What does sin cause?

It causes you to not realize when situations are out of control. It causes you to not recognize the problems you are surrounded. It causes you not to take action against sins that should be punished.

King David's son Amnon had relations with his half sister Tamar (2 Samuel 13). It mentions here that David was angry when he heard what happened. That is it though. David does not do anything else. In fact it seems that later when Absalom plans to kill Amnon that David has no idea that Absalom might want to do this.

David's unwillingness (or inability) to appropriately punish Amnon for his sin ends up leading to Absalom's killing of Amnon. All of this goes back to David's original sin with Bathsheba. This sin lead to a series of problems that come into David's kingdom.

Another interesting relationship David had with a sinful man was David's relationship with Joab.

How to be a Man... Based on The Cosby Show

Step 1. Wear sweet sweaters
Step 2. Use great facial expressions and hand gestures
Step 3. Listen to your wife

That seems to be the primary things. I don't know what else there could be.

Are we a Christian Nation?

This seemed to be a bit of a question on the world wide web today. President Obama made a comment in a speech that we are not a Christian nation. Also today, Vermont voted to legalize homosexual marriage. Also this weekend, portions of an explicit movie was shown at the University of Maryland in the name of free speech. I look around at the people in my workplace, in my neighborhood, and on TV. I look at the divorce rate. I look at the abundance of ethics probes and greed. If this is what a Christian nation looks like, then yipes. So I think that the President is correct. Our nation is not a Christian nation. I wish it was, but I think that we will not be in a true Christian nation until the end times. This is not to say that we shouldn't try and influence our nation to have more Christian values. We should definitely desire for our nation to have stronger Christian values. Thoughts?

One way that sin starts

2 Samuel 11:1
1 In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king's men and the whole Israelite army. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained in Jerusalem.

What happens next in 2 Samuel is David's sin with Bathsheba. I propose that one way that sin starts is contentment. Instead of going out with the army to fight the battles. David stayed home, but this is one of the reasons Israel even wanted a king. They wanted a king that would go out in battle for them. In this case David does not go out. He stays home and just relies on Joab to lead the army. Compare this to the response of Uriah when David calls him back from the battle. David lives in comfort and contentment but Uriah

2 Samuel 11:11
11 Uriah said to David, "The ark and Israel and Judah are staying in tents, and my master Joab and my lord's men are camped in the open fields. How could I go to my house to eat and drink and lie with my wife? As surely as you live, I will not do such a thing!"

(I love the juxtapositions in 1 and 2 Samuel.)

Two Lawyers and a Mathematician were running a race...

The mathematician says, "Did you know that if you go 50% of the way and then 50% of the way again and continue this forever, then you will theoretically never finish the race?" The Lawyers just roll their eyes and finished before the mathematician.

Early morning. Rolling Hills. Donut hole at mile 6. Lots of water stations. Ladies in pink cheering for you. 10 minutes per mile. 10 miles. Stiff Legs. Still had to do some chores. Lettuce provided at the finish (Locally grown).

I did not get beaten by a 9 year old girl. I was not very fast. I need to pick up the pace. The next step is to try and lose 15 -20 pounds at least. I think this will help.