Month: September 2026

I just read an article, Would You Pay $50,000 to Find Your Future Bride?  Turns out a man was willing to pay that amount to an agency which promised to get him the perfect wife.  Matching up his wants, looks, compatibilities and more, the agency was able to deliver and the client is now a very happily married man!

What would you pay? Peanuts? Might end up with…Would you pay bananas? You’d end up with…

God sought a bride, which makes up His body.  He wasn’t going to pay peanuts or bananas; or even play Rock, Paper, Scissors. Anything He’d pay, Satan would try to match it.  Whether coins, gold, rubies, diamonds, etc. Satan would have had access to them because: (The world is his: 2 Corinthians 4:4; John 12:3; 1John 5:19).

God had to pay a price beyond Satan’s reach.  When the bride was “found,” He agreed “She” was to die for and was willing to pay the price!  Was She beautiful, meeting all His wants and looks?  Was She compatible with Him?  The answer to all the questions, is NO!  She was ugly, mired in sin! She was a liar, an alcoholic, and a cheat. She was biased, a murderer, greedy, a thief, and more (1 Corinthians 6:9-11)!  And God thought, “She’s perfect!”

Through His Son, Jesus, the purchase was made!  So, how much did He pay?  Was it $50,000; $100,000, Millions? Billions?  More????  Money couldn’t do it.

Although God initiated animal sacrifices and blood offerings with Israel to cover for man’s sins and transgressions, those sacrifices could never take away our sins.  Besides, they couldn’t cleanse our conscience.  God, Himself, through Jesus, laid His life for you, His bride!  Meaning, not just any type of blood, but the perfect blood of Christ without spot or contamination was shed for you

The price Jesus paid for His Bride is unparalleled! It is beyond what anyone could ever do!  Satan could never match that!!  He has no blood!  He’s not perfect! He’s a FALLEN angel.  He’s not willing to do anything for anyone!! He’s a cheat and a cheapskate!  Jesus alone can completely transform our lives!  You would have to be God Himself to do it…And He did!! He laid His life and covered all the costs!  No amount of money could ever outdo that!

And, He has cleansed us and made us beautiful! We’re no longer what we were!  See your reflection in God’s mirror of transformed lives! Bask in the image of His glory! For what you see is hidden behind His image!  When you look at yourself you’re seeing Him!

   “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.  And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints” (Revelation 19:7,8).

 “So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation” (Hebrews 9:28).

“For you were bought with a price: glorify God therefore in your body” (1 Corinthians 6:20).

What an UNBEATABLE love story!

Sam

Recommended Hymn: Jesus Paid It All

I just read an article, Would You Pay $50,000 to Find Your Future Bride?  Turns out a man was willing to pay that amount to an agency which promised to get him the perfect wife.  Matching up his wants, looks, compatibilities and more, the agency was able to deliver and the client is now a very happily married man!

What would you pay? Peanuts? Might end up with…Would you pay bananas? You’d end up with…

God sought a bride, which makes up His body.  He wasn’t going to pay peanuts or bananas; or even play Rock, Paper, Scissors. Anything He’d pay, Satan would try to match it.  Whether coins, gold, rubies, diamonds, etc. Satan would have had access to them because: (The world is his: 2 Corinthians 4:4; John 12:3; 1John 5:19).

God had to pay a price beyond Satan’s reach.  When the bride was “found,” He agreed “She” was to die for and was willing to pay the price!  Was She beautiful, meeting all His wants and looks?  Was She compatible with Him?  The answer to all the questions, is NO!  She was ugly, mired in sin! She was a liar, an alcoholic, and a cheat. She was biased, a murderer, greedy, a thief, and more (1 Corinthians 6:9-11)!  And God thought, “She’s perfect!”

Through His Son, Jesus, the purchase was made!  So, how much did He pay?  Was it $50,000; $100,000, Millions? Billions?  More????  Money couldn’t do it.

