THE TRAIN SET

One great decoration with any Christmas tree is a trainset underneath it. With all the other decorations and wrapped gifts, a nice train, slowly going in circles underneath the tree makes for a spell-binding moment.  Let’s get down close to the ground, lie on our stomachs, and view its route.

It’s passing gift after gift, toy people, a small town, and a faraway village.  Through a little tunnel it goes; emerging as entrancing as ever.  Making its way on to the final curve, it heads our way again.  Isn’t it wonderful as it passes right before us?! We can see the railcars such as the cargo, the tanker, the supply car, hoppers, and the caboose.  The twinkling Christmas lights add special effects drawing us in to a calm and peaceful setting.  

Does life feel like you’re on a trainset?  As you venture round and round, far and near passing small towns and miles of track and upcoming tunnels; do you get stuck in them?  Do you need help getting out? As you head into valleys do you emerge in peace and serenity, or does the snow of life derail you? 

As trains can transport us from place to place, people can get stuck in faraway places.  There are hurting folk out there.  Maybe you’ve lost a son/daughter or grandkids and you can’t get off the train.  Maybe you’ve got tons of pictures or videos of loved ones you’ve lost, and while they bring you comfort and cheer, they’re also holding you from moving on. Watching them over and over, like a trainset going in circles, hurting hearts can’t heal. You can gently signal to the Conductor that your stop is coming up. If your train ride is a bit more difficult, you may have to pull the emergency break, bringing the train to a halt, and wait for those doors to open so you can run out.

Jesus is the Conductor of our train.  He makes sure we stay on the tracks and veers us through beautiful mountainous scenery routes. He also leads us through valleys as well.  As our train trudges through snow or near deep ravines, God holds us near His heart as we hold on to our seats.  But oftentimes, trials come and we need to hold His hand.  Life’s adventures can be scary, even traumatic, but as our train puffs away, Jesus pulls us into the station.  There, we get a refresh.  Our ride is through until we’re ready to board again. How long will your ride be? Only Jesus knows.  Maybe it’s time to get up from the floor and view the entire picture: the Christmas tree above, decorations within, gifts below, and a train slowly billowing smoke puffs as it rounds the Christmas tree of our lives.  All aboard!

Merry Christmas!
Sam

“I ain’t talking to you!” the husband said to his wife.  Maybe, you’ve been there.  Maybe, you’re the one having said it!  Maybe, you’ve tried to keep silent, but it hasn’t lasted too long. There have been people who’ve gone quiet for very long; maybe decades.  John Francis gave up regular transportation for 22 years and went silent for most of 17 years! He even taught a college course without saying a word! Silence can be amazing.  It can also be missed. Consider the following that took place over 2000 years ago:

The world marched in tune with everyday chores and everyday routines.  Life was difficult. Barren land, fruitless soil; and for the Israelites, harsh treatment from Roman soldiers, and constant turmoil in the lives and hearts of God’s people.

No one had ever heard the term Christmas. Every day was like any other day. People went about their business and duties.  But God’s presence was in the works.  His ears had heard the people’s cries for a savior.  He was about to do the unheard of; the unbelievable!  God was about to step down from heaven to live among His creation as a created being!  It was a concept people today still struggle with.  Deity would take on human flesh and dwell with humanity; yet retain His glorious power.

And so, in a day like any other, the Creator became a creature and entered the world He created to become one of us! To keep away the infection of sin and the virus of imperfection in human blood, the sinless God was born through miraculous inception: the Holy Spirit entered (overshadowed) Mary, bore seed and brought forth the Savior of the world, Jesus.

Through years of darkness and insecurities, and through 400 years of silence from God, God suddenly spoke!  He spoke loud and clear to a hurting world.  His message of love broke through the darkness to a world that didn’t listen.  The Light of The World shone but many rejected it.  Darkness wasn’t only from the lack of regular light, or God’s Light; but from a world brimming with sin and oppression. It was a world absent of intimacy with God.  Their cold hearts and idolatry had turned His face away.  While always present, God stayed away from them. A world in turmoil needed God’s intervention.  And so, the first Christmas, happened!  Emmanuel came to the world: “God with us.”  His love for a hurting world was the message the world needed, and still does!   God is here!  Read the prophesy!

“Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14).

See the fulfillment!  Matthew 1:23: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will all him Immanuel (which means ‘God with us’).”

