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There are tons of beliefs out there.  People believe Jesus isn’t the Son of God.  Some teach He’s the devil’s brother, while others believe He was a good prophet or a good teacher, but nothing more.  We can believe what we want.  We can choose to believe the world is flat and that little green men live on the red planet-which has never made sense to me: green from red…

When we hold on to our belief system as far as salvation goes, it become a religion-a controlled set of ideals.  When we believe what God says, even when it’s against what others say, it’s called having a relationship with God.  Meaning, you’re checking in with Him on a daily basis through prayer, the reading of His Word, or through other means such as listening to inspired music/songs, teachings, etc.  So, what does matter?

If you figure, “We’re all gonna die, right?” So, what’s the beef?” Death is a serious part of it.  But it’s what happens before it, that counts.  You see, once dead, you can’t go back to fix anything or return by showing a stamp or code on your wrist.  Once you’ve entered eternity, you can’t return.

You can choose to believe the teaching that after you die, you’re going to purgatory and friends and family members will pay indulgences to bail you out.  But that’s nowhere in the Bible.  It just isn’t true.  Purging time is now!

God’s not going to judge you on whether you believe one team’s better than another.  Or, if you’ve always doubted mankind really set foot on the moon.  Only believing that Jesus is the Son of God, the very likeness of the Father; indeed, being God Himself in the flesh, is what’s going to get you into heaven.  You won’t be there because you prayed to certain saints, or because you gave to certain needs…not even because you helped others.  Certainly, not because you’re a good person.  “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9).

This crucial step will have you, “Go directly to Boardwalk,” so-to-speak.  You’ll skip the White Throne Judgment designated to judge all the unsaved; the liars, the murderers, the fornicators, effeminate, thieves, unbelievers, etc. and be cast into the lake of fire (Revelations 21:8) which is the second death; meaning no chance of ever getting near God’s goodness/presence.

So, holding on to what you believe, if it doesn’t include belief in Jesus as the Son of God, will do you more harm than good. Therefore, let’s change those beliefs and get you skipped to front of the line! What’s up front? you ask?  Eternal life with the Godhead (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) in the Goodness of God, and eternal joy in their presence.  There’ll be no pain, no sorrow, and, we’ll be forever young!

Bottom line: Make sure that what you believe, lines up with scripture.  It’s what really matters.

God bless,

Sam

Not the Dueling Banjos, and definitely, not the movie. Common sense means someone offering deliverance will come with bigger guns, larger equipment, superior power and overthrow the enemy.  And so, Israel imagined they’d be delivered from Roman rule through a military-type messiah.  Uprisals would take place here and there, and small groups of Zelotes would eventually overrun the oppressor.  The Romans would run home with their tails between their legs howling and barking in fright.

Had Jesus done that, it’d be a matter of time when Israel would be conquered again.  Why? Because they’re linked to God, and as long as they disobeyed Him, He’d turn them over to their enemies.  So, he sent them their long-awaited Messiah-on His terms.

Jesus ’goal was to show Israel, and the world that their oppression came from within.  Sin had lassoed itself within the heart of man.  And as long as we’re alive, we’re bound by it.  See, one can be jailed, even placed in isolation for decades, but as long as you’re free within, there are no bars that can bind you because the cords of steel are on the outside, while Jesus is working on the inside of your heart.  And so, Jesus continues to show us He’s our Deliverer-setting captives free from sin.

You can choose to listen to Deliverance from any music source, including an old, dusty boom-box, and still be bound by sin; or, you can turn your life over to the Deliverer and be free forever.  “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free” (Galatians 5:1).

God Bless!
Sam

For the last month we’ve been packing.  A week ago, we sent 98 well-packed large boxes to the states along with another 44 packaged pieces of furniture. Packing is a lot of work, and it reminds me of a funny story.

