Growing up, we had Alex & Miguel on the block. They had about 5-6 younger siblings with Alex being the oldest. He was funny while Miguel, though a good kid, was plain crazy. One day around 1973, we came into possession of a large cardboard box, probably from a stove. Miguel came up with the great idea of stepping inside while we’d throw sticks and metal pipes at it, like on a magic show. He thought they’d pass right by his face, over his head, etc. “Get out, stupid!” Alex told him. Miguel was about 13 then and didn’t see anything wrong with his idea! Was he kidding?
When God tells us to do things or not to, He’s not kidding. We might not be serious, but He is. We might make plans, or might even foresee results down-the-road, but God sees the entire picture from start to finish (as if viewed from above). Besides, He has a plan for everything, and He doesn’t have to share it with us.
When God expects us to carry out something and we don’t, He tells us that “rebellion is as the sin of Witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry” (1Samuel 15:23).
Some people see God’s word or commandments as suggestions. Take Moses, He led God’s people out of Egypt where God performed great miracles in the midst of the Egyptians. They saw firsthand God at work. Only He could cause it to be pitch-dark in Egypt and daytime on the side for the Hebrews. God brought judgement and pestilence upon the Egyptians by the hand of Moses. Moses led Israel through the Red Sea, and into the wilderness throughout forty years. Yet, he wasn’t allowed into the Promised Land after all he had gone through. For starters, he was 80 when he began!
Why didn’t he enter? Because he disobeyed God’s voice. When the people asked for water, God told Moses to strike the rock before him, which he did, and out came water. Later, a second time, God again told him to speak to the rock but Moses instead told the people: “Hear now, ye rebels; must we bring water out of this rock for you?” (Numbers 20:10). He made it sound like he would be the one doing the miracles. Then, instead of speaking to it, he struck it, not once, but twice. If you didn’t know, Moses was considered by God Himself as the meekest man on earth, yet he lost his cool. Speak, hit, what’s the big deal? It so happens that many things in scripture are symbolic.
“And Moses lifted up his hand and with his rod smote the rock twice and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also. And the LORD (Yahweh) spoke unto Moses and Aaron, because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore, you shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them” (Numbers 20:11, 12). Moses was supposed to trust God to bring forth water. He didn’t. Plus, he didn’t speak to the rock, but struck it, and, he struck it twice. Since the Rock was Christ (1Corinthians 10:4), and he would be ‘wounded’ (Isaiah 53:5) once, striking Him twice meant Christ was being crucified twice, something which would not happen.
Jesus doesn’t get crucified every year and resurrected each Easter. The holiday is a commemoration. “But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right of God” (Hebrew10:12).
So, are you serious? Yep, God says what He means, and means what He says. Take Him at His Word.
God Bless,
Sam
God’s Wisdom
Entering our time machine, we can go back several thousand years and visit the richest man ever, King Solomon, who also was the wisest man that ever lived. “He was wiser than all men; than Ethan the Ezra-hite, He-man, and Chal-col, and Darda, the sons of Mahol: and his fame was in all nations around. He…spoke 3,000 proverbs, and his songs were 1005” (1Kings 4:29-34). He had…horses, etc. He could solve riddles, mysteries, and issues plaguing his people
Fast-forwarding several centuries, we can make a stop at Jesus’ neighborhood and catch Him walking amongst man. When He walked the earth, He had lots of issues with the so-called religious leaders of the day. Simply because they had learned God’s rules and commandments one particular way, and considered every other way wrong. Nothing could get them to interpret things differently.
On a particular day, He said to them, Behold, one greater than Solomon is here. For all of King Solomon’s worth, Jesus was even greater. In so many words, Jesus was telling the people that they needed to move on. Had they truly understood the scriptures they were claiming to uphold and follow, they would have recognized Him as the One the prophets of old had been waiting for.
Getting back to our time machine, we can travel to the first day of creation! If you contemplate God’s creation, you’ll notice He didn’t just create things into being, He made each with a divine purpose and abilities. Each possesses tremendous skills and/or qualities for a unique model. Wisdom is evident in all of God’s magnificent creation.
