The Better Choice

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38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” 41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:38-42 NIV)

Happy Monday, dear Friend! I pray the weekend was for your benefit and that you're preapred and ready to face and bless this week with your faith, love, and grace!

Ah, siblings. If you have them, you know. So many dynamics in this story; who was the oldest, the middle child, and the baby? Many of us will guess that it was Martha, for she shows all the traits usually associated with the oldest child: Determination to serve and her being the one who "opened her house" to Jesus, and her making all the preparations to truly serve Jesus. And she being the one to complain to Jesus, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!"

Mary had to be the baby. Dare I say, spoiled? Self-centered? Okay, I may be overstepping and meddling. And not in the picture, Lazarus, may the middle child? And he had the nerve to get sick and die in a later story! But Jesus tells Martha, "You are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed -- or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."

Jesus isn’t criticizing service—He’s redirecting attention to what matters most: Himself. In a world full of demands and distractions, this story reminds us to slow down and sit with the Savior. Our to-do lists are never-ending, but so is His grace. What we truly need is not more accomplished days, but more surrendered hearts.

Mary’s choice may have seemed passive to Martha, but it was deeply intentional. She recognized that the best thing she could offer Jesus was not her effort, but her attention. And that’s still true today.

What's holding you back? What distractions have you allowed to take center stage in your life and away from time with Jesus? Make time to swing your attention back to Jesus and reap the benefits!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, in the midst of all the noise and tasks that fill our days, help us to choose what is better. Teach us to pause, to listen, and to rest in Your presence. May we not be so distracted by serving You that we forget to simply be with You. Center our hearts in Your love, and let everything else flow from there. This we pray in Thy name, Amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: Today, take a moment to sit quietly with Jesus—no agenda, no checklist. Just be still, listen, and let His presence become your priority.

I love you and I thank God for you!

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

paypal.me/eradiovalverde

God is a Just God

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1 God calls the judges into his courtroom, he puts all the judges in the dock. 2 "Enough! You've corrupted justice long enough, you've let the wicked get away with murder. 3 You're here to defend the defenseless, to make sure that underdogs get a fair break; 4 Your job is to stand up for the powerless, and prosecute all those who exploit them." 5 Ignorant judges! Head-in-the-sand judges! They haven't a clue to what's going on. And now everything's falling apart, the world's coming unglued. 6 "I commissioned you judges, each one of you, deputies of the High God, 7 But you've betrayed your commission and now you're stripped of your rank, busted." 8 O God, give them their just deserts! You've got the whole world in your hands! (Psalm 82 The Message Bible)

I tranferred from Memorial Junior High school in Kingsville, Texas to Lanier Junior High in Houston. The Houston school was not at all like the Kingsville school. Let's compare the differences. In Kingsville, in those days, was that for PE (Physcial Education) credit, being in the band was considered PE enough. In Houston, no such luck. Well, to be fair, Houston junior high bands do not march. And, Lanier JHS had a pool used for PE. I got there on a Thursday which was. a swim day. I walked downstairs into the basement where the locker room for PE was located and sat on a bench. I noticed all the guys showering. I thought, "Before PE these guys are getting clean?" A guy said, "Hey, you new here?" yes. "We're going swimming!" I said that's nice but I didn't bring any swim trunks. Everyone laughed. "Take your clothes and start showering." Gulp. So, I did. On the other side of the showers a huge metal door opened and there was the pool and here we all were without appropriate pool clothing. Dutifully, all us walked in, in a perfect line to sit on the edge of the pool with our legs in the water. The coach, full dressed, came in with a paddle. A paddle? thinks I? The coach then reminded us that we are not to push anyone into the water. And if one is pushed, that person gets a swat. Gulp. Wait. What? And sure enough the littlest guy there got pushed in, and the poor kid walked over to the coah, bend over and swat! The sound of the wooden paddle against a wet behind was not a nice sound. And neither was the red mark the coach left on that poor guy's backside. I couldn't laugh because I could easily be the next guy but I knew I would not go into the pool without a fight. I wanted to cry. Fridays were also swim days and poor kid of the paddle showed up and still had the red mark from the previous day. I thought all of thsi was so wrong and so many levels. The idea of the victim getting punished for a bully's acvtion was not just. And the severity of that swat was not justice, it was abuse.

