With

David and Bathsheba– that's the story I have for my Sunday morning sermon. That ought to have everyone's attention.

A couple of weeks ago, I told you that, in my opinion, the audience at graduation is the toughest audience for a preacher to address. The students are not there to hear a word from God, they are there to get their diploma and celebrate.

It is not that students are necessarily thinking, “I want to leave God..." or “I don't want to talk about God right now—leave me alone…" The fact is we do not reflect on God all of the time. We don't walk around thinking, “God. God. God. God. God…” Rather, many times in our lives, hopefully influenced by God, we address important concerns. Graduation is one of those times.

Here is the risk. In times of triumph, success, prosperity, and blessing, it becomes easy to string together more and more moments absent a focus on God. We pray to him less, we read less about Him in His word, we meditate upon him less.... Before long, these lost moments add up like beads on a string—and a day has passed. A day turns into a week, and then, before long, this absence of focus on God leads to sin.

It is no accident that you do not read of David inquiring of the Lord in the time leading up to his sin with Bathsheba. This is symptomatic of a deeper heart problem. David has become complacent in his success.

We are called to focus on the Lord, to relate to him, and to walk with him. We stand with God; we walk with God, but the key word, is the word "with." Whether we are moving or still, we are WITH God.

One of the most important things I learned about relationships, I learned 30 years ago. Relationships grow closer or they grow more distant, but they never stay the same. Our relationship should grow WITH God.


Marriage and Children in the U. S.

Susan Olasky had an interesting article in the February 13 issue of WORLD magazine. Entitled, "marital divide," it tackles the issue of women earning more money than their husbands and marriage. Olasky was influenced by Brad Wilcox's essay, "the State of our unions: marriage in America 2009," which focused on the impact of the latest recession on marriages.

She had noted the impact the recession has had on men, since more working-class and poor men have lost jobs than women. Consequently, "Husbands are significantly less happy in their marriages, and more likely to contemplate divorce, when their wives take the lead in breadwinning." The divorce rate continues to increase, while the amount of people living in marriage continues to decrease.

More startling to me is the analysis that we have, in the U. S., become a less child-centered society over the past 40 years. While I knew this fact to be true, the statistics were sobering. "In the middle of the 1800s, about 75% of households contained children under the age of 18. By the mid -- 1900s that percentage had dropped to just under 50%, and in 2000 it was 33%....” Therefore, "neighborhoods are less likely to contain children… and children are less likely to be a consideration in daily life. [This study] suggest that the needs and concerns of children -- especially young children -- gradually may be receding from national consciousness."

If we are not careful, the United States will become like France—slowly dying. The only dynamic that keeps France going today is immigration.

How To Get Rich

Wow, I saw that Mehmet Ali Agca was recently released from prison. Remember him? He was the man from Turkey who shot Pope John II in 1981, critically injuring the Pope. Even more disturbing, I found that he was freed after having completed another prison sentence, this one, for murdering a journalist in 1979.

It gets worse. Agca wants millions of dollars for personal interviews and book deals. Evidently, since he has been ambiguous concerning his reasons for the attempted assassination of the Pope, he believes there is a market out there for his thoughts and motives.

Here is even more fodder to fuel the fire of cynicism. Want to make millions? Attempt to assassinate a world leader, discipline yourself through a couple of decades or so of prison, then secure your release and capitalize on your opportunities.

Five Things I Think I Think (with a nod to Peter King for this idea)

1. What? The Winter Olympics begin Friday? I have hardly noticed. Don’t know if I will watch much. I remember when I loved the Olympics. Now, I hardly have time to view them.

2. Correction on last week’s death of a tree rat. The dogs never touched his body. I think he died of a heart attack.

3. I have really been enjoyed reading LETTERS FROM THE LAMB, by Tim Archer and Steve Ridgell. They have whipped up my enthusiasm for Revelation. So much so, I am considering preaching from Revelation.

4. Ah, the wonders of modern technology. Monday, in my weekly blog, I wrote a story about Don Henley of The Eagles: http://mark-edge-tellmeastory.blogspot.com/2010/02/kid-who-did-not-want-to-play-trombone.html

Some website called THE EAGLES FORUM picked it up. Consequently, people from most of the world’s continents have read it—and it did not cost me a penny to publish it.

5. An exciting win by the ETCA girls Tuesday night—69-48. Here is the story from the Tyler paper:
http://tpstage.sx.atl.publicus.com/article/20100210/SPORTS05/2100343

The girls’ work is cut out for them in this next round. Kandus Hines, who is their second highest scorer, was lost Tuesday night due to a probably torn ACL. Still, this is a young team with a lot of Freshman. They should only get better.


Have a great weekend!