I once read that a Scientist challenged God saying he too was highly capable of creating human life. Off they went to gather their supplies. As God reached for His pile of dirt, the scientist took the opportunity to ask Him for some. God told him, “Go make your own dirt!” The scientist couldn’t use existing dirt to make a man, he first had to create dirt.
“By faith we understand that the things we see were created by things we don’t see” (Hebrews 11:3).
God didn’t use what was already lying around to make things. No, He created all things out of nothing.God Bless,
Sam
This World
On the outside of our world, everything looks dandy. Some folks have plenty of clothing, some people have fancy homes, good-paying jobs, and maybe the latest gadgets. However, a reality lurks beneath. The true state of our world is darkness. There’s homelessness, sickness, disease, hunger, injustice, and depravity. Along with that, there are a few celebrities promoting their successes, waving their wealth in the faces of the poor and dying. There are rich politicians enriching themselves with other’s money; and on it goes. But real success doesn’t come from obtaining multiple millions in one’s bank accounts. Rich, poor, and the middle-class commit suicide just like others all the same. The real issue is a spiritual one. The song, This World by Caedmon’s Call, shares deep, pensive truths. Observe: “This world has nothing for me, and this world has everything. All that I could want, and nothing that I need.”
The world offers nothing, except everything. It offers all I want but nothing I really need. There’s a deep, deep deception in this world and it’s enveloping millions of people. Referencing the birth of Christ, scripture tells us, “The people walking in darkness, have seen a great light” (Isaiah 9:2). That light came to intervene in the affairs of men, as well as to reveal its level of darkness. It showed us how depraved we were without a savior.
Yet we continue in those same conditions today. The darkness surrounds us. The difference now is that there’s hope. Jesus’ birth is like that light-switch that Mulder and Scully (X-Files) always failed to find in each room they walked into. We can invite the Light into our lives; He lives among us. He came to give us hope, and to show us where the switch is, if you will. We can leave the darkness. “…the god of this world has 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 unto them” (2Corinthians 4:4). He doesn’t want them saved. People will ask, “Yeah, but having all that money can’t be all bad, right?” That can be answered with other questions such as: “How many of those rich people (primarily talk-show hosts and celebrities) promote Jesus above all else? Do they promote humility? How many deny publicity? How many promote handing out millions to help their local communities?” Jesus said: “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, brothers, or relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous” (Luke 14:12 NIV). See, saying they’re good people, or religious, or a lover of God, doesn’t mean anything. It’s having a relationship with Him. It’s promoting His agenda in their lives that identifies them with salvation.
So, what’s wrong with rich or well-off friends inviting you back? God wants us to do things without sounding a trumpet. He doesn’t want us saying, “You see all those people there? I put them where they are today.” People will then applaud us and that gives us our nice pat on the back. God wants to be the one rewarding us for the things we do without calling attention to ourselves. This world has recently sunk into more depravity than ever before. The forces of darkness are enveloping people to the point they can’t even imagine, much less see that there’s a light-switch in their midst. Where there is hurt, abuse, lying, depression, sickness, drugs, and hopelessness, darkness practically swallows people because there seems to be no way out. Jesus gave people hope. “I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD (Yahweh) in the land of the living” (Psalm 27:13). When Jesus the Light-giver, established Himself in the world, He kept the powers of darkness at bay. At the cross, and resurrection, He defeated the king of darkness. He defeated sin. He defeated Death. You can overcome darkness in your life. God is a giver of hope. He’s the Light of the world (John 9:5). He’s here to change your life, your circumstances. Give Him not your poverty, your sickness, nor your riches; give Him your entire life. Lay your life before Him.
When He came, He told Saul (Christian persecutor) that He came: “To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God, that they might receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me” [Jesus] (Acts 26:18).
