Month: August 2026

I recently came across a question posted online as to what God was doing before Genesis 1.  There were some good answers except one from a false cult stating that before the beginning, the Father created the Creator of all things!  That doesn’t make sense!  We’ll look at that in a moment.

The simple answer to this question is found in Genesis 1:2-“And the Spirit of God moved, or hovered, upon the face of the waters.”  In other words, before the creation of the heavens and the earth, God hovered about wherever He wanted. God is not limited by time.  He’s outside the confines of our earthly constraints; hence, He’s God.  Since no one knows when creation occurred, and since He’s unrestricted by time, He existed just fine before creating everything we see.

As to why God didn’t create the Creator, scripture states:

 “For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him He is before all things, and in him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:16,17).

Please note, “Him” refers to Jesus.  It goes on to say that all the fullness of God resides in Him. He was not the first person born or created by God before Adam. He created the angels; therefore, He’s not an angel! He’s God in the flesh revealed to mankind because God, the Father, is Spirit and cannot be seen.

Furthermore, here’s a verse showing that in the beginning, Jesus was already around!  “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  The same was in the beginning with God.  All thing were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made.  And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us” (John 1:12,3, 14a).

Jesus is referred to in scripture as The Word. The Godhead, then, enjoyed their harmony in the eons of “time” before time existed.  God reined sovereignly throughout eternity before creation as He continues to do so.  He’s still in control of the entire universe and all that exists, seen and unseen.

God Bless!
Sam

What moves you to tears? Is it a moving story?   A tear-jerking novel?  Or is it a TV romance movie? A kitty and puppy show? One thing that pulls at people’s hearts, is talent.  Check out online videos and see what happens when a 2-6 yr. old gets behind a piano or violin, etc.  Watch among the crowds and people get teary-eyed.  Why? Because greatness is being exemplified in least-expected ways.  While some kids can’t spell their names, others are interpreting pieces by great artists whose names we can’t spell!

The fact that a five-year-old can memorize and carry out a performance, shows dedication, practice, skill and talent.  Most of all, it shows God’s hand on that kid’s life.  That’s the real source of greatness!   He’s unlimited as to what He can accomplish through us.  “God uses the weak things to shame the mighty” (1Corinthians 1:27).

God does the impossible every day. He gets the glory all the time. Just check out teeny-tiny ants! They work hard! Who would have created, made, or built such a small thing?!  And to think there are ants that enslave other ones!  Or the tiny mosquitos, or seemingly, almost-breaking, fragile legs on flamingoes and stalks, etc?!  God is just awesome, and He’s waiting on you!

He has a bottle waiting to fill with all your tears (Psalm 56:8). Regardless of where they stem from, He’s ready for you.  That’s why He says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

“He will wipe every tear from their eyes” (Revelation 21:4)

SNIFF, SNIFF, HE’S GREAT!

SAM

From the 1955 song by the Platters, The Great Pretender, to people making believe they live in an unreal world, pretending has always been around. It masks reality, and feelings. Some people live their lives eluding what’s before them.

Pretending also lends hope in tough or dire situations.  It inspires dreams and what-ifs.  Back in ’72, the Raspberries sang, Let’s Pretend.  One stanza goes, “Baby let’s pretend that tonight could live forever/If we close our eyes/And believe it might come true.”

That’s great! We can be like Walter Mitty-imagining things that might or might not be true.  But, why imagine? We can come before God with our petitions. He will answer in His time.  He’s not a genie, but He knows the intents of our hearts before we even know them!  Better still, while we can pretend our nights or moments could live forever, or that our lives will go on through eternity, it’s best to know for sure!  Check out this promise:

“I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.  My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.  I and the Father are one” (John 10:28-30).

