangs had defaced a variety of historic landmarks the night before. If you are a city dweller, you’ve seen it on a regular basis—beautiful buildings that grace the landscape and stand as monuments to the…

Can You See Her?

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0000

“and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.” Luke 7:38

For most of us, prostitution represents a rather repulsive aspect of the underbelly of society. Given our disdain for such a godless practice, my guess is that few of us have ever thought about the people trapped in the “industry,” let alone the thought of taking the love of Jesus…

First Church Of The Lampstand

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0000

Repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand. — Revelation 2:5

I love it when churches have names like “King of Glory Lutheran Church” or “Alpha and Omega Missionary Baptist Church.” If the church in Ephesus were still around, maybe we’d call them something nifty like “First Church of the Lampstand.”

We often miss the significance of John’s glorious vision in Revelation…

Jars of Clay by Joe Stowell

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0000

Ever notice how fancy jewelry comes packaged in plain boxes? Join us as Joe Stowell shares the message of 2 Corinthians 4:7. This verse reminds us that we are jars of clay, and are meant to deflect glory from ourselves and onto the One who deserves the credit.