God Bless,
Sam
UNMASKED
This weekend those participating in Halloween celebration, Hallelujah party, or some other costume-related event, will probably wear a mask or disguise of some sort. When done correctly, few can unmask (reveal) the characters. Many of the secular type events originally began innocently enough. No doubt, over time, things have changed. Back in 1965, mom took us to Woolworth to get us some costumes. She wasn’t particularly happy at the ridiculous price she had to pay for a small 6x6x1” box she bought Nels. It was a cute cat with a big grin. The small box costs 59 cents! It probably made mom howl and Nels smile! Who would’ve thought how expensive things were back in those days?! Nels did enjoy that cat disguise for many years. Many of us enjoyed dressing up. Of course, things were a bit more innocent 57 years ago! In the story of King Saul in the Bible, while he didn’t celebrate Halloween, he did desire to visit a witch. He contacted the underworld to see what his future held. The king knew that it was wrong to go to a fortune teller or a witch, in fact, he decreed that no one should visit them; yet he disguised himself and sought one out. He asked for the prophet Samuel to be contacted, since God had shut His ear to him. Samuel was displeased with being summoned, but did tell Saul what his future held: “Tomorrow, you and your sons will be with me” (1Samuel 28:19). In other words, since God had already taken the kingdom of Israel away from Saul due to his disobedience, and Samuel had already prophesied it to him, further disobedience was not going to make things better. In fact, he made them worse. The witch and Samuel were able to see through his disguise, and, God who knows everything, allowed Saul and his three sons to be killed the very next day, just as Samuel had told him. So, celebrating Halloween might not get you killed…and wearing a disguise might not get you a one-way ticket to the underworld, but one thing is true: The ruler of the underworld delights when people celebrate his activities. Doing so, invites him in. He doesn’t know how to play innocently; he’s evil and knows that sin escalates. Given a foothold, he’ll push the door wide-open. Darkness knows no light. Satan knows his days are short and he seeks to gather as many souls as he can (Revelations 12:12b). Let him keep the darkness. Better yet, unmask his evil deeds: “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them…But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light:” (Ephesians 5:11,13). Let’s celebrate light.
“What communion has light with darkness” (2Corinthians 6:14b)? “You are children of light, and the children of the day; we are not of the night nor of darkness” (1Thessalonians 5:5).
God Bless,
Sam
WORDS
Do you recall being summoned to the principal’s office back in the day, or to the dean’s to be spoken to or disciplined? Can you picture yourself there? “So, Sam, I hear…” And you’re “stuttering, – “Uh-hama, hama, hama, it’s a bea-u-ti-ful d-day (as the pouring rain sweeps the streets and you’re glancing at the lifeless trees bare of all leaves).” Not a good experience! Often my best friend Gil’s dad would tell him to get inside. The dad was generally very serious. One thing he was known for was his dungarees. They were cuffed at the bottom 2-3 times, wore suspenders with his belly rising between them. He walked a bit bowlegged kicking each leg outward, and he chewed gum like crazy. On this particular day, must’ve been 1973, we were standing right in front of Gil’s first-floor window when Georgie called Gil to come outside. His dad answered roughly from inside. At that point, Georgie, with his back to the window decided to mock the dad! He bent over slightly, rolled up his pants, stood up ready to put his thumbs behind his make-believe suspenders, that’s when Gil’s dad stuck his head out the window! Spreading his arms apart, he rested them on the sill and stared at Georgie…We, stood there with our mouths wide open as flies zipped in and out and danced around us going in through our nostrils and exiting through our mouths!
Our eyes were fixed beyond Georgie. As he slowly stood up mumbling, imitating Mr. Gil, noticing the flies and our motionless bodies, he whispered, “He’s there, isn’t he?” Our heads went up & down. With his hands still around his “suspenders,” Georgie whistled lowly, made a half-turn to confirm Mr. Gil’s presence, and then ZOOMED to the left towards his building’s stoop! BUSTED!! It was hilarious! We told him he shouldn’t have done that-at least not there where he could be seen! Our sound advice guaranteed he’d never get caught again! Now imagine being busted by God for saying or doing something… “And Miriam and Aaron, (Moses’ sister and brother) spoke against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married…and they said, has the LORD indeed spoken only by Moses? Has he not spoken also by us? And the LORD heard it.” In a nutshell, they complained about Moses’ decision and questioned whether he was truly chosen by God to speak to them. “And the LORD spoke suddenly to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, Come out you three to the tabernacle of the congregation. (The tabernacle was a portable temple; a tent where God dwelt and met with His people.) “His anger was kindled against them and turned Miriam white as snow-a leper” (Numbers 12). I’d say the ‘Principal’ called them to His office!
