Finding Laughter In Difficult Times

Quick, Mom, get it!  Find some loose change! Two nickels, ten pennies, a nickel and five pennies! Or just a dime!!  We were screaming our heads off.  This was serious stuff and I was frantic! The lightly-playing music in the backdrop signaled it was here and could just as quickly vanish to another neighborhood.  We couldn’t allow that to happen!  We had to act fast! Frantically I ran downstairs jumping over, and skipping several steps as I made it to the curb in time to line up behind several other frantic kids. Mr. Softie had arrived, and we had to get our ice cream before he’d leave!  Ten-cents bought us a large cone with great-tasting vanilla or chocolate ice cream. For two more cents, we could add sprinkles-yummy!

Every so often the truck would arrive and if no one was outside, it’d leave within a few minutes.  It was imperative we act quickly.  This was yet, another great thing about the 60s and the early 70s. Dimes weren’t necessarily easy to come by. Getting good treats was special and essential for our survival!

God tells us to seek wisdom the same way, with effort and diligently (Proverbs 4:7). 

Jesus told about the lady searching for a lost coin, how she’d sweep everything in hopes of finding it. In essence, she had a meltdown before finding it. Afterwards, rejoiced when it was found (Luke 15:8-10). Likewise, Jesus turns every nook and cranny searching for His lost children.  Once found, there’s rejoicing in heaven for finding YOU, “the lost coin.”

Nowadays, people have meltdowns for all types of reasons. You can relax if you invite Jesus into your life.  He’ll not leave you or forsake you, but you do have to act fast-Today’s the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2).  You may not be around tomorrow.

We know He has no need for your dime or two-cents, yet, you’ll enjoy eternity with Him sweet as ice cream.  Plus, I’m sure in heaven you’ll enjoy your double or triple scoops in every variety, with, or without sprinkles, and no panic attacks or added pounds!

God Bless!
Sam

If you grew up in the 60s, you know how much fun kids had! We’d yell, “I’m going outside!”  We’d open the door and head for a day of adventure.  Sure, now and then in some rural part of the globe, maybe near AREA 51, a kid might disappear, but with all the aliens replacing them…who was complaining?! Parents were happy to have someone mow their lawn.

But a great part of the 60s were comic books!  You’d hide them from teachers and old librarians who’d look at you over their gold-rimmed glasses with that big-bad-wolf face letting you know, “Young man, that ain’t readin’ material…”

The best part of the comics, wasn’t when The Green Lantern saved the day, or where Spiderman flung from a bridge to scoop up a lost girl and return her to her parents, nah, it was the page with all those goodies for $.29-$1.00!

What kid didn’t dream of having a whoopie cushion to use on grandpa? He’d sure enjoy it.  Or, the fake dog poo, or fake blood, and big spiders, among other goodies? But the best, best, best item there, were those expensive ($1.00) X-Ray Vision glasses! You’d see the drawing of the old-looking young man with wide-opened eyes staring at his skeletal hand.  Gosh, he could see right through it! 

Fourth grade classmates, George V. and Freddy R. had their pair in red with the black & white spiral drawings on the glass.  They’d pop them on and the girls would begin screaming as they ran for cover from them who’d say things like, “Wow, I can see what they’re wearing” and, “They sure look good!”

Man, I wanted a pair! I waited two years for my set.  At first, I was a bit concerned, I mean, I didn’t want to get into trouble for being able to look through the wall that separated our apartment from the neighboring 18 yr old twin sisters….so I figured it be safer to look through my little brother’s head to detect brain activity, or lack thereof…yep, little brothers have always been useful!  The glasses were fun! Turns out you really couldn’t see anything, but they were fun to own! 

Having vision is super-important in our lives. We need to have dreams and ideas and visions of things we’re setting goals for.  God agrees.  He says in His word, “Where there is no vision, the people perish… “(Proverbs 29:18). He wants us to succeed in life and to entrust Him with it.

Even better than what life was like in the 60s, God wants us to enjoy His presence.  He walked daily in the garden of Eden and rapped with Adam & Eve (Genesis 3:8). And He wants to fellowship with you too. He wants us to read His word and soak it in.  His word, like real X-Ray glasses sees through to our hearts. “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).

God doesn’t need X-Ray glasses to see through us.  And we don’t have to scream and run away from Him, or even hide as Adam & Eve did (Genesis 3:8).  Might as well say as Samuel did: “Here am I,” and, Speak, for thy servant heareth” (1Samuel 3:4, 10b), because He knows where you are and what you’re doing.

You might be all dirty from sin, but you’re beautiful in His eyes, no matter what.

God Bless!
Sam

Almost every person alive believes he’s the exception to the rule. People swear they will not be like their mom or dad.  They’ll be different.  They’ll act differently.  They’ll even look differently. Just shy of 50 years ago, a man showed me his wedding picture of a quarter century earlier. He had put on weight.  Then he assured me the same thing would happen to me. I swore it’d never happen.  I was an all-around sports guy playing handball, running track and covering miles on my bike.