Darkness cannot quench God’s Light! Never will!

Are you walking in His Light? Is your silence towards God like that of John Francis? Even he eventually spoke! But even if you don’t want to speak to God, He hears your heart! He knows you intimately!  Share your thoughts with Him. “Tell” Him your heart.  Allow His Light to shine on your heart this Christmas!

“The people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned” (Matthew 4:16 NIV).

John 1:5 “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

Merry Christmas!
Sam

Recommended Song: Christmas This Year Tobymac

Picture this: You’re holding a paintbrush and are painting on a canvas. Nearby are your paints, brushes, and a cup of drinking water.  You’re caught up in praise and song as you sing away, *How Great Is Our God. Suddenly, you bump into your stand and the table begins to wobble and shake.  You squeeze your eyes shut and wait for the broken and shattered glass. But you hear no sounds and notice nothing breaks.  You open your eyes and all is still.  A deep-sounding voice reminds you, “Welcome to heaven.”  These being your first “days” there, it’ll take getting used to!

Another scene:  You suddenly think, “Hmm, let me pay a visit to Uncle Snuffy Smith,” and within five seconds, you’re knocking on his door!  Out he comes scrubbing his beard and says, “About time! What took you so long!?! “Umm, traffic?” you claim!  Again, it’ll be a different world from what we currently know.

You see an Asian lady and say something like, “Foo-shan wik-do” having no idea what you just said, and you’re answered in returned, “Thanks, greetings to you too!  That’s right, others will know your language just as you’ll know theirs!

Heaven will be unlike anything we can imagine!  Most importantly, the Godhead will be there (Jehovah, Jesus and the Holy Spirit)!   As you may have guessed, fellowship and worship will be vastly unlike anything known here. We’ll succeed at all we do. Nothing will die, not even leaves, plants or critters!

I’m wound up about it!  How about you?   I think no matter where we live, we’ll be neighbors-always near the Godhead. Doors and windows wide open, no thieves, no murderers, no harm; no evil whatsoever!  Don’t speculate, don’t hesitate, don’t underestimate God’s saving grace!!!   Make the choice to be saved NOW!  Call upon Him!

God Bless!
Sam

*Chris Tomlin, Jesse Reeves, Ed Cash

Sometimes, running at the speed of light might not seem fast enough. We want things so fast, that we expect them, as we say in New York, “Yesterday.”  We want it done yesterday, we want it delivered yesterday, and we want answers yesterday. That’s faster than fast. 

The world is a hurting world. From senseless murders, to tragic falls; death is everywhere, as are disappointments, a failing justice system and suicidal rates among people of all ages.  Unfaithfulness is rampant among leaders of all types, be it world leaders or pastors.  Broken hearts, shattered lives, unhealable wounds, and destroyed lives reside all around us pretty much everywhere we look.

Faster than the speed of light, is the LIGHT of the World, Jesus. How fast is that?  “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble” (Psalm 46:1). Ever-present means He’s already there. Never left.  You want Him yesterday? He was there.  Where were you? If you called on Him yesterday, He answered.

He’s present to heal our broken hearts, mend shattered lives, and to uplift mixed emotions.  If you’re in pain, He’s your medicine.  If some “good-for-nutting” person dumped you, God has the blueprint to rebuild you.  He’s nearer than your next breath. “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18).

God is near and here.  Be thankful today that He hears you as well!

Recommended Song: Dios Está Aquí (God Is Here)

Check out YouTube for a chorus (Corito) we used to sing about 40 years ago

Dios está aquí /Tan cierto como el aire que respiro/Tan cierto como la mañana se levanta el sol/ Tan cierto que cuando le hablo, Él me puede oir.

God is here/as true as the air I breathe/As surely as the sun rises in the morning/So true that when I talk to Him, He can hear me.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Sam

The TV show named above presents some interesting cases.  In this life, there are hundreds of thousands of unexplained events. In time, some may be explained away, and some, God might explain later when we’ll be in His presence; but God can never be explained!   Check out Paul’s inspiring and worshipful acknowledgment of God’s magnificence in Romans 11:33-36:

“Oh, the depths of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?” “Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?” For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.”