The psalmist shares his paslm on justice that sounds very much like it was written this week in my opinion. God has assembled those persons whose careers and callings to mete out justice and puts them on trial. Justice was not on the menu for them; corruption was the soup of the day. Those who should have been punished were not; they got away with murder. Those who needed defending were not. The powerless had no one to stand up for them; they were exploited and received no justice against the oppressors. The judges who by training should exhibit wisdom are called ignorant by God. Instead of being in the know are known for having their heads in the sand. They are deemed clueless by God, helping to destroy that which should hold everything together. The glue of society has no power. These so-called judges have not lived up to their commission and so God has stripped them of their rank. The psalmist prays for God to give them what they deserve.

This is not gentle. It’s not theoretical. It’s God confronting those who hold power—anyone with influence, authority, or voice—and demanding to know why justice has been neglected. He charges them with turning a blind eye to the weak, the poor, the voiceless. It’s not just a call to notice suffering, but to do something about it. This is a cry for divine intervention—but also a call to action for every believer. We are God’s hands in the world. Justice isn’t someone else’s job—it’s ours. So many people around us depend on us and our commitment to God to love justice and love mercy and walk humbly with God.

PRAYER: God of justice and truth, wake me up where I’ve grown numb. Give me eyes to see the injustice around me and the courage to do something about it. I don’t want to be silent when You call me to speak, or passive when You ask me to act. Help me reflect Your heart for the powerless, and make me bold in love, deep in mercy, and strong in faith. Amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: Look honestly at your sphere of influence—your home, work, community, or church. Where can you stand up for the powerless? Ask God to show you, then take one courageous step in His name.

I love you and I thank God for you!

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Stand Straight with God

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7 This is what he showed me: The Lord was standing by a wall that had been built true to plumb, with a plumb line in his hand. 8 And the LORD asked me, “What do you see, Amos?” “A plumb line,” I replied. Then the Lord said, “Look, I am setting a plumb line among my people Israel; I will spare them no longer. 9 “The high places of Isaac will be destroyed and the sanctuaries of Israel will be ruined; with my sword I will rise against the house of Jeroboam.” 10 Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent a message to Jeroboam king of Israel: “Amos is raising a conspiracy against you in the very heart of Israel. The land cannot bear all his words. 11 For this is what Amos is saying: “ ‘Jeroboam will die by the sword, and Israel will surely go into exile, away from their native land.’ ” 12 Then Amaziah said to Amos, “Get out, you seer! Go back to the land of Judah. Earn your bread there and do your prophesying there. 13 Don’t prophesy anymore at Bethel, because this is the king’s sanctuary and the temple of the kingdom.” 14 Amos answered Amaziah, “I was neither a prophet nor the son of a prophet, but I was a shepherd, and I also took care of sycamore-fig trees. 15 But the LORD took me from tending the flock and said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’ (Amos 7:7-15 NIV)

In the city of Harlingen, Texas, there is an all-boys boarding school named The Marine Military Academy. It is for boys in 7-12th grade and has been serving the community since 1965 as the only private school in the world based on the traditions and values of the U.S. Marine Corps and MMA has been home to thousands of young men from across the world and is home to the historic Iwo Jima Monument. A dear friend and member of First Methodist Church was the president of the school during my years as pastor of that church. One thing, of many, that I deeply admired of Col. Glenn Hill was his posture. It did not matter the setting, all the folks in the room would be in different postures, but Col. Hill was the Marine in the room. And in the community, when the young men of that school in stores or dining establishments, were always seated in straight postures. One time we were dining at a fancy restaurant and there was a family near us, and at the head of the table was a MMA student, whose posture and commanding presence was very evident. Thinking about plumb lines, I couldn't help but think of the way all associated with the MMA did not need a plumb line to sit and walk straight. For those who might not know, a plumb line is a tool used to measure vertical alignment—it ensures that what is being built stands straight and true. And now, God is using it to measure His people.

God is not interested in appearances; He cares about integrity. The plumb line represents His standard of justice, righteousness, and faithfulness. Israel had strayed far from that line—neglecting the poor, twisting justice, and turning their backs on His covenant. God’s message through Amos is clear: what is out of alignment must be corrected.

But here’s what makes this passage so powerful. Amos was not a prophet by profession. He wasn’t trained, nor was he from a priestly family. He says plainly, “I was neither a prophet nor the son of a prophet, but I was a shepherd, and I also took care of sycamore-fig trees. But the Lord took me from tending the flock and said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’” (vv. 14–15)

Amos didn’t volunteer for the spotlight. But when God called, he said yes. And in saying yes, he became a voice for truth in a time of complacency and corruption.