He pointed out something I had never thought about.  He said, “If you gain just one pound per year…in 40 years…”

So, it doesn’t matter how much we exercise, how well we eat, or what sports we play, our bodies will change in time.  Now, I’m one for exercising and staying active, but certain things just can’t be controlled.

Our good friend Toño (pronounced Tonyo), is 83 years old and weighs about 140 lbs. He always looks the same.  I told him he had gained about 1 lb. in the last 40 years, and he kind of put his head down and said, “That’s true.” Shoo, who wouldn’t like to have gained only 1 lb. in 40 years?!

We’re not the exception to any rule! The wisest man on earth, King Solomon, said, “As happens to the fool, so it happens even to me” (Ecclesiastes 2:15a, 16b). “And how dieth the wise man? as the fool.”

All in all, there’s only one man who was and continues to be the exception to every rule, Jesus. Not because He didn’t gain weight, not because He was hypocritical or a gossiper, or because His sports team always won, or lost, but because He was without sin. But how? He was God in the flesh. 

Unlike many of us, Jesus didn’t wish to be different from His Father. In fact, He said, “I, and the Father are one” (John 10:30).  Jesus did the works of His Father. He followed His Father’s plans. Notice: “For I have come down from heaven not do my will, but the will of him who sent me” (John 6:38).

Want to be the exception to the rule? Follow in Jesus’ footsteps: Walk as He walked.  Keep His word. Talk as He talked.  Do the Father’s will. Become like His Father. Become one with Him in purpose.

God Bless!

Sam

There are people missing their moms on this day. Many have lost them recently, and some, months or years ago.  In contrast, there are many people having their moms around but don’t bother with them.  Ironically, some people just don’t appreciate, or know what they have until they lose them.  Some things in life, including people, will never change.

God knows everyone’s pain and loss.  He’s made a way for us to reconnect with loved ones whom were saved at the time of death.

He’s always there to fill every void, to lift up every spirit, and to comfort every heart.  And for those of you whose moms are still around, treasure them, honor them, and enjoy them!

“Honor thy mother and thy father that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God givest thee” (Exodus 20:12)
God Bless!
Sam

There are people missing their moms on this day. Many have lost them recently, and some, months or years ago.  In contrast, there are many people having their moms around but don’t bother with them.  Ironically, some people just don’t appreciate, or know what they have until they lose them.  Some things in life, including people, will never change.

God knows everyone’s pain and loss.  He’s made a way for us to reconnect with loved ones whom were saved at the time of death.

He’s always there to fill every void, to lift up every spirit, and to comfort every heart.  And for those of you whose moms are still around, treasure them, honor them, and enjoy them!
God Bless!
Sam

Falling isn’t funny, and sometimes people get hurt.  But three days ago, my wife was sitting on the floor massaging my mom’s feet. Upon finishing, she asked me to help her up. I placed my hands around her waist and pulled up, but she wasn’t coming up! I said, “Lady, what’s up?” “Keep pulling,” she said. I thought, man, she said she just dropped like 15lbs…so I pulled and she’s going to the right, going to the left, moving backwards…I could just see her face going into the foot massager. “Yuk!” I thought.   Man, we were fighting it out. Finally, red-in-the-face, laughing hilariously, she came up!  I said, “Dag, girl!” Mom pointed down.  Viv’s right sock was all off, and her left sock was almost out too. Her socks were causing her to slide everywhere on our ceramic tiles!

We enjoyed a good laugh!  She was glad to get off the floor, and I was glad I could help.  Unfortunately, that’s where humanity finds itself, on the floor.  Mankind fell centuries ago, and it can’t get up. Try as it might, pulled by whomever, it keeps sliding away.   Mankind can try whatever creams or vitamins it wants it can delve deeply into several of the thousands of religions out there, but nothing will help. No self-help book, videos, seminars, or trips to the moon will ground mankind on earth.

Actually, after the fall, after Satan promised Adam and Eve that their eyes would be opened and they’d be as gods knowing good and evil (Genesis 3:5), they became more ignorant than they ever were!  They sowed fig leaves as coverings and they hid from God.  They should have known one can’t hide from Him, and that leaves will fade.

The very God they hid from was the God that could save them.  See, God already knew what would happen. He already had a plan of salvation for humanity.

If you’re still sliding across the floors of life, find yourself red-in-the-face, if you’re still down and out and can’t find which way is up, while you’re down there, look up. He’s there right now with open arms waiting to lift you up.  It doesn’t matter how heavy or light you are.  It doesn’t matter how deep in sin you are, and it doesn’t matter how good and innocent you are either.  You’ve fallen, and you can’t get up. Only Jesus can help you up.  “For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still” (Isaiah 9:12)

“He set my feet upon a rock, and made my footsteps firm” (Psalm 40:2b).

