When it comes to marriages, we use the decades as milestones.  We look forward to celebrating our 10-year anniversary, our 20-year anniversary, 30 years, 40 years, 50 years, 60 years, 70 years.

Herbert and Zelmyra Fisher hold the Guiness certified world record for the longest marriage of any living couple.  He's 104.  She's 102.  They have been married for 85 years, and if you want to find out how they did it, you can read their answers to questions at http://twitter.com/longestmarried. 

Can you imagine 85 years?  That's longer than most people even live, yet here is a couple that has been married that long.

You know what the different anniversaries are?

First anniversary is paper.  I suppose that's because at that point the best evidence of your marriage is the license itself.  You keep looking at the license to make sure it's true.

Then it goes cotton, leather, linen, wood, and so forth.

Do you know what the eighth anniversary is?  Bronze.

Do you know what the 25th is?  Silver.

Do you know what the 50th is?  Gold.

Bronze, silver and gold.

Reminds me of the Olympics, where athletes from around the world come together hoping they will take home the bronze medal, or even better, the silver medal, or, best of all, the gold medal.

Did you hear about that athlete a few years ago who said he hoped his country won the bronze medal because they already had a silver and a gold and he wanted them to have the complete set?  I think he missed the point of the medals.

Just like in the Olympics, the bronze medal of marriage is nothing to be sneezed at.  A lot of marriages never make it to the 8th anniversary.  Young marriages are fragile.  Two people trying to figure out what it means to live with each other . . . some of them don't make it.  One out of eight never see their 5th anniversary, let alone their 8th. 

By the 8th anniversary, you've survived that 7th year itch they talk about, so that is an important milestone. 

But it is nothing compared to making it to the silver, the 25th anniversary.

And even that pales in comparison to making it to the gold, the 50th anniversary.

Most marriages are the result of a physical attraction that grows into romantic feelings, but the physical attraction and romantic feelings won't get you the gold, the silver, or even the bronze.

What it takes is moving past the physical attraction and the romantic feelings to a commitment of love.  That's the commitment you make when you get married, when you say I do, when you say your vows.

The preacher asks you, "Do you take this man (or this woman) to be your lawfully wedded husband (or wife)?"  He's asking you about your intent.  Do you know why you are here at the altar today?  Is this what you meant to do?

And then he goes on to ask you about the promises, the commitments you are willing to make.

Do you promise to love, honor and cherish this person?

Do you promise to forsake all others?

Do you promise to cleave to this person?

Do you promise to be, in all things, a true and faithful spouse?

Do you promise to keep doing that, so long as you both shall live?

That commitment of love is what will get you not only the bronze, not only the silver, not only the gold, but the world record, if you can only live long enough. 

It is normal for us to think that we are better than others, that we are right and they are wrong, that our needs are more important than theirs, that other people ought to change and become more like us, even though they never could be quite as good as us.

We wouldn't want to admit we feel that way, but those are normal human attitudes toward other people.  If we will be honest, we will recognize some of those tendencies in ourselves.

In Mark 9:33-50, Jesus calls us to a radically different approach toward dealing with other people. He tells us not to put others down, not to let others down, not to bring others down. He tells us to look for common ground instead of focusing on differences. He tells us to find ways to get along with others and to be at peace with them.

"Is there no justice?"

That's how we feel sometimes when we see someone wicked getting all the breaks while the person living a good life gets beaten down.

The prosperity of the wicked and the perils of the righteous are constant themes in Scripture. We hold onto the confidence that God is the ultimate judge, but when we look at what is going on in the world around us, we have to admit that we see more injustice than justice.

Solomon, the writer of Ecclesiastes, noticed this irony and struggled to understand it. Read his summary conclusion in Ecclesiastes 3:16-17. Despite human wickedness overriding justice, God's justice will prevail in the end.

What is justice? Justice is the fair treatment of people, making sure that they are not deprived of what is rightfully theirs. Some have suggested that justice is even more important than freedom. What do you think?

Here are some quotations about justice to think about:

In matters of truth and justice, there is no difference between large and small problems, for issues concerning the treatment of people are all the same. - Albert Einstein

Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. - Martin Luther King, Jr.

Justice cannot be for one side alone, but must be for both. - Eleanor Roosevelt

Foolish men imagine that because judgment for an evil thing is delayed, there is no justice; but only accident here below. Judgment for an evil thing is many times delayed some day or two, some century or two, but it is sure as life, it is sure as death. - Thomas Carlyle

I'm preaching a series on "God's Stimulus Plan: How God uses hard times to stimulate us toward godliness."  It's amazing how much the Bible has to say about hard times.  It seems that everybody in the Bible went through hard times.  The Bible is our "Hard Times History Book" and our "Hard Times Handbook." 

We usually see hard times as a mistake, something gone wrong in our lives.  But since Psalm 139:16 tells us that God planned each day of our lives before we were born, then He must have planned the bad days as well as the good days.  He has put together a perfect recipe for our life that will mold us into the person He designed us to be--if we will respond as we should. 

James had discovered the secret to understanding and responding to trials.