Maybe you don’t see yourself as a “prophet” either. Maybe you feel unqualified or unseen. But God often calls the ordinary to speak into the extraordinary. He places people where they are needed—not because they are perfect, but because they are willing.

PRAYER: God of justice and truth, thank You for calling people like Amos—people like us—to stand with courage and speak with grace. Help me to align my life with Your Word, to listen when You call, and to respond with faith no matter where You send me. May I stand with integrity, speak with love, and live as one who belongs to You. in Christ Jesus' strong name we pray, Amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: Ask God to reveal where your life may be out of alignment with His truth, and listen for where He may be calling you to speak up or stand firm—even in small, quiet ways.

I love you and I thank God for you!

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Walking With The Lord

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1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, 2 To the saints and faithful brothers and sisters in Christ in Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father. 3 In our prayers for you we always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 4 for we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, 5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. You have heard of this hope before in the word of the truth, the gospel 6 that has come to you. Just as it is bearing fruit and growing in the whole world, so it has been bearing fruit among yourselves from the day you heard it and truly comprehended the grace of God. 7 This you learned from Epaphras, our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf, 8 and he has made known to us your love in the Spirit. 9 For this reason, since the day we heard it, we have not ceased praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of God's will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so that you may lead lives worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, as you bear fruit in every good work and as you grow in the knowledge of God. 11 May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light. 13 He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (Colossians 1:1-14 NRSV)

A blessed and gracious Tuesday to you dear Friend is my prayer for you. May you know how close God really is to you, how He loves and listens to you, and provides that which you need at all times.

The past few days have saddened us and made us aware of how unfair and how short life can be for some; death came quickly in the lives of the little ones lost in the flood waters of the recent rains in the Hill Country. Our hearts ache for those parents who not too long ago dropped off their little ones to have great days in a summer camp only to now have to come to grips with the loss of life. The stories of some who have died have made it all the more painful, including one who was considered a little preacher for her love and knowledge of the psalms and the Bible in general. Many could call on her to pray and recite psalms and she would. Many thought her future would involve ministry. She did provide ministry in the few years of life that she enjoyed. Unfair and hard to explain why she had to die. The list is quite long of others who were special and loving and caring, now gone. What I shared on Sunday I have kept in my heart and mind since I first read the story I shared in worship: The Reverend William Sloan Coffin was the pastor a Riverside Church in New York City when his son Alexander died by drowning after driving his car into the waters in Boston. A well-meaning lady said to Rev.Coffin that she did not understand the will of God. Angrily he replied,"‘I’ll say you don’t, lady!’ I said. > For some reason, nothing so infuriates me as the incapacity of seemingly intelligent people to get it through their heads that God doesn’t go around this world with his fingers on triggers, his fists around knives, his hands on steering wheels. God is dead set against all unnatural deaths.” God is a receiver of souls, not a "gardener who needs another flower for His garden, so He takes a life. Where was God? God was there, and His was the first heart to break."

Paul addresses the comfort and hope we have in Heaven. This passage speaks of the growing hope that comes from those who accept the truth as found in the gospel and they are able to live a life worthy of the peace.

Paul then shares his prayer for the believers: “That you may be filled with the knowledge of God’s will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding”. His desire is not only that they know God’s will intellectually, but that they live it out—“so that you may lead lives worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him”. This kind of life is marked by good works, spiritual growth, endurance, patience, and joyful thanksgiving.

It’s a high calling, but not one we carry alone. Paul reminds us that God “has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son”. Our strength to walk worthy comes not from striving but from the work of Christ, who redeems and forgives us.

In a world that often pulls us in different directions, Paul centers us again in the grace of God. We do not live to earn His love—we live because we have received it. And in receiving it, we grow. We bear fruit. We endure. And we give thanks.

PRAYER: Gracious God, thank You for the hope laid up for us in heaven, for the gift of faith, and for the love You pour into our lives. Fill us with the knowledge of Your will, and help us walk in a way that honors You. May our lives bear fruit, grow in understanding, and be rooted in joyful gratitude for all You have done through Christ. May Your comfort surround those affected by the flooding in the Hill Country; bless the grieving parents and families and bless them with the peace that only You can. This we pray in the strong name of Jesus, Amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: Ask God today to fill you with spiritual wisdom, and choose one way to walk “worthy of the Lord” through a small act of love, patience, or gratitude.