So, we can pretend or we can be real and do what’s real. I can pretend to eating a cheeseburger, or grab the real thing. We don’t have to pretend we can live forever; receive Christ in your heart this instant and you’ll live forever in His ways!
God Bless,

Sam

Remember spare change?  It was usually lying around tables, floors, and inside drawers.  It was the stuff used when the ice cream man came around or you got a sudden urge to get a chocolate candy bar. Loose change saved the day on many occasions. There was a king who also had spare change here and there.  His story, though, was a bit different from most of ours.  Check it out:

“Each year Solomon received about 25 tons of gold.  This did not include the additional revenue he received from merchants and traders.  All the kings of Arabia and the governors of the provinces also brought gold and silver to Solomon.  Then the king made a huge throne, decorated with ivory and overlaid with pure gold.  The throne had six steps, with a footstool of gold.  There were armrest on both sides of the seat, and the figure of a lion stood on each side of the throne.  There were also twelve other lions, one standing on each end of the six steps.  No other throne in all the world could be compared with it!  All of King Solomon’s drinking cups were solid gold, as were all the utensils in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon.  They were not made of silver, for silver was considered worthless in Solomon’s day. The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones” (1 Kings 10:14,15,18-21,27)!

Here we see that the king kind of used the “Midas” touch on everything he had!  Silver, was so common, we could say, that it was like small change to be used for ice cream and Oreos!   Imagine the riches he had!  We could say he was filthy rich!  When guests arrived, he didn’t take out the disposables!  His keepers probably asked, “Which set do we use; the 14-karat gold, everyday ones?”  And he’d say, “Nah, those are for the kids, grand-kiddos and boys on the block.  Use the hefty golden ones shimmering with purity and encrusted with rubies and sapphire.”  Can you imagine?!  I can relate!!! I have these golden paper plates that hold four carrots!  They really do the job! I only use them on special occasions!

Now, imagine what heaven will be like!  The foundation of the city will be made of precious stones and the streets of gold (Revelation 21:21).  Definitely, riches will be everywhere!  Probably why Revelation (7:13) says the multitudes are dressed in white robes; no pockets to fill!

Heaven’s residents will be enthralled by God’s glory and the beauty of everything within it!! Sin will be gone, evil terminated, and peace and joy abounding forevermore!  And I’ll say, “Hey, Pedro, I think I saw some rubies under your foot as you were sweeping…”  And he better not say, “Where, where? I didn’t see anything.”  That’s probably why people in heaven will not be wearing shoes either!

Who then will see God? “The pure in heart” (Matthew 5:8)

God Bless!

Sam

“Please don’t ask me where I’ve been/I’ve been alone through thick and thin/On the outside looking in/A lonely travelin’ man/Something that I haven’t found/keeps me seeking all around/moving on from town to town/A lonely travelin’ man.”  These Stevie Wonder lyrics (and the rest) portray a lot of people who move about aimlessly or looking for something they can’t seem to find.  Many of us like to be on the move; we like open spaces and the joys of adventure; but we need guidance.  Let’s go on an adventure now!  Step in to this time machine and let’s pay God a visit.

Ready?  Let’s dial in the beginning of creation!  Peering through the trees we see Adam and Eve.  We see them uncovered, unashamed, unharmed and unaffected by sin. We see delight on their faces; not a worry in the world.  Suddenly, the serpent chummies up to Eve.  Deceived, Eve eats of the forbidden fruit.  She disobeyed God’s command to steer away from it.  As is its nature, sin quickly spreads to Adam as he also eats in disobedience.  It also spreads to all of creation.

(Please note, it is very possible that at this point in time, there were hundreds of people on the earth: their sons and daughters, already born, since God’s first command to Adam and Eve was to be fruitful and multiply.  Additionally, upon sinning, God increased Eve’s pain in childbearing signifying it didn’t happen before this moment, Genesis 3:16).  It’s not a doctrine, or that I’m strange, well, that’s beside the point, but a possibility!

Some people don’t understand why Adam’s guilty.  For one, some Spanish readers say he’s completely innocent.  Why?  A difference in the Spanish translation of Genesis 3:6 doesn’t place him with Eve, while in English, we’re told that he was.  Not so, grasshopper.  He was present, and, although not deceived, chose to disobey God anyway.

