Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? But you have dishonored the poor man. Living in a foreign country means that life is pretty much a never-ending series of adventures. Some…
For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes, and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, “You sit here in a good place,” and say to the poor…
My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality. Some of the most interesting places to visit in the four-hundred-year-old city of São Luís – where God has given us the privilege of ministering – are the old churches built by the Portuguese during colonial times….
Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world. Certain things go together to such a degree that when they are separated, the individual parts lose all their significance. Examples: macaroni and cheese, Simon and Garfunkle, Laurel…
If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless. Last weekend, as I enjoyed the sights and sounds of Christmas in São Luís with my family, I came upon a scene that could only happen in 2020. In the middle…
But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does. Our American culture has given us, over the years, a warped definition of the word “liberty”. I’m convinced that, were…
For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. With the advent of Disney’s new streaming service, I’ve been going through some of the…
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. I was reminded the other day of a classic episode of the early ’80s sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati. The plot centers on a promotional stunt the manager of a radio station has organized for Thanksgiving. Part of his plan is to release live…
Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. When I was small, I remember getting so frustrated with life that I informed my parents I would soon be running away from home. My Dad, most likely suppressing a hearty chuckle,…
So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God. A Quick Disclaimer… Before we jump into the application of today’s text (and it’s a doozy), I have to make a confession. I’m not quite…