Words can’t describe the wonders of God! Yet as He is unsearchable, He expects us to love as He loves.  Our love should be so remarkable that others can’t comprehend it.  My wife and I have learned that that type of love has to be taught by God.  While there are hundreds of ways to love, God’s ways go beyond what we as humans understand.  People who love us, won’t go an extra mile to love us more. Love entails so much more than saying or using the word itself. We have found that practically no one wants to hear our struggles and frustrations.

The burdens we carry, only God helps us bear.  Others aren’t interested in them; even though a form of love is there. This isn’t something set in stone, but something that applies just to the two of us.

Think of God’s command to “Love your enemies” (Matthew 5:44). It’s one of the most difficult expectations we have from God; another being forgive your enemies.  They go hand in hand because we have to love them to forgive them and forgive them and love them.  Millions of people will no doubt say, “Nah, that’s taking it too far.”  So, WHY should we love our enemies?  Because we, ourselves were once enemies of God!!!  And He’s forgiven us!!!

Romans 5:10 (NIV) reads: “For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!”

Yet, He loved us! Did so before we even knew it! Not only did He love us, His love was so great He went ahead and died for us-just in case we might love Him back!  Guess what? We didn’t!  We didn’t even look for Him!  There is no one seeking him, no, not one (Romans 3:11). It stands to reason that if we, as His enemies didn’t love Him, yet He died for us, we too, should love our enemies so they’ll get saved in time.

Read the lyrics, so true, of this song: “When I was your foe, still Your love fought for me You have been so, so good to me.  When I felt no worth, You paid it all for me You have been so, so kind to me.  Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God Oh, it chases me down, fights ‘till I’m found, leaves the 99.”

It’s reckless love because He will stop at nothing to find and rescue you. It’s not a tidy seeking way, but an intentional way of making sure you’re found at all cost.  He’s willing to leave His 99 sheep to find YOU before the enemy snatches you up.  He’ll fight any bear, snake or scorpion bent on destroying you, because ultimately, that’s all Satan wants with you. He’s NOT your friend. He’s miserable and destructive.

In the end, we need to ask Jesus to infuse us with His overwhelming type of love to unconditionally love others as He does.  God is unexplained! Can’t fathom Him! Never will! Be thankful!

God Bless!
Sam

Lyrics: Reckless Love Sung by Bethel Music & Cory Asbury. 2020 Songwriters: Ran Jackson/Cory Asbury/Caleb Culver; Recommended Song: Teach Me How to Love Debbie Boone; So Good, Vineyard Music

Much as kids and grownups have nicknames, God has other names known as compound names. These names reveal or enhance His character and attributes.  They tell us more about how He is as well as what He does.  From time to time, I’ll be sharing on God’s Names. I wrote the following piece on November 7, 2005; twenty years ago, for our church.

FAITHFUL PROVIDER

Thanksgiving and testimonies go hand-in-hand.  Though our kids are now grown, looking back to 1984 to our native residence of Brooklyn, New York, they were small then. All three were below the age of four.  We were living on $2.00 for every two weeks from 1981-84.  I had no choice but to ride my bike16 miles to work each day regardless of the weather.  We finally moved to a brand new 12-family housing unit.  We were on the first floor.  Within months, I was without work and my parents had just moved to Puerto Rico. 

  Our church folk weren’t too generous; only two families helped us with $20.00 each throughout our 6-month ordeal; and neither were my five older brothers; with only the elder giving us $20 at the time.  They were “harder” than the hard times we experienced. From each offering, we paid our tithes and proceeded to buy much-needed items such as $2.00 sneakers for each kid and a $3.00 pair for Viv.  I remember our power bill being $17, and after our $2 tithes, we paid it. Survived on a buck.

Housing sent us to Welfare & Food Stamps (which we really felt bad about).  But soon we received an eviction notice (that’s another story), because the aid didn’t come through on time.  Thankfully, God came through at the last minute.

Our experience helped us decide not to be as “hard” as those around us were.  Monthly, we began sending $2.00 to several ministries, then increased our giving little by little to $10, $35, $50, etc.  For the last decade, we’ve been able to support 18 ministries besides our church on a yearly basis.  We’ve also helped in building 2 churches in India, 1 in Mexico, and 1 in Ghana.  We also began tithing from Food Stamps by giving 1 item for any 10 we bought, & thus started a food ministry at the church.

Another outcome was getting closer to God through prayer.  I built a kneeling prayer altar/stand where I’d pray with each of our kids before bedtime.  That led to our family services where our son, Gammy, & daughter, Milcah, sang & preached.  Baby Sarai, collected the offering.  We still hold our services with the girls.  Each day, one of us leads the service and one day a week, I hold a Bible study. (Sidenote; this was 20 years ago).