About 7 years ago, our coworker, Ms. B. and her husband, Mr. J. were packing to move.  In the midst of all the taping and packing, an old friend of theirs showed up.  The lady friend, asked Ms. B. “Will you be taking this?” “Yes,” she answered.” Then came a series of questions: “What about this?” “Oh, the wonderful paintings by so, so. Will you be taking those?” And, “What about that and this?” “Yep, you know it, and more ‘yeps” were the homeowner replies. 

Then, the lady took it a step further: “What about Mr. J.?”  “What are ya gonna do about him?” she asked. “Will you be leaving him?” she asked.  “What do you mean, what about Mr. J.?” (Friend): “Is he going?”  “Will he stay behind?” Ms. B.  then snapped, “Look at this lady! Isn’t she something?! Like, I’m gonna leave him around, for her to take?!  Of course, he’s going with me!” I guess Mr. J. ended up packed too!  Maybe, even labeled “Fragile!”

Almost sounds like Joseph and Mary packing up to head back home, but forgetting one most important thing: Jesus!  After three days they found Him in the temple with the teachers and doctors discussing scripture. Some people can’t believe the chosen couple could actually make mistakes, or that they could be flawed. This is why it’s important to read the scriptures for ourselves!  People have been following false teachings for centuries, yet, it’s right there! Mary and Joeph traveled on and left young Jesus behind. Everyone is susceptible to sin.  NEWS FLASH!  Only God is flawless!  No matter who we venerate, He’s the only perfect One.

Now, you don’t want to forget Jesus, no matter what you do.  I don’t mean you pack Him into your belongings.  NOPE!  Don’t do as the Israelites did on many occasions, packing their false gods each time they moved.  He’s not a figurine or a statue…He’s not a god.  He’s not even hanging on a cross. He’s not a saint.  He’s God incarnate.  He’s the Living God; hence, not on the cross. He rose from the dead! Don’t leave Him “Hanging.”

“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.  And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth” (John 1:1, 2, 14).

“But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should  shine on them” (2 Corinthians 4:3, 4).

Whether you’re packing or unpacking, Jesus should be at the center of all you do; unpacked and visible for all to see.

God Bless!
Sam

Throughout my high school years, I always thought it was obnoxious for guys to get stoned.  Worse, some pretended to be stoned and acted out the part.  They all wanted attention.  Most everyone thought it was cool.

The word, stone, had a different meaning in Jesus’ time, as it does today in some Arab countries. People accused of serious crimes, primarily women, get stoned to death.  Jesus Himself escaped on several occasions getting stoned by mobs of religious folk for His message from God which didn’t sit well with their teachings.  Did you know Jesus was once stoned? Not the way it sounds!

But for envy, they accused Him of blasphemy, and other trumped-up charges, and handed Him over (Matthew 27:18).  All lies. He was apprehended, scourged, stripped bare, paraded before all, crucified, and silenced, forever…so they thought!

He was taken down from the cross and buried.  He was stoned-in a tomb with a huge stone at the entrance and guarded by soldiers.

 But no one can silence God! As He had prophesied, “He shall rise the third day” (Mark 9:31b). He arose to victory having silenced death and the underworld.  His tomb remains empty since that third day. The stone was rolled away by an angel and only His outer garments remained.  He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father and in communion with the Holy Spirit, as they have always been, even before time began: “And now, Father, glorify Me in Your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began” (John 17:5).

Happy Resurrection Sunday!
Sam

Many of us have heard stories about babies that were switched at birth.  My family had suspicions on a neighbor whose child was completely unlike its parents or siblings in there being no resemblance at all.  Mom always thought the baby was switched at the hospital.

And then there are movies about similar happenings throughout the country.  But what about switched at death? How does that work?  Interested?  

You and I are sinners by nature-all were born into sin and are prone to sin. God is holy-existing outside of sin.  In order to bring us back in communion with Him he took the form of man-became one of us (Jesus). At His death, our sins were transferred to Him (He became sin), and His righteousness was imputed to us (we received His holiness).  Meaning? We are declared righteous by God’s grace through faith in Him.  He did it all, we didn’t.  It’s based on His merits, not ours; His righteousness, not ours, since we don’t have any.

