“It is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).   Only when you know deep down in your soul that you have been saved by God’s grace and that you are loved unconditionally, fully forgiven and completely accepted in the Beloved will you stop doing so many things that rob you of the joy of your salvation and the abundant life that Jesus promised to give you.    Trying to earn God’s favor? STOP […]

As I was walking the dog one particularly beautiful afternoon some weeks ago, the sun and breeze startled me from my screen-induced stupor and called my attention upward. A band of cirrus clouds slowly passed overhead as if to shout, “Hey! Look up here! What have you been so busy with indoors?” The nearby Ficus branches roared in the wind and reminded me of Isaiah’s words: “the trees of the field will clap their hands [in praise].” Foraging birds and squirrels froze at first sight of my four-legged best friend and then, all at once, scattered for shelter.  The wonder […]

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness.” The address looked familiar. It was located in the Westchester area of Miami near Florida International University. These were my old stomping grounds, full of friends and acquaintances, where my parents resided. Then I saw the building, and a flood of emotions engulfed me; we were returning to the scene of the crime.  My friend Steve had invited me on several occasions to join him at Sunday service in the new church he was attending. He […]