Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Sunday, March 29, 2009

SOAP: Trust In The Spirit

SOAPSOAP {Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer}:
FOR TODAY'S FULL READING, CLICK THE TITLE LINK ABOVE | ABOUT SOAP

SCRIPTURE
15-17"If you love me, show it by doing what I've told you. I will talk to the Father, and he'll provide you another Friend so that you will always have someone with you. This Friend is the Spirit of Truth. The godless world can't take him in because it doesn't have eyes to see him, doesn't know what to look for. But you know him already because he has been staying with you, and will even be in you! 18-20 "I will not leave you orphaned. I'm coming back. In just a little while the world will no longer see me, but you're going to see me because I am alive and you're about to come alive. At that moment you will know absolutely that I'm in my Father, and you're in me, and I'm in you." John 14:15-20 [MSG]

OBSERVATION
We show our love for Christ by doing what He has told us to do.

APPLICATION
We cannot make it alone in this world. Christ knew that. He came into this world to pay the price that we are unworthy to pay, and when He returned to His Father, He knew that things would get more difficult for those who choose to follow Him. Jesus left us His Friend to help us when times become difficult. The Holy Spirit -- literally the breath of God -- is with us today, to guide us in doing what He has asked of us.

PRAYER
Father, I want to ask You to help me to be worthy of the wonderful gift You have given. But why? I'm incapable of being worthy of Your love. Incapable of being worthy of the precious gift of Salvation that I have received only by Your mercy and grace. Therefore, Lord, Thank You for Your mercy and grace. Thank You for Your gift. Help me, Lord, to share the news of Your wondrous gift with others, that they, too, might receive what they can never be worthy of.

MORE NOTES FROM TODAY'S SERMON AT E91
  • Trust in the Spirit.
  • 5-7 At the time God made Earth and Heaven, before any grasses or shrubs had sprouted from the ground — God hadn't yet sent rain on Earth, nor was there anyone around to work the ground (the whole Earth was watered by underground springs) — God formed Man out of dirt from the ground and blew into his nostrils the breath of life. The Man came alive — a living soul! Genesis 2:5-7 [MSG]
  • 3 Jesus said, "You're absolutely right. Take it from me: Unless a person is born from above, it's not possible to see what I'm pointing to — to God's kingdom." 4 "How can anyone," said Nicodemus, "be born who has already been born and grown up? You can't re-enter your mother's womb and be born again. What are you saying with this 'born-from-above' talk?" 5-6 Jesus said, "You're not listening. Let me say it again. Unless a person submits to this original creation — the 'wind-hovering-over-the-water' creation, the invisible moving the visible, a baptism into a new life — it's not possible to enter God's kingdom. When you look at a baby, it's just that: a body you can look at and touch. But the person who takes shape within is formed by something you can't see and touch — the Spirit — and becomes a living spirit. 7-8 "So don't be so surprised when I tell you that you have to be 'born from above' — out of this world, so to speak. You know well enough how the wind blows this way and that. You hear it rustling through the trees, but you have no idea where it comes from or where it's headed next. That's the way it is with everyone 'born from above' by the wind of God, the Spirit of God." John 3:3-8 [MSG]
  • The Holy Spirit is literally the Breath of God. How much do we really know about the Spirt?
  • 25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. 26 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. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. Ezekiel 36:25-27 [NIV]
  • Ezekiel 37 [NIV] {not quoted here}
  • What is at stake if we don't learn to connect and live by the Spirit? Life.
  • How much of my life really needs the power of the Spirit?
  • With faith there is always some degree of question. If there wasn't, it wouldn't be faith, it would be knowledge.
  • We want God to be a noun, but He insists on being a verb: action, presence, Spirit.
  • Fruit of the Spirit

Your comments?

Joe

Friday, March 27, 2009

Coming Soon: Boneman's Daughters by Ted Dekker

Book ReviewTed Dekker's first novel to be released by a mainstream publisher (as opposed to the normal Thomas Nelson) will be released in less than three weeks. Bonemans' Daughters promises to be one of Dekker's best yet.