At His death, the sins and unrighteousness we had, were switched to Him. His righteousness, was switched to us.  He died that we might live. He became guilty that we might be declared guiltless. Jesus became cursed that the curse we carried might be removed.  “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us-for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree” (Galatians 3:13).

Wouldn’t you rather switch with Jesus than face God on your own merits?  Ready to be swapped? Why?  Because, as Linda Ronstadt sang, “You’re no Good, you’re no good, you’re no good, baby, you’re no good-I’ll say it again…”  

There’s no good in us! “None is righteous, no not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one” (Romans 3:10-12).

Switching with Jesus is the only thing anyone can do to get to heaven. 

Do you think most of the people randomly killed in recent weeks in various states knew their time would be up that day, or the next?  Do you think each was ready to meet God?  Unfortunately, most weren’t.  Most never get a chance to get right with God. Why? Satan wants us all to think we have our lives before us-indefinitely. We don’t.

Is there anything better than being declared righteous by God Himself?

“For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” Colossians 1:13-14).

Do the Switch-a-Roo today!

Happy Easter!
Sam

Jesus came to this world with one purpose: To seek and save that which was lost (Luke 19:10).  His goal was to fulfill the Father’s will.  He made sure to follow through with God’s plan. Every road, every path, was paved with hardship, yet He healed, cast out demons, fed the masses, listened to the weary, spoke to the outcasts, and went to the cross, as was expected of Him to fulfill the divine plan of salvation.

We too have a plan set before us by God.  We don’t all know it.  Of those who do, we sometimes take our eyes off the goal.  We become easily sidetracked.

As Jesus, the King of the Universe stood before Pilate and the Roman soldiers, He was mocked with questions like, “who spit you, who slapped you? Tell us, which of us yanked out the beard?  “Mock, Mock” jokes.  He was ridiculed.  Prophesy Now!! They probably said. And, Who’s there?  Who is this Jesus?  Call angels or your followers to save you!  Where’s the great king?

As He was led to Golgotha, the Place of the Skull, He climbed the steep road paved with cobblestone, lose bricks, and the stories of men who trudged there in the past.  That road, is the one we walk on as we serve Him daily carrying our cross.  It’s lined with difficulty; steeped with our stories of suffering, guilt, and shame. That’s why He understands us: He walked it before.

We sometimes want to quit life because we can’t bear the shame. Suicides are mostly due to that. We reap unexpected crops. But think of Him! Think of His shame!  In movies, books, and on TV He’s covered with a loin cloth.  But not so in reality.  He was stripped bare.  He was disfigured more than any other man. His resemblance was of an unhuman; He was unrecognizable (Isaiah 52:14). “Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him” (Isaiah 53:10). * Read all of Isaiah 52 and 53 for clarity of prophecy.

Death was horrendous.  It wasn’t beautiful. It wasn’t pleasant. Yet, He chose to die that way to show us that if He could bare shame, humiliation, and unbearable embarrassment, before all humanity, then we could face each arduous step we take on to the road to death, which leads us to the cross. It’s a scary and lonely road where the enemy and his hosts of demons try to trip us. Satan’s hordes attempt to deceive us, and the crowds mock us desiring to squish us like fine powder. But look ahead-Jesus goes before us!  We’re not alone!  He knows the way, because He is the Way (John 14:6)!

Hosanna!
Sam

Last words can be some of the hardest to listen to.  They can be heartbreaking words. Like when a loved one says their goodbyes and walks out the door; or when a loved one on a dying-bed strains to whisper an “I love you forever.” We hang on to every word. Generally, we tend to dislike last words that are disheartening. Unfortunately, they come.

The disciples hung out with Jesus for three years. He ministered to them teaching them the Word.  Being the Word (John 1:1,14), He made sure they understood what the religious leaders didn’t.  One day, He gave them His last words. He told them He would be leaving and would return again.  Of course, they didn’t understand Him, and were sad.

