Author: admin

I’m pretty sure I mentioned this a few years ago, but it’s worth mentioning again. The events took place on a train from Manhattan to Brooklyn in the winter of 1984. I normally rode my bike to work each day. Now and then, due to excessive snow, I would have to take the train. That was the case on this day. Picture two guys in their late twenties yapping away.
So, Gil, it’s a miracle that you’re wearing gloves today” “You’ve never worn gloves in all your life” I said. “Yeah,” says Gil. “You wanna know why? It’s plain and simple: I couldn’t afford them, that’s why!” “But Gil, those are, like, $2 gloves,” I said. “Yep, actually, not even!” “They were $1.50.” “So, for all these years, you couldn’t afford a cheap pair of gloves?!” I asked. “Yeah, it has taken me years of saving up and scraping just to afford these!” “I can’t afford, like $6 gloves” he said. “See these muffs, I worked 6 months for these!” “Arent’ those like, .75?” I asked. “They are!” He affirmed. “They’re cheap, but they keep my ears toasty warm.” “You know what I need? I need a coat,” Gil continued. “But with the new raise, forget it!” “What’s the raise, like, two dollars per week?” “More like $2 per year” I said “If it took me years to get these cheap gloves, imagine how long for a coat!”
During the conversation, we had an audience; a young girl, probably in her late teens who was laughing hysterically! “You know what I’ll do, asked Gil, I’ll probably get me a scarf, yeah, that’s better. At least, I should be able to afford that for now!”

Living on a $2 monthly raise was somewhat of a joke. Yet, the guys at work were thrilled! I thought it was weekly, but not so!
Gill has always been a good laugh! That poor girl was rolling in her seat! But it was true that we could barely afford anything on our salary, considering we worked for a top-of-the-line upholstery company raking in millions yearly.
One day, God will give us a raise! Not your typical one; but an everlasting one! For starters, everything that’s owed us, He’ll restore because He’s Righteous and Just (Deuteronomy 32:4; Psalm 89:14). But more than that, He’s promised to raise us to new heights!
“And this is my Father’s will and purpose, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:40).
Believe in Jesus as your Savior today!
God Bless!
Sam

In the mid-80s, I was either running after my three little ones (all under age 5), or running from them. Oftentimes, we played hide-and-go-seek. In our newly-built housing apartment, we had plenty of space to run and hide. Decades later, I still seek after my kids for relationship, but they’re generally busy.
Our first parents, Adam & Eve shared similar experiences. They may not have run after kids, but they did chase after God. Chase, in the sense that they pursued Him; they spent time with Him. When they weren’t running after Him, he was running after them.
A common practice was for God to walk through the Garden of Eden where he had placed them, and chat with them awhile. On a particular day, says scripture, “And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou” (Gen 3:8,9)?
In a hide-and-go-seek fashion, Adam “…said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself” (Gen. 3:10). In a nutshell, though found, man continues to hide from God.
God continues searching through His “gardens” for His kids. He too misses those wonderful times together. As kids, most of us had a sense of God within us. In our innocence, we sought Him and talked to Him. Once older, or once problems came along, we ditched Him; we left Him calling out our names in the garden as we hid(e).
One of the thrills of playing with my kids was their shrills of glee when found and when finding me. Same thing with God. He gets excited when we make time to seek Him, as well as when He finds us. Run after Him! Allow yourself to get caught by Him!
God Bless,
Sam

Hear ye, Hear ye! In this corner we have a host of phony gods. And in this corner, we have The One True God! GONG……
“O sing unto the LORD a new song: sing unto the LORD, all the earth. Sing unto the LORD, bless his name; show forth his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all people. For the LORD is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the nation are idols: but the LORD made the heavens.
Honor and majesty are before him: strength and beauty are in his sanctuary. Give unto the LORD, O you kindreds of the people, give unto the LORD glory and strength. Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come into his courts. O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth.
Say among the heathen that the LORD reigns: the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved: he shall judge the people righteously. Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad, let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof. Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein: then shall the trees of the wood rejoice before the LORD; for he comes, for he comes to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth” (Psalm 96).
“Ladies and Gentleman, we have one winner!!! The ONE and only, Yahweh, Jehovah God, the One True God of the Universe!!”
God Bless!
Sam