A few years later, after things got better, the church decided to take away the church van from us (my wife Viv used to pick folks up before church & return them after the service).  For a while, a family would drive us to church but then decided not to. They’d pass us by as we walked 26 blocks in all types of weather with 3 little ones, of which one was in a carriage.

As years passed, we had been looking forward to 1991as we were going to celebrate our tenth wedding anniversary.  The kids were going to with walk down the aisle with us and be the ringbearers.  We even bought the girls lovely white dresses and Viv bought a violet one with lace and all, but then we had to use the money towards purchasing a station wagon.  There was no wedding anniversary celebration; only very disappointed kids with new clothes.  Throughout all this and much more, God has always been faithful. 

None of us will ever reach a “Safe Place” where we can say, “We’ve made it.”  God will always stir the waters.  Our attitude towards trials will determine the outcome that God expects or doesn’t expect from us.  He wants to bend us; not backwards, but forward.  Forward to: 1. Servanthood, 2. Stewardship, 3. Dependence on Him. In our trials, we’re still walking in victory.  We need to press on. 

God wants us to take our focus off our needs and focus on the needs of others.  He’ll stir others to meet ours.  Let’s have a THANKSGIVING attitude; contribute to others.  As imitators of God, we need to be givers, not takers.  Give to missions and give to those in need around you.

He’s “Pistos” Faithful, Reliable, always coming through. He’s also Jehovah Jireh-the Provider.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Sam

SIDENOTE: We finally celebrated our 25^th anniversary, at ALF (Abundant Life Fellowship) in Puerto Rico on 6/6/6 with all three kids present; the girls as bridesmaids, and our son walked Viv down the aisle!

Everything around us changes! We used to watch a TV show, Ten Years Younger where a person was “On display” in a box where they couldn’t hear outside comments.  Passers-by would comment on the appearance.  After an overhaul, they’d stuff the person in the cubical again and listen to the opinions. Sometimes, the crowds believed the person was 15+ years younger!

Every generation undergoes its changes. I recently wrote that there were about 50 kids on our block when I was growing up. Upon re-examining that, I counted close to 100 kids I could name!  Over the years, changes in demographics dropped those numbers to under 25. But what a great time we had with so many kids going up/down, through, around, and over our streets, block, sidewalks, stoops, and everywhere!

Strong changes are on the horizon across the globe.  The prophet Daniel was told by God that people would travel to and from all over and that knowledge would increase (Daniel 12:4). That’s been seen over the last few decades.  Everyone’s on the move.  World leaders are on life-control; controlling people and telling us what to do and where to go.

China, has installed over 700 million face-recognition cameras to track people going to church, work, etc. But as usual, God will use what Satan plans as evil, for good.  China will one day witness on every camera billions of people vanishing before their very eyes! They’ll check, double-check, and even triple-check their connections only to discover they’ll have witnessed phase one of the biggest, most anticipated event ever- Christ’s worldwide trumpet-call home to believers!  Of course, initially, China and all nations controlled by the False prophet, will deny such event; but it’ll leak out!

To those called Home, immediate transformation will occur!  Nope, angels will not rewrap you with duct-tape, they will not retouch your eyelids, retrofit you with DEPENDS, glue any missing teeth, or send you “under the knife” in attempts to transform you!  No siree!  “We will be changed in an instant.  We’ll be given brand new bodies!  Even if you currently have “a body to die for,” it’s going to die! Or, maybe yours is a drop-dead, gorgeous body; in which case, it’ll decay because “Blood and flesh cannot inherit the kingdom of God” (1Corinthians 15:50)!  We’ll be spanking new! Everything about us will have undergone change-a God-given transformation unlike anything ever seen.

After Jesus’ resurrection, He received a glorified body: “A week later his disciples were in the house again and Thomas was with them, Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you” (John 20:26)!” His renewed body allowed Him to be here and there in no time!

We all need transformation! Having a new glorified body will be great, but changing into looking like Jesus is really something else! “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 3:18).

God’s already working in us!!! And I’m a firm believer that in heaven you’ll look and feel at least 80 years younger than now!  No more creams, no rituals, no canes, no walkers, no glasses or contacts, and no stranger to God’s goodness and holiness!