That there were people on earth, is also supported by Genesis 4:14-17 where Cain complained that “everyone that finds me shall slay me.” He later moved away, took a wife, and built a city.  Why build a city for no one? Let’s keep traveling.

Now we find probably the only example in the entire Bible of Evolution!  But notice it didn’t take hundreds of millions of years to unfold!  It took mere seconds!  It transpired instantaneously!  During Creation, God created the serpent which walked upright on two or four legs.  But suddenly, upon being cursed by God for its disobedience, it was transformed into a creepy-crawler!

Punching in another time and date, let’s visit Moses.  We land on a mountain smoking hot with God’s presence!  There, we see God’s angels at work as witnesses giving Moses the ten commandments (Acts 7:53; Galatians 3:19).  It was an awesome sight to behold!  And, furthering our travels, we spot God raining angel’s food upon the Israelites (Psalm 78:25).  Time for another reset!

On the last leg of our journey, silently, we sneak onto Mount Golgotha and watch Jesus being led to be crucified.  Lightning and wild winds fill the air, and in the spiritual realm, we see demons whizzing by in glee eagerly anticipating the celebration of Jesus’ crucifixion.  Hordes of them led by Satan gather among the soldiers, the watchers, the criers, and fill the grounds where He will be crucified.

As Jesus makes His way up, He’s well aware of their presence.  He sees them and smells them.  He’s aware of their “triumphal victory.”  He focuses instead, on you and me.  He breathes our names to the Father.  He knows He’s laying down His life for us that we might lay ours for Him someday.  He knows He’ll soon purchase our freedom from the bondage of sin that Adam and Eve forfeited to Satan. Every step Jesus takes, every sigh He makes, every moan we hear, carries the certainty He’s pleasing the Father.  Had He the strength to show it, He’d be laughing one last time at Satan and his demonic hosts because He knows what Satan doesn’t.  It’s a mystery shared between the Godhead.  No human or angelic being knows it. 

Jesus is offered up on the cross. Demons are probably on top of the cross anticipating when “the good stuff” will take place.  The nails get pounded into His hands and feet.  He’s left there in the darkness, in the earthquake, in the rain as the rocks rent, the graves open, and the veil of the temple is torn.  He’s making peace with the Father and redeeming mankind and the world to God.  Finally, He’s laid in a tomb.

As we watch everyone leave, we too make our way home.  As we came, we go; in silence.  We feel a lump in our throats.  It’s not Adam’s apple (the one he didn’t eat); it’s a loss for words for what God was willing to do for us.  It’s a flood of emotions having witnessed the horrors of the crucifixion.  It’s knowing He didn’t deserve to die in our place but chose to. It’s recognizing the purest form of love-unselfish and freely given.

So, “Whatdoyasay,” should we sneak up one more time? Let’s hang around the tomb.  It’s been almost three days “BOOM!”  The stone is moved away!  Jesus is revealed alive!  He’s conquered death!  Tears of sorrow now turn to tears of joy and hope for others! 

Meanwhile, in the depths of Hell and in the atmospheric heavens, Satan and his demons rage!! Their party is cut short!!  How did they not see this coming?!  Satan doesn’t know it all like he thought!  Now, at the appointed time, he’ll have to kneel and confess Jesus is Lord (Philippians 2:10-11)! 

So, what’s the Godhead’s secret?  Had they known (that killing Jesus, would allow Him to redeem mankind and terminate Satan’s reign in the near future), they never would have crucified the Lord of Glory (1 Corinthians 2:8).  They fulfilled God’s plans!

As the song continues, “Something that I can’t explain/Holding me from wind and rain/Wild and free and hard to tame/A lonely travelin’ man”. How about you?  Aimless traveling days can end right now! Jesus can shield you from wind and rain and tame your heart!  He’s done it all for you!  Have a safe trip home!

Let’s Reset!
Sam