Is Marriage Sacred Anymore?

"I HATE YOU!" "I WANT A DIVORCE!" Whoo these are some harsh words to hear from your husband or wife. Unfortunately it is also a harsh realty that plagues many homes in America. So many people are jumping the broom without really thinking about their decision and everything that comes along with it. So your first few months to a year of dating went well and you're just so in love right? Let's face it, there are many who can say they have even lived together with their mate (tell the truth). But when the wedding ceremony is over, the last gift has been opened and the plane lands after the honeymoon...then your new life begins.

The problem is that many people are not in touch with themselves. They don't have a sense of who they are and are not satisfied with their own foundation and therefore cannot provide a solid foundation when they come together in matrimony. You have to be able to bring something to the table, love, respect, submission, honor, trust and the list goes on. If you cannot love, honor and respect yourself how can you give these things to someone else? Frustrations will definitely rise in any relationship be it a friendship, courtship, or marriage. It's not about the problem, it's how you deal with the problem that will determine the outcome.

So when times get rough, do you just throw in the towel? What happened to for better or for worst? You may feel like the pain will never end but the Lord said He will never put more on you than you can bear. If you're going through it, it must be assigned to you so that you can help someone else in the end and to make you stronger. Now God never intended for anyone to be abused but disagreements, battles with pride and power trips are definitely not on God's list for the thumbs up regarding divorce. It may be necessary for you to consider marital counseling. So the question is, did you marry for the right reasons? Is love enough? If your marriage is sacred to you and you really want it to work, what are you willing to do to see it through? Just a thought to make you think. Peace.

When Rated PG Goes Too Far

PG (Parental Guidance) from pushy parents can bring strife for young talents. Lets say your child has a talent for dancing, they can play songs on the piano by ear, or that picture under the refrigerator magnet is a masterpiece. In any case, you want to make the sacrifice and pay for lessons to enhance their talents. Before you do this, remember there are a few things that you must first consider.

Children go through different phases in life. One minute they are excited and motivated to do one thing and the next minute they have totally lost interest and have moved on to the next thing. This is all apart of the process of them gaining experiences that will help them understand who they are, what they like and who they want to become. While they go through these changes it is important for parents to be understanding but firm in helping their children understand the disadvantage to quitting.

Being an understanding parent includes sensitivity to the fact that they are still children and like to do all of the things that children do. Whether their past time is talking on the phone, perusing on facebook, playing with toys, or simply hanging out with friends, kids just want to have fun. Parents must also be sure that the investment you are making for your child's talent is for their best interest and not your own. Unfortunately, many parents feel as though they have missed their opportunity to live out their dreams and talents and tend to live vicariously through their children thus forcing them to do something that they really don't want to do. This can seriously damage your relationship with your child. Let your child develop with your guidance and encouragement not your insistence. Don't invest in an expensive instrument until you know your child is really interested.

Those dance lessons don't have to cost the same as your monthly phone bill. Shop around to the different music and dance schools for the best price and reputation. Parents take your time with this project.Yes this is a project with you and your child and it takes communication, planning, and patience to help your child to develop. PG (Parental Guidance) doesn't have to go too far. Be supportive, be encouraging and most of all, help your child be the best that they can be!

How Long Should a Church Service BE?

Oookay...I know it's been awhile. But we're back and now we are talking about an old topic that is still a conversation piece today. That is, how long should a church service be? This question seems a bit outrageous honestly. Why? Because you can't put limits on God!

Back in the day, the apostolic church, the C.O.G.I.C. denomination and the pentecostal church amongst others had some "sho' nuff church" as the old folks liked to call it. Morning service would start at about 11am (that is after 9am Sunday School); end around 4pm; break for Sunday dinner in the church's kitchen (you know where you can get those fried chicken dinners for around $5 - $7); then commence to the second service that started around 5 or 6pm.

