The Marben Bland Podcast

Send us Fan Mail The Paris Olympic Games have begun.  During the sixteen days of the games the world’s best athletes will compete for country, glory, and the gold.   Throughout this celebration of sport, the humanity of God’s greatest creation men and women have an opportunity to show what is possible when the commandment of love thy neighbor as thyself is followed.    With so much promise possibl...

Send us Fan Mail Privilege is often defined as a special right, granted to a particular person or group.  The key word here is “granted.” Think about it privilege can be shared. However, it can only be shared by someone who already has it, and yes, we all have privilege.   As the Son of God no one had more privilege than Jesus. Philippians 2:1-8 details how Jesus used his advantages setting the ex...

Send us Fan Mail “We can’t treat prayer, scripture, worship and giving thanks like a spare tire that we only pull out in an emergency. These things are the steering wheel that you hold on to tightly every day, no matter where you are going.”  In a sermon from Psalm 119:18 Pastor Marben Bland discusses how we should open our eyes to the Lord giving us for ways to have a greater connection with God....

Send us Fan Mail The term head scratcher refers to something that is difficult to understand.  A thing that causes puzzlement or confusion.   Head scratching is my description of recent decisions of the Supreme Court of the United States.   -      Laws that provided a stable framework of regulatory actions were overturned.  Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo  -      Laws that protected and expen...

Send us Fan Mail I have been looking at taking a defensive driving course.  While driving is something I do almost daily passing the course will enable me to save hundreds of dollars in auto insurance premiums.    The brochures for the course have provided some helpful tips like checking the air in your spare tire and the proper way to grip the steering wheel.  This summer at Greater Bethel AME At...

Send us Fan Mail Renowned leadership expert, John C. Maxwell, said it best: “Everything rises and falls on leadership.”   Matthew answered the leadership call of Jesus to leave a life of sin as a tax collector to become a disciple and gospel writer.   In a sermon from Matthew 9:9-13, Pastor Marben Bland discusses the call of leadership from Jesus as he explains Project 2025 the conversative plan t...

Send us Fan Mail At the start of every new presidential administration there are thousands of political appointed jobs that need to be filled.   Political appointees hold top positions in the White House and governmental departments.   Their jobs are to assist in implementing the President’s agenda.   Project 2025 spearheaded by the Heritage Foundation a conversative think tank that has shaped the...

Send us Fan Mail Matthew, a disciple of Jesus and writer of the Gospel that bears his name was not always the saint we think of him now.   He was a notorious tax collector hated by Jews, who considered him a traitor because he worked for the despised Roman empire.    The Romans did not pay Matthew or the other tax collectors an actual wage.  Instead, they were expected to take extra money form the...

Send us Fan Mail There is an old saying that a person is judged by the company they keep.  When Jesus chose disciples, He was not concerned about appearances.   Jesus wasn't looking for role models; Jesus was looking for real people. Jesus chose people who could be changed by His love, and then He sent them out to communicate that the glory of God was available to anyone – even to those whose...

Send us Fan Mail Acts 22:15 serves as a reminder that we are to be a truthful witness for Jesus telling everyone of what you have seen and heard of the Lord.  In the sermon Lift Him Up! Pastor Marben Bland will discuss how Paul in Act 26, witnessed for Jesus using a four-step model. Paul’s 4 step model for witnessing for Jesus.  1 Talk About Your Present State In Acts 26: 4-8 Paul reviews his curr...

Send us Fan Mail Actor Taraji P. Henson struck a political tone as host of the resent BET Awards.   Bearing witness to racial injustice, economic disparities, and the importance of voting.   Acts 22:15 serves as a reminder that we are to be a truthful witness for Jesus telling everyone of what you have seen and heard of the Lord. Your witnessing is required to lift up the causes that our community...

Send us Fan Mail In a 6-3 decision the Supreme Court ruled that Donald Trump, or any U.S. president is immune from prosecution for official acts taken while in office. Writing for the majority Chief Justice John Roberts said that immunity for official conduct was needed to protect “an energetic, independent executive.”   In her dissent Justice Sonia Sotomayor writing for the minority said, “In eve...

