OPINION — The story of the prodigal son may be the greatest of all the stories Jesus told. At first reading, it would seem the main point of the story is the extravagant love of the father for his wayward son. However, in his book “The Abiding...

OPINION —  There is much to admire about Jesus. He “went about doing good.” His compassion for the sick and helpless was extraordinary. He healed the sick and caused the blind to see, the deaf to hear and the lame to walk — without expecting...

OPINION —  Fifty years ago, Clyde Reid blessed me with his book, “Celebrate the Temporary.” Rereading it half a century later was a second blessing. The insights of his pilgrimage remain as relevant today as they were in 1976.  He invites his...

OPINION — I was surprised to learn years ago that Buddhists and Hindus do not sing in worship as Christians do. Instead they hum mantras like the popular “Om Ah Hum.” I can hardly imagine Christians humming instead of singing. Lifting our voices in...

OPINION — John tells in his gospel the story of Jesus restoring the sight of a man born blind. The man went home seeing, but when he told people Jesus had healed him, they did not believe him. The Pharisees refused to believe a sinner like Jesus...

OPINION —  I have a confession to make about hummingbirds. All my life, I have assumed all hummingbirds were just hummingbirds. Then I learned there are 360 species of hummingbirds in the world. When I read that, I recalled my dad often...

OPINION — Weak and intoxicated, a man made his way home at midnight. As he walked in, he was surprised to see his wife sitting in a rocking chair.“What are you doing up so late?” he asked.“I have been praying for you,” she said.“Well, for goodness...

OPINION — A woman I did not know called me from the local hospital. At her request I went to visit her, finding her in ICU, recovering from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.She spoke plainly: “I saw no reason to continue living. I wanted to die so I...

OPINION — Help is a fascinating word. To help someone is to provide assistance or support, to lighten another’s load. It can be a noun as in “Thank you for your help.” It can be a verb as in “I am here to help you.”I remember vividly the day my...

OPINION —In my ninth decade, there are memories that are indeed precious to me. I think of them as holy moments when I was blessed with the presence and grace of God. Moments like the one when Dean took my hand in marriage. And moments when I held...

BY WALT ALBRITTON OPINION — The evidence of what God does in response to intercessory prayer is undeniable and awe-inspiring. I remember a holy moment riding down Palafox Street in Pensacola when a friend said to me, “I owe my life in Christ to my...

OPINION — Psalm 103 was my wife’s favorite of David’s songs. She loved it. She memorized it. More than once I heard her recite all 22 verses as the basis of her testimony or a message.Dean grew up reading and loving the King James Version of the...

OPINION —The quality of a Christian’s life depends upon the wise use of two phrases: I will, and I will not. The phrase, “I will,” is found often in the Bible and also in some of our songs of faith.One example of God saying “I will” is found in the...

OPINION —“Rise and Shine.” That was my dad’s wake-up call when I was a young boy.It was five o’clock in the morning. Since Dad got up every morning at 4:30, he had already showered and dressed. I had two cows to milk before getting ready for...

OPINION —What is grace? The Bible teaches us that we are “saved by grace.” But what exactly is grace?The word grace is one of the most commonly used words in the church. It is found in the King James Version and the English Standard Version 131...

OPINION —Occasionally someone may be described as “living in the doldrums.” That means the person has the blues and is sad, depressed and lethargic. It’s not an uncommon experience. Most of us have days when despondency drains joy and energy from...

OPINION —The world loves to honor those rare individuals who accomplish great things. Ted Turner developed a remarkable baseball business in Atlanta. Oral Roberts built a fine university in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Frank Lloyd Wright designed Fallingwater,...

OPINION —Forty years ago, Wally Armbruster published a little book titled “Let Me Out.”It never made the New York Times best-seller list. I read it, found its message humorous and provocative, and soon forgot about it. But recently, I came across...

OPINION — Methodist preacher James W. Moore wrote more than 40 books that truck drivers, waitresses and custodians enjoyed reading. Some of his book titles will explain what I mean:“If God is Your Co-Pilot, Then Swap Seats,” “If You Are Going the...

OPINION —  I love the story of a father who became thirsty while mowing his lawn on a hot summer day. His little boy was playing nearby so he asked the boy to bring him a glass of cold water. Though his son was busy making mud pies in the...