Where it was once shameful and a disrespect to speak against another person, especially a leader, we now have platforms, social media, talk-shows, etc. where people feel empowered to freely express their minds and views-all without fear of consequences. God, however, isn’t bound by the rules of social media. His ways and His Word are above everything. Be assured that He will hold us accountable for every word we speak. We may escape a principal’s disciplinary actions and may even get away with imitating a friend’s father, but we will not escape the heavenly Father. “But I tell you that men will give an account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words, you will be acquitted and by your words you will be condemned” (Matthew 12:36,37 Berean Study Bible). God will allow you a ‘platform,’ the stage where He will judge you. If you’re not saved, you have God’s guarantee that you’ll be there. You will be allowed to say all you want in your defense, because God is Just and He will grant you the floor, however, the end result will be the same: eternal separation from Him. In other words, He’ll allow the unsaved to defend themselves or to share “their side of the story” but they will not save themselves. They will have missed the mark-by a thousand years… Let’s stay out of the principal’s office, watch our words, and spend time with God’s Holy Word rather than with ours.
God Bless!
Sam
Old Days, Old Ways
When we watch old westerns, we notice there was a distinct way of doing things. For starters, running water wasn’t always available. Combined with a belief that one shouldn’t shower often, and you had non-rosy-smelling citizens. People had a unique look. Men were often bearded, dirty, and ugly followed by well-dressed, clean-cut guys with mustaches. Women, well, they had their fluffy dresses and wore bonnets of sorts. Men had a swagger in their walk. Probably from the weight of their holsters and them funny-looking, high-heeled boots. There were banks, a general store, and saloons.
In today’s world, we have our ways too. We have our ways of dressing, our behavioral ways, and of course, our unique walk. Growing up, we played around with our walking styles. Ray placed his left hand at waist-height in front of his buckle. He’d sway a bit left to right as his right hand slightly moved back and forth. We jitter-bopped, especially when we saw the girls from the block. Now and then we rubbed our nose and slightly bopped our head up once or twice as in saying, “Yo, what’s up?” and letting others know we were up to par. We walked like the rabbits in Peter Rabbit on their way to get even with Mr. McGregor. We made sure our hair was nicely combed, and we acted cool! We had our special handshakes and made sure we got noticed!
One day when I returned to NY for a visit, back in 2003, I was walking down an old neighborhood. In fact, it was where we played lots of basketball with “Ray the Best.” As I neared the corner, someone ran up behind me, placed his hands on my shoulders and leaped in front of me. It was Ray! I asked him how he knew it was me. He said, “It’s the walk, Sam, it’s the walk!” Just by that he identified me after my being gone for 8 years. Back in 2017, after hurricane Maria, I was working at the local high school. I was on the second floor just nearing the library, and going out of view from those below. I was walking with my knapsack on my back. I must’ve been jitter-bopping- my casual sway, cause suddenly the Principal below was yelling at me to “Get down here at once!” “No ones’ allowed upstairs!” The Assistant Principal asked him where the student was and when he pointed to me, she told him I was one of theirs! He said, “Well, I didn’t know, and with that left-to-right movement, I was sure he was a student carrying a knapsack.”
Yep, People can tell who we are by our walk! How are you walking these days? I’m not referring to your swagger, your sway, your jitter-bopping, or even your limp. Does your walk include the same crowds from back in the day? I;m not saying you have to dump your buddies, but are you walking the same old paths, doing the same old things that got you in trouble? Are your ways clean? Are you living according to your old days? Do people say, “Yep, that’s him/her all right. Same old, same old?” There’s a Spanish idiom that translates to, “Tell me who you walk with, and I’ll tell you who you are.”
God doesn’t care if we bop, swagger, walk stiffly with our hands at our sides, or if we rub our nose when we walk. It’s how we behave/act before Him that matters. The book of Ephesians 5:15, 16 says, “See then that you walk circumspectly not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time because the days are evil.”