Send us Fan Mail Christian nationalism is the belief that the United States is defined by Christianity, and that the government should take active steps to keep it that way.  Scholars like Samuel Huntington have made a similar argument: that America is defined by its “Anglo-Protestant” past and that the United States will lose its identity and its freedom if white cultural is not maintained, prese...

Send us Fan Mail In 1947 when Jackie Robinson broke the color line in Major League Baseball, his actions, courage, and play made baseball better.  Setting the stage for Willie Mays who broke in 1951 to make baseball great.    Willie Mays, the Say Hey Kid, whom many consider the greatest baseball player ever died this week at age 93. Mays was the embodiment of the complete player, he could hit for...

Send us Fan Mail The summer solstice for the Northern Hemisphere will take place on Thursday, June 20th,2024. The summer solstice, the longest day of the year is celebrated by many cultures around the world.  From sunrise to sunset people flock to festivals with food, dance, and merriments.   Proverbs 3:1-2 calls on us to never forget the things we were taught about the Lord.  We are called on to...

Send us Fan Mail In John Chapter 13 and 14 Jesus gives us a Father’s Day gift in the form of Godly fatherly instruction as he shows us three ways he cared and loved his disciples.  Humility  First, Jesus showed humility by washing his disciple’s feet as depicted in John 13: 1-20. The father’s day gift from Jesus is this: A Godly father realizes that they must humble themselves to be of service to...

Send us Fan Mail Hebrews 11:1 tells us that faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.  We are called to live out our faith in a bold, discipline manner which is pleasing to God.    Boldness in our faith means living with the confidence that God is within us.  Inspired by the Holly Spirit, Peter, and John were perceived to be uneducated and untrained when they add...

Send us Fan Mail It is graduation season, a time where academic achievement are celebrated and moving forward ceremonies are conducted.  Family, friends, faculty, and the community gather to honor the graduate.   These ceremonies tend to focus on the future. Speakers inspire graduates with words about the future glories that await.   Scholarship are awarded with an anticipation of a bright future....

Send us Fan Mail I think it is accurate to say that many people consider our forever First Lady Michelle Obama a rock of a person.      “When They Go Low, We Go High” is the perfect metaphor for the poise, grace, and wisdom Mrs. Obama has shown in and out of the White House.   With Barack Obama winning the presidency in November 2008, life would change for the family.   Mrs. Obama and her two youn...

Send us Fan Mail As Americans we live life at a grinding clip.  Work, family, church, and other duties keep us constantly busy.    The Smartphone and other devices with their constant reminders and addictive algorithms draw us into a never-ending web of being on, being available, and being in touch for every moment of our lives.   God knows the toil that work and constant activity can take on our...

Send us Fan Mail Josh Gibson is in that number, Lyman Bostock Sr, is in that number, Cool Papa Bell is in that number too.   This week Major League Baseball officially recognized the statistics from the Negro Leagues.  Putting hundreds of players who were excluded from playing in the Majors in the record books,  Now their fetes are inscribed in the same record book and treated the same as white pl...

Send us Fan Mail Donald Trump has been convicted on all 34 counts in the so-called Manhattan hush money trail.   As the New York Times has reported the verdict will reverberate throughout the nation and the world.  As its ushers in a new era of presidential politics.  In November, Americans will decide if it wants to elect a convicted felon as commander in chief.  But now less that a full day afte...

Send us Fan Mail As Americans we live life at a grinding clip.  Work, family, church, and other duties keep us constantly busy.    The Smartphone and other devices with their constant reminders and addictive algorithms draw us into a never-ending web of being on, being available, and being in touch for every moment of our lives.   God knows the toil that work and constant activity can take on our...

Send us Fan Mail This week at Greater Bethel we will join Christians worldwide in celebrating the Holy Trinity.  The Holy Trinity is God in three persons.   God The Father, who we see in Genesis as God creates the Earth and humankind.  God The Son, Jesus Christ who we see in the Gospels as He comes to the Earth to teach, heal, and save.  God the Holy Spirit, the comforter appearing the Disciples i...

Send us Fan Mail The rule of three is a storytelling principle that suggests people better understand concepts, situations, and ideas in groups of three. The story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears uses the rule of three extensively, with Goldilocks examining three bowls of porridge, three chairs, and three beds before the three beds came home  Many advertising campaigns and public information slo...