Hebrews 13:6 in the New King James Version reads: So we may boldly say: “The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”

God Bless

Sam

Back in the early 70s, Joe South, sang Walk a Mile in My Shoes, a great song for those who like to criticize others from afar without knowing what things are like when one’s in the ring.  We can say all types of things but it takes being in the mix, or in the pot to know what the stew is like.

Jesus can relate to us because He walked in our ways. Though He’s high and lifted up, He set aside His power and kingdom privileges to live as we do.  On earth, He wasn’t living in His glory, but among sinners immersed in sin.  He didn’t walk on streets of gold, but on paths of dirt and mud.  He didn’t snap His fingers and have angels bring Him water or food.  He had to fish and fetch water like everyone else.

When we go through tough stuff, He knows what we’re talking about.  When we hurt due to rejection and discrimination, He knows its sting.  He experienced hate, indifference, intolerance, persecution, lying, hunger, thirst, cold, sore feet, and desertion.  Hurt and betrayal came not only from His enemies, but “Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me” (Psalm 41:9).

We can say, Jesus waked a mile in our shoes.  Later, in the 70s, the Rain Drops Keep Falling on My Head singer, BJ Thomas, who became a Christian, sang, He’s Walking in My Shoes on how Jesus still walks with us helping us make right choices.

Friend, whatever you’re going through, from paying for unbelievably high-priced eggs, to unaffordable housing, God knows your life, and He’s got a plan for yours. 

Will you walk in His ways?  Will you walk a mile or two in His shoes and paths?  Will you follow the cross to where it leads?  He calls us to walk by faith, not by sight.  Faith-walking requires trust in him.  It requires being led by the Spirit instead of by our feelings.  No one who walks by sight for God, will be rewarded by Him.  “For we walk by faith not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7).  “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he rewards those who earnestly seek him” (Hebrews 11:6 NIV).

Take off your thinking cap, put on your faith-walking shoes, call unto God, and begin your walk!

God Bless!
Sam

Were there a cup that Jesus used to drink in, the world would go crazy trying to get its hands on it.  Most, for resale, so they could capitalize on it. Several people would have it as a conversation piece.  Some, might want it as a memento.  But there are more important things than a cup He may have sipped from.  There’s a different cup of God.  One no one wants. 

When we read the news and think of all the atrocities committed on a daily basis worldwide, there are some events that can cause our blood to boil over.  When unsuspecting people have been scammed, when someone is mowed down, or someone’s life taken away, when innocent boys and girls are abused, righteous people don’t want to hear that the perpetrators get off free.  We want justice served, and rightfully so!  Many are tempted to take justice upon themselves!

Consider all the wrong committed to others in a lifetime.  God’s angry with all of it. Now imagine God pouring out all His anger on those guilty of inhumane acts. We might want to be on the sidelines cheering Him on, and it makes sense.  But what if things are somewhat turned around? 

God knew the evil that was all around Him.  He saw it all, but He also knows that those not guilty of crimes against others, were still guilty of other charges: guilty by association.  “Whattayamean?”  We’re all related to Adam and Eve, our first parents.  Because they sinned, we sin; thus, all humanity has sinfulness within their lives.  Should God pour out His anger on us all?  Should He punish all of us even though some are “less” guilty? Should His anger be the same on the saints and the ain’ts?

God, in His wisdom has declared all of us guilty of sin and trespass.  Being alienated from Him through sin, He sees us just as bad as evil-doers. But to level the playing field, God’s cup of indignation has been poured out on ONE MAN, namely, Jesus. Meaning what? Instead of us saying, “I’m not as bad as them and don’t deserve His punishment,” Evil doers can say, “I’m not as good as them, I don’t deserve their love and forgiveness.”  In other words, we’re all guilty before God, but He’s forgiven us all because He poured out His wrath upon Jesus who was righteous because He IS God.  Having taken our place at the cross-where we should have been for our transgressions (sins) against God, we are declared righteous before God the Father.

Evil-doers, guilty of all their crimes, can also repent and find room at the cross for their sins.  Are you on the way to the cross today?  Are you seeking His forgiveness and righteousness?  Although you don’t physically have to climb on a cross and be nailed, when you place your faith on His sacrifice for you, you are, spiritually-speaking, already crucified with Him. He took the nails for you.  He died your death. And because He rose from the grave, you too will rise from the grave onto eternal life. You are declared righteous because He’s righteous.

That’s what Jesus did at the cross on a day much like today. While the world was getting ready to sacrifice a perfect lamb to God, “God was in Jesus reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them.  And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation” (2Corinthians 5:19).

