The Marben Bland Podcast

Send us Fan Mail Powered by Evangelical Christians Donald Trump has won the Iowa Caucus.   For these Evangelical Christians immigration was the major issue as they supported a candidate who says God’s children at a border are poisoning the blood of America  Agriculture is a major part of Iowa’s economy. The state farms produces nearly 20% of U.S. soybean, corn, and pork.  Meat processing plants do...

Send us Fan Mail There is a paradox on this Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.  While many of us will reserve this day for reflection, celebration, and service.  In Iowa the first step in coronation of Donald Trump a man who stands in stark contrast to the Beloved Community, Dr. King and generations have marched, fought, and died is taking place.    Into this paradox comes the liberating power of God’s...

Send us Fan Mail The fundamental goal of the book of Proverbs is to teach the acquisition of wisdom and the avoidance of folly.   The acquisition of wisdom and the avoidance of folly is achieved only when we have faith and trust in the Lord as we obey his teaching.    Proverbs 3:1-8 provides a roadmap of God’s love and obeyance.  We are reminded to follow God’s teachings and not to lean on our own...

Send us Fan Mail On Friday, January 20th, 2017, thousands gathered at the capital in Washington, D.C. to witness the inauguration of Donald Trump as the 45th President of the United States.    The next day on Saturday, January 21st, 2017 White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer accused the media of deliberately underestimating the size of the crowd for President Trump's inaugural ceremony .  ...

Send us Fan Mail Sermon Notes: Epiphany is a promise that God is here, whether or not we notice the signs.  After Jesus is born, according to Matthew, it is not the local folk to whom God-with-us is first revealed, but rather to Magi from the East. Foreigners. Strangers. Outsiders who interpret dreams and interrogate the night sky for signs.  Nor is it in the grand holy city of Jerusalem, with its...

Send us Fan Mail Yes, Jesus is the reason for the season however, how often has the season with all of its trappings gotten in the way of our faith?   Now that the season is over and if we truly want to be greater in 2024, now is the time to get back to the business of faith.   In Hebrews 11 Paul defines faith as the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.  He cites the e...

Send us Fan Mail On this first day of 2024, Israel is again at war.  It is at war with Hamas the terrorist group that staged the October 7th attacks. In which an estimated 1,200 Israelis were killed, and another 150 were taken hostage.  In retaliation Israel launched a military campaign into Gaza.   The Palestinian health ministry estimates nearly 18,000 of their people have died, upwards of 48,00...

Send us Fan Mail The Books of Samuel describe the origins of kingship in Israel and recount the reigns of the first two kings, Saul, and David. Under Saul’s rule God empowered Israel to become a powerful nation with a great army capable of dominance on the battlefield.  For as Mary would say to Gabriel centuries later “nothing is impossible with God.” However, by the time the Philistine giant Goli...

Send us Fan Mail The Time For Watching And Waiting Is Over When I was young the night before Christmas was a time of watching, waiting, and wondering.  Watching to see when Santa will come, waiting endlessly for Christmas morning to come, and wondering what in the world would be there for me under the tree.  God Is Calling Us To Action God Is Call Us In Luke 2:8-20  To Go And Tell It! A closer exa...

Send us Fan Mail Christmas is over.  The wrapping paper, the boxes and some presents are garbage bound.  Christmas trees are coming down, carols are not being sung, and the after Christmas sales rush is on.  Yes, Christmas is over so now what do we do about Jesus?   For some they know that Jesus was born, but it changes nothing.  For others they are caught up in the glow Jesus birth, but it only l...

Send us Fan Mail Merry Christmas!   This day of festive trees, wonderful presents, and outstanding parties is the culmination of the Advent season. Where in this post pandemic world many of us for the first time in a while have attended parties, gone to concerts, enjoyed dinners along with all the activities with family and friends that truly makes this the most wonderful time of the year.   But,...

Send us Fan Mail The U.S. Department of Transportation forecasts that more Americans that ever will be driving or flying far away from home over Christmas.   Airports and highways will be packed and while the speed limit on most interstate highways is 80, we will have to settle for a slower pace during our treks. The pace of our lives is determined by many things.  Education is paced by a set numb...

Send us Fan Mail When I was young the night before Christmas was a time of watching, waiting, and wondering.  Watching to see when Santa will come, waiting endlessly for Christmas morning to come, and wondering what in the world would be there for me under the tree.   After the angels delivered the news to the shepherds that Jesus was born, the time for watching, waiting, and wondering had ended. ...

