I once heard a man tell his son in the barbershop, “Son, you aren’t old enough to ‘cuss’. When are you old enough to cuss?

America is obsessed with profanity. The enemy has convinced people it makes…

Words more powerful…

Jokes more funny…

Arguments more convincing…

Authority more authoritative…

Good parents will allow coaches to ‘cuss’ their children to ‘get the best out of them’.

People who deal with those who use profanity claim you have to ‘speak their language’ to get through to them.

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Our movies, television shows, comedians, songs and sometimes even those in authority reinforce a culture of profanity.

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God said very clearly that we are to not allow corrupt, unwholesome, coarse language come from our mouths…

Ephesians 4:29 (NKJV)

²⁹Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.

He said…

For those of you who don’t know, not only do I blog, but I write songs for my wife who is Gospel/Jazz artist, Mechelle Johnson. She also sings classic R&B covers of many of the songs that make up the soundtrack of our 30-plus year marriage with her group, Natural Elegance. It’s part of our marriage ministry (Google SONday Blessing videos) that encourages strong, healthy, joyous Godly marriages between a man and woman. Our motto is…

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You minister to the soul with a Gospel song, but you minister to a marriage with a love song!

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We are based in a suburb of Memphis TN, and I must say that except for our very supportive church family at Oak Spring Church and a few others, we have gotten very little support from the ‘church community’. However, we have gotten MUCH SUPPORT from the local non-church community, and on radio in different…

Anyone who involved in ministry or cause that wears the name Gospel have either gone through or are going through periods when he or she may feel their efforts aren’t getting the attention or ‘support’ that it deserves.

You know that you’re anointed. You have prayed over your decisions and you feel confident that you’re doing just what God called you to do.

But, when we deliver a message, sing a song, write a song, book or blog, launch a ministry…invest our heart, soul, passion and yes, money into our ministry…it can be devastating when people don’t seem to ‘feel it’, accept it or appreciate it.

Other than my blog, I collaborate with my wife (GospelJazz recording artist Mechelle Johnson) to write songs for our music/marriage ministry. I have been an ordained minister for over 21 years, and I have found myself second guessing my callings and investments because of…

SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO REWIND

Many times after we have hurt someone, and they have ‘forgiven’ us, it angers us and hurts us when they bring it back up. We quickly remind them that ‘you are supposed to forgive and forget’. We remind them of how God says He will never remember our sins anymore…

Isaiah 43:25, “I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.”

God is letting us know the power of His forgiveness, but do you think our omniscient, all-knowing God can’t recall what we did? Do you think He actually can’t remember it anymore?

This must be understood in proper context. God forgives us and doesn’t hold our sins against us WHEN WE REPENT. But, what is repentance? Repentance is godly sorrow over what we’ve done (2 Corinthians 7:10). Repentance is a change of…

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When it comes to sex, married couples aren’t in the mood at the same time.

“I have a headache.”

“I’m tired.”

I’m mad.”

It’s a given couples won’t be on the same page sexually all the time, but the bible gives some sound advice and a good reason (warning) why in 1 Corinthians Chapter 7…

1 Corinthians 7:3-5  (NKJV)

³ Let the husband render to his wife the affection due her, and likewise also the wife to her husband. ⁴ The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. And likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. ⁵ Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

Hey! Don’t…

Even though I’ve never used them, I can truly understand sometimes why some people use drugs.

Some days responsibilities, burdens and uncertainties can stretch our faith to the limits. That’s what they are designed to do so our faith can grow.

Some nights anxieties won’t allow you to sleep or when you do sleep your mind doesn’t really rest.

We can go through entire seasons of our lives in a ‘fog’. Our days can be a blur and a shadow. As we live through the consequences of our sins, decisions and weaknesses sometimes all we can do is just sigh…

Psalm 90:9 (NKJV)

⁹ For all our days have passed away in Your wrath;
We finish our years like a sigh.

 We can become so lonely, either or with people all around us, to the point that we can feel no one cares about us.

Through both the blessing…

Do you know anyone who seems to love drama? Dysfunction? Chaos?

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Do you know anyone who confuses peace with boredom?

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Some people can become so used to toxic environments, cultures and behaviors that they consider that to be normal. They are so used to negativity that they begin to unknowingly enjoy it. They enjoy creating it. They enjoy watching it. They enjoy talking about it….that’s why I think reality shows are so successful now.

They can create their own poison to what would be a good relationship…friendship…job. They sometimes aren’t even comfortable with peace within themselves because they anticipate something bad is going to happen.

I hope this is not you. We must be very careful that we don’t reject the very peace that God seeks to GIVE us. We must not be uncomfortable with the peace that God GIVES us through our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus. Not only…

Prayer is a privilege of a real relationship with God through our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus. Prayer is a powerful weapon of spiritual warfare. But, unfortunately we can unintentionally or intentionally misuse prayer.

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“I’m praying for you.” We need to very careful how, and why we say it. How many times have you said it without sincerity or out of malice as a retaliation in an argument? How many times have you heard it said out of arrogance rather than concern?

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God lets us know through James that prayers is ineffective and unheard when we pray with the wrong motives in our hearts…

James 4:3  (NKJV)

³ You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.

Be careful when we pray for others, about others and with others that we are praying for God’s will to be accomplished in their…