I love you and I thank God for you!

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Healing in Humility (The Unnamed Girl)

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1 Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man and in high favor with his master, because by him the Lord had given victory to Aram. The man, though a mighty warrior, suffered from leprosy. 2 Now the Arameans on one of their raids had taken a young girl captive from the land of Israel, and she served Naaman's wife. 3 She said to her mistress, "If only my lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy." 4 So Naaman went in and told his lord just what the girl from the land of Israel had said. 5 And the king of Aram said, "Go then, and I will send along a letter to the king of Israel." He went, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten sets of garments. 6 He brought the letter to the king of Israel, which read, "When this letter reaches you, know that I have sent to you my servant Naaman, that you may cure him of his leprosy." 7 When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, "Am I God, to give death or life, that this man sends word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? Just look and see how he is trying to pick a quarrel with me." 8 But when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent a message to the king, "Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come to me, that he may learn that there is a prophet in Israel." 9 So Naaman came with his horses and chariots, and halted at the entrance of Elisha's house. 10 Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, "Go, wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored and you shall be clean." 11 But Naaman became angry and went away, saying, "I thought that for me he would surely come out, and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and would wave his hand over the spot, and cure the leprosy! 12 Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them, and be clean?" He turned and went away in a rage. 13 But his servants approached and said to him, "Father, if the prophet had commanded you to do something difficult, would you not have done it? How much more, when all he said to you was, "Wash, and be clean'?" 14 So he went down and immersed himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God; his flesh was restored like the flesh of a young boy, and he was clean. (2 Kings 5:1-14 NRSV)

Happy Wednesday Friend! May God's blessing be upon you in marvelous ways; and may people marvel at the ways you will share those withj them.

The star of this story is, of course, God; and right behind him is an unnamed little girl of faith. I learned that on a Wednesday night in a midweek worship/Bible study led on that night by a distant relative of my bride, it was the late Mrs. Clotilde Nañez, wife of The Rev. Dr. Alfredo Nañez, a long-time leader of the Rio Grande Conference, both of whom retired to Edinburg. She did a study on this passage and shared how this little girl, who leads to the healing of a commander of a foreign army, named Naaman. Naaman was all that and a bag of chips being in high favor with the king of Aram whose leadership gave many victories blessed the kingdom of Aram. His outward success could not protect him from inner need. Now this little girl was a prisoner of war, a captive of this commander, taken against her will from her native Israel. It was she who told Naaman's wife that if her husband would travel to Samaria there the prophet would cure him of his disease. The commander goes to see the king just what the little girl shared with him and the king agrees that he should indeed travel to Israel, adding that he would send a letter to the king of Israel, and quite the treasure of money and garments for the king and prophet. Now, keep in mind that this is an enemy of Israel so any letter or visit by Naaman would be very suspicious. And the Israeli king's response gives that away. The king misreads it and freaks out about what this could mean for his country because he says he is not God and healing is not in his job description.

The prophet hears of this, he sends a message to the king asking that the commander come to his house to "Learn there is a prophet in Israel." So Naaman makes the trip to Elisha's home, complete with all the chariots and horses and is greeted by a messenger of the prophet with instructions: "Go, wash in the Jordan seven times and your flesh shall be restored and you shall be clean."

What’s striking in this story is how God begins to work through the unexpected: a captive servant girl who speaks of a prophet in Israel, a reluctant king, and a message that comes not through ceremony, but through simple instruction. Elisha, the prophet, doesn’t even come out to greet Naaman. Instead, he sends a messenger to say, “Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan” .

Naaman is insulted. He expected something dramatic—some act worthy of his stature. But healing would not come through spectacle. It would come through obedience and humility. When Naaman finally surrenders his pride and dips in the Jordan, “his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy”.

This story reminds us that God often works through what seems simple or even beneath us. Sometimes, healing and transformation begin when we’re willing to humble ourselves, lay down our expectations, and trust God’s ways over our own. His power is not limited by our understanding—it is released in our obedience.

PRAYER: Merciful God, thank You for seeing past our pride and reaching us with Your healing grace. Help us to trust You even when Your ways are not what we expect. Teach us humility, and give us a heart that listens, obeys, and responds in faith. Wash us anew in Your mercy, and make us whole. This we pray in Jesus' strong name, Amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: Take time today to release any pride or resistance in your heart. Trust God’s instructions—even the simple ones—and let humility open the door to healing.