Sign up and get transformed NOW!

God Bless!
Sam

Ever been told you’re old, caput, decrepit, ready to ship out, no good, or over the hill?? Like or it or not, we will all be over the hill soon enough.  Nothing out there can stop aging!

Two weeks ago, the power company announced to our “good” neighbors that they would be working in our area on a Friday for close to 10,5 hours.  Everyone knew it except my family.  No one told us. As I headed out shopping, I noticed several power trucks nearby, but since power had gone out, I thought they were there to fix it.  WRONG!  I returned around 11:30 and saw the area blocked off.  One of the workers told me they had just begun and that it’d be a while.  So, I waited 90 minutes before a brother of a neighbor told me they’d be there until 6pm.

I parked, called my wife to come down to help with the groceries.  We walked our nearly quarter mile uphill all the way with our road being the killer-hill (pretty steep).  Since we both have injured backs and leg issues, we really felt that climb!

In the ten hours there to install two posts, they only installed one. They left around 6:40 pm and flicked the power on at another location. It lasted about 10 seconds before a slight explosion took place, meaning there would be no power the entire day and night until next morning around 9:30 am. Not to mention no power Saturday night until 4pm Sunday…

The “responsible” power company stated they’d return Monday to finish the job.  No one came any day that week nor the next-until yesterday, Friday, unannounced.  As my wife, my mom, and I headed out shopping, we saw the trucks arriving.  Food-wise, we bought very little in case they were headed to our area. When we returned around 11 am, we had to park away from home again.  Holding my 88-year-old mom’s hand, we climbed our mountain. Out of breath, but excited to make it up the hill, I then realized the house keys were left in the car! I had to climb back down, walk to the car to retrieve them, and climb again!

After power returned several hours later, back down the hill I went (making sure I had the car keys!) to get my car.  I guess one good climb deserves another!

Scripture tells us, that as the end of a 3.6-year drought neared, Elijah told his servant to go look over the hill for water to come, but no water came.  He did this a few times, but on the7^th climb, the servant told him, “I saw a little cloud about the size of man’s hand rising from the sea.” “And soon the sky was black with clouds.  A heavy wind brought a terrific rainstorm…” (1Kings 18:44,45).

For us, even if we’re “over the hill,” God still comes through victoriously!  Thankfully, I only climbed up and down my hill, twice!  My suggestion is you should climb a hill for a mountaintop experience! It might leave you out of breath, but you’ll see God’s hand at work; especially when He tells you to go out and see what’s there.  In Him, you’re not over the hill because being on the hill with us, He strengthens us!

God Bless!
Sam

My brother and I spent many hours watching El Zorro while growing up. We’d spar with sticks, plastic swords, or anything that would work until one of us was down and out! Sometimes, we’d be cornered behind a couch, a chair, or a table.  Since we didn’t have stairs, we’d jump on our sofas and battle it out.  Our imaginations ran with us!

Several years ago, I learned about Errol Flynn. Watched him take on all sorts of villains in his action-packed movies.  Both he and Zorro, and The Three Musketeers would shout, “On Guard” as they drew their swords to fight off evil.  There was great action there!  And so, as kids we were all the better because we leaned into the world of make-believe.

God tells us the same words! “Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong” (1 Corinthians 16:13).

But don’t put away that sword just yet!  Because we’re admonished to: “Be on your guard and stay awake.  Your enemy, the devil, is like a roaring lion, sneaking around to find someone to attack.  But you must resist the devil and stay strong in your faith” (1Peter 5:8-9).  In other words, just as our sword-wielding friends scanned their surroundings, and made sure their footing was safe on solid ground, Jesus wants us to be aware of the evil around us knowing who the real enemy is (Satan, not a group of people) and to take action by wielding the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:17).

If we don’t have the word of God in our hearts and minds, we’re dead meat. It is imperative that we know His word, since He is the Word (John 1:1). Be ready for the enemy!

Finally, Proverbs 4:23 tells us, “Above all else, guard your heart; for everything you do flows from it.”

Knowing the word and having Jesus inside of us is like having bullets and a rifle but not knowing how to use them or when and why. From our heart flows every imaginable idea. We need to make sure everything within our heart lines up with God’s word and plans for us.

Therefore, “On guard!” Whether on stairs, sofas, beds, the floor, the ground, at work, at home, or church, be ready to corner the devil (in Jesus’ Name) and defeat him through Christ’s shed blood on Calvary!

