1 Corinthians 14:8
If the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle?

Have you ever gone to speak to someone and when you did the only thing that came out was that gurgling "I've got something stuck in my throat and it's impossible to speak" sound? It's happened to me on occasion while speaking or singing and it's a wierd feeling. And I've noticed that it always seems to happen during really important moments. That's what makes it so wierd. You want to clear your throat but you know that doing so will mean a really gross coughing/gasping sound. On the other hand, if you continue talking and hope it works it way out, you risk not being understood. The bottom line? It is impossible to speak clearly with pounds of phlegm in your throat.

Before we get to the actual point of this Evotion, let me just say that these are the times when it is good to have a World Wide Web. I just Googled the word "phlegm" to make sure that I spelled it correctly and I found the following advice about what to do in these types of situations. (Feel free to print these out and keep them with you for future use!)

If you have phlegm, cough it up. When the phlegm (mucus, spit) remains in the lungs, it can clog the smaller bronchial tubes, making breathing more difficult. While it remains in the bronchial tubes, it may also lead to an infection.

Controlled coughing is an important technique to learn in order to clear excess mucus from the lungs.

- take a slow, deep breath and hold it for 2 seconds
- cough twice, with your mouth slightly open (the first cough should loosen mucus and the second cough should propel it out of the lungs)
- pause
- sniff gently...do not take in a deep breath, as this may cause you to cough again and drive the mucus back into the lungs
- rest

Control your cough; don't let it control you!

Anyway, back to the main point (although knowing how to clear phlegm is very important). If there was ever a time for Christians to speak the message of truth clearly in our culture, it's now. And the last thing that we need is for blocked, gurgling, and phlegm-filled sin to keep that message from being heard. The truth is too important and the stakes are too high for us to risk miscommunication. It is time for the church to rise up, clear her throat of all the junk that is blocking her voice of influence in our world, and speak truth clearly.

All in favor say, "Ahem."