I love you and I thank God for you!

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

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Bear With One Another

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1 My friends, if anyone is detected in a transgression, you who have received the Spirit should restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness. Take care that you yourselves are not tempted. 2 Bear one another's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. 3 For if those who are nothing think they are something, they deceive themselves. 4 All must test their own work; then that work, rather than their neighbor's work, will become a cause for pride. 5 For all must carry their own loads. 6 Those who are taught the word must share in all good things with their teacher. 7 Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for you reap whatever you sow. 8 If you sow to your own flesh, you will reap corruption from the flesh; but if you sow to the Spirit, you will reap eternal life from the Spirit. 9 So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up. 10 So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all, and especially for those of the family of faith. 11 See what large letters I make when I am writing in my own hand! 12 It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh that try to compel you to be circumcised—only that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. 13 Even the circumcised do not themselves obey the law, but they want you to be circumcised so that they may boast about your flesh. 14 May I never boast of anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15 For neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is anything; but a new creation is everything! 16 As for those who will follow this rule—peace be upon them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God. (Galatians 6:1-16 NRSV)

Loving God of mercy and peace, bestow on us Your grace that we might become those who bless others. Forgive us our sins and embolden us for Thy service; in Jesus we pray, amen. This has been quite the year for transgressions of a pastoral nature. It seemed that every other week a pastor in the Dallas Fort Worth metroplex was found guilty of something or other and they stepped down. To be fair this has been going on since day one, but it's still something that we should address. Paul is addressing it in the first verses of this passage. His recommendation is to help the transgressors be restored with a spirit of gentleness. That one sentence screams Jesus' presence and power because far too many of us usually scream, "Crucify him/her!" Those of us who have been shaped by the world will have worldly responses; the ones shaped by Christ will have Christian responses. And logically, Paul follows it with the wise warning, "Take care that you yourselves are not tempted." Amen. Jesus said that it's easy for us to point out the speck in our brother's eye but ignore the plank in ours. This is the same thing.

Paul’s words in Galatians 6 remind us that life in the Spirit is not a solitary journey. “Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ” (v. 2). In a world where independence is praised, Scripture calls us into mutual care—a community marked not by competition, but by compassion.

Paul warns against self-deception and pride. We’re each called to examine our own lives honestly (v. 4), to carry our own responsibilities (v. 5), but also to help lift others when they fall. Restoration, not judgment, should guide our response when someone is caught in wrongdoing (v. 1), always with gentleness.

The principle of sowing and reaping runs through the heart of this passage: “You reap whatever you sow” (v. 7). To sow to the Spirit means investing in what leads to life—acts of kindness, generosity, love, and truth. Paul encourages us not to grow weary in doing good, “for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up” (v. 9). Faithfulness today plants seeds for a fruitful tomorrow.

The letter ends with a strong affirmation: it’s not outward marks or appearances that define us, but the “new creation” (v. 15). In Christ, we are made new—and from that place of grace, we are called to live with humility, integrity, and love.

PRAYER: God of grace and truth, thank You for the new life You’ve given me in Christ. Help me to sow to the Spirit in all I do, to bear the burdens of others with compassion, and to live with integrity. Keep me from growing weary in doing good, and remind me that the harvest You promise is worth every faithful step. This we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, Amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: Today, look for someone whose burden you can help carry—and sow seeds of kindness that reflect the love of the new creation within you.

I love you and I thank God for you!

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Purpose and Power

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1 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. 2 He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. 3 Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. 4 Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road. 5 “When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ 6 If someone who promotes peace is there, your peace will rest on them; if not, it will return to you. 7 Stay there, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house. 8 “When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is offered to you. 9 Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ 10 But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, 11 ‘Even the dust of your town we wipe from our feet as a warning to you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God has come near.’ 16 “Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me; but whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me.” 17 The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” 18 He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. 20 However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” (Luke 10:1-11, 16-20 NIV)

