The Nightmare in Corinth

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I’ve been teaching a series on I Corinthians in my adult Sunday School class. Since this isn’t a book that lends itself to Christmas cheer, for yesterday’s class I decided to thoroughly pervert The Night Before Christmas in an attempt to coat the teaching with some holiday style. Thought I’d pass it on, with my sincere apologies. The devil made me do it. --- Twas a nightmare in Corinth, and all through the church Each believer was acting as monstrous as Lurch. Some talking had caused poor St Paul so much care And he hoped that Continue Reading

Private Wars

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Every Monday we’ll post something about maintaining your sexual integrity. Hope it helps. — Private Wars Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul. - I Peter 2:11 The way we stuffed ourselves last week underscores one of life’s hardest truths: what we crave is often at odds with what we really want. We crave delightful food, viewing, smelling, then biting into the good stuff with relish. And we’re doubly grateful for a national holiday greenlighting our Continue Reading

Random Ramblings #44: Post-Thanksgiving “How ya’ doin’?”

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Every Friday we’ll take a break from topical posts and will post some random personal thoughts.  — A Cuppa Joe - Random Ramblings from a Fellow Struggler I’ll ask this very quietly – how ya doin’? I’m whispering because I have the decency to assume you’re as wiped out as I am, and a loud voice is the last thing you need. That’s not to suggest you drank too much yesterday. I certainly didn’t. But I everything’d too much, then washed it down with — everything. And upon viewing the aftermath in the dining room, living Continue Reading

Starting Over

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I’m on vacation this week and so am repeating some prior posts. Looking forward to being with you again next week, with new material. God bless. — Starting Over The battles that count aren't the ones for gold medals. The struggles within yourself - the invisible, inevitable battles inside all of us - that's where it's at.  - Olympic Gold Medalist Jesse Owens In 1984 I stepped into a professional counselor’s office for the first time, frightened at the prospect of discussing things I’d never spoken to anyone about, and Continue Reading

Happy Fourth of July

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The United States turns 236 years old today and Renee and I wish you a very blessed July 4th celebration!  Have a great day of good food and fellowship. We plan to spend some time thinking about the blessing of freedom and praying for our wonderful country. As always we appreciate you being here. love, Joe & Renee Continue Reading

Starting Over

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Every Wednesday we’ll post something to do with doctrine and recovery. Hope it helps. — Starting Over The battles that count aren't the ones for gold medals. The struggles within yourself - the invisible, inevitable battles inside all of us - that's where it's at.  - Olympic Gold Medalist Jesse Owens In 1984 I stepped into a professional counselor’s office for the first time, frightened at the prospect of discussing things I’d never spoken to anyone about, and vulnerable beyond words.  I was twenty nine years old, and had Continue Reading

Slaughtering Hope

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Every Tuesday we’ll post something to do with restoring marriages. Hope it helps. — Slaughtering Hope One should rather die than be betrayed. There is no deceit in death. It delivers exactly what it promised. Betrayal, though --- betrayal is the willful slaughter of hope. - Playright Steven Deitz Some wives will be surviving Christmas this year instead of celebrating it. They’ll apply themselves to preparing a holiday feast, attending parties and special services, and braving the hustle of the malls. They’ll keep a smile fixed Continue Reading

Sexual Purity: It Matters. Here’s Why

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Every Monday we’ll post something to do with maintaining sexual purity. Hope it helps. — Sexual Purity: It Matters. Here’s Why Every holiday season brings a number of get-togethers with people we don’t normally see, some of them non-Christian family members and friends, and the normal round of ‘catching up’ conversations is inevitable. Kinda fun, too. But ‘catching up’ usually includes a run-down of work – how’s the business (I don’t expect non-believers to ask me how my ministry is, after all), what new projects Continue Reading

Random Ramblings #25: Preachers, OWS, AIDS Research Funding, Twilight and Moneyball

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Every Friday we’ll leave the topic oriented post, and instead post some personal comments. — A Cuppa Joe - Random Ramblings from a Fellow Struggler Rev. Terry Jones, the Florida pastor who notoriously burned a copy of the Quran last March after releasing his book Islam is the Devil (subtitled “How to Witness To and Love On Your Islamic Friends and Neighbors”) was in my neighborhood this week. Briefly. University of California at Irvine officials had to close off sections of the campus after receiving unspecified threats Continue Reading

Avoiding the Holiday Relapse

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Every Monday we’ll post something to do with maintaining sexual purity. Hope it helps. — Avoiding the Holiday Relapse We dress up and stress up for the Season. No avoiding it. Money is tight when we most want to spend it; schedules are crammed; old or unresolved family issues are highlighted; everything’s hectic, crowded, rushed. So while the notion of depression rates rising this time of year is open to challenge it’s a given that stress, along with waist size and carols, rises considerably. So it’s no surprise when the Continue Reading