Editorial Description:
A Texas serial killer called BoneMan is on the loose, choosing young girls as his prey, His signature: myriad broken bones that torture and kill - but never puncture.

Military intelligence officer Ryan Evans is married to his work; so much so that his wife and daughter have written him out of their lives. Sent to Fallujah and captured by insurgents, he is asked to kill children not unlike his own. The method: a meticulous, excruciating death by broken bones that his captor has forced him to learn.

Returning home after the ordeal, a new crisis awaits. A serial killer is on the loose, and his method of killing is the same. Ryan becomes a prime suspect, which isn't even the worst of his problems: Ryan's daughter is BoneMan's latest desire.

In a story that is devaststing in its skill and suspense, - Ted Dekker brings to bear his ability to terrify and compel in BONEMAN'S DAUGHTERS.
Dekker discusses the novel at Amazon.com.



Find more videos like this on The Circle/A Ted Dekker Community

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Joe





Grumpy!

Just dropped and broke my Garmin Palm OS PDA / GPS. Not happy at all!

Video of the Day: You Are Everything by Matthew West

Book Review
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Joe

FREE Jeff Wahl Download TODAY ONLY!


Magnatune Song of the Day
for Friday, March 27, 2009

Genre: New Age
Album: Meditative Guitar
Artist: Jeff Wahl
Song: 8. Letting Go

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Today's free song is from the album:

Jeff Wahl
Meditative Guitar

Total time: 46:15
Release date: 4/17/07

Location of artist: CO, USA

This artist has 3 other albums

You will be able to download a high quality version of this artwork when you purchase this album.




Thursday, March 26, 2009

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Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Breaking News

Police pull over handicap man riding mobility chair on Indy's I-65.

Sunday, March 22, 2009

SOAP: Forgiveness

SOAP {Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer}:
ABOUT SOAP

1277 DaysAfter trying several churches in Indianapolis, and finally choosing one, then trying that church's Saturday evening service and being a little disappointed, we finally headed back to the Sunday morning service today, and I felt that the timing was not accidental. The church is in the midst of a series called 1277 Days, exploring the last 3-1/2 years of the earthly life of Jesus Christ. Today's message was on forgiveness, and I wanted to share my notes from the service.

  • Our greatest need right now is forgiveness.
  • Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" "No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin.John 8:1-12 [NIV]
  • For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. John 3:17 [NIV]
  • Jesus didn't come as God to condemn us, but rather to release us from our debt (forgiveness).
  • Jesus didn't just take away the circumstance of sin, he took away the heart of sin and gave us a new heart.
  • Jesus set us free from sin so that we don't have to go back to our lives of sin.
  • Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?" Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times." Matthew 18:21-35 [NIV]
  • We must offer forgiveness without limit, just as God has done for us through His Son.
  • Release the debt. Forgive it and forget it.
  • Sometimes we forget what God has forgiven us of -- the depth of His forgiveness.
  • We bear the weight of not forgiving those who wrong us. Forgiving others lets us move on and free ourselves as well as those we have forgiven.
  • Unforgiveness is a mountain that we cannot overcome. By forgiving others as God forgives us, we -- like Him -- can move those mountains.

I found the message to be quite moving, as we often find it difficult to actually release others who have wronged us by offering them sincere forgiveness. Is there someone you should forgive today?

Your comments? 


Joe


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Family Day

Taking the kids to the playground.

Moving Service

A great church service today. More on it later.

Saturday, March 21, 2009

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Saturday, March 21, 2009 4:24 PM

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Week of Caring

Wife ran out of gas, but I won't nag her about it 'cause I love her.

Always Writing

Spending lunch time working on the Audiobook version of my novel.

Friday, March 20, 2009

Microblog and Audioblog: Too Much Posting?

I'm asking for your feedback. You can email me, or answer in the comments below. Since I started posting the Microblog and Audioblog entires, is it too much posting? Too short? Uninteresting? Would you like to see more or less of it?

Let me know what you think, please.

Your comments?