If you are a baptized and confirmed member of a church, guess what? You have God's permission and power to go forth and do the work of Jesus! I know this excites you. Okay, I know it doesn't, but think about it after hearing what Jesus did. Two thousand years ago, Jesus felt the pressure and urgency to save the world by starting with twelve men. I should add common men. No professor among them. No medically trained personnel among them. No theologically prepared and licensed or certified person among them. And not a rich man among them. We're talking fishermen, a tax collector, a religious zealot (I don't know how much that pays!), a tradesman or two, a treasurer and traitor, and two unknown backgrounds. And then, Jesus adds to that number an additional seventy-two "others," and sends them! Two by two ahead of Him and the Twelve into every town and place where He was about to go. Why? "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few." So, Jesus sends workers, meaning those self-starters made bold by the Spirit to do the work needed to be done. We used to sing in Spanish a corito or chorus that says, "Only the power of God can transform your life; the proof I offer you is that God changed me." Trust me it sounds better sung in español. And I'd be the first to raise my hand if asked, "Who here is the least qualified but God's transformation allowed you to go and do what God asked?" Meeeee!! I tried getting out of it, folks. I knew I was shy and I was told I was boring, but I was willing. Ready? Not so much, but God send me, as Isaiah said, when I realized God would not let me go. And I used every excuse I could think of; God would not have it. Would I have laughed if the girl who told me I was boring would also say one day I would preach to a stadium-filled crowd? Yes. Or, that I would be asked to preach at a university (twice?) which led to an event that over two weekends allowed me to preach to 13,000 youth? Again, yes, and friends I brag not on myself, but the God who can take all of us and use us all to reach the world! How humbling but exciting have been the words of gratitude on many a death bed of those who have come to faith and assurance through Jesus and His ministry in our churches. The harvest is truly plentiful and we are just the laborers that Jesus talked about!

The mission of the Seventy Two gives away key points for our deployment. The harvest field is ready, but it won't all be easy pickings! We go, as Jesus said, "like lambs among wolves." Jesus gave us the example that even among people being healed, made whole, made to walk and see, and even raised from the dead, the cries were for it to stop and to stop the man who was doing it. To me, it makes no sense! The urgency to get to the harvest is such that Jesus said for them (and us) not not worry about taking a purse (wallet), bag or sandals and even lolly-gagging to greet others on the road.. As we get to a home, and I would remind us that Wesley asked, and we were asked at our ordination, if we would visit from house to house; rare is the pastor who takes that seriously. Could we learn from the Jehovah's Witnesses or LDS (Mormons) who do take very seriously the calling on all houses? I have to ask how many people do open their doors when the doorbell rings or someone knocks? Gone are the days when the afternoons found most families in their front yards! We've gone from being porch people to deck people in the back yard behind high wooden privacy fences. Can we blame the invention of the air conditioner? Back to the home that does welcome you, Jesus says, first say a blessing of peace upon the house; if the residents there promote peace that greeting of peace will truly stay with them; it not, the blessing returns to you. If their hospitality is extended for a long stay, enjoy whatever they offer in the way of food and drinks. If you enter a town and they offer you food, eat the food offered. Then the ministry of healing; pray for the sick and share with them the message Jesus and John the Baptist offered as their first sermons, "The Kingdom of God has come near to you." If you are ever not welcomed, in public view declare, "Even the dust of your town we wipe from our feet as a warning to you and again, the sermon of Jesus and John regarding the Kingdom. Jesus said that whoever listens to us is listening to God; those who reject us are really rejecting Jesus.

The Seventy-Two returned with great joy and reported victory, claiming victory over the demons who submitted to the name of Jesus, to which Jesus said, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven," meaning a great defeat of the Enemy. Jesus also reminds them that they had received from Him the authority and power to trample on snakes and scorpions and overcome all the power of the enemy; "Nothing will harm you." Yet, His greatest statement was that they/we should not rejoice that we have power over the spirits submitting to us, but our joy should be that our names are written in Heaven.

This passage reminds us that we are also sent—not necessarily to distant places, but into our neighborhoods, workplaces, and families. We are sent with purpose: to bring peace, to care for others, and to proclaim the nearness of God. And like the seventy-two, our confidence lies not in what we have, but in the One who has written our names in heaven. I can think of no greater comfort than knowing God has written our names in the book of life meaniung that we bleong to Him not only now, but forever!

PRAYER: Gracious Lord, thank You for calling and sending me, not because of who I am, but because of who You are. Help me to walk in obedience, not fearing rejection or relying on my own strength. Let me be a bearer of peace and a witness to Your kingdom. And in all things, may my joy be rooted in knowing that I belong to You. Amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: Go into your day with purpose. Wherever you are sent, speak peace, show love, and remember—you carry the presence of the Kingdom with you.

I love you and I thank God for you!

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

http://paypal.me/eradiovalverde