Good day dear friends. At the start of the new work week and for many, first day of school; may God's love and protection be with you and yours. May the rich blessings of God bring peace to you; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
Our text for today comes from Mark 7: 1 Now when the Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around him, 2 they noticed that some of his disciples were eating with defiled hands, that is, without washing them. 3 (For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not eat unless they thoroughly wash their hands, thus observing the tradition of the elders; 4 and they do not eat anything from the market unless they wash it; and there are also many other traditions that they observe, the washing of cups, pots, and bronze kettles. ) 5 So the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, "Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?" 6 He said to them, "Isaiah prophesied rightly about you hypocrites, as it is written, "This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; 7 in vain do they worship me, teaching human precepts as doctrines.' 8 You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition." 14Then he called the crowd again and said to them, "Listen to me, all of you, and understand: 15there is nothing outside a person that by going in can defile, but the things that come out are what defile." 21 For it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come: fornication, theft, murder, 22 adultery, avarice, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, folly. 23 All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person." (NRSV)
There is now a ritual in many churches today, of using the hand sanitizer before serving Holy Communion. I hear of some churches were the communion servers wear gloves. And about four years ago, there was a scare of a flu that had some churches cancel the celebration of The Lord's Supper out of fear. What would Jesus make of that, given what He taught in today's passage? The disciples around Jesus were closely watched, as was Jesus, to see what offense they could find in their daily lives. Being married to tradition and customs, the religious people of Jesus' day, watched closely to see what they could charge Jesus or His followers with, to stop His ministry. In today's passage the best they could do was to find that the disciples did not always wash their hands before eating. This is a violation of a "tradition of the elders." Yes, it is common sense to wash one's hands before eating, but given their schedule and their haste in getting out God's message on occasion the disciples did not wash their hands. The accusation of the Pharisees and those with them is met by Jesus' truth about what really defiles a person. Is it what goes into a person that defiles one? Or, is it what comes out? The list of those sins and actions that come out of a person was why Jesus came in the first place. Jesus wanted to remove the barriers and obstacles to God's love, and to hear that a germ or two making their way into a person's stomach was laughable.
It is what is in your heart that produces your thoughts, words and actions. It is these that help others determine where your heart really is. Jesus saw the actions of the Pharisees and the religious as a fulfillment of the prophet Isaiah, "This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; 7 in vain do they worship me, teaching human precepts as doctrines.' Going farther, Jesus added, " You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition." We're guilty of that too, in our lives, our homes, and sadly, even in our churches; we place a higher value on the things we've established for our comfort and convenience, and we ignore the commandments of God. It gives our hearts away; for in so doing, God is no where to be found in us. We should strive to be people of love, placing God first and seeking to serve all of God's creatures; then it will be said that we honor God with our hearts and our lips.
PRAYER: Loving God, forgive us for the times traditions and customs we believe serve us better than love and compassion. Help us to overcome these barriers and obstacles in our lives and practices and rise to a level of love and service. May it be said of us that we are people of love. We pray in Christ Jesus, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Monday, August 27, 2012
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Sing!
Good day dear friends. God's gracious blessings be yours today; go forth in peace and seek to serve without fear, open to loving and seeing all. In Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
Our text for today comes from Psalm 84: 1 How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts! 2 My soul longs, indeed it faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God. 3 Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God. 4 Happy are those who live in your house, ever singing your praise. (Selah) 5 Happy are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion. 6 As they go through the valley of Baca they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with pools. 7 They go from strength to strength; the God of gods will be seen in Zion. 8O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob! (Selah) 9 Behold our shield, O God; look on the face of your anointed. 10 For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than live in the tents of wickedness. 11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield; he bestows favor and honor. No good thing does the Lord withhold from those who walk uprightly. 12 O Lord of hosts, happy is everyone who trusts in you. (NRSV)
Do you sing on the way to church? Or does the radio/MP3 player/satellite radio/DVD player drain your mind as you drive? I remember when our children were young we would sing and sing a lot. We would sing in English and Spanish and it made the journey shorter and happier. Sometimes one of the girls would say, "Again!" And we'd sing the song again. This psalm was believed to be a hymn for pilgrims on their way to Mt. Zion. The singing on the way to church set the tone and mood for the worship once they were there; indeed worship starts when you sing praises to God. Someone even said that you pray twice when you sing. Look at the words again as that double prayer of preparation for what awaited them in worship. The attitude of the song is a joyous, positive one, preparing the singers for worship. Notice the song does not complain that "no one seems to care for our church! There's bird's nests everywhere!" Instead it is thankful that the house of God is able to provide a home for sparrows, including the image of even the birds being a part of worship. The songs thanks God for strength found in God; who listens to and answers our prayers. And the best known line, at least for me, "For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere." I read The Message version and decided against using it this morning, but I did like that verse for it said one day in God's house is better than a thousand on a Greek island beach and instead of being a "doorkeeper in the house of my God," it uses, "I'd rather scrub floors in the house of my God than be an invited guest in a palace of sin." You get the point. Serving God with the right heart and spirit is better than to be among temptation and sin.
Ah, the power of song is ours. Start singing now!
PRAYER: Loving God of song and praise, grant to us a right spirit through the gifts of Your songs; prepare us now for worship and service; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Our text for today comes from Psalm 84: 1 How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts! 2 My soul longs, indeed it faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God. 3 Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God. 4 Happy are those who live in your house, ever singing your praise. (Selah) 5 Happy are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion. 6 As they go through the valley of Baca they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with pools. 7 They go from strength to strength; the God of gods will be seen in Zion. 8O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob! (Selah) 9 Behold our shield, O God; look on the face of your anointed. 10 For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than live in the tents of wickedness. 11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield; he bestows favor and honor. No good thing does the Lord withhold from those who walk uprightly. 12 O Lord of hosts, happy is everyone who trusts in you. (NRSV)
Do you sing on the way to church? Or does the radio/MP3 player/satellite radio/DVD player drain your mind as you drive? I remember when our children were young we would sing and sing a lot. We would sing in English and Spanish and it made the journey shorter and happier. Sometimes one of the girls would say, "Again!" And we'd sing the song again. This psalm was believed to be a hymn for pilgrims on their way to Mt. Zion. The singing on the way to church set the tone and mood for the worship once they were there; indeed worship starts when you sing praises to God. Someone even said that you pray twice when you sing. Look at the words again as that double prayer of preparation for what awaited them in worship. The attitude of the song is a joyous, positive one, preparing the singers for worship. Notice the song does not complain that "no one seems to care for our church! There's bird's nests everywhere!" Instead it is thankful that the house of God is able to provide a home for sparrows, including the image of even the birds being a part of worship. The songs thanks God for strength found in God; who listens to and answers our prayers. And the best known line, at least for me, "For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere." I read The Message version and decided against using it this morning, but I did like that verse for it said one day in God's house is better than a thousand on a Greek island beach and instead of being a "doorkeeper in the house of my God," it uses, "I'd rather scrub floors in the house of my God than be an invited guest in a palace of sin." You get the point. Serving God with the right heart and spirit is better than to be among temptation and sin.
Ah, the power of song is ours. Start singing now!