God Bless!
Sam 

Let’s journey back to the early 60s when life was vastly different from today.  My mom is twenty years older than me, and my dad was 25 years older than her. My dad was business oriented.  He was super-serious looking, but very funny. He was quiet and preferred to be alone.  Mom, on the other hand, though very funny too, came from a talkative family.  She and her sisters could talk all the way between the Bronx and Brooklyn without a phone!  They were yap, yap, yap all the time.  By the way, my aunt’s two daughters are the same way as are my two daughters, though our girls are more reserved!

When her family visited ours, my dad wasn’t too keen on the visit.  They were the type that after knocking on the door and my mom went to greet them with outstretched arms, while her mom hugged her, the others ducked under and headed straight to the kitchen.  They raided it like locusts upon crops leaving practically nothing behind!  My aunt G., would go straight for the Ritz Crackers and shred them apart.  Back then, the crackers didn’t come wrapped in rolls inside a box; they just filled the boxes to the top.  She’d talk, eat, laugh, chew, listen, swallow, sing, eat, watch TV, chew, etc. with one hand in the box making sure not to miss a single crumb.

Mind you, Brooklyn apartments were tiny and our kitchen was tight. Forget those new TV shows where kitchens are measured as two or four-butt kitchens with an island, hutches, breakfast nooks, etc.  This was the 60s and our kitchen was probably the size of a breakfast nook and ideal for half-a-butt!  My grandma and two aunts would sit at the table like statutes carved into it!  And they were loud!!! My dad “smoked,” I mean, fumed where smoke made its way up his collar!

If watching TV, they were the type yelling, “OH, MY GOD!!!!! WHAT WAS THAT?? THAT’S UMM, UMM, WHAT’S HER NAME??? NO, THE OTHER ONE!  And they slapped you on the back and your popcorn and chips went flying-which they grabbed mid-air and chewed on.  And when they laughed, they fell to the floor rolling over. They added drama to any show or movie!

They were known for loving surprises too-the very thing my dad hated!  This one time when we opened the door, they said, “SURPRISE!! Guess what?!?” (you’re at the wrong house? We thought and hoped) “We brought you someone!!” Besides my grandma, two aunts, one with her two daughters, and two uncles, they’d brought my other aunt’s husband and two kids as well!  What was worse than getting all the aforementioned into the kitchen?  Carrying the little ones in there too!  That’s the reason my wife decided she can’t have a walk-in kitchen where you’re trapped and cornered if people go in.  We have two openings; one being an escape route.

If there was a face for disappointment, my dad had it!  Unfortunately, the family was clueless.  He once locked himself in his bedroom the entire time and my grandma asked mom, “Is it that he doesn’t feel well?”  They never suspected it was their mannerisms and cultural ways.  They were being normal…only theirs was a different world!

One Christmas, after everyone had left, I showed my dad a flat box found in his room.  He said to me, “If you want a tie, take it!” I said, “How do you know it’s a tie?! He said, “It’s what they always give me!”  Skeptically, I opened it and was very surprised to see he was right!  I kept it!

Ever been surprised? YEEZE, who hasn’t?! God’s never surprised by anything we say or do.  When we make it to heaven-all billions of us, He’s not going to go nuts. He’s anticipating not a visit, but a permanent stay!  He won’t go bananas; even if my family shows up-or yours!  Though, there might be restrictions!!! NAH!! Everything will be supervised and in order.  This time around, my dad and I will be the ones raiding the kitchen!  I look forward to Oreos, chocolate ice cream, Chips-ahoy, powder- covered jelly doughnuts, and some cakes!  “Oh stop, stop” I’ll say to the angels; stop offering and just leave it there!” Probably, best of all for my dad, kitchens will be larger and there’ll be no more ties to wear!

 If you’re unsaved, and your world collides with another’s, remember God’s Kingdom is waiting for you!  If you’re a child already, God’s Kingdom is within you (Luke 17:20).

“The Spirit and “the Bride say, “Come.”  And let the one who hears say, “Come.”  And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price” (Revelation 22:17).   

God’s knocking on the door of your heart! Answer it and let Him in!  He’s got a surprise for you: Eternal Life!  Meanwhile, I’ll be “waitin’ for ya” outside the kitchen!

God Bless!
Sam