Picture this: You’re a college student who after several weeks begins to tell others that it seems the professor isn’t really serious about grading your assignments. Another student asks you if you’re done with your resources and footnotes. Suddenly you realize it’s a good thing that you still have time, and you get to work on your missing info. After all, you want a good grade. In the end, the delay was a good thing.
This week I read a post from a man who really doesn’t know scripture and claimed that the apostle Paul died disappointed because Jesus didn’t return in his lifetime. He also shared that if Christ hasn’t returned in 2 centuries, He’ll likely not return at all. I compare that to something I once wrote before. When our little ones had to clean their rooms, we’d give them 15-30 mins to do so. On several occasions, I’d hear, “We’re ready” (from our daughter Milcah). Without going in, I’d ask, “Is everything under the bed out?” “Nothing behind the curtains?” “Give me 5 more mins” she’d say. Then, “Ready!”
People don’t realize that Jesus hasn’t returned allowing them time to get their “rooms ready.” It is out of His great love for us that He hasn’t come yet. When we hear that a volcano erupted suddenly, killing hundreds, we’re moved for them. When an earthquake rattles a city and people are buried underneath rubble, we sympathize with them and share in their pain and sorrow.
Now imagine when a mighty thunderclap is heard and the wrath of God is poured out undiluted, what do you think people will feel? People will sense (know) that God is in on it. At that moment, people will not stop to analyze if it’s only a warning or a joke. Nope, His coming is as sure as day turns to night.
“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2Peter 3:9).
God’s saying, “Have you checked your closet floors?” “Have you looked under the bed?” “Have you cleaned your room?” “Have you made room in your heart for me?” Hopefully, you’ll answer, “Ready!”
God Bless!
Sam

Two days ago, Brooklyn, New York was inundated with tons of rain. JFK Airport received some 8-10” in one day breaking a 1948 record. Streets looked like rivers and subways as waterfalls as water poured over the staircases. Cars became stuck and some may have drifted away with the currents. Water can cause lots of damages.
Imagine Genesis’ universal flood where water fell nonstop over a month. There are numerous books (based on scriptures) that cover the subject in detail. According to some Christian scientists, here’s what happened in a nutshell.
Man lived in a dry environment where it had never rained. Gardens were tended from mists of water coming up through the ground (Gen. 2:5,6). God calls Noah and his family to build an ark (not to be confused with the Ark of the Covenant). Noah and his crew build an enormous ark during a period of between 105-120 years (Gen. 5:32; 7:11). Sadly, not one of over 2 billion people alive then, believed rain would fall, and therefore, chose to perish.
Besides rain falling for 40 days and 40 nights, the fountains of the deep (Gen.7:11) were broken and the windows of heaven broken providing additional water. Plus, it is believed that a vapor canopy surrounded the earth like a huge donut. Bursting, it poured tons of water. Additionally, volcanoes may have erupted creating what’s known as new water. Since God’s purpose was to destroy the earth, these events are plausible. But what really caused severe destruction, according to the experts, is what’s not clearly stated in English in our Bibles. The eruptions of volcanoes, the upheaval push of the fountains of the deep, the downpours from the canopy, combined with waterfalls of 40 days and 40 nights, caused the earth to rock back and forth within like a carried aquarium with 6” of water transported from one end of a room to another (voiding all warranties), and creating left to right waves uprooting your plants and other decorations, as well as breaking the glass. Once in motion, the waves cannot be stopped unless the aquarium is set down to settle. And so, during the flood, the continual motions added to the overall destruction of life and the land. The water prevailed and increased. They prevailed exceedingly (Gen.7:17-20, 24) meaning motion in the waves occurred.
Mankind carried on with their lives (rejecting Noah’s words, and possibly mocking him) right up to the time he entered the ark (Luke 17:26, 27) and God shut the door (Genesis 7:16). Rest assured, life changed afterwards, and everyone perished.
God has promised to never again destroy us with a flood; His rainbows in the sky confirms that (Gen.9:11-17). Destruction will next be with fire (2Peter 3:7). As in Noah’s day, life continues as though God will never return. The ark had one entrance door and God shut it when destruction came. Likewise, thousands of years later, Jesus said, “I am the door: by me if any man enters in, he shall be saved” (John 10:9a).
As the “floods” of adversity creep up, will you laugh and post your mockeries for the world to see?
The Door, will soon shut, plunging humanity into chaos. If grab and go thugs are rampant now, just wait until millions of people get raptured, their properties go up for grabs, the government declares our disappearance an alien event; and ISIS takes over… Actually, DON’T WAIT! Enter NOW through Jesus, the Door! He’s our ark. Allow His life to flood yours.
God Bless,
Sam