Furthermore, we are “read” every day. The Apostle Paul said, “We’re open letters” (2Corinthians 3:2) allowing others to read our ways, customs, and our dealings. As someone once said, “You’re probably the only Bible some people will ever read.” One Bible character had a unique walk: “Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him” (Gen. 5:24). In his daily walks, Enoch preferred to walk closely with God. He skipped death as God took him (alive) to heaven. Our walk has to honor Him at all times. Heaven awaits us. God will call us there soon whether through death or the rapture, we’ll soon be walking, swaying, or bopping beside Him forevermore-and we won’t have to impress anyone. God Bless, Sam
Sweet Guilt, Sour Results
You’re making your way home and with each step, your excitement grows. You’re thinking about that desert you recently bought and stashed away deep in the fridge. “Just a few more steps and I’ll be there,” you’re thinking. You turn the key, enter, you bypass your three little ones (not a good idea), kiss your wife on her forehead, and head straight for the fridge. “Whaaaaaaatt?” shoots forth from your mouth as you gasp for air in unbelief! They’re gone!! Everything, gone!! You round up your crew into the living room. You don’t call your wife in cause she’s not a suspect (though, she might just be the unsuspecting culprit).
Each kid has an alibi, though their faces prove otherwise. “It ain’t me” they say. You stand there shaking your head in disbelief as you observe guilt, not to mention chocolate, yogurt, and other goodies spread around their mouths. Yet, they’re claiming innocence. You head back to the store for more. When God questioned the first couple created, they immediately pointed fingers. “The woman that you gave me, gave to me and I ate,” said Adam. When she was questioned, she said, “The snake tricked me, and I did eat” (Gen. 3:12,13). They were punished by God. Truth of the matter is Eve knew it was wrong, but she chose to disobey God. Equally true is that Adam was next to his wife when she ate and gave him, so he was without excuse (Gen.3:6). And so, finger-pointing continues to date. When I taught in NY it was not uncommon for teachers’ lunches to disappear from the Teachers’ lounge fridge. People would get so upset! One day, I caught the culprit, or at least, a culprit. Ms. B. opened the fridge and practically ransacked it looking for something to eat! I asked her if she had misplaced her lunch. She said she hadn’t but wasn’t happy at not finding anything worth eating there… Daily, from God’s point of view, we, His children, have chocolate all over our mouths. Its sweetness is appealing. We’re guilty before Him, not because we ate something, but because we have sin written all over our faces-and nothing we do rids it. Even if we wear a mask or try to hide our ways, we can’t! “Nothing in all creation is hid from God’s sight” (Hebrews 4:13).
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). We’re born into it and the only way to undo its sour results, is through accepting His sacrifice for us; He took our sins upon Him. “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds we are healed (1Peter2:24). “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2Corinthians 5:21). The only way we can stand before Him sinless, is by accepting that sacrifice. Think of it as God replacing your desserts and closing the fridge. He declares you whole. How sweet it is! You’re thrilled. As His kid, you can wipe your mouth clean of all evidences of guilt and the sour results. You’re forgiven. (Wives too). Treats on the house!!
