1) If you enjoy Bible study or will be teaching Romans anytime this year, we’d like to encourage you to stop by www.joemckeever.com and look at the three offerings inside the “Features” box: the cartoons on Romans, “10 Things to Know about Romans,” and a chapter-by-chapter analysis called “Getting a Handle on Romans.” You might find some help there.

Today, Wednesday, we put a few more cartoons in the mail to Marty who will be posting these with the Romans group. We plan to add some more in the next week or ten days, so stop by later to see if there’s anything you can use.

Also, as I learn more about Romans from continuing to study it and from teaching it, I’ll be coming back into these articles and tweaking them, adding insights, changing anything I’ve learned more about, and refining the English. (Not too much on that last point. Hey, I’m from off the farm in Alabama and you should expect only so much.)

So, where will I be teaching Romans? Here’s the schedule. You’re welcome to drop in for any that are near you.

Thursday, January 10 – We’ll do a two-hour preview of Romans twice at our Baptist Center, 2222 Lakeshore Drive, New Orleans. In the morning from 9 to 11 am and that evening at 6:30 pm. This is primarily for pastors, but anyone is welcome. (My cell phone is 504/615-0149. Call if you need directions.)

January 14-16, Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday mornings from 10 to noon at Oak Park Baptist Church, 1110 Kabel Drive, in the Algiers section of New Orleans. Pastor Bobby Stults says this is primarily for the senior adults who don’t like to get out at night, but you’ll surely be welcome.

January 18-19, Friday night (6:30 to 9 pm) and Saturday (8 am to noon), also at Oak Park Baptist Church. This is for everyone else.

January 20, Sunday, through Wednesday night, January 23, at Rocky Creek Baptist Church, Lucedale, Mississippi. Contact that church for the exact schedule. Note: We’ll not have a Tuesday night session; I’ll be speaking at the annual associational men’s banquet at the same church. Jimmy Holcomb is the Associational Director of Missions. He can give you directions or information: jimmy@ggbaptist.com.

2) We had gridlock in New Orleans today.

The Hawaiians and Georgians were leaving town following last night’s Sugar Bowl, while the two teams playing in next Monday night’s BCS championship game at the Superdome–LSU and Ohio State–were arriving in town. On top of that, a medical convention for 16,000 delegates is being held, sandwiched in between the two games, and they were all arriving in town today.

And people wonder if New Orleans is ready to host conventions yet.

You have to feel for the Hawaiians. The University of Hawaii was the only undefeated major college team to go undefeated this year at 12-0. Some said they should automatically be the nation’s number one team. Others said they played in the minor leagues against weaker teams, and in a weak conference, the Western Athletic Conference. So, they got their desires–a major bowl against a major team, the University of Georgia, a perennial powerhouse from the SEC. And their people swarmed into New Orleans for this game. Tickets were scarce and expensive.

The greatest thing since statehood, the Hawaiians called this. They were primed to show the world the high caliber of football they play. Alas, Georgia had something to say about that. It looked like Muhammad Ali fighting the likes of you or me. I mean it wasn’t even funny what those guys did to Colt Brennan and his team.

It goes to show, I suppose. Goes to show what? That emotion and desire do not trump talent and ability.

I have the best tale on that subject you will ever find. It comes from James Dobson’s little book, “Romantic Love: Using Your Head in Matters of the Heart.”

In 1930, the Oklahoma high school where Dobson’s mother was a student regularly fielded the worst football teams in the conference. Finally, one of their biggest fans, a local oil producer, had taken all he could stand of their losing ways. He asked for permission to address the football team one Friday night after another of their decisive defeats.

What followed, Dobson says, was one of the greatest motivational speeches of all time. If the football team would defeat their arch-rival the following Friday night, the wealthy businessman would personally purchase a new Ford automobile for every boy on the team and for each coach. Knute Rockne never delivered a more powerful speech. These guys stormed out of the locker room that night with fire in their eyes. They were like people possessed.

For the next week, ecstasy reigned on that high school campus. The boys could not sleep at night, just thinking of winning that game and receiving their own car. Bear in mind that 1930 was in the depths of the Great Depression and the beginning of the dust bowl nightmare. These were poor people living in a depressed land, and now someone has brought them hope and inspiration.

We’ll let Dr. Dobson finish the story.

“Finally, the big night arrived and the team assembled in the locker room. Excitement was at an unprecedented high. The coach made several inane comments and the boys hurried out to face the enemy. They assembled on the sidelines, put their hands together and shouted a simultaneous ‘Rah!’ Then they ran onto the field and were demolished, 38-0.”

Dobson says, “The team’s exuberance did not translate into a single point on the scoreboard. Seven days of hoorah and whoop-de-do simply couldn’t compensate for the players’ lack of discipline and conditioning and practice and study and coaching and drill and experience and character.”

Someone from Hawaii say ‘Amen.’

Dr. Dobson relates the story to illustrate the danger of trying to build a marriage on emotions. Emotions have their place, he says, “but when forced to stand alone, it usually reveals itself to be unreliable and ephemeral and even a bit foolish.”

3) The news is now official: New Orleans is the murder capital of the United States.

Our hometown of Birmingham was number 4 on the list of most dangerous cities.

A civic leader said on a talk show today that two years ago when Mayor Nagin said he wanted everyone back in New Orleans–he said even the criminals–he got more than he bargained for. What we ended up with, he said, was some of the scariest characters on the planet, people who just could not function in other cities and had to be in New Orleans.

A news station asked its audience to respond to a call-in poll and tell whether they feel safe in the city. Around two-thirds said they do not.

Out where I live–in Jefferson Parish, the western portion of metro New Orleans, in the community called River Ridge–it’s about as safe as any other small town in America. But, having said that, bear in mind that no small town in America is without its drug problems and criminal element.

Once again, we remind our friends elsewhere that we depend on their prayers. Please continue to lift us up. Pray for revival in this city.