St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church

06/02/2026

Hebrews 9:28

New Living Translation

So also, Christ was offered once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for Him.



A few years have passed since I encountered someone in social media who appeared to equate analyzation with interpretation, and as such, challenged the view, which I picked up from the preface of a book, that everything we encounter, we interpret, otherwise it would be as if we never encounter anything.



She, in my most humble opinion, but based on scientific evidence, did not realize that to interpret is to give meaning to, while to analyze means to break down what has been given meaning into its components to see how it works. This, to my understanding, means that analyzation follows interpretation.



With that, then, still humbly opining, when it comes to language, whether spoken or written, interpretation and analysis often work together as one which means “understanding” verses of scripture, though literal objects, become subjects.



All of this to offer, as I reflect, that “a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people,” from the verse posted above, while aware that the same is “interpreted” differently in other versions, could be “understood” to mean all people, or just the “many people” who would believe and receive that “Christ was offered once for all time.”



Of course, we, IN A COMPANY OF BELIEVERS, consider ourselves as “many people,” but I dare say that even among us are differing interpretations of today’s verse. And yet, intriguingly, “many people” among us, likely agree that Christ “will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for Him.”



Perhaps, then, to some it is more an opinion than an interpretation or analysis, but the verse plainly states that even to us “who are eagerly waiting for Him,” we have “our sins,” despite the same among “many people” who are not “eagerly waiting for Him.” And as such, may we remain ever mindful of such, for doing so, in my estimation (just thought I’d throw another word into the mix); we add more value to our ever-present hope of His return.



Be Inspired, Encouraged, and Motivated by the Salvation that Christ Offered Once to Take Away the Sins of the World! It’s Love O’clock!

06/01/2026

Psalm 56:4

Christian Standard Bible

In God, whose word I praise,
in God I trust; I will not be afraid.
What can mere mortals do to me?

Revelation 21:2-4

New Living Translation

And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.

I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among His people! He will live with them, and they will be His people. God Himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”



When I first revisited Psalm 56:4, like so many times before, my mind was drawn to a fresh focus on something that I had not focused on before. And that is, "What can mere mortals do to me?” Admittedly, it likely has much to do with this verse in the Christian Standard Bible as opposed to the more familiar King James Version.



Still, it occurs to me that the Psalmist’s “mere mortals” sets him apart from them. For, as I interpret, which is not only permissible, but an expectation when reading poetry, “mere mortals” would not proclaim, “In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid.” For according to Thesaurus.com, “mere mortals” are also bare, minor, pure, sheer, and simple. Those, like the Psalmist, on the other hand, are enormous, excellent, extraordinary, and superior.



It’s easy, then, to perceive that an exiled proclaimer of the gospel of Jesus Christ, John, the Revelator, was not a “mere mortal,” and as such, humbly opining, met the requirements of God to be visited by the Spirit of Christ to serve as a record keeper of the Revelation of Jesus Christ of things past, present, and of things to come. I am confident that John embodied the sentiment of Psalm 56:4.

And as well, I am confident that we, IN A COMPANY OF BELIEVERS, are not just “mere mortals,” but extraordinary because we are mindful that God is mindful of us. And as such, despite any currency of trials, troubles, and tribulations, we rejoice in the words John recorded in Revelation 21:2-4, especially, at least for me, “(God) will wipe every tear from (our) eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”

Be Inspired, Encouraged, and Motivated by the Revelation of the Lesser Power of Mere Mortals and the Supreme Power of God! It’s Love O’clock!

06/01/2026

05/30/2026

Psalm 103:17-18

New Living Translation

But the love of the Lord stays forever with those who fear Him.
His salvation extends to the children of the children of those who are faithful to His covenant, of those who obey His commandments!



A few Sundays ago, I preached, BUT GOD! BUT WAIT! And as I did, the Lord blessed both this proclaimer and the hearers of it for which I am deeply grateful.



I thought of it this morning, undoubtedly, because the passage above begins with “but the love of the Lord,” and how, as such, I feel compelled not to visit the verses that precede it because, as I have opined several times in the past, usually, when “but” is a response, it cancels out what it is a response to.



With that then, as I observe the troubling currency of our country, which includes innocent brown skinned immigrants being rounded up and held in profit making detention centers, an erosion of relatively short-lived advancements in civil rights both relative to people of color and women in general; setbacks that are presented as “efforts” to achieve “true” equality, alongside an ongoing effort to erode trust, not only in governmental institutions, but to Christianity itself, reframing the image of Christ to one of a warrior focused on only one part of the world instead of the Prince of Peace sent to save the entire world.