God Bless,
Sam
Packed Bags
Back around 1970, on our block, we began hearing Peter, Paul, & Mary’s Leaving on a Jet Plane. We liked that song a lot, though decades later I would learn that it was actually written by John Denver. Our friend Gil used to do a mime about the song whenever it came on the radio. He’d pretend he’d open a suitcase, pack it, shut it, then stash it under his left arm and swing his right forearm like a coupling rod moving the wheels on a locomotive as he pretended to walk away. On very windy, and sometimes rainy nights, he’d pull out the attached hat on his windbreaker, put it on, and tie it. He’d then pull the jacket up, slipping the hat upwards above his head so it would appear that his head was hollow. As he mimed the song, the wind would sweep his ‘head’ all over the place and we’d die laughing at his antics! Packing suitcases comes naturally to some people and not to others. Prior to the pandemic, family members made fun of a sister-in-law of ours. Since her husband died in 2017, she was now traveling everywhere she could every chance she had. We joked that she never unpacked; always ready for the next journey. Back in 1977, I remember the song & lyrics to Diana Ross’ song, Theme from Mahogany. The first few lines say: Do you know where you’re going to? Do you like the things that life is showing you? Where are you going to? Do you know? That particular song played over and over on the radio and in my head as I was going through a real tough situation. I didn’t like where I was going. I didn’t like where I was. I didn’t like what life was showing me. It was the darkest time of my life and it seemed there was no way out. At times, I didn’t want a way out. I wanted life to go back to how it had been. I didn’t like my-then situation at all. It was a time of confusion, a time of tears, and a time of many questions. I learned that life can show us some very ugly things. It can take us through some dark, rainy alleys. It can cause us to mime life rather than to live it. When the winds of change strike hard, our heads can be floating around tossed about as if disconnected from our bodies. Sometimes, we just want to pack life for good. We’re done with life. We want to unpack and never bother with anything or anyone-ever again. But God is there waiting. His thumb is raised. He wants to hitch a ride with you. Look for Him. He’s there and here, and at every corner and every turn. Don’t miss Him. He knows all about you and He knows where you’re at at every moment of your life. he knows what you’re going through. Maybe you’re in the group that doesn’t like packing. They don’t like moving. They don’t like changing anything. They just ‘wanna be.’ However, they might be at dangerous crossroads in their lives. Gil didn’t mime for his benefit, he did it for ours! He knew we were there. We were his audience. He knew we enjoyed the antics! Likewise, God is there with you! He waits patiently in the shadows, in the dark alleys of our lives. He waits for us to call out to Him. He’s ever-ready to save us, but needs to hear us ask for His help, for His direction. So, do you know where you’re headed? You can’t go to the nearest gas station or food-mart to get a map for your life. Packed or unpacked, God knows where you should go. He knows where you need to be this very moment. Seek Him. Ask Him. Raise your thumb and hitch a ride. We’re told in Proverbs 3:5,6 “Trust in the LORD with all your heart; and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct your paths.” Faster than a jet plane, we’ll be ‘outta’ here when He calls us home. No suitcases needed.
God Bless!
Sam
Batman and God
For those of you growing up in the mid-sixties, you know the tensions that were related to the popular TV series, Batman & Robin. Weekly, we held our breaths anxiously awaiting the next Tuesday or Thursday night to see if Batman lived to see the new week, or wondering whether the duo might be able to escape the clever claws of the enemy. My brother and I had discussions on how they might make their getaway. We thought of ways we might be able to help them, if possible. “Holy Ka-pow, Batman!” Robin would say, eagerly and screechy as Minute Mouse in pursuit to rescue Poly-Pure Bread. The “Holy” words flowed rather easily from Robin’s lips because he used them spontaneously each time he forgot his lines. Soon an entire generation of American kids were spewing all kinds of “Holy” phrases; some good, some not. It was a sign of the times. There’s another ambiance in which “Holy” is, not sporadically, but incessantly used. It’s not by a dynamic duo, but for the awesome Holy Trinity. Holiness here, is not related to earthly slips-of-the-tongue or Freudian slips. Nor is it a substitute for forgetting one’s lines, though, be assured that once in His presence, you will forget your words, or rather, you’ll fall short of finding words to describe Him. God is described as Holy, Holy, Holy (thrice holy), because there are no words that befit the Holy Trinity. God isn’t into crime-fighting, but He is into rescuing souls. He doesn’t wear a cape and He doesn’t drive a Batmobile. He does ride in His chariot and upon the winds: “Who lays the beams of his chambers in the waters: who makes the clouds his chariot: who walks upon the wings of the wind” (Psalm 104:3). God does everything in holiness. Which is? Holiness is existing and operating in the absence of sin. God is pure and has always resided sinless. It’s difficult for us to imagine this because we’ve only known a sinful life. Thankfully, we don’t have to fret biting our nails wondering how God will deal with sinners, or how He’ll escape the enemies’ destructive claws as they clamor, and viciously attack God’s creation, God’s people, and God’s Word and principles. Nope, He’s not one bit worried. He’s got all things under control. “Why do the nations rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, ‘Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.’ He that sits in the heavens shall laugh: the LORD shall have them in derision” (Psalm 2:1-4). Yep, God will laugh at man’s foolish attempts to hurt Him. As for me, I can’t wait to see His chariot and take it for a spin ‘round the block!