Send us Fan Mail Before Mary had a baby and before the shepherds and wise men followed the light, Joseph took a journey with his very pregnant wife. They journeyed from Nazareth to Bethlehem in obeyance of a governmental edict to be registered and to be taxed. Due to governmental edict thousands of very pregnant women, young children and old men have taken unexpected journeys.    Unexpected journe...

Send us Fan Mail In a 30-minute Advent sermon from Luke 2:8-20 and Matthew 2:1-12 Pastor Marben Bland teaches about the liberating power of Jesus.   Key Points: Jesus came to save us from sin and liberate us from oppression.  The image of the shepherd has been prominent in the Bible. In Able the son of Adam and Eve was described in Genesis 4:2 as a keeper of sheep.   Woe to the shepherds the faith...

Send us Fan Mail In Luke Chapter 2 the angles announced the birth of Jesus to the shepherds in the field saying: “born this day in the city of David is a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. When the angels returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go right now to Bethlehem and see what’s happened. Let’s confir...

Send us Fan Mail Sermon: Mary Had A Baby And Joseph Obeyed His Dream   Key points in a 28-minute sermon form Matthew 1:18-25  When Joseph discovers that Mary is pregnant, he decided to break the engagement. Understanding the danger facing Mary as unmarried single mother Joseph makes plans to quietly send her away.  Joseph did not take this decision to leave Mary lightly. During a sleepless night h...

Send us Fan Mail In Matthew 1:18-25 the angel from the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream.  The angle told Joseph that Mary had been conceived by the Holy Spirit.   The angle told Joseph that Mary will have son and that his name would be Jesus.  And the angle told Joseph to not to fear, but to take Mary as his wife.   The angel was right to remind Joseph not to fear.   It was fear that powered Jim...

Send us Fan Mail In this 20-minute sermon from Romans 8:38-39 Pastor Marben Bland teaches about The Love Of Christ Key Points:   We live in an uncertain world. The world is uncertain because we as humans are uncertain.  God is the certainty in an uncertain world.  The certainty of God can be expressed in one word…. Love.  Paul In Romans 5:8 says:  But God demonstrates his own love for us in this:...

Send us Fan Mail Matthew 1:18-25 gives these facts about the birth of Jesus  When Joseph discovers that Mary is pregnant, he decided to break the engagement. Understanding the danger facing Mary as unmarried single mother Joseph makes plans to quietly send her away.  Joseph did not take this decision to leave Mary lightly. During a sleepless night he fell into a dream, an angel of the Lord appeare...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome to Saturday, November 25th, 2023, and the uncertainty of the third day after Thanksgiving.   On the third day after Thanksgiving the feast is over but are we certain that all the dishes have been washed?   On the third day after Thanksgiving there are still leftovers. The certain delectability of the turkey and dressing on Thursday has turned into the uncertainty that I wo...

Send us Fan Mail We all know that gratitude and appreciation lie at the heart of the Thanksgiving holiday.  However, between the travel and all the rushing around to prep a delightful Thanksgiving meal we can sometimes lose sight of why we're even celebrating. The Word of God in Philippians 4:6 reminds us that we are not to be anxious about anything.  But in every situation by prayer and peti...

Send us Fan Mail Certainty in life is just a vaper.  Institutions, customs, and things that we believe in thinking that they would be ever present have vanished.   Our separation from what we thought would be enduring causes an agony that shakes the foundation of our lives.   Resulting in a distrust in things that requires our trust.  Into the vaper God gives us love, God gives us Jesus.   The Lov...

Send us Fan Mail Rosalynn Carter, former First Lady of the United States, and of the state of Georgia has died she was 96.  Married for 77 years to former President Jimmy Carter they were life mates in every way possible.  Forging the closest of professional, political, and personal bonds.   Mrs. Carter’s death especially on the eve of Thanksgiving and the holiday season reminds us that the death...

Send us Fan Mail We are just days away from Thanksgiving and another season of giving.  The story of the “Widow’s Mites” featured in the Gospels of Mark and Luke gives us insights about how we should give.       At the temple Jesus watches as people are giving.  He sees the rich in a showy display give, and then he see a poor widow sacrificing all she had to give.   The story highlights three ways...