The perfect Lamb of God, Jesus, laid His life for you and me freely. On this “Good Friday,” lay your life at His feet in repentance and receive forgiveness.  Be thankful that you’ll not have to drink God’s cup of indignation.

God Bless,

Sam

On a day like today, known as Palm Sunday, or the Triumphal Entry, history was being made!  On the 10^th of Aviv, now known as Nisan (March-April), as Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey, the people cheered and waved palms.  They also spread garments on the dirt road as Jesus rode in.  So, what was the big deal with Him riding in to town? I thought He was humble?  Well, you can’t get anymore humble than Christ making His grand entry, not on a fine Arabian horse, but on a donkey!

On this very day, the High Priests were examining the lambs brought in for inspection. They had to determine if the lambs were perfect for sacrificing unto God. Having missed the cue by God, when John the Baptist exclaimed, “Behold, the Lamb f God, who takes away the sins of the world” (John 1:29) Jesus, walked in demonstrating to everyone that He was both the perfect Lamb of God, and was entering in as the Messiah and King sent by God.  Zechariah 9:9 tells us: “Rejoice greatly Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”

Jesus’ entry was saying, “Look unto me, and be saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else” (Isaiah 45:22).  He was letting everyone know that He was the Lamb they needed to please God.  He was letting them know their rituals, though ordained by God, were being replaced by God Himself as He was about to lay His life for all mankind, thus ending the need for anymore rituals.  But they missed it!

Instead, like the lambs that were inspected, He too would be examined by the High Priests with a volley of questions, and found to be perfect for the sacrifice at hand.  Pilate himself would say, “I find no fault in Him” (John 19:4).  He passed inspection!

You and I are imperfect. There’s fault in us.  We can’t present ourselves before God as perfect sacrifices for our sins, much less for the sins of the world! Were it possible, there would have been no need for Jesus’ sacrifice.  We’d all be offering our lives to Him.  But, even so, once dead, there would be no returning!  Jesus, however, would lay down His life and bring Himself back to life!! Check out His words: “Therefore does my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man takes it from me, but I lay it down of myself.  I have power to lay it down, and to take it again.  This commandment have I received from my Father” (John 10:17, 18).

The perfect God came to earth in human form by way of His Son, Jesus, to die for humanity laying aside His glory to take upon Himself our filth and dirty rags of sins, that we might receive His forgiveness and goodness, and be reestablished into His Kingdom as sons and daughters of the Most-High God.

As Jesus entered Jerusalem, both as Messiah and King, allow Him to ride into your heart today. Spread your sins before Him as garments on the ground that He may override them.  Praise Him on high.  Shout to Him, “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the LORD!”

Praise His Name Forever!

Sam

Now and then, someone will get lost in the woods or the wilds, or on a trail, or in the snow while hiking or climbing.  When friends, family, or even the world is out looking for them, or covering them in prayer, relief washes over them as they’re found.  Those fortunate to be found alive, are rescued from exposure, or even from certain death. They are helped back down and some end up in hospitals for observation or immediate care.  It beats recovering bodies from remote sites.

In our current day-to-day lives, it’s easy to get lost in the “woods” of this world.  It’s easy to suffer from exposure to the wrong things.  Sometimes, we’re fortunate to be found alive, barely all there, and sometimes, we’re suffering from certain- death.

There are many people out there trying their best to discredit God and His word. When a person outrightly rejects God, He’s on his path to spiritual death, or second death-from which there’s no saving.  Before being found by Jesus on our hiking, climbing, or adventurous experiences, we’re spiritually dead, with an opportunity to be rescued and saved by God.  When we believe we can do it all without God, and we reject His help, we’re sliding down a mountain slope at top speed to a second death.  Heading towards complete separation from Christ for all eternity.

Where did God find you? Was on a mountaintop? In a valley?  Were you scaling the highest peak of a corporation when you lost your footing and began your descent?  Were you lost journeying through unknown territory?  When you realized no one could find you, did you cry out to God hoping to be found? God’s GPS, God’s People Search APP, found you!  No one, absolutely no one can hide from God.  “Where can I go from Your Spirit?  Or where can I flee from Your presence?  If I ascend to heaven, You are there: If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there Your hand will guide me, Your right hand will hold me fast.  Even there Your hand shall lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me” (Psalm 139:7-10).

 No one’s so lost in the wilds, he’ beyond His reach!

How sweet to be found, whether whole, bruised, frostbitten, or clinging to life-support from the world’s sinful ways!! Friends and family, and the whole Christian world has been looking for you!  Perhaps, you may be barely breathing, but what a sigh of relief when you’re “Found” alive by God!

All of heaven rejoices over you!  You’ve been rescued!! You’re admitted into God’s “hospital” for observation!   You’ll soon be on your feet again!  Welcome home! Let’s party!

“The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save, he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you with his love; he will exult over you with loud singing” (Zephaniah 3:17).

God Bless!
Sam

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