Although God initiated animal sacrifices and blood offerings with Israel to cover for man’s sins and transgressions, those sacrifices could never take away our sins.  Besides, they couldn’t cleanse our conscience.  God, Himself, through Jesus, laid His life for you, His bride!  Meaning, not just any type of blood, but the perfect blood of Christ without spot or contamination was shed for you

The price Jesus paid for His Bride is unparalleled! It is beyond what anyone could ever do!  Satan could never match that!!  He has no blood!  He’s not perfect! He’s a FALLEN angel.  He’s not willing to do anything for anyone!! He’s a cheat and a cheapskate!  Jesus alone can completely transform our lives!  You would have to be God Himself to do it…And He did!! He laid His life and covered all the costs!  No amount of money could ever outdo that!

And, He has cleansed us and made us beautiful! We’re no longer what we were!  See your reflection in God’s mirror of transformed lives! Bask in the image of His glory! For what you see is hidden behind His image!  When you look at yourself you’re seeing Him!

   “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.  And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints” (Revelation 19:7,8).

 “So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation” (Hebrews 9:28).

“For you were bought with a price: glorify God therefore in your body” (1 Corinthians 6:20).

What an UNBEATABLE love story!

Sam

Recommended Hymn: Jesus Paid It All

We’ve all seen those ads! ‘Check out former Ms. Beautiful at age 23, and wait ‘till you see her now at 95!’ DUH!!!  That goes for everyone!

The question is, “How do you feel right now?”  Whether you’re fine, super-fit, suffering from high anxiety, or are an actual patient lending your voice and face for one of those TV commercials listing all the chronic side-effects of some of today’s meds, one day soon, things are about to change!

If Christ is your savior, at His appearing, multitudes will be saying, “Wait until you see him/her now!”  Christ makes all things new (Revelation 21:5KJV)!  All the aches and pains, all the ACE bandages holding you together like the Mummy, will be gone! No artificial hands, feet, eyes, or heads will be attached to your new body!  What you and others now see in the mirror, will be erased forever! Check out these lyrics:

“If you could see me now/I’m walking streets of gold/If you could see me now/I’m standing tall and whole” *

You’ll be brand new!  And, according to the lyrics, even if you’re short, you’ll be tall!!

God will not go into heaven’s junk pile to replace a part on your body. The WHOLE YOU will be brand new!  Only He knows how “old” we’ll be, or look.  I don’t think there will be a “look” to achieve.  Time will be no more; so, we’ll perpetually look great!  

I look forward to seeing you there. The good news is we’ll know each other (1 Corinthians 13:12)!   If you haven’t already done so, make your appointment NOW with God to get your life RIGHT with Jesus!  Wait no more.

God Bless!
Sam

Recommended Song: *If You Could See Me Now by TRUTH, 1992

Ours, is a day where the word “Love” is tossed about loosely.  We love burgers and fries (umm). We love ice-cream (yummy), cake, pets, movies and actors.  We even sang with the Coronel, “I love my chicken finger-lickin’ good.”  We’ve seen love-story movies, read romantic novels, and have listened to Silly Love Songs (Paul McCartney); not exactly God’s definition of love.

The Word of God encourages us many times over to “Love our enemies;” to love those who wrongfully accuse us” and to “love one another” (Matthew 5:44; John 13:34,35).

1John 4:20 reads: “If someone says, ‘I love God, and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother who he has seen, cannot love God whom he has never seen.” Obviously, God is interested in us loving others according to His word and not according to the ways of men.

Jesus taught us that the greatest commandment is to “Love God with all our hearts, all our souls, and with all our minds” (Deuteronomy 6:4,5; Mark 12:29-30).

According to a quote by R.A. Torrey (1856-1928),
“If loving God with all our heart and soul and might is the greatest commandment, then it follows that Not loving Him that way is the greatest sin.”

In our thinking of what constitutes a life that pleases God, the one thing we should be most concerned with is: “Have I loved well?”  St. John of the Cross once said; “At the evening of our day we shall be judged by our loving.” 

Author Ken Gire challenges us to include God’s love in every aspect of our lives on a daily fashion. Do others see that?  He asks, “Have I loved well?”  Only we can answer that.

I ask, “Has God loved well?”  His love is wrapped in another word found in the following verse: “The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow.  Then called I upon the name of the Lord: O LORD, I beseech thee, deliver my soul.  Gracious is the LORD, and righteous: yea, our God is merciful” (Psalm 116:3-5KJV).