11am - 4pm? I guess those who were not brought up this way might ask, "What in the world did ya'll do all that time?" Well there was Praise and Worship/Testimony; then the choir processional; morning annoucements (govern yourselves accordingly); prayer; offering; selections; the Word; prayer again and alter call; and finally the benediction. The second service is for the guest preacher to come and do it all over again only with his own choir.

While all of this may seem unneccesary to some, it is the foundation that has molded many Christians today. Most Sunday morning services last a maximum of 2 hours. Some follow this timeframe to please the people because they don't want to "overtax" them, others do it because they are being televised and they have to. As long as we are not putting God in a box, do what you have to do! When church becomes routine and there is no room for God to move and take over in His own way, then that becomes a problem.

The question is, are you going to a church that has service for 2 hours  because it's where God led you and you are being fed spiritually or simply because it is convenient and you can be in and out and still be able to say "I went to church today so I'm good with God?" Just a thought to make you think. Peace. 

Children's Church

When you walk into most churches today and sit down with your child(ren) you may have an usher come up to you and offer to take your child(ren) to "children's church". What is children's church? It is said to be an area set aside just for children usually around twelve and under where they can learn a kid-friendly version of the Word and the things of God.

While it sounds nice to bring the Word of the Lord down to a child's level, how does it really effect them when they are taken away from the sanctuary and away from the sermon that the Lord has given to the spiritual leader to color pictures, memorize bible verses and eat snacks? Aren't these activities supposed to be done in Sunday School before service?

When I was coming up we didn't have children's church. We sat our happy selves right in the pews next to our parents and if Momma was singing in the choir loft I knew I better not move because she would cut her eye at me to let me know that I was gonna get it after church if I didn't straighten up.

Although as a child it was boring to sit in a long service, it rooted and grounded me. One day I found myself listening to the preacher instead of daydreaming about what I wanted to do when I got home. As a young adult I was disciplined enough to be able to sit and listen to what God had to say through His servant who was delivering the message. Most church services today only last about two hours, our services usually were no less than four!

Yes children do get wrestless when sitting for long periods of time but isn't this the time to train them in the way that they should go? Did they have children's church in the days when Jesus walked the earth preaching the gospel? Maybe children's church simply gives parents a break while they are trying to be fed spiritually and helps them learn about Christ in a different way at the same time. Here's the question, does this new age concept hurt or help our children's spiritual development especially regarding discipline and is everybody doing it just because everybody is doing it? Just a thought to make you think. Peace.

Titles in the Church

“I’m an Elder…I’m a Pastor…I’m a Bishop…I’m an Apostle”, what’s next? “I’m God Almighty!?!” Everyone seems so infatuated with carrying a title in the church. It seems some individuals are never satisfied. They want to go higher and higher in recognition but there’s just one thing missing…A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD!!! Who authorized you to have a title, did God authorize them? A lot of people are just in love with the churchisms (the mastery of church quotes and acts such as shouting, the mockery of speaking in tongues, which we will speak on next time, and people acting like they are just feeling the Spirit when they really look like they have epilepsy).


One of the saddest parts about it is how these people literally study the garbs that were worn and make it a point to continuously have special garb made as if it is a fashion show every time they “preach out” or go to any type of church service. Jesus was a quiet and modest Man. After He healed people, He would tell them to go about their business and tell no one (Matt. 12:16, Mark 5:43). Too many people are looking for someone to put them up in the pulpit so that they can receive the glory and fail to realize that it’s GOD who is to receive ALL glory!

In some churches, if the church clergy is asked to stand for recognition, you wouldn’t have but five people still seated. The requirements for elevation have been compromised as also the respect for it. Many people do not understand that with these titles (when you are really called) come even heavier responsibilities. The Lord deals heavily with those who are called to certain assignments. A lot of people run from their assignment for years because they don’t want to deal with the responsibility. Look at Jonah! Poor thing tried so hard to run from his assignment the Lord had to reel Him back in by using a whale to swallow him up! People who are running around calling themselves prophets better watch out for the wrath of God. You can’t tell people God said something when you know He didn’t! “For prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” 2 Peter 1:21. There is a special place for false prophets, Rev. 20:10!