PRAYER: Loving God of song and praise, grant to us a right spirit through the gifts of Your songs; prepare us now for worship and service; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Setting the Pace and Place for God
Good day dear friends. Gracious is the Lord; may God's mercies be yours today in all that you may face; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
Our text for today comes from Joshua 24: 1 Then Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and summoned the elders, the heads, the judges, and the officers of Israel; and they presented themselves before God. 2 And Joshua said to all the people, 14 "Now therefore revere the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness; put away the gods that your ancestors served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. 15 Now if you are unwilling to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served in the region beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." 16 Then the people answered, "Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods; 17 for it is the Lord our God who brought us and our ancestors up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, and who did those great signs in our sight. He protected us along all the way that we went, and among all the peoples through whom we passed; 18 and the Lord drove out before us all the peoples, the Amorites who lived in the land. Therefore we also will serve the Lord, for he is our God." (NRSV)
I was blessed growing up, thought I did not know it, when it came to worship and God. I was never given a choice as to my presence and participation in church. I had to be there. My father and mother made the decision even before I was born as to the importance of God and worship in their marriage and as God blessed them with children, they made the decision for their children. It was on a Sunday morning that I came to know the love of God through Jesus Christ. It was something that my minister said and I invited Jesus into my heart and into my life. From that moment on, going to church and all that goes in worship, etc., made sense. The evidence would come years later when I found myself working on a Sunday morning at my college; doing precisely what I had hoped I would never have to do, work on a Sunday. As the assignments were made for our work-study program, I knew ahead of time that for the first time in my life, instead of being in church I would be in a cafeteria, washing dishes at both breakfast and lunch. I quickly checked around and found out that First United Methodist Church, a little over a mile from the campus, had a Sunday evening worship service. Yes, this was years ago. I knew where I had to be Sunday night, and I talked a group of other cafeteria workers into going with me to worship God that night. We were received like family and though, for the first time in my life, I was worshipping in a different language, I knew the hymns and I could sing my praises to God.
Joshua had assembled the people of Israel and asked them to consider setting the pace for their lives. I recommend you read the entire chapter, but in the passages selected by the Lecti0nary, it is God speaking through Joshua about all that God has done and all that is before them. The words come strong, God has done a lot for us and it would serve us best to not be tempted by the gods of the people whose land we are about to occupy; but, if you decide you do not want to serve the Lord, you better decide now what gods you will serve. Then Joshua offered up that which decorates many a home today, "But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." The response of the people is loud and clear that they too, will serve the Lord.
Who has set the pace and place for God in your life? If no one has yet, are you willing to be the one to step forward and say, "We must serve the Lord"? It may well be there are those who are waiting for the pace and place to be set for God; and it may be that if you and your household set this pace and place for God, others may come to do the same.
PRAYER: Loving God, may I set the pace today for myself and my household about serving You. May it be a decision that blesses all of my household and those around it. May we set such a pace of peace and love that they will desire the same for themselves; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Our text for today comes from Joshua 24: 1 Then Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and summoned the elders, the heads, the judges, and the officers of Israel; and they presented themselves before God. 2 And Joshua said to all the people, 14 "Now therefore revere the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness; put away the gods that your ancestors served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. 15 Now if you are unwilling to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served in the region beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." 16 Then the people answered, "Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods; 17 for it is the Lord our God who brought us and our ancestors up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, and who did those great signs in our sight. He protected us along all the way that we went, and among all the peoples through whom we passed; 18 and the Lord drove out before us all the peoples, the Amorites who lived in the land. Therefore we also will serve the Lord, for he is our God." (NRSV)
I was blessed growing up, thought I did not know it, when it came to worship and God. I was never given a choice as to my presence and participation in church. I had to be there. My father and mother made the decision even before I was born as to the importance of God and worship in their marriage and as God blessed them with children, they made the decision for their children. It was on a Sunday morning that I came to know the love of God through Jesus Christ. It was something that my minister said and I invited Jesus into my heart and into my life. From that moment on, going to church and all that goes in worship, etc., made sense. The evidence would come years later when I found myself working on a Sunday morning at my college; doing precisely what I had hoped I would never have to do, work on a Sunday. As the assignments were made for our work-study program, I knew ahead of time that for the first time in my life, instead of being in church I would be in a cafeteria, washing dishes at both breakfast and lunch. I quickly checked around and found out that First United Methodist Church, a little over a mile from the campus, had a Sunday evening worship service. Yes, this was years ago. I knew where I had to be Sunday night, and I talked a group of other cafeteria workers into going with me to worship God that night. We were received like family and though, for the first time in my life, I was worshipping in a different language, I knew the hymns and I could sing my praises to God.
Joshua had assembled the people of Israel and asked them to consider setting the pace for their lives. I recommend you read the entire chapter, but in the passages selected by the Lecti0nary, it is God speaking through Joshua about all that God has done and all that is before them. The words come strong, God has done a lot for us and it would serve us best to not be tempted by the gods of the people whose land we are about to occupy; but, if you decide you do not want to serve the Lord, you better decide now what gods you will serve. Then Joshua offered up that which decorates many a home today, "But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." The response of the people is loud and clear that they too, will serve the Lord.
Who has set the pace and place for God in your life? If no one has yet, are you willing to be the one to step forward and say, "We must serve the Lord"? It may well be there are those who are waiting for the pace and place to be set for God; and it may be that if you and your household set this pace and place for God, others may come to do the same.
PRAYER: Loving God, may I set the pace today for myself and my household about serving You. May it be a decision that blesses all of my household and those around it. May we set such a pace of peace and love that they will desire the same for themselves; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
You're Ready for a Great Day!
Good day dear friends. May the awe and wonder of God's amazing creation bless and strengthen your journey today; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
Our text for today comes from Ephesians 6: 10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness. 15 As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace. 16 With all of these, take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints. 19 Pray also for me, so that when I speak, a message may be given to me to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it boldly, as I must speak. (NRSV)
Some years ago, our men's Sunday school group studied a book entitled, Why Men Don't Go to Church. The cover sold the book, a man, head back, mouth open, sitting in a church pew, sound asleep. I just tried finding it on Amazon.com and could not find it. It must be out of print. But the cover told the story, most men find church boring and not challenging. What challenges they do find in church they resist; holding hands, praying aloud, etc. The book makes the case for churches to focus more on the things of the Bible that speak to men, such as battle and warfare, and this passage falls in that category. Paul in his writing, it is believed, was under house arrest and a Roman soldier was assigned to his home to guard him. Paul must have talked at length to that soldier about Jesus, and about everything else. The uniform and all its components must have fascinated Paul. Every part of that armor plays an important part in keeping the soldier alive. The Roman army was the most advanced of its day and their experts had designed it to allow soldiers to fight and keep on fighting in fierce battles. Paul as he reflects and prays on his inner struggles with fear and doubt and the uncertainty of what each day might bring to him, realizes that we, too, as believers, have at our disposal the same armor. Paul know that we daily stand "against the wiles of the devil," fighting off the real enemy of our souls, "rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places." (v. 12). What we have at our disposal, through fervent prayer, is everything we could possibly need: "The belt of truth around your waist," standing strong in the conviction that God provides for our every need, even hunger; we cannot be misled or easily led away by falsehoods that God does not care nor provide for us. Truth is on our side when we line up with God. Our "gut feeling" should be the truth of God. Our heart is protected by "the breastplate of righteousness," knowing that as we strive to do what is right in the sight of God, our heart will be protected. When we know we are doing wrong and being led away from God, our heart suffers and breaks. God's love protects us and provides for our heart. Our love for God and for those of God also protects us in our knowing that we are loving as God intended. Our shoes indicate our willingness to be ready to go wherever it is that God might have us go to share "the gospel of peace." If you don't think shoes are important, talk to someone about to go on a hike or a journey over rugged terrain. Speak to one who collects shoes and ask if shoes are important. If you still doubt their importance, go and price some hiking boots or good running shoes. One who tires out or suffers from foot pain soon shortens the time spent on task or on vacation.