 No one could understand someone telling you, “I’m going to die and will take up my life again and will return,” (John 19:17)when such a thing had never before happened.  Shock and disbelief filled His follower’s hearts when He was apprehended. Their  seemingly unstoppable Master was now in enemy hands.  They couldn’t comprehend why a teacher of peace and righteousness was getting tortured and crucified.  Heartbroken, scared, and fearful for their lives, they would hang on to His last words for as long as they could.  Thankfully, The Holy Spirit comforted them and guided them to understand all things.  He gave them courage to go on.

On occasions, last words can be the ones we need, the ones that grab ahold of the seats of our pants and lift us up. The ones that encourage us and bring us hope.  Jesus’ last words were meant to encourage His followers; and He did.  But He also shared other last words to us, His body, the church, to make sure we knew He didn’t abandon us.  He spoke to give us insight of things to come.  He wants us ready for His soon return!  He’s on the horizon!  Read them:

“And, behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work” (Rev. 22:12).

Be Ready!
Sam

About four years ago I read about a man who won a million bucks in the lottery.  Not wanting to go public, he hired his cousin to pick up the check for him for an agreed sum of $50k.  She went out of her way to get him the money.  Actually, to not get him the money.  She mailed in the ticket to claim $537k, and gave him over $13k saying he only won $20K. She produced phony documents to prove her allegations. After suing her, he recouped almost $318K, and she won a grand house-behind bars! 

There are all kinds of stories of liars, cheaters, and con men going the extra two-miles (inflation) to scam, steal, & cheat others.

How far will Jesus go to show you He loves you?  When with His disciples on the night just before being betrayed by Judas, Jesus showed them His greatness.  Did He stop the sun?  Did He command legions of angels to stand by His side? No, instead, He stooped low before them all removing His outer garments, and with a towel, performed the humbling task of washing and drying their feet (John 13:14).

A far cry from those whose words are: “Do y’all even know who I is??  And from those with big heads who pat themselves for their “greatness.”  Jesus, humble and meek, goes to the ends of the earth to get the lost. Being 100% innocent, He went to the cross voluntarily out of love for you. It wasn’t the soldiers or Judas or the crowds, or the scourging that took Him to the cross, nor the nails that kept Him there. It was YOU on His mind all the time.  He whispered your name over & over thinking, “I can’t let (put your name here) go to hell. I’m laying My life for him/her.

He even went down to the center of the earth to get His own. NO matter how far you will go running away, He still loves you, and, like the Jackson 5, He wants you back. Come to Him today.

Hosanna!
Sam

I love the song, The Long and Winding Road by John Lennon & Paul McCartney.  Check out the lyrics:

“…The Long and Winding Road

That leads me to your door,

will never disappear, 

I’ve seen that road before,

It always leads me here,

Lead me to your door.

We all reach a point in our lives where we want to know what we will become when we get older.  Some of us might know what our futures will look like, while others will not for a long time.  Some people will go to the ends of the world in pursuit of their dreams and life’s goals. Parents, teachers, friends, and sometimes leaders will back us up or even make a way for us to achieve those goals.  Following our heart’s desires can be a great thing-well, sometimes, and depending on how.                       

  Jesus said, “Whosoever will save his life, will lose it, but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, will find it” (Matthew 16:2).

Have you seen that road?  It’s always there, but maybe you’ve missed it or perhaps you’ve ignored it.

As one of my ESL (English as A Second Language) students once said to me, “Meester, explication, por favation; no entendation!!” She mixed both Spanish and English to ask me to explain something she didn’t understand!

Do you, “Comprende?”  Do you understand how to find your way to God?  Check it out: The wide road, usually paved (the easy life, selfish life, prosperous life), leads to destruction. But the narrow road (hardship, suffering, where everything goes wrong) is usually the rocky one-the dark and hidden path that leads to Jesus, the Door.  AHHH! Still don’t get it?

God wants us all to seek Him and His plans for our lives.  When that is done, everything we do will please Him, and if done with the right heart and attitude, it will bring Him glory (that’s losing our lives).  However, when we strive for what we want, and we disregard His ways, we are going about it wrongly.  Doing our will means saving our lives.  At the end of it all, we do not want to miss eternity with Him.  Better to lose our lives, but save our souls. (Watch video Lose My Soul by Tobymac on YouTube).