God Bless!
Sam
The Power of Change
During the summer of ’65, my little brother and I would spend the days with our older brothers’ mom. She’d take care of us. Not one to get hungry, my lunch consisted of a huge 10- cent Ring Ding chocolate cake (this was years before the Ring Ding Jr. came out), and a small 15-cent soda. Twenty-five cents was all I needed to get by. I know, I know, you’re wondering how I was so lucky! Some Fridays, my little brother and I, and another kid named Eddie, would receive loose change from one of my older brothers, Ruben. After work on Fridays, he probably distributed no more than sixty to seventy-five cents total in change to us. Each of us was thrilled to get eighteen to twenty-five cents mostly in pennies, dimes, and nickels! We were rich! We howled, we saddled-up our imaginary ponies, and headed out the door, turn right, dash to the candy store, and grab some of those two-for-a-penny candies! Sometimes, we’d grab five-cent bags of chips, or Drake’s Devil Dog cakes for the same price! Change was important to us kids. We sometimes had our pockets full, but most of the time they were empty but for lint, or a hole starting to form. Some people, though, especially adults, didn’t like change; they liked bills, large bills. Today, forget loose-change, they want credit cards and more. I guess, no time for small change… As we age, we find there’s another form of change; one that is constant. Billions of people world-over, seek ways to reach a state of peace or perfection. They search inward, outward, downward, and sometimes, upwards, all attempts to be at one with either nature, the earth, themselves, or with God. Millions succeed while others fail. It’s great to be at peace with others, with self, and with God. But, there’s something missing…change. “You mean, I’ll need change as in pennies to get in?” “Will I have to pay a fee for happiness?” Will I need a bucket full of change, or a wheelbarrow filled with pennies, like the Chinese man who rolled one to a company to purchase a car? NO! But you will need a different type of change. Every attempt made by man to reach God, to achieve oneness, is one-sided, it’s initiated by man himself; It’s from our perspective. And it’ll never work. Oh, you’ll hum yourself away and you’ll feel serenity, but no change will occur within you. You’ll feel like you’re doing something good, but you’re not. From your stance it’ll look fine and might even cause you to feel good. But what does it look like from God’s perspective? It’ll look a lot different. That’s because it must be endorsed by God Himself. God says in Romans 3:10,12: “There’s none righteous, no, not one. There is none that seeks the Lord.” Isaiah 64:6 reads: “All your works are as filthy rags.” In a nutshell, our best efforts fall miserably short of God’s approval-because we’re sin-based, and He’s Holy and perfect. When He saves us, it’s through the sinless sacrifice of Christ on the Cross, and only God can forgive sin and save us.
Try a different approach; one not available anywhere on earth: ask God to come into your heart and to set up residence there. When He indwells you, He’ll bring about something you’ll never get anywhere else. He will bring change into your life. Lots of it! Not pennies… or nickels…but inner change. A transformation will take place because when you invite the King of the Universe into your heart, you actually marry Him! The two of you become One. Since you’re not changing for Him, it won’t be short-lived. It’s unlike changing for a girl/guy. Once they dump you, or hurt you, you say, “Later for this.” Not so with God. He initiates the changes from inside us. He transforms our personality and changes our attitude. Our outlook on life gets revamped. We begin to see and care for others as He does. We ultimately become like Him because we’ll have a new heart. His. When He changes you, you’ll feel like a kid running to the nearest candy store, except not for goodies (unless you want to), but with an excitement that’ll transform your life. God doesn’t need your loose change, He already bought your salvation and paid for your entrance to heaven. He’s even reserved a ‘pad’ (a residence) for you. Do you have change in the pocket of your heart? Give it to Him and He’ll change your life beyond comprehension.
God Bless!
Sam