Joe





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Friday, March 20, 2009 3:16 PM

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Thursday, March 19, 2009 11:23 AM

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Week of Caring

Taking advantage of a slow day to leave early and spend some time with the family.

Week of Caring

How does a man prove his undying devotion to his wife? Any suggestions?

Music Video of the Day: Ready Now by Desperation Band

Book Review
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Joe

Thursday, March 19, 2009

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Thursday, March 19, 2009 6:11 AM

Posted: 18 Mar 2009 11:11 PM PDT

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Loving Spring

Just returned from a nice bicycle ride.

Time Management

Just finished a 20 minute power nap. Very effective if you do it right.

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

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Blah

Suffering from an entirely unusual (for me) case of the blahs.

Week of Caring

I am apparently failing miserably at showing my wife how much I care for her.

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Quote of the Day

"The message today seems more like ask not what you can do for yourselves or your country, but what your country must do for you." - Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas

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Joe





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Tuesday, March 17, 2009 7:29 AM

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Week of Caring

Walking around Edinburgh outlet mall while my wife shops. Now that's love.

Week of Caring

Wife is feeling a bit better. Taking the family to Brown County to enjoy the spring weather.

Monday, March 16, 2009

What Is "Week of Caring?"

So what, exactly, is the Week of Caring?

Too often it can be too easy to just stumble our way through life, plucking our way through a daily routine, taking life as it comes, and settling into complacency. It can be too easy to take for granted those who we love the most. I know, I've been there. You probably have been, too.

So, this morning, I decided it was time to take a week and overtly care for my wife. To be very obvious that I love her. Not just in words, but in actions. So I'll be posting here this week (often as part of my MicroBlog) about the things that I am doing to show my wife that I love her -- that I care for her.

What might those things be?
  • My wife is feeling a bit under the weather today, so I left work at lunch time (actually took a two hour and fifteen minute lunch) to go home, make lunch for the kids, and check in on her. I discovered she had a low-grade fever of 99.5 degrees Fahrenheit and gave her a fever reducer. I then cleaned up all of the lunch dishes and put my daughter down for her nap before returning to work.
  • At the end of the work day, I left about an hour early to return some library books on the way home, then make dinner for the wife and kids. I then cleaned up the dinner dishes and went to Dairy Queen to get a quart of soft serve ice cream, because my wife said she thought it would be good. I then sat outside with the kids while they played in the yard -- all the while letting my wife continue to rest -- watched a little TV with them, then put them to bed.
I can't share everything here -- not in advance, anyway -- for two reasons. First, I don't know what all I might find myself doing this week to show my love for my wife, and second, I don't want to tip her off to what she can expect. Tomorrow, if my wife is feeling up to it, we'll be heading to Brown County, Indiana, and possibly Edinburgh, to spend a little time out as a family, enjoying the awesome weather forecast for tomorrow. Stay tuned for updates.

Your comments?

Joe





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Sweet Tooth Strikes

Making a run to DQ for a quart of soft serve.

Week of Caring

Going home early to grill dinner for the kids and give wife the night off.

Week of Caring

Fed kids, put daughter down for nap, medicated wife, headed back to work.

The Joe Show 93 - New Music and More

Audio
Average Joe Radio presents
The Joe Show
featuring
Average Joe American



Episode Ninety-Three: New Music and More

Free MP3 Download

Had to use a different mic for the intros in this episode, so some of the audio quality is a little less than desirable. Will be back to normal next episode.

Stay tuned after the music for a preview (the prologue and first chapter) of the Audiobook version of my new novel, 24 Hours With Spencer Field .


Week of Caring

Home to make lunch for the kids while wife is under weather.

Week of Caring

A new week. What will you do this week to show someone you care?

Video of the Day: Grace by Jason Gray

Book Review
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Joe

Sunday, March 15, 2009

Spring Time

Enjoying the beautiful spring weather on a walk with the family.

Biking

Just finished a nice long bicycle ride.

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Saturday, March 14, 2009 10:46 PM

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Wealth Redistributed

The more you earn, the more the Y costs you.