Paul then addresses the "shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one." In recent months, guided by our children, we have watched more of our share of medieval shows which featured many sword fights. The best defense against a sword is a good shield and knowing how to use it. As these warriors stormed castles, the flaming arrows that rained down from above usually ended up embedded in the shield rather than the body of the warrior. Paul knew that with our dominant arm we would use our sword, and with our other arm we would use the shield to protect us from the blows that come from our enemy. A strong faith in God helps us with doubt, despair. and fear. No one can say that their mind never gets these sorts of thoughts, but the shield of faith helps us remember who we are and Whose we are. Then Paul speak of the helmet, "the helmet of salvation," which is our protection of our brain and eyes. Salvation, that right relationship we have with God through Jesus Christ, speaks to us about how important we are to God and how God will do anything to keep and protect us. It is in our brain that negative thoughts enter and with the assurance and promise of "salvation" we fight off these destructive thoughts. Paul then turns to the "sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." By our reading and using our Bibles, we have that sword to not only defend but to advance our beliefs as we share the good news with those who have yet to hear or receive. And the closing verses deal with the importance of prayer. John Wesley in his commentary on this passage said that all of the above are necessary but we need to engage in incessant prayer that shows our daily dependence on God, not just on the gifts that God gives (Notes, 6:18-20).
You're all set for a great day! Make it so!
PRAYER: Loving and Merciful God, You provide all things for us especially that which we need to be strong in You. May all of these gifts be ours but may we also remember our need to daily stay connected to You; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Our text for today comes from Ephesians 6: 10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness. 15 As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace. 16 With all of these, take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints. 19 Pray also for me, so that when I speak, a message may be given to me to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it boldly, as I must speak. (NRSV)
Some years ago, our men's Sunday school group studied a book entitled, Why Men Don't Go to Church. The cover sold the book, a man, head back, mouth open, sitting in a church pew, sound asleep. I just tried finding it on Amazon.com and could not find it. It must be out of print. But the cover told the story, most men find church boring and not challenging. What challenges they do find in church they resist; holding hands, praying aloud, etc. The book makes the case for churches to focus more on the things of the Bible that speak to men, such as battle and warfare, and this passage falls in that category. Paul in his writing, it is believed, was under house arrest and a Roman soldier was assigned to his home to guard him. Paul must have talked at length to that soldier about Jesus, and about everything else. The uniform and all its components must have fascinated Paul. Every part of that armor plays an important part in keeping the soldier alive. The Roman army was the most advanced of its day and their experts had designed it to allow soldiers to fight and keep on fighting in fierce battles. Paul as he reflects and prays on his inner struggles with fear and doubt and the uncertainty of what each day might bring to him, realizes that we, too, as believers, have at our disposal the same armor. Paul know that we daily stand "against the wiles of the devil," fighting off the real enemy of our souls, "rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places." (v. 12). What we have at our disposal, through fervent prayer, is everything we could possibly need: "The belt of truth around your waist," standing strong in the conviction that God provides for our every need, even hunger; we cannot be misled or easily led away by falsehoods that God does not care nor provide for us. Truth is on our side when we line up with God. Our "gut feeling" should be the truth of God. Our heart is protected by "the breastplate of righteousness," knowing that as we strive to do what is right in the sight of God, our heart will be protected. When we know we are doing wrong and being led away from God, our heart suffers and breaks. God's love protects us and provides for our heart. Our love for God and for those of God also protects us in our knowing that we are loving as God intended. Our shoes indicate our willingness to be ready to go wherever it is that God might have us go to share "the gospel of peace." If you don't think shoes are important, talk to someone about to go on a hike or a journey over rugged terrain. Speak to one who collects shoes and ask if shoes are important. If you still doubt their importance, go and price some hiking boots or good running shoes. One who tires out or suffers from foot pain soon shortens the time spent on task or on vacation.
Paul then addresses the "shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one." In recent months, guided by our children, we have watched more of our share of medieval shows which featured many sword fights. The best defense against a sword is a good shield and knowing how to use it. As these warriors stormed castles, the flaming arrows that rained down from above usually ended up embedded in the shield rather than the body of the warrior. Paul knew that with our dominant arm we would use our sword, and with our other arm we would use the shield to protect us from the blows that come from our enemy. A strong faith in God helps us with doubt, despair. and fear. No one can say that their mind never gets these sorts of thoughts, but the shield of faith helps us remember who we are and Whose we are. Then Paul speak of the helmet, "the helmet of salvation," which is our protection of our brain and eyes. Salvation, that right relationship we have with God through Jesus Christ, speaks to us about how important we are to God and how God will do anything to keep and protect us. It is in our brain that negative thoughts enter and with the assurance and promise of "salvation" we fight off these destructive thoughts. Paul then turns to the "sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." By our reading and using our Bibles, we have that sword to not only defend but to advance our beliefs as we share the good news with those who have yet to hear or receive. And the closing verses deal with the importance of prayer. John Wesley in his commentary on this passage said that all of the above are necessary but we need to engage in incessant prayer that shows our daily dependence on God, not just on the gifts that God gives (Notes, 6:18-20).
You're all set for a great day! Make it so!
PRAYER: Loving and Merciful God, You provide all things for us especially that which we need to be strong in You. May all of these gifts be ours but may we also remember our need to daily stay connected to You; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Monday, August 20, 2012
Point of Decision
Good day dear friends. May the grace and peace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you today in ways that will bless and amaze you; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
Our text for today comes from John 6: 56 Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. 57 Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. 58This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever." 59 He said these things while he was teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum. 60 When many of his disciples heard it, they said, "This teaching is difficult; who can accept it?" 61 But Jesus, being aware that his disciples were complaining about it, said to them, "Does this offend you? 62 Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? 63 It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64 But among you there are some who do not believe." For Jesus knew from the first who were the ones that did not believe, and who was the one that would betray him. 65 And he said, "For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted by the Father." 66 Because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him. 67 So Jesus asked the twelve, "Do you also wish to go away?" 68 Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God." (New Revised Standard Version)
Do you remember when you made a personal decision to have a relationship with Jesus Christ? Was it an easy decision to make, or did it take years? Or, are you still weighing your options? For some, it was an immediate thing; after years of wandering and wondering about your life and needs, it was apparent that for you only Jesus Christ would do, and you said Yes. For others, it was a discernment period and after much reflection and thought, you decided that only Jesus could meet the needs and questions of life. For others, you may have seen how important and real Jesus was for the lives of people important to you and you wanted the same for your life. For others, as I said, you're still wondering and wandering.
Imagine sitting in that hot, dusty synagogue on that Sabbath day when Jesus made the above claim. Jesus said that everyone who ate His body and drank His blood were His. Huh? Excuse me? Are we talking cannibalism? The declaration is shocking, for this is the first revelation, even to His disciples that something was coming that would be unlike anything they had seen to this point. They had seen some pretty unexplainable things, but now they're hearing a teaching that no one else had offered. For them, at that time, the sacrifice of animals was understood, accepted, and practiced, but there was and had been pride in that they were not people who believed in human sacrifice. The sacrificing of animals was an external thing; the animal died, the sin was paid, and life went on; what was this about Jesus "abiding" in us? And what was the talk about eternal life and no death? Even the disciples, those who had already committed to following Jesus, talked about themselves and wondered what to make of these new claims of Jesus. And true to His nature, Jesus knew the discussion was taking place and asks, "Does this offend you? What would you say to seeing me ascending to where I'm from?" Jesus then speaks about the Spirit and how His words are "spirit and life." Jesus knew and declared that there would be some who would not believe unless it was granted to them by God. And in a verse numbered 6:66, we see that "many of His disciples turned back and no longer went about with Him." Your church was not the first to lose members when the teaching and practices of Jesus offended them. Here, Jesus Himself, loses "many" of the people who had committed to Him.