Our loving God is a Gracious God.  His love is wrapped in grace!  He has loved well!  

*Ken Gire, Winter’s Promise: Hope-Filled Reflections for the Difficult Seasons

God Bless!

Sam

Originally written and shared with my church on March 16, 2005

The Spinners sang that back in ’78. There are people working their way back to their loved ones.  People will reinvent themselves just to regain what they’ve lost.  And it’s good to find our footing if we’ve strayed.

Throughout the ages, God’s people, the Israelites, have tried many times to get their relationship with Him back on track.  They’ve succeeded and failed too.  To skip this process, God made a way: He sent His Son, Jesus, to clear the way back to the Father.  He died for us all, and has promised to work in our hearts to keep us on track.

In other words, we don’t have to work at pleasing God or at getting on His good list because we’re already there!  He didn’t exclude you, or you!  Jesus died for you and took your sins upon Himself so you wouldn’t have to. You don’t have to work your way to His heart.  Just give it to Him. Walk with Him daily.

Today is Labor Day-rest from work.  God has given us rest from works.  “For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceases from his own works, as God did from his” (Hebrews 4:10).

Upon the cross, Jesus said, “It is finished” (John 19:30). Our strife and sacrifices are done away with.  If you think you need to crawl on your knees, walk on your head, drag yourself or cut yourself, or make any other self-inflicting sacrifice, for miles to please God or to appease him, cast them all aside!  Jesus paid it all!

All we need do is BELIEVE! Anyone who tells you otherwise, is WRONG!  Yes, we follow Him and serve Him, but as far as acceptance is concerned, He’s known you before He laid the foundations of the earth! You’re that special to Him!  So, chill.  Eat a burger or a salad! Celebrate your rest day from trying to gain God’s approval. Nothing we do will get God to love us more, nor draw us closer to Him than what we currently are.

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

God Bless!
Sam

Death came unexpectedly to Adam and Eve.  Their disobedience to God brought forth something they had not known other than possibly watching God sacrifice a lamb to use its skin to cover their shame (Genesis 3:21).

Death respects no one It steals away loved ones.  It snatches away our friends.  Death takes but never gives back.  It sometimes creeps upon us, and other times it comes swiftly. Death destroys God’s goodness.  It steps on your toes and mine.  Death is greedy; it aims at conquering as many victims as possible.

As Jesus hung on the cross, death, like smoke from hot ice, crept upon His feet, over the pounded nails and then His thighs.  Death dreamt big; it aimed at getting the most important figure in human history under its grip. Up His waist like a fog, it went.  It spread across Jesus’ aching chest and battered arms.  It then went for the jugular.  Death spread over His face from the bruises from slaps, having His beard plucked (Isaiah 50:6), and from the kicks, and punches He received. Finally, death overtook the Son of Man on the cross.

While people wept, demons danced.  While believers hid, cruel men falsely exposed Him of being a fraud. Can you picture it? The tabloids flew their front pages on the evening news.  During rush hour, reporters announced, “THE SON OF GOD ABADONED BY HIS FATHER!”  “LIFE-GIVER, DEAD!”  The tabloids wrote: MIRACLE WORKER, RAN OUT OF MIRACLES! “He who said, ‘I Am the Life,’ is DEAD!  And, “Charlatan Had His Coming!

Yes, death is a robber! He comes from Satan.  “The thief comes but to kill, to steal, and to destroy” (John 10:10a). Death causes us to cry until every last tissue in the box is gone and our tears have dried.  It leaves a void in us.  But there’s hope!

“…That through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil” (Hebrews 2:14b).

Meaning, Jesus had to die to defeat death, and the sting of sin! If we trust Him with our lives and future, He will come through! At the time of departing this world, we’ll pass into an eternity with Him!  Death has no power over us!

Part b of John 10:10 says, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”   Rest assured that robbers, “Nor thieves nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdom of God” (1Corinthians 6:10).  Hallelujah!  DEATH’s days are numbered! Soon the Robber will be given the boot for all time!
God Bless!

Sam