TALKING Loud saying (WHAT ABOUT GOD?)

Ephesians 5:31-33 NIV : “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”[a] 32 This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33 However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

To end our week off right, today's blog is primarily about the fabric that makes not only this country & our communities great, but ultimately marriage is supposed to tell the truth about God. Pictured today is a portion of my family (Bianca, wasn't with us) at a wedding I officiated almost a year ago. What's sad is that in just this past year alone, I've been made privy to so many marriages that are either ending, or have ended. If my memory serves me right one of the heaviest vows that both couples take is, "for better or for worst." Somehow we've reprogrammed ourselves and have said "until I can't take it because worst will be whatever I make it to be." By no means am I saying one should be married to a person whose goal is to degrade and ultimately destroy you, but I do challenge you to think about .......DOES YOUR MARRIAGE TELL THE TRUTH ABOUT GOD? We are human, so we will sin against each other, and many times unintentionally. Because we are human, not perfect, we will say things and do things that will hurt the other person...IT HAPPENS people! But despite all of that.....there is a reason why GOD HATES DIVORCE (Malachi 2:16) not people that divorce) because divorce says GOD can't. It is the couple communicating that God's grace, God's power, God's overall ability to turn things around won't work here. REALLY? Read the book of HOSEA and tell me GOD can't. Paul stated that when a man & woman leaves their parents the two will become one flesh...... Will is the operative word, meaning this is not "whaaaalaaaa" magical wave aof a wand working, but rather a constant work in progress that two people will slowly think so much of the other (needs, and in their best interest)that their thinking and living will be towards the goal of ONENESS! Paul described this as a mystery...why? Simply put many marriages nowadays are all TALK. We pay thousands of dollars for a hall, we invite hundreds to hear us say vows we don't mean, buy gifts for a home, that get's spit during divorce. We are hoodwinked into believing that marriage is about MY HAPPINESS, and GOD wants me happy. WHERE was that mentioned in the vows, or in scripture. GOD desires that you be HOLY.....happiness comes and goes. Does your marriage communicate GOD's devotion (love) toward us, GOD's forgiveness toward us, GOD's grace toward us, and GOD's power in & working through us? The only way ONESS ever happens is when two people sacrifice themselves year after year after year that when people see them, they say "They are inseperable, " and the sad truth is we don't say that much, or even see it.

GOD PLEASE invade and strengthen our marriages.....our kids need them, our communities must have them, and without them we won't make it. AMEN

www.youtube.com/watch?v=OW5KdkaOuI0&feature=related Check out I NEED YOU by TYE TRIBBETT on YouTube.com

Talking LOUD Saying (GOD is MIGHTY)

Joshua 6:5,20: 5 When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have the whole army give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the army will go up, everyone straight in.” 20 When the trumpet sounded the army shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the men gave a loud shout; the wall collapsed, and everyone charged straight in, and they took the city.

So here is the scripture regarding the battle at Jericho, which to me doesn't sound like much of a battle because all the people of Israel needed to do was follow God's instructions and on the said day, after doing what He instructed SHOUT UNTO HIM and the wall that seperated them from what GOD promised would come tumbling down and they would be able to enter in and take the city! Now don't get me wrong, there was a battle, once the wall came down, they had their enemy to take down with the sword....but the wall was a huge obstacle and all they had to do was follow GOD's instructions and SHOUTING it down in and of itself was incredible. Pictured is me in Kentucky this past Spring with a tank, and if I don't look powerful, the tank sure does, and while it might be inoperable or retired from service....it still looks intimidating, and if it were in service it could do some damage. My point and question to you is, are you intimidating in your prayers? I mean does Satan, your adversary, our adversary decieved you into thinking there is a "ficticious" wall between you and what GOD has promised? What are you doing about it? There is something to being LOUD, and SHOUTING UNTO GOD with a VOICE of TRIUMPH that disengrates the bricks and motar of a wall......I dare you today to come up against your WALL (you name your WALL.....Visualize it....(alcoholism, laziness, depression, drug abuse, sexual abuse, hatred, etc) with the confidence of GOD is ABLE & MIGHTY and shout it down!

Here are a few song links to encourage you today: www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9EyLBcehQA

GIANTS or check out www.youtube.com/watchv?=107dsNhgxCQ&feature=related LORD YOU ARE MIGHTY

Talking LOUD Saying (What are you Teaching)....Nothing?

Acts 17:21-22 NIV: "21 (All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.) 22 Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious."

So just like you would imagine here are some people hanging out, listening to the latest teachings and news, some teaching....but the scene is busy with talkers & listeners. As the scripture said they " spent their time doing nothing BUT talking about and listening to the latest ideas." So the Apostle Paul enters and begins to teach about Jesus Christ, and immediately gains an audience. My devotional point is simple and short. What are you listening to, and what are you in turn teaching? On your way to work is it talk radio? Whether it's Tom Joyner, Steve Harvey, Creflo, Chuck Swindoll, or NPR....does it give you what you need to be an effective TEACHER of the GOSPEL? When you exit your vehichle do you now feel equipped to work a full shift? I invite you to tune in to your church's message to GET IT INTO YOU or check out BOTT RADIO 91.5FM or JOY FM or even GOSPEL 1600.

TEACHING....what are you teaching? When you get to work does your life point people towards CHRIST? Are you even known as the "CHRISTIAN". What about at home, how many Biblical based discussions do you have with your kids or do they get their religion from the public school system? My suggestion a family devotional, if you have small ones....Veggie Tales then talk about, teach them His ways. Water down your devotional so that they can apply it to their lives. If your kids don't see you studying the Word, or see that it is important.....they will be crippled and ultimately ineffective in this world spiritually.

I pray you allow the Spirit to Lead you today so that you will be found teaching the world the TRUTH about JESUS, by how you live. GOD BLESS (LGLP)

Talking LOUD Saying ( BUT what are you DOING?)

1 Samuel 2:3 NIV - : “Do not keep talking so proudly or let your mouth speak such arrogance, for the LORD is a God who knows,
and by him deeds are weighed."

Today is Day 10 in our prayer journals of BOLD prayers, and the scripture I posted is a BOLD PRAYER of praise that Hannah had offered up to GOD after He had blessed her to bear a son. In chapter one you see the heart of a woman that desires to be a mother, and she pours out herself to GOD in a prayer that exalts Him high above the earth, and any situation that may seem to have her attention. The excerpt from her prayer of praise for answered prayer basically is saying you don't need to go before God like you got it together, and that you are the ultra-Christian, cause He already knows who and how you really are. So rather come humbly before Him, keeping in mind that YOU NEED HIM, literally come relying on His power, and not your ability to make something happen.

So you've been praying about _______________________ , and are you willing to wait (and continue to pray in the meantime) on the Lord? Maybe all you need to DO is continue to pray today.......

What Would They Say (Pt.1) Your Parents

Genesis 49:33 When Jacob finished this charge to his sons, he drew his feet into the bed, breathed his last, then joined his ancestors in death.

In the 49th Chapter of Genesis Jacob (aka Israel) is seen preparing for death. He takes his liberties with his last breaths to call his sons to him, to basically to prophesy over their lives. In each was truth, and sometimes hard to swallow truth. Now for some losing your mom/dad has already happened, and for others that day has yet to come, but will. What would your parents say to you if they were dying and were afforded the opportunity to share one last conversation with you? Would you listen? Does knowing what they would say about you now, impact any of your decisions today?

Exodus 20:12 Honor your father and mother, that your days maybe long upon the Earth.

God help us today to live to bring not just our Earthly parents honor, but YOU GLORY! Amen