Those who stayed did so because they knew Jesus and believed in Him. It was Peter who said, "Where would we go? You're the one who hold the answers of eternal life. We have come to believe You are the Holy One of God." When given the options of what they had seen and faced; Jesus was still the answer. Given the option of not believing and facing life without Jesus, they chose to believe. They knew that life with Jesus was difficult, but a life without Jesus was impossible. Given all that they knew and all they had seen and all they had heard, the choice was easy - Jesus.
PRAYER: Loving God we have come to know that life brings difficult challenges at times, but with Jesus abiding in us and we in Him, life is still good. Grant us stronger faith and a faith that lives in an inviting way to show others that in Jesus we can have the fullness of life. And Lord, there may be some who have yet to invite You into a personal relationship with You; may this be the day that they open the door of their heart to you and invite you in, asking forgiveness of past sins, and the strength to turn away from destructive and deadly lives. May it be so, as we pray this and all things in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Our text for today comes from John 6: 56 Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. 57 Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. 58This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever." 59 He said these things while he was teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum. 60 When many of his disciples heard it, they said, "This teaching is difficult; who can accept it?" 61 But Jesus, being aware that his disciples were complaining about it, said to them, "Does this offend you? 62 Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? 63 It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64 But among you there are some who do not believe." For Jesus knew from the first who were the ones that did not believe, and who was the one that would betray him. 65 And he said, "For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted by the Father." 66 Because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him. 67 So Jesus asked the twelve, "Do you also wish to go away?" 68 Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God." (New Revised Standard Version)
Do you remember when you made a personal decision to have a relationship with Jesus Christ? Was it an easy decision to make, or did it take years? Or, are you still weighing your options? For some, it was an immediate thing; after years of wandering and wondering about your life and needs, it was apparent that for you only Jesus Christ would do, and you said Yes. For others, it was a discernment period and after much reflection and thought, you decided that only Jesus could meet the needs and questions of life. For others, you may have seen how important and real Jesus was for the lives of people important to you and you wanted the same for your life. For others, as I said, you're still wondering and wandering.
Imagine sitting in that hot, dusty synagogue on that Sabbath day when Jesus made the above claim. Jesus said that everyone who ate His body and drank His blood were His. Huh? Excuse me? Are we talking cannibalism? The declaration is shocking, for this is the first revelation, even to His disciples that something was coming that would be unlike anything they had seen to this point. They had seen some pretty unexplainable things, but now they're hearing a teaching that no one else had offered. For them, at that time, the sacrifice of animals was understood, accepted, and practiced, but there was and had been pride in that they were not people who believed in human sacrifice. The sacrificing of animals was an external thing; the animal died, the sin was paid, and life went on; what was this about Jesus "abiding" in us? And what was the talk about eternal life and no death? Even the disciples, those who had already committed to following Jesus, talked about themselves and wondered what to make of these new claims of Jesus. And true to His nature, Jesus knew the discussion was taking place and asks, "Does this offend you? What would you say to seeing me ascending to where I'm from?" Jesus then speaks about the Spirit and how His words are "spirit and life." Jesus knew and declared that there would be some who would not believe unless it was granted to them by God. And in a verse numbered 6:66, we see that "many of His disciples turned back and no longer went about with Him." Your church was not the first to lose members when the teaching and practices of Jesus offended them. Here, Jesus Himself, loses "many" of the people who had committed to Him.
Those who stayed did so because they knew Jesus and believed in Him. It was Peter who said, "Where would we go? You're the one who hold the answers of eternal life. We have come to believe You are the Holy One of God." When given the options of what they had seen and faced; Jesus was still the answer. Given the option of not believing and facing life without Jesus, they chose to believe. They knew that life with Jesus was difficult, but a life without Jesus was impossible. Given all that they knew and all they had seen and all they had heard, the choice was easy - Jesus.
PRAYER: Loving God we have come to know that life brings difficult challenges at times, but with Jesus abiding in us and we in Him, life is still good. Grant us stronger faith and a faith that lives in an inviting way to show others that in Jesus we can have the fullness of life. And Lord, there may be some who have yet to invite You into a personal relationship with You; may this be the day that they open the door of their heart to you and invite you in, asking forgiveness of past sins, and the strength to turn away from destructive and deadly lives. May it be so, as we pray this and all things in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Being Thankful
Good day dear friends. May God's awesome peace and joy be yours today; may all you encounter today be blessed by that awesomeness in you; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
Our text for today comes from Psalm 111: 1 Hallelujah! I give thanks to God with everything I've got - Wherever good people gather, and in the congregation. 2 God's works are so great, worth A lifetime of study - endless enjoyment! 3Splendor and beauty mark his craft; His generosity never gives out. 4 His miracles are his memorial - This God of Grace, this God of Love. 5 He gave food to those who fear him, He remembered to keep his ancient promise. 6 He proved to his people that he could do what he said: Hand them the nations on a platter - a gift! 7 He manufactures truth and justice; All his products are guaranteed to last - 8 Never out-of-date, never obsolete, rust-proof. All that he makes and does is honest and true: 9 He paid the ransom for his people, He ordered his Covenant kept forever. He's so personal and holy, worthy of our respect. 10 The good life begins in the fear of God - Do that and you'll know the blessing of God. His Hallelujah lasts forever! (The Message)
Today is our daughter Caitlin's birthday. She is a nursing student who, along with her husband and our grandson, live with us. So, everyone is up early and we just followed our early morning ritual of birthdays in our family; the playing of "Birthday" by The Beatles, chosen years ago for its ability to wake up sleepy-heads, followed by the gift-giving (Liam, who is 3, asked where his gift was - we had bought one two days early for him) and a time of giving thanks for the life of the birthday person. I believe we are all wonderfully blessed, and like the Psalmist, we should give thanks to God for all that God has given to us. The Psalmist has summed up a partial list of all we should be thankful - God's grace, God's love, provision, kept promises, truth, justice, the promise of eternity in what God has shared with us, honesty, our redemption, and the unbroken Covenant. Every realm of our life is to be something on our Thank You, God list.
What are you thankful for? Have you stopped and made a mental list of all for which you are truly thankful? Pause now and give thanks. You'd be amazed at all that you have, thanks to God.
PRAYER: Loving Provider of all things; thank You! May I never stop giving You thanks as You never stop giving. Make me mindful that all things do indeed come from You; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Our text for today comes from Psalm 111: 1 Hallelujah! I give thanks to God with everything I've got - Wherever good people gather, and in the congregation. 2 God's works are so great, worth A lifetime of study - endless enjoyment! 3Splendor and beauty mark his craft; His generosity never gives out. 4 His miracles are his memorial - This God of Grace, this God of Love. 5 He gave food to those who fear him, He remembered to keep his ancient promise. 6 He proved to his people that he could do what he said: Hand them the nations on a platter - a gift! 7 He manufactures truth and justice; All his products are guaranteed to last - 8 Never out-of-date, never obsolete, rust-proof. All that he makes and does is honest and true: 9 He paid the ransom for his people, He ordered his Covenant kept forever. He's so personal and holy, worthy of our respect. 10 The good life begins in the fear of God - Do that and you'll know the blessing of God. His Hallelujah lasts forever! (The Message)
Today is our daughter Caitlin's birthday. She is a nursing student who, along with her husband and our grandson, live with us. So, everyone is up early and we just followed our early morning ritual of birthdays in our family; the playing of "Birthday" by The Beatles, chosen years ago for its ability to wake up sleepy-heads, followed by the gift-giving (Liam, who is 3, asked where his gift was - we had bought one two days early for him) and a time of giving thanks for the life of the birthday person. I believe we are all wonderfully blessed, and like the Psalmist, we should give thanks to God for all that God has given to us. The Psalmist has summed up a partial list of all we should be thankful - God's grace, God's love, provision, kept promises, truth, justice, the promise of eternity in what God has shared with us, honesty, our redemption, and the unbroken Covenant. Every realm of our life is to be something on our Thank You, God list.