The Guess Who sang, “These eyes are cryin’. These eyes have seen a lot of loves but they’re never gonna see another one like I had with you.”
Have you cried a lot? Regardless of whether you’re female or male, we’ve all had our share of tears. At times, pain can be unbearable. Feelings can get so hurt we don’t know what else to do. In the song above, a special love is gone. Hurt is all that’s left. Have you been in that neighborhood? Do you know its alleys and hidden walkways? Do you have a place to go hide and bury your face in? Have tears become your companion? Have you voiced these words below?
”I walk along the city streets you used to walk along with me, And every step I take reminds me of just how we used to be…”
Always Something There to Remind Me (R.B. Greaves)
I sometimes feel pressed by my past. So many things change! I’m no longer who I was 30 years ago. My ways, my eyes, my hair, my body, in general, are different. My thoughts on some things have also changed. Not only how I look at things, but how I look, period; has changed. But shadows can linger over our lives. However, God’s pull is stronger. Sing His song over your life:
“You have ravished my heart, with one look of your eyes, with one link of your necklace” (Song of Songs 4:9).
“You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book” (Psalm 56:8).
Maybe hands hurt you in the past, but God’s hands are here to comfort you. Life may have handed you unfair treatments, but God’s love is different. For one, you are His handiwork (Ephesians 2:10) meaning, you’re His beloved creation. He personally created you and there’s no one else like you in the entire world.
“Fear thou not, for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness” (Isaiah 41:10).

God Bless,
You’re the apple of His eye! (Psalm 17:8)
Sam

They say, “When life gives you lemons, make lemon-aide.” I think in heaven my wife and I will get a good cash crop for all the lemon-aide we’ve produced here on our property! But I guess rainwater isn’t enough for some people (we get tons of rain). Yesterday as my wife went through her purse, she discovered a napkin from a previous visit to a restaurant a week ago. To her dismay, therein were two slices of lemons! I guess she wanted to make sure not to run out of lemon-aide!
I once read that flies were gathered in a jar and covered with a cap punctured with tiny holes for ventilation. After some time, the cap was removed and the flies continued flying in their same pattern unaware they could fly away.
Some people are like that. They’re so used to “flying” around in their everyday lives, oftentimes imprisoned by thoughts, situations, addictions, bad habits, or bad company, that even when they’re free, they continue down the same entangling paths. It seems, they’re carrying stale lemons, should their “rain” run dry. Many are unaware that long ago Jesus removed the “sin cap” twisted tightly around the “jar” they’re living within, and set them free through His death.
“But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code” (Romans 7:6).
Hopefully, within your purse you’ll find not lemons, but God’s liberating Word, the Bible.
God Bless!
Sam

Now wait a minute! How can you say there’s one true church? It’s impossible!! If so, where is it? I want to know and what it looks like! Well, let’s go visit it!
Although buildings are often used as church-gathering places, Jesus changed the format forever! The original gathering place where God met with Israel, the Tabernacle, allowed His presence to fill it while the people gathered outside of it on all four sides.
Throughout the centuries, churches have been built, both to honor God, and for Him to dwell in. Some are simple structures while others may be elaborate with cathedral ceilings, pipe organs, and story-telling stained-glass windows.
My wife and I love stained glass windows. Some depict Biblical scenes and stories, and others display nature, animals, or everyday life. As light enters, it gets diffused bathing an area with wonderful colors.
Let’s eavesdrop on what Jesus said to a Samaritan woman.
“The time is coming, and now is, when true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit and those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth” (John 4:23-25).
The Tabernacle had two room: the Holy Place, and The Most Holy Place (also known as the Holies of Holies). A thick, heavy curtain (veil) separated them. Only the high priest could enter the Most Holy place (room where God dwelt) once a year on the Day of Atonement. The priest, however, could enter the Holy Place every day. When Christ died, “Behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom” (Matthew 27:51). Removing the veil allows us to come on our own (without the aid of a priest) with confidence into His presence (Hebrews 4:14-16). The gist??
“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; Therefore, honor God with your bodies (1Corinthians 6:19, 20)? “As God has said, I will dwell in them; and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people” (2Corinthians 6:16).
YOU are the church! Your life is that stained glass window displaying God’s story, God’s life! He dwells in you, not in a building. When His light shines through you, His glory is displayed to everyone around in radiant colors! What an honor to be His house! Before His death, He cleansed the temple; are you cleaning yours on the inside? You’re the true church! Living for God makes a difference and matters more when we understand we’re His temple and that He’s living within us.
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matt. 5:14).
God Bless!
Sam

