“Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly.” (2 Timothy 2:16) I was in church recently when an old friend of mine came to visit. It was the strangest thing. My wife and I were just talking about him. He was out of work and we felt so sorry for him. As I watched him take his seat, I couldn’t help but wonder how he was handling his crisis. I not only heard about his misfortune, but I also had the […]

“But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry’.” (Luke 15:22-24) The Parable of the Prodigal Son: It is arguably the most “sermonized” parable in the Bible. But all of […]

“For there is no partiality with God.” (Romans 2:11) My pastor made an observation a few Sundays ago that surprised me. He remarked that an alarming percentage of people who attend church are not saved. As I looked around, I realized that God’s the only one who can really tell the difference. Jesus said, “You will know them by their fruits.” (Matthew 7:16) But it’s hard to tell sometimes because “religion” can fool you. The fact is some people attend church out of custom or habit. Their presence […]

“Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.” (1 Corinthians 12:27) In October of 1977, I was confirmed in the Episcopal Church. I had no idea what being an Episcopalian meant. Instead, I saw confirmation as something that would enable me to improve my station in life. Episcopalians seemed to enjoy more success than members of other denominations. By way of background, I had been reared in a Southern Baptist church and later joined Methodist and Presbyterian churches in my search for peace and happiness. I […]