Admittedly, all these things can be stressful to A COMPANY OF BELIEVERS, for we are only human, subject to feelings of disappointment and defeat, “but the love of the Lord remains forever with those who fear Him,” and that’s us. “His salvation extends to the children of the children of those who are faithful to His covenant, of those who obey His commandments.”



And as our “covenant” with Him was, and is secured in Jesus, the Christ, despite any weaknesses of our flesh, which is made perfect in the strength of God, to the best of our abilities which, admittedly, fluctuate from time to time, we “fear Him,” and we “are faithful to His covenant,” and we “obey His commandments” with His help.



Be Inspired, Encouraged, and Motivated by the Love of the Lord Which Always Remains with Us! It’s Love O’clock!

05/30/2026

And of course, since it is an "opinion" piece, many will take such as a justification to either ignore it or disagree with it which, ironically, will only support the writer's opinion.

As for me though, I've been sharing the same "opinion" for several years.

How words meant to unite can silence discussions of inequality.

05/28/2026

Acts 20:24

New Living Translation

But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.

Romans 12:15

Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep.



I would be the first to admit, though from my perspective, we are few, but sometimes, it takes a bit of stretching to “make sense” out of or discovering a connection between different passages of scripture. However, as a ‘retired-from-pay teacher,’ but a teacher by nature, still, the learning process is enhanced by the stretching of our minds. So, I am requesting the reader to indulge me a bit as I consider the verses shown above, both out of the mind of the Apostle Paul.



But even as I type these words, I am beginning to think this connection is not as much of a “stretch” as I first imagined. Though Romans 12:15 does not fully summarize Acts 20:24, it is arguably a significant part of its fulfillment. And as I apply these verses to myself and to all of us, IN A COMPANY OF BELIEVERS, I am reminded that our lives are worth nothing to us unless we use them to finish the work the Lord Jesus has assigned us—the same work given to the Apostle Paul: “telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.”



However, as worthy as it is, it requires more than “telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God,” but to involve ourselves in the lives of those whom we tell. And as such, if we haven’t already, to aspire to “be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep.”

The implication, I think, and as many readers will likely agree, is that sharing the gospel, as well as hearing and receiving it, carries with it moments of happiness and moments of sadness. But neither takes anything away from the worthiness of “the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.” And as such, may we all remember these words of a song the late James Cleveland gave us: “Nobody told me the road would be easy. I don’t believe He brought me this far to leave me.”



Be Inspired, Encouraged, and Motivated to Share the Good News of the Wonderful Grace of God in Word and Deed! It’s Love O’clock!

05/27/2026

James 1:19

Living Bible

Dear brothers, (and sisters), don’t ever forget that it is best to listen much, speak little, and not become angry;

John 3:17

New Living Translation

God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through Him.



At the risk of appearing to patronize, the implication is clear in James 1:19 that a conversation involving more talk than listening is likely to arouse anger in one or both conversation participants. As a matter of fact, in some cases, what starts out as conversation morphs into a monologue, and as just said, arouses anger to the “conversationalist” whose contributions end up being unheard.



Ironically, I received a phone call from an old friend which was a rare occurrence. And as such, when his name was displayed on my phone, I at once wondered “what was up?” Thankfully, it was not an emergency or news of a tragic incident. Instead, it was to get my thoughts on a long-standing issue of controversy in the church.



The call awakened me from a nap, and as the caller had already figured, he’d catch me near my bedtime. Instead of starting a discussion, he shared with me his views on the subject and offered that, whenever I found the time, to call him back to discuss. Already, I am aware that our “discussion” could arouse anger. Though, to his credit, he did imply that he simply wanted to hear my views. With that, I plan, not to “forget that it is best to listen much, speak little,” and as such, neither of us will “become angry.”



Happily, I will say, that because we are “old friends,” I know enough about him that, as to John 3:17, there is no chance of a disagreement between us. For if you asked either one of us, whether in the presence of each other, or in separate instances, both of us, as with all of us, IN A COMPANY OF BELIEVERS, are confident that “ God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through Him.”



Be Inspired, Encouraged, and Motivated Towards Moderation in Conversation with a Foundation in the Knowledge that the World May be Saved Through Christ Jesus, the Son of God! It’s Love O’clock!