Old movies made jokes about washing up only on Saturday nights. We just spent a month in Florida visiting our family. It is hot in Puerto Rico, but we have breezes throughout the day. In Florida, we had none. It was just hot, sticky, and humid everywhere. Somehow, the topic of water caught up with us one day. Our eldest daughter began a discussion about bathroom renovations.
She figured a bathtub is no longer needed in her house. A walk- in shower stall will do. We sometimes use the words shower and bath interchangeably. When someone says, “I’m going to take bath,” it doesn’t always mean a literal bath in a tub. It can mean to shower or to wash up. The same thing happens in Spanish. “Me voy a bañar” (I am going to bathe) can refer to bathing as well as showering (duchar), although it literally means to bathe.
So, when our daughter said, “If I bathed all the time, then I’d keep the tub, like the neighbors. They love to bathe. However, they only bathe once every 3-4 months.” My 86 yr. old mom laughed hysterically! She couldn’t believe it! How can someone who loves to bathe rarely do so?! I quickly explained that our daughter meant bathing in the tub; but they do shower every day! We all thought, “Imagine the smell!!!” That was a great laugh! Mom turned red as she held her hand over her mouth unable to stop laughing for a while!
Whether we shower or soak in a tub, we need washing, for sure! But, how do we wash away sin? King David in Scripture wrote: “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow” (Psalm 51:7).
Fact is, nothing we do can remove sin; only Jesus can.
1John 1:7 says: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Thank God for His washing! He has washed us clean by laying His life on the cross for our sins. He died in our place. When we accept His sacrifice, we’re made clean, however, if we don’t accept it, see what scripture says: “Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people-none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God.”
God is ready to wash you clean regardless of how clean you think you are, or how dirty you feel. Doesn’t matter how you live(d) and what things you have done. He washes you, sanctifies you, and justifies you before God, the Father! He then shows you…
“Some of you were once like that. But you were washed; you were sanctified; you were justified in the name of the Lord God Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of God” (1Corinthians 6:9-11).
Thank Jesus for washing us, and also for the gift of laughter!! We desperately need it. By the way, it need not be Saturday for dipping your toe in the waters! God Bless!
Sam

There I was in Florida driving around with two back-seat drivers: 4-yr old Trueman & 8-yr old Ellie; my grandkids. They were my GPS! “At the light, turn left, Abuelo” Trueman would say. “That’s not left, Trueman,” Ellie would tell him. It was the other left, I learned. So, “At the right, turn right” became our mantra! Ellie was right about 98% of the time. Even on a few occasions when she misguided me, she knew how to get me back on track. “I thought it was at this light to turn left. So, make a right and another right. Then a left and you’ll be back on the main road,” she said. She was right!
You may not have two back-seat drivers in your vehicle (thank God, you said?), or two little critters singing, “Get Up and Boogie, THAT’S RIGHT! But we all need guidance.
Have you tried the Holy Spirit? He can guide you in life. Of Him, Jesus said to His disciples,
“It is expedient for you that I go away; for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you” (John 16:7).
“But when He, the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever he hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come” (John 16:13). He can be your backseat driver. He knows His rights and lefts. Better yet, invite Him into your heart, and He’ll be available in your front seat. “THAT’S RIGHT, GET UP AND BOOGIE (Silver Convention)!
Sam