Change of Plans at Y

No childcare at the Y on Sunday. Watching the kids play while the wife works out.

Workout Time

Heading out to work out with the wife at the Y.

Saturday, March 14, 2009

Remembering Jericho, and Others (or "Digital Vomit Rules the Airwaves")

JerichoIt was nearly one year ago today that CBS canceled Jericho, their season and a half program that inspired a nation of fans to flood the producers with peanuts. It was one of the greatest shows of modern television.

I recently picked up a copy of Jericho - The Second Season on DVD, and just watched the alternate ending. The ending that would have been aired if CBS had decided to continue the episode for a full second season and beyond, rather than canceling it after just seven shows in the second season.

I have to say, the second season wasn't as good as the first, but after viewing the alternate episode, it sure looks like it was going to get pretty intense had they chosen to continue. With the independent Republic of Texas essentially declaring war on the new "Allied States of America" and their government in Cheyenne, Wyoming, there was certain to be plenty of action in a prolonged second and possibly third season.

It's quite sad, really, that so much digital vomit manages to stay on the airwaves while great shows like Jericho get canceled. It has happened before, though. Remember Sliders? And Quantum Leap? I don't think anyone was happy to see the last episode of M*A*S*H. And the final episode of Seinfeld was disappointing not just because it was the final episode, but because it was lousy. And Cheers, yeah, I miss it, too.

What shows do you miss? What great television that has been canceled to make room for the digital vomit that pollutes the airwaves today would you like to see come back?

Share your thoughts, and enjoy a look back at Jericho.






Your comments?

Joe





Bicycling

Enjoyed a nice bicycle ride after work tonight. Refreshing!

Feeling Pretty Good

Not feeling any discomfort after last night's first in 16 yrs workout.

Micro-blogging

Look for more frequent, shorter posts in addition to existing content.

Friday, March 13, 2009

The YMCA and My Bicycle

YMCAThe wife and I were up until midnight last night, talking. Among other things, we discussed just how we can find ways to spend more us time together. One of the conclusions we came to was working out together.

My wife currently does yoga at home, runs on the treadmill -- even has an elliptical machine. But the way it works now, I come home from work, spend time with the kids after dinner while my wife does yoga or runs on the treadmill, then we bury our noses in our computers, and eventually go to bed. I haven't been getting myself any real exercise.

So, today we headed out to the YMCA  and took advantage of a special promotion they're running over the weekend: no registration fee if you sign up by Monday. It usually costs $100 registration fee plus the monthly membership fee to join the Y, so this promotion saved us $100. After a brief tour of the facility (there are several in Indy, at all of which our membership is valid), we signed up for membership.

I then picked up my recently repaired bicycle (a Specialized Crossroads 21-speed), which I am quite excited about. I bought the bike used from a neighbor very cheap last fall, and even after having some minor repairs done, I still have very little money invested in it. My plan is, on days that we don't go to the YMCA for a workout together, I'll go on a bicycle ride around the neighborhood for exercise.

We later returned to the Y for an hour-long workout. It was nice, my wife and I on the ellipticals together, running on the treadmill, the bicycle machine. According to the machines, I burned about three-hundred calories in the hour. Now, two hours later, my muscles are relaxed and rested. I'm sure tomorrow I'll feel it, but it was refreshing, and it was something I enjoyed doing with my wife.

And I can't go on for so long about the YMCA without sharing this:


Direct video link.

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Joe





Video of the Day: Unforgetful You by Jars of Clay

Book Review
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Thursday, March 12, 2009

FREE Shawn Harris Download - Today ONLY!

Check out Shawn Harris today, FREE from Magnatune!


Magnatune Song of the Day
for Thursday, March 12, 2009

Genre: Rock
Album: Temptation
Artist: Shawn Harris
Song: 7. Crown Of Thorns

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Today's free song is from the album:

Shawn Harris
Temptation

Total time: 33:20
Release date: 8/8/08

Location of artist: FL, USA

You will be able to download a high quality version of this artwork when you purchase this album.




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