Losing our lives for His sake, (forsake all to follow Him), means, we live only for Him, that’s when we will find our lives.

Your experiences always lead you to the door…

Does that mean we can’t have dreams of becoming whatever?? On the contrary, God will use whatever we do or whatever we are for His glory. But if we disregard Him for our pleasures and desires, we’ve lost it, baby.

We can stand in front of the Door, but it’s not until we enter through IT (Him), that changes take place. Millions of people have taken the long and winding road.  They have wound the winding turns.  Up and down, they’ve traveled.  Many are satisfied with only standing before the Door, but are afraid to enter.

Jesus has paved the road for us.  On His way to Calvary, He stumbled, fell, got up, was helped, but pushed on carrying His cross which was really yours and mine. He walked the path that led to His death, that we might find life there. 

“Then said Jesus unto them again, Truly, truly, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep” (John10:7).                                                                          The way to the Door is on the winding road through the narrow gate.

“Enter through the narrow gate.  For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.  But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only few find it” (Matthew 7:13-14). 

“I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.  They will come in and go out, and find pasture” (John 10:9).

You’re invited to walk His path: Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross, and follow Me” (Matthew 16:24).

Hosanna!

Sam

In 1973, well-known group, MFSB, debuted their hit titled above. Nice piece with lots of sax and instrumentation.  Love is a message we want to get out, and so, each year we celebrate Valentine’s Day.  On this well-recognized day, people hand out hearts filled with chocolates to loved ones.  Sometimes, flowers, perfumes, and romantic dinners accompany them.  The hearts relay the message, “I Love You.”  Everyone loves to be loved.  But that isn’t the only day love is displayed.

On Jesus’ last week on earth, holy week, He gave His disciples and the world a Valentine’s heart.  Not of chocolates, but of love. He poured out His heart to them.  He pointed them to the Father.  He hand-delivered God’s heart.  For 33 years, Jesus delivered in person this message, “I love you and I want you in my kingdom.”

The religious leaders missed this because they were caught up in all the little nuances and technicalities of the law. Their blindness disallowed God to reveal Himself, though living among them. They disbelieved the Omnipotent and Omniscient God could have a Son. They sought to limit His power through their limited understandings. God is limitless, and they lost out.

In the same boat? Arguing God can’t have a Son?  Deceived, claiming Jesus is an angel or the brother of Satan, or merely a prophet?  Read the scriptures. We’re commanded to live by faith (Hebrews 10:38).

Upon delivering God’s heart to the world, the only flowers He received in return, were probably at His burial. The world’s reciprocated love came in the form of hatred.  They beat Him, stripped Him, crowned Him with thorns in mockery, and nailed His frail, exhausted and bloodied body to the cross as “King of the Jews.”

That was the world’s response to love and the degree of their romance.  His sacrifice on the cross and shed blood was the perfume of love; a love that cannot be quenched. “Many waters cannot quench love” (Song of Solomon 8:7).

Over the centuries, His perfume continues to draw mankind to the cross where filthy, hate, and ugliness abound.  But it’s there that we find beauty and love.  It’s where God’s outstretched arms, reveal His heart to the world. Though His body was broken, His heart filled with joy at accomplishing what He set out to do: “That is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses unto them” (2Corinthians 5:19).

In tears, whisper to God’s heart right now, “I love you God, and I thank you for enduring the punishment my sins brought upon you.  Thank you for nailing them to the cross. Here, I meet you with open heart accepting your sacrifice and love for me. Sorry for the pain I’ve caused you; thank you for loving me unconditionally. Thank you for your heart, Amen.”

Welcome into God’s family! Welcome into His everlasting kingdom!

“I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off my hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting” (Isaiah 50:6).

Having canceled the debt ascribed to us in the decrees that stood against us, He took it away, nailing it to the cross (Colossians 2:14)!

Hosanna!
Sam