Don’t ask for something you are not called to do. We all have a purpose and therefore have an assignment. Stay in your lane. Seek God and ask Him what your assignment and purpose is for your life. Ask Him (not yourself) how He wants to use you. Put the clergy collar down and take the “I’m so saved” crook out of your back when you walk. Be real and get serious about your relationship with God and when you really do receive His Holy Spirit, oh you won’t have to jerk around and mumble a bunch of nothing out of your mouth. The real Holy Spirit will give you utterance and cause you to speak the Lord’s language and lead you into all truth (Acts 2:4). You can’t “stir up” or “activate” the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is God; it’s His gift to you. He directs you, not the other way around. Just a thought to make you think. Peace.

Concerts in the Sanctuary

So what’s all the fuss about having concerts in the sanctuary? Everyone is doing it right? Is there something wrong with it or are people just acting “too saved”? Well the buzz is that many mega churches (churches that can seat at least 1,000 people or more) are opening their doors, the sanctuary doors, to gospel groups and artists local and celebrity to have concerts for various causes. Some hold charity affairs where the tickets sold to get into the concert benefit a good cause. Others hold ticketed events for profit.
Does it make a difference that most of them are religiously related? Hmmm, some say that it does make a difference. Besides, Christians like to hear good live music too on a Friday or Saturday night without feeling convicted right? I guess the hoopla kicks into gear when people start talking about the fact that tickets are being sold in order to attend these concerts, which the scriptures talk about in Matthew 21:12, 13. The scripture reads, “12 Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. 13 And He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be a house of prayer, but you have turned it into a den of thieves.’” Sounds like Jesus was mad to me!

Anytime you make the Lord mad like that where he’s turning over tables, it must be something wrong with that! Yet in the next verse He turns right around and starts healing folks again. He’s just awesome like that! But the real deal lies in the question, is selling tickets outside of the church to have people attend a function inside the church (sanctuary) the same as selling items in the sanctuary? Some people just sell items still in the church but not in the sanctuary. You know those chicken dinners the usher board sells after church to go towards their portion of the building fund! Just a thought to make you think. Peace.

Christian Rap Controversy

Since hip-hop started in the early 80’s rap has become a very powerful and influential form of artistic expression. LL Cool J., Rakim, Big Daddy Kane and so many more legendary rap artists have paved the way for the current rap icons much of our youth look up to today. Notorious B.I.G., Tupac, and Nas (just to name a few) have served as a bridge, a very strong and supportive bridge I might add, to make way for the very influential moguls like 50 Cent, Drake, Flo-Rida and the like.
So what happens when this secular genre of music where the message usually is geared towards sexually explicit ideas, talks about wettin’ somebody up, and boastful verses about how many glocks and nines somebody is slingin’ is transitioned to a message about Jesus? The controversial question is: can we in good conscience feed a positive message to our kids through this form of expression?
Christian rappers such as T-Wyse, Da Truth, and Prayz 1 certainly believe so. Songs like “Victory” by Prayz 1is a self explanatory message giving the people of God encouragement to believe that they have the “Victory” over any circumstance. So what do kids really listen to when they bob their heads to a rap song, any rap song? Is it the beat that makes them want to listen, or is it really the message? If it is the beat, then is the message really getting across? If not, what’s the point right? Or can we look at it like it is a subliminal message and determine, “Oh they’ll get it one way or another?”
Hmm, some say, “God don’t need no help!” Meaning, you shouldn’t mix secular sounds with Christian sounds to make it about God just to “reach our youth”. Others say, “Whatever it takes”. Would that be considered straddling the fence? Who will you serve, God or man? But what happens when the power of the Holy Spirit comes into the room after (or during) a performance by a Christian rapper? Just a thought to make you think, Peace