James 1:2-4, 12 (NIV) 

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.  Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. . . . Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

This passage tells us that: 

1. Trials are a part of life.

2. Trials test (or prove) our faith (or our lack of faith).

3. Trials develop perseverance.

4. Trials persevered make us full-grown, grown-up Christians.

The passage also hints at how our faith can persevere through hard times: 

1. Consider it pure joy.

2. Remember what testing accomplishes.

3. Keep trusting, no matter what.

4. Love God more than anything else.

The title of Psalm 102 paints a sad picture: "A prayer of an afflicted man.  When he is faint and pours out his lament before the Lord" (NIV).  Other translations characterize the man as one who is hurting, suffering, discouraged, weary, or overwhelmed with trouble.  The Message paraphrase puts it like this: "A prayer of one whose life is falling to pieces, and who lets God know just how bad it is."

To be "afflicted" means to be in a condition of great pain, suffering or distress.  Most of us go through times like that during our lives.  Sometimes the affliction is the result of something that has happened to us; sometimes it comes from the fear of what might happen.  But whether the calamity has come or is only being anticipated and dreaded, the affliction is real.  Mentally and emotionally we experience anguish, discouragement, and depression.  And the affliction may take a toll on our health and relationships as well.

At least the man described in the title had the right idea.  He took his troubles to the Lord.  Read Psalm 102:1-2.  The psalmist wanted God to hear and answer.

(From Daily Prep, Nov. 1, 2009, Bible Series)

I just finished a sermon series using Facebook as the theme, a new way of looking at our relationship with God.  The title of the series was "Friended by God."

Although the series was not about Facebook, but only using it as a hook and an illustration, I did take the opportunity to caution our congregation about two things: (1) be aware that Facebook is public, not private and treat it accordingly, and (2) beware of becoming "addicted" to Facebook.

Here's the official list of five indicators that you have crossed the line in your Facebook use (as reported by ABC, CNN and other news outlets):

 1. You lose sleep over Facebook

 2. You spend more than an hour a day on Facebook

 3. You become obsessed with old loves

 4. You ignore work (or school) in favor of Facebook

 5. The thought of getting off Facebook leaves you in a cold sweat

Paula Pile, a therapist, suggests this quick test to see how addicted you are: "Try going a day without Facebook. If you find it causes you a lot of stress and anxiety, you really need to get some help."

I've come up with my own list of warning signs that you are spending too much time of Facebook.

You might be addicted to Facebook if . . . Facebook is your home page, especially if you wonder why that would be a problem.

You might be addicted to Facebook if . . . You take at least one quiz or survey everyday.

You might be addicted to Facebook if . . . You post status updates about what you are thinking about doing, especially if you come back and post another update saying that you never got around to doing it.

You might be addicted to Facebook if . . . You wake up wondering what has happened on Facebook overnight.

You might be addicted to Facebook if . . . You live on Facebook and have stopped checking your email because if anybody really has anything to say to you they can say it in front of all of your friends on Facebook.

You might be addicted to Facebook if . . . A growing percentage of your Facebook friends are people you have never met.

You might be addicted to Facebook if . . . You ignore the people you are with to Facebook the people you are not with.

You might be addicted to Facebook if . . . You have joined groups that you really have nothing to do with and have absolutely no interest in.

You might be addicted to Facebook if . . . You feel more comfortable talking to people on Facebook than face to face.

You might be addicted to Facebook if . . . You have ever called in sick using Facebook.

You might be addicted to Facebook if . . . You have your own "farm" in Farmville and it is doing better than your real yard.

You might be addicted to Facebook if . . . You have checked Facebook on your phone at least once since this worship service began.

You might be addicted to Facebook if . . . You are a pastor and you preach a whole sermon series on Facebook.

Don't be addicted to Facebook.  Be addicted to God.  Don't check in with Facebook before you check in with God.

What do you think of when you hear the words "creative Bible study"?

That makes me think of a class that is fully involved in discovering the truth of God's Word.  The teacher serves as a facilitator, helping class members dig into the Bible for themselves.

How does a teacher do that?  The key is to use a variety of activities that involve the learners.  Don't just lecture.  Don't just use group discussion.  Use those methods and also use other methods.  Case studies, monologues, study guides, games, skits and dramas, dramatic readings, music, writing and drawing, role play, brainstorming, paraphrasing, defining a word, looking at related passages, acting it out, personal sharing, self-analysis, object lessons.  The list could go on and on. 

Ask yourself, "How can I best help the class discover the truth in this Bible passage and put it into action in their own lives?" 

And also ask, "How can I get their attention, spice up the lesson, make it interesting and personal to them?"

Ask those questions and you will find yourself using a variety of teaching methods each week.

Some who watched Jesus crucified insulted Him and dared Him to miraculously rescue Himself.

"Come down from the cross and save yourself!" they shouted (Mark 15:30).

They wanted to see a miracle.  They wanted to see a man--helplessly nailed to a cross--somehow free Himself and walk away. 

They were diasppointed.  Instead, they watched Him die.  Read Mark 15:25-39.  They didn't realize that the real miracle was that the Son of God allowed Himself to be crucified for the sins of the world!

Sometimes the miracles we look for are not the miracles God gives us.  He always gives us something so much more, so much better, than we could ever think to imagine.