What are you thankful for? Have you stopped and made a mental list of all for which you are truly thankful? Pause now and give thanks. You'd be amazed at all that you have, thanks to God.
PRAYER: Loving Provider of all things; thank You! May I never stop giving You thanks as You never stop giving. Make me mindful that all things do indeed come from You; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
If You Had One Wish...
Good day dear friends. May the rich blessings of God be yours in ways that bless those with whom you interact today; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
Our text for today comes from 1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14: 10 Then David slept with his ancestors, and was buried in the city of David. 11 The time that David reigned over Israel was forty years; he reigned seven years in Hebron, and thirty-three years in Jerusalem. 12 So Solomon sat on the throne of his father David; and his kingdom was firmly established. 3:3 Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of his father David; only, he sacrificed and offered incense at the high places. 4 The king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the principal high place; Solomon used to offer a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. 5 At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, "Ask what I should give you." 6And Solomon said, "You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant my father David, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward you; and you have kept for him this great and steadfast love, and have given him a son to sit on his throne today. 7 And now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David, although I am only a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. 8 And your servant is in the midst of the people whom you have chosen, a great people, so numerous they cannot be numbered or counted. 9 Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil; for who can govern this your great people?" 10 It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. 11 God said to him, "Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches, or for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, 12 I now do according to your word. Indeed I give you a wise and discerning mind; no one like you has been before you and no one like you shall arise after you. 13 I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor all your life; no other king shall compare with you. 14 If you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your life." (New Revised Standard Version)
I have shared many times how when a little child, one of my favorite games was to play, "If you had one wish," and we would change that wish month to month, sometimes adding up to "three wishes," depending on how greedy or needy we felt. Not once do I remember asking for wisdom, and yes, years later you can still tell. But this is the passage where that does happen, the young son of the now recently deceased great king, David, is visited by God. Take note that the verses give credit to Solomon for loving God and walking in the statutes of his father, David. But Solomon gets visited by God and gets that one wish that we all dreamed of getting one day. Solomon showed his wisdom even before asking, by first acknowledging that he and his father had been richly blessed by God, and humbly admitting that to reign in his place, Solomon is very blessed, but does make the request to be able to have "an understanding mind," one that would help him know the difference between "good and evil," and again acknowledging that the challenge to rule effectively was a great one. God grants him not only that request but also shares with him what he did not request, riches and honor. God told him that most would have asked for riches, long life, or for the life of their enemies (How did God know my list??), but since he had not, he would get those things. Then God adds that if Solomon keeps the commandments and statutes of God, as did David, then he would also get long life.
Our take-away? First, we should love God. If we have that, we have everything, but it is also a great foundation for the other things we need in life. Wisdom comes to those who love God and ask it of God. Riches, the kind that matter and are not subject to being stolen or transferred out of accounts, are ours as well. Honor comes to those who learn to honor God and all of God's people. And long life comes in showing respect to all people. Everything else, may also come your way, but you'll be in the better, prepared place, to receive them and use them as a blessing to God and God's people.
PRAYER: Gracious God, may my heart yearn to love You more. I understand that in loving You I am in a special, blessed place. From here wherever You may lead me, will be an added blessing to my life. Grant me eyes and ears to see and hear that which You are sharing so that I may be a blessing to You and Yours. I pray this in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Our text for today comes from 1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14: 10 Then David slept with his ancestors, and was buried in the city of David. 11 The time that David reigned over Israel was forty years; he reigned seven years in Hebron, and thirty-three years in Jerusalem. 12 So Solomon sat on the throne of his father David; and his kingdom was firmly established. 3:3 Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of his father David; only, he sacrificed and offered incense at the high places. 4 The king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the principal high place; Solomon used to offer a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. 5 At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, "Ask what I should give you." 6And Solomon said, "You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant my father David, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward you; and you have kept for him this great and steadfast love, and have given him a son to sit on his throne today. 7 And now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David, although I am only a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. 8 And your servant is in the midst of the people whom you have chosen, a great people, so numerous they cannot be numbered or counted. 9 Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil; for who can govern this your great people?" 10 It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. 11 God said to him, "Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches, or for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, 12 I now do according to your word. Indeed I give you a wise and discerning mind; no one like you has been before you and no one like you shall arise after you. 13 I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor all your life; no other king shall compare with you. 14 If you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your life." (New Revised Standard Version)
I have shared many times how when a little child, one of my favorite games was to play, "If you had one wish," and we would change that wish month to month, sometimes adding up to "three wishes," depending on how greedy or needy we felt. Not once do I remember asking for wisdom, and yes, years later you can still tell. But this is the passage where that does happen, the young son of the now recently deceased great king, David, is visited by God. Take note that the verses give credit to Solomon for loving God and walking in the statutes of his father, David. But Solomon gets visited by God and gets that one wish that we all dreamed of getting one day. Solomon showed his wisdom even before asking, by first acknowledging that he and his father had been richly blessed by God, and humbly admitting that to reign in his place, Solomon is very blessed, but does make the request to be able to have "an understanding mind," one that would help him know the difference between "good and evil," and again acknowledging that the challenge to rule effectively was a great one. God grants him not only that request but also shares with him what he did not request, riches and honor. God told him that most would have asked for riches, long life, or for the life of their enemies (How did God know my list??), but since he had not, he would get those things. Then God adds that if Solomon keeps the commandments and statutes of God, as did David, then he would also get long life.
Our take-away? First, we should love God. If we have that, we have everything, but it is also a great foundation for the other things we need in life. Wisdom comes to those who love God and ask it of God. Riches, the kind that matter and are not subject to being stolen or transferred out of accounts, are ours as well. Honor comes to those who learn to honor God and all of God's people. And long life comes in showing respect to all people. Everything else, may also come your way, but you'll be in the better, prepared place, to receive them and use them as a blessing to God and God's people.
PRAYER: Gracious God, may my heart yearn to love You more. I understand that in loving You I am in a special, blessed place. From here wherever You may lead me, will be an added blessing to my life. Grant me eyes and ears to see and hear that which You are sharing so that I may be a blessing to You and Yours. I pray this in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Inspired Advice
Good day dear friends. May the grace and peace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you and yours today. May His love and mercy bless you as you seek to bless others is my prayer for you; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
Our text for today comes from Ephesians 5: 15 So watch your step. Use your head. 16 Make the most of every chance you get. These are desperate times! 17 Don't live carelessly, unthinkingly. Make sure you understand what the Master wants. 18 Don't drink too much wine. That cheapens your life. Drink the Spirit of God, huge draughts of him. 19 Sing hymns instead of drinking songs! Sing songs from your heart to Christ. 20 Sing praises over everything, any excuse for a song to God the Father in the name of our Master, Jesus Christ. (The Message)
Make the most of each day, for Jesus Christ. That is the message of this passage that comes from the heart and mind of the Apostle Paul. Never one to trifle his time, the urgency of Jesus made it important for him to share these words with all believers. Paul truly believed in the first part of his ministry that Jesus was coming any day in his lifetime. Those writings showed that urgency to tell as many people as he could so that no one would be left out from the love of God. Later, as he knew his day of meeting Jesus was drawing near and Jesus had not yet returned, his message changed slightly, but not much, for he still believed as many as could, needed to be saved in that relationship that God offers to us.
Look at that passage carefully. Should we watch our step? Not if you want to stumble, both literally and figuratively. Should we use our head? That's why they weigh so much. Should we make the most of every chance we have? Yes. Chances come along as they do, but take advantage of the ones right in front of you. Are these desperate times? In every sense of the word, don't get me started. Should we live carelessly? Not really; life is precious and we should enjoy it and take advantage of it, and thinking usually helps. Should we seek to know what "the Master" wants? Everyday, in every way. And the rest we understand as well; we have a story to tell and an audience that is our harvest ripe for the gleaning. What could possibly be more important?
All around us, we see or we may be, deep in the process of sending our kids to school. Some parents have made the long/short journeys to drop off sons and daughters at colleges and universities. Others have said their goodbyes to sons and daughters entering the military. Some are just now buying backpacks and lunch boxes, pencils and paper, to send their daughters and sons to "big school." Our prayers are with them as should be the words of Paul as inspired by God to share with their loved ones. As we prepare them to learn, teach them what is best in knowing and serving Jesus Christ.
PRAYER: Loving God, may Your love and protection be with all who are praying this as their own and with those who are coming to their minds as they pray. We ask You bless and protect their children as another school year draws close to starting. May it be all about You in their lives and may we take to heart the urgency of sharing Your Son, Jesus Christ, with the whole world. We pray this in His precious name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord.
Eradio Valverde
Our text for today comes from Ephesians 5: 15 So watch your step. Use your head. 16 Make the most of every chance you get. These are desperate times! 17 Don't live carelessly, unthinkingly. Make sure you understand what the Master wants. 18 Don't drink too much wine. That cheapens your life. Drink the Spirit of God, huge draughts of him. 19 Sing hymns instead of drinking songs! Sing songs from your heart to Christ. 20 Sing praises over everything, any excuse for a song to God the Father in the name of our Master, Jesus Christ. (The Message)
Make the most of each day, for Jesus Christ. That is the message of this passage that comes from the heart and mind of the Apostle Paul. Never one to trifle his time, the urgency of Jesus made it important for him to share these words with all believers. Paul truly believed in the first part of his ministry that Jesus was coming any day in his lifetime. Those writings showed that urgency to tell as many people as he could so that no one would be left out from the love of God. Later, as he knew his day of meeting Jesus was drawing near and Jesus had not yet returned, his message changed slightly, but not much, for he still believed as many as could, needed to be saved in that relationship that God offers to us.
Look at that passage carefully. Should we watch our step? Not if you want to stumble, both literally and figuratively. Should we use our head? That's why they weigh so much. Should we make the most of every chance we have? Yes. Chances come along as they do, but take advantage of the ones right in front of you. Are these desperate times? In every sense of the word, don't get me started. Should we live carelessly? Not really; life is precious and we should enjoy it and take advantage of it, and thinking usually helps. Should we seek to know what "the Master" wants? Everyday, in every way. And the rest we understand as well; we have a story to tell and an audience that is our harvest ripe for the gleaning. What could possibly be more important?
All around us, we see or we may be, deep in the process of sending our kids to school. Some parents have made the long/short journeys to drop off sons and daughters at colleges and universities. Others have said their goodbyes to sons and daughters entering the military. Some are just now buying backpacks and lunch boxes, pencils and paper, to send their daughters and sons to "big school." Our prayers are with them as should be the words of Paul as inspired by God to share with their loved ones. As we prepare them to learn, teach them what is best in knowing and serving Jesus Christ.
PRAYER: Loving God, may Your love and protection be with all who are praying this as their own and with those who are coming to their minds as they pray. We ask You bless and protect their children as another school year draws close to starting. May it be all about You in their lives and may we take to heart the urgency of sharing Your Son, Jesus Christ, with the whole world. We pray this in His precious name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord.
Eradio Valverde
Monday, August 13, 2012
You Are The Sermon for Today
Good day dear friends. May the grace and peace of the Lord Jesus, and He living in and around you, bring you peace, a peace of preparation for the joys and challenges of the day ahead; I pray this in Christ Jesus, amen.
Our text for today comes from the Gospel of John 6: 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh." 52 The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" 53 So Jesus said to them, "Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day; 55 for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. 56 Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. 57 Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever." (New Revised Standard Version)
John's Gospel is different from the other three. It is not considered one of the synoptic gospels because its message is different. I heard it called the "spiritual gospel" because of its emphasis on more spiritual matters and more on the Holy Spirit than the others. I, and others, believe that is why the Luke-Acts book was divided this way, to make John the in-between book, to help believers better understand the Holy Spirit before the Day of Pentecost as shared in Acts. John's story contains Jesus making making many "I am" claims and this is one of the most powerful. As I shared last week, there is a connection with scripture of His day, in that Jesus reminds the listener present with Him, of their heritage and belief in manna, the bread from Heaven provided during the Exodus. But this "bread" that Jesus offers is a sacrificial bread, in that Jesus offers His body as bread. Those listening immediately get angry as to someone offering their flesh as a meal and Jesus tries to explain it as a preparation for that which was to come, yet many still did not understand. To further cloud things, Jesus talks of eternal life, something everyone desired but did not understand how to do that and Jesus also speaks of His blood being a part of it and that He could "abide" in people and people should abide in Him.
Wow! Would you have believed that had you been present at that first delivery of that statement? Chances are that we would not. Given what we know now about Jesus and Who Jesus truly is in our faith, we say, "Yes, I would have believed." But had we been like those in the crowd seeking answers, seeking meaning and purpose, seeking to know more about the one, true God, we might now have been all that disposed to believe. Thanks be to God that we are where we are, knowing what we know, and trying to do what we do. We are the people who know the Answer to life's toughest questions, and the ones who know of the great meal that was, and is, offered to us very often. The question is, what are we doing about it? How are we helping those who are still seeking answers, and meaning and purpose for their lives. How are we offering this precious gift of forgiveness to those who are still trapped in the prisons of their sins? How are we offering the God of love to the ones who barely believe in a god of existence and sin? The best way is to live the message. If we live a life of love and hope, people will ask and we should answer that we are who we are, because of Jesus.
PRAYER: Loving God, may my life be the message needed to be heard by so many. May my actions and words betray the presence of the One who abides in me and in Whom I abide. May I help glorify Your name today; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Our text for today comes from the Gospel of John 6: 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh." 52 The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" 53 So Jesus said to them, "Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day; 55 for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. 56 Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. 57 Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever." (New Revised Standard Version)
John's Gospel is different from the other three. It is not considered one of the synoptic gospels because its message is different. I heard it called the "spiritual gospel" because of its emphasis on more spiritual matters and more on the Holy Spirit than the others. I, and others, believe that is why the Luke-Acts book was divided this way, to make John the in-between book, to help believers better understand the Holy Spirit before the Day of Pentecost as shared in Acts. John's story contains Jesus making making many "I am" claims and this is one of the most powerful. As I shared last week, there is a connection with scripture of His day, in that Jesus reminds the listener present with Him, of their heritage and belief in manna, the bread from Heaven provided during the Exodus. But this "bread" that Jesus offers is a sacrificial bread, in that Jesus offers His body as bread. Those listening immediately get angry as to someone offering their flesh as a meal and Jesus tries to explain it as a preparation for that which was to come, yet many still did not understand. To further cloud things, Jesus talks of eternal life, something everyone desired but did not understand how to do that and Jesus also speaks of His blood being a part of it and that He could "abide" in people and people should abide in Him.
Wow! Would you have believed that had you been present at that first delivery of that statement? Chances are that we would not. Given what we know now about Jesus and Who Jesus truly is in our faith, we say, "Yes, I would have believed." But had we been like those in the crowd seeking answers, seeking meaning and purpose, seeking to know more about the one, true God, we might now have been all that disposed to believe. Thanks be to God that we are where we are, knowing what we know, and trying to do what we do. We are the people who know the Answer to life's toughest questions, and the ones who know of the great meal that was, and is, offered to us very often. The question is, what are we doing about it? How are we helping those who are still seeking answers, and meaning and purpose for their lives. How are we offering this precious gift of forgiveness to those who are still trapped in the prisons of their sins? How are we offering the God of love to the ones who barely believe in a god of existence and sin? The best way is to live the message. If we live a life of love and hope, people will ask and we should answer that we are who we are, because of Jesus.
PRAYER: Loving God, may my life be the message needed to be heard by so many. May my actions and words betray the presence of the One who abides in me and in Whom I abide. May I help glorify Your name today; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Thursday, August 09, 2012
"Forgiveness is Your Habit"
Good day dear friends. Receive this prayer, "Loving God bless the life and needs of this dear reader; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen."
Our text for today comes from Psalm 130: 1 Help, God - the bottom has fallen out of my life! Master, hear my cry for help! 2 Listen hard! Open your ears! Listen to my cries for mercy. 3 If you, God, kept records on wrongdoings, who would stand a chance? 4 As it turns out, forgiveness is your habit, and that's why you're worshiped. 5 I pray to God - my life a prayer - and wait for what he'll say and do. 6 My life's on the line before God, my Lord, waiting and watching till morning, waiting and watching till morning.7 O Israel, wait and watch for God - with God's arrival comes love, with God's arrival comes generous redemption. 8 No doubt about it - he'll redeem Israel, buy back Israel from captivity to sin. (The Message)
If the bottom has fallen out of your life, the good thing is knowing the only way out is up. And you can't get any higher up than God. This message of the Bible has the writer experiencing what was for him an experience that felt like the bottom had fallen out of his life. He knew to call on God with those words pleading for help. He knows God and how God is, and that's a comfort for him especially in the state he's in. God is a God of mercy and I love this, "forgiveness is your habit." It seems that if more of us knew that, we could go to God as we should asking that God forgive us and help us move forward and upward in our lives. This psalm then shifts to a national prayer; God can deal with our needs and God can also deal with the needs of the nation, if the nation realizes that is needs God.
It is our job as Christians and as members of a Christian church to get the news out about God and God's love and mercy for all. People are not listening like the should about what God offers and so we miss out and suffer the consequences of lives whose directions have not been centered on love and mercy. At this writing our nation has suffered senseless shootings and murders, some based on hate, others on uneasiness within. Church, our job is to reach more and help more come to the love of God. It takes our going beyond our praying, which is foundational and important, but we have to take our message and presence to the streets. What are you willing to do?
PRAYER: Loving God, bless our nation and let me be part of that blessing. May our prayers lead us to action and to helping bring revival and renewal to lives which believe they are eternally lost. Guide us and lead us; we ask in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord.
Eradio Valverde
Our text for today comes from Psalm 130: 1 Help, God - the bottom has fallen out of my life! Master, hear my cry for help! 2 Listen hard! Open your ears! Listen to my cries for mercy. 3 If you, God, kept records on wrongdoings, who would stand a chance? 4 As it turns out, forgiveness is your habit, and that's why you're worshiped. 5 I pray to God - my life a prayer - and wait for what he'll say and do. 6 My life's on the line before God, my Lord, waiting and watching till morning, waiting and watching till morning.7 O Israel, wait and watch for God - with God's arrival comes love, with God's arrival comes generous redemption. 8 No doubt about it - he'll redeem Israel, buy back Israel from captivity to sin. (The Message)
If the bottom has fallen out of your life, the good thing is knowing the only way out is up. And you can't get any higher up than God. This message of the Bible has the writer experiencing what was for him an experience that felt like the bottom had fallen out of his life. He knew to call on God with those words pleading for help. He knows God and how God is, and that's a comfort for him especially in the state he's in. God is a God of mercy and I love this, "forgiveness is your habit." It seems that if more of us knew that, we could go to God as we should asking that God forgive us and help us move forward and upward in our lives. This psalm then shifts to a national prayer; God can deal with our needs and God can also deal with the needs of the nation, if the nation realizes that is needs God.
It is our job as Christians and as members of a Christian church to get the news out about God and God's love and mercy for all. People are not listening like the should about what God offers and so we miss out and suffer the consequences of lives whose directions have not been centered on love and mercy. At this writing our nation has suffered senseless shootings and murders, some based on hate, others on uneasiness within. Church, our job is to reach more and help more come to the love of God. It takes our going beyond our praying, which is foundational and important, but we have to take our message and presence to the streets. What are you willing to do?
PRAYER: Loving God, bless our nation and let me be part of that blessing. May our prayers lead us to action and to helping bring revival and renewal to lives which believe they are eternally lost. Guide us and lead us; we ask in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord.
Eradio Valverde
Wednesday, August 08, 2012
May Love Exceed Pain
Good day dear friends. I stand amazed at what God does through our prayers. I thank God for your faithfulness and for the awesome, if not miraculous workings of God's Holy Spirit among us! The reports from our district among two spouses who have been battling cancer, are great! Thanks be to God! I urge you to also read today's Upper Room on giving thanks.
Our text for today comes from 2 Samuel 18: 5 The king ordered Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, "Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom." And all the people heard when the king gave orders to all the commanders concerning Absalom. 6 So the army went out into the field against Israel; and the battle was fought in the forest of Ephraim. 7 The men of Israel were defeated there by the servants of David, and the slaughter there was great on that day, twenty thousand men. 8 The battle spread over the face of all the country; and the forest claimed more victims that day than the sword. 9 Absalom happened to meet the servants of David. Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a great oak. His head caught fast in the oak, and he was left hanging between heaven and earth, while the mule that was under him went on. 15 And ten young men, Joab's armor-bearers, surrounded Absalom and struck him, and killed him. 31 Then the Cushite came; and the Cushite said, "Good tidings for my lord the king! For the Lord has vindicated you this day, delivering you from the power of all who rose up against you." 32 The king said to the Cushite, "Is it well with the young man Absalom?" The Cushite answered, "May the enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise up to do you harm, be like that young man." 33 The king was deeply moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept; and as he went, he said, "O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!" (NRSV)
My grandmother, Petra Valverde, the only grandmother I knew, years ago gave me a copy of Kenneth N. Taylor, La Biblia en Cuadros para Niños (The Bible in Pictures for Children). Her handwriting is still on the front page and this and another gift, remind me of her love for God and her faith in Christ Jesus. The book sits on our coffee table in our living room and I await the day I can share some of its stories with my grandchildren. What has always impressed me about this book are the beautiful pictures of each story that the author relates in the book. One image that never has left me is the one of Absalom hanging from a tree. The biggest battle my Dad and I ever fought was the one regarding my hair. Some time ago, on the Facebook circuit, someone shared the "Official Hairstyles for Men and Boys" from the 1950s and I immediately shared it with my two brothers and we all laughed and remembered our days in the barber chair. We had a choice at least, flattop or GI. We usually chose the flat top because that left a fence of sorts around the front of our noggins. It was tough sporting that kind of haircut in the days of Elvis and later the moptops themselves, The Beatles. Absalom did not have that battle, but he did battle his father for the kingdom. He had reached a point where he believed he would better serve God and the people of Israel by being their king. Taylor says in his book, "But God did not want that." What stands out in the passage is the love of a father for his son. David orders his general, Joab, to deal gently with this rebel of the state, but once Joab's men find Absalom tangled from a tree, the son is quickly murdered and this word gets to the king. The king grieves and expresses the sentiment of all parents, "Would I have died instead of you."
Very few parents want to see even rebellious children suffer. You may have been there or you may be there now; your love for your child exceeds the pain they may have caused in your heart or life. Imagine how God feels about us and our lives and our choices for them. Can you realize how much God loved you to send His only begotten Son to die in your place? God was willing to pay that price. Of all the gods that humanity has known, the only god to sacrifice himself, is our God; thus is the love of God for you.
PRAYER: Loving God, thank You for Your love. I can only begin to imagine how much You love us; let me just enjoy it and let me enjoy it enough to spread it to others. Forgive me the days of my rebellion against You and against my earthly parents. And bless those who may be going through that challenge now in their lives. May love exceed pain. I pray in Jesus' name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Our text for today comes from 2 Samuel 18: 5 The king ordered Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, "Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom." And all the people heard when the king gave orders to all the commanders concerning Absalom. 6 So the army went out into the field against Israel; and the battle was fought in the forest of Ephraim. 7 The men of Israel were defeated there by the servants of David, and the slaughter there was great on that day, twenty thousand men. 8 The battle spread over the face of all the country; and the forest claimed more victims that day than the sword. 9 Absalom happened to meet the servants of David. Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a great oak. His head caught fast in the oak, and he was left hanging between heaven and earth, while the mule that was under him went on. 15 And ten young men, Joab's armor-bearers, surrounded Absalom and struck him, and killed him. 31 Then the Cushite came; and the Cushite said, "Good tidings for my lord the king! For the Lord has vindicated you this day, delivering you from the power of all who rose up against you." 32 The king said to the Cushite, "Is it well with the young man Absalom?" The Cushite answered, "May the enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise up to do you harm, be like that young man." 33 The king was deeply moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept; and as he went, he said, "O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!" (NRSV)
My grandmother, Petra Valverde, the only grandmother I knew, years ago gave me a copy of Kenneth N. Taylor, La Biblia en Cuadros para Niños (The Bible in Pictures for Children). Her handwriting is still on the front page and this and another gift, remind me of her love for God and her faith in Christ Jesus. The book sits on our coffee table in our living room and I await the day I can share some of its stories with my grandchildren. What has always impressed me about this book are the beautiful pictures of each story that the author relates in the book. One image that never has left me is the one of Absalom hanging from a tree. The biggest battle my Dad and I ever fought was the one regarding my hair. Some time ago, on the Facebook circuit, someone shared the "Official Hairstyles for Men and Boys" from the 1950s and I immediately shared it with my two brothers and we all laughed and remembered our days in the barber chair. We had a choice at least, flattop or GI. We usually chose the flat top because that left a fence of sorts around the front of our noggins. It was tough sporting that kind of haircut in the days of Elvis and later the moptops themselves, The Beatles. Absalom did not have that battle, but he did battle his father for the kingdom. He had reached a point where he believed he would better serve God and the people of Israel by being their king. Taylor says in his book, "But God did not want that." What stands out in the passage is the love of a father for his son. David orders his general, Joab, to deal gently with this rebel of the state, but once Joab's men find Absalom tangled from a tree, the son is quickly murdered and this word gets to the king. The king grieves and expresses the sentiment of all parents, "Would I have died instead of you."
Very few parents want to see even rebellious children suffer. You may have been there or you may be there now; your love for your child exceeds the pain they may have caused in your heart or life. Imagine how God feels about us and our lives and our choices for them. Can you realize how much God loved you to send His only begotten Son to die in your place? God was willing to pay that price. Of all the gods that humanity has known, the only god to sacrifice himself, is our God; thus is the love of God for you.
PRAYER: Loving God, thank You for Your love. I can only begin to imagine how much You love us; let me just enjoy it and let me enjoy it enough to spread it to others. Forgive me the days of my rebellion against You and against my earthly parents. And bless those who may be going through that challenge now in their lives. May love exceed pain. I pray in Jesus' name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Tuesday, August 07, 2012
Keep Company with God
Good day dear friends.
Our text for today comes from Ephesians 4: 25 What this adds up to, then, is this: no more lies, no more pretense. Tell your neighbor the truth. In Christ's body we're all connected to each other, after all. When you lie to others, you end up lying to yourself. 26 Go ahead and be angry. You do well to be angry - but don't use your anger as fuel for revenge. And don't stay angry. Don't go to bed angry. 27 Don't give the Devil that kind of foothold in your life. 28 Did you used to make ends meet by stealing? Well, no more! Get an honest job so that you can help others who can't work. 29 Watch the way you talk. Let nothing foul or dirty come out of your mouth. Say only what helps, each word a gift. 30 Don't grieve God. Don't break his heart. His Holy Spirit, moving and breathing in you, is the most intimate part of your life, making you fit for himself. Don't take such a gift for granted. 31 Make a clean break with all cutting, backbiting, profane talk. 32 Be gentle with one another, sensitive. Forgive one another as quickly and thoroughly as God in Christ forgave you. 5:1 Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. 2 Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn't love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that. (The Message)
Dime con quien andas y te dire quien eres. I don't remember when I first heard it, but I knew what it meant immediately. "Tell me who your friends are, and I'll tell you who you are." Literally, it means tell me with who you are with, and I will tell you who you are. Whether we like it or not the company we keep usually defines who we are. Try as we may to be the most influential in any group, it becomes difficult to always be the positive, hopeful one. Jesus, of course, was the exception, but then again, Jesus hung around with God a lot. The writer is saying the same thing, if we spend time and "keep company" with God, we do indeed learn a different life, a "life of love." Look at Jesus, the writer continues, notice how Jesus loved us with extravagant, giving love; "love like that." The verses that come before speak of the high ideals of truthfulness, relational calm that we should keep and practice. Anger, the writer knows, serves no good purpose. And it certainly does not help to go to sleep angry. I heard and I later used this with premarital counseling; a night spent apart because of anger, makes it easy to make it many nights and days apart from your loved one. Nellie and I learned to settle differences before morning and that blessed our marriage. The passage also says to respect what is not ours, and to use words to construct and build up one another; we serve no purpose in putting or cutting anyone down. We should live our lives in a way that glorifies God.
PRAYER: Loving God, I thank You for the extravagant love You have shown me and mine, through Jesus Christ. Make me like Christ. Make me a person whose life does indeed glorify You and You only. May my words, thoughts, and actions be only for Your good. I pray this in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord.
Eradio Valverde
Our text for today comes from Ephesians 4: 25 What this adds up to, then, is this: no more lies, no more pretense. Tell your neighbor the truth. In Christ's body we're all connected to each other, after all. When you lie to others, you end up lying to yourself. 26 Go ahead and be angry. You do well to be angry - but don't use your anger as fuel for revenge. And don't stay angry. Don't go to bed angry. 27 Don't give the Devil that kind of foothold in your life. 28 Did you used to make ends meet by stealing? Well, no more! Get an honest job so that you can help others who can't work. 29 Watch the way you talk. Let nothing foul or dirty come out of your mouth. Say only what helps, each word a gift. 30 Don't grieve God. Don't break his heart. His Holy Spirit, moving and breathing in you, is the most intimate part of your life, making you fit for himself. Don't take such a gift for granted. 31 Make a clean break with all cutting, backbiting, profane talk. 32 Be gentle with one another, sensitive. Forgive one another as quickly and thoroughly as God in Christ forgave you. 5:1 Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. 2 Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn't love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that. (The Message)
Dime con quien andas y te dire quien eres. I don't remember when I first heard it, but I knew what it meant immediately. "Tell me who your friends are, and I'll tell you who you are." Literally, it means tell me with who you are with, and I will tell you who you are. Whether we like it or not the company we keep usually defines who we are. Try as we may to be the most influential in any group, it becomes difficult to always be the positive, hopeful one. Jesus, of course, was the exception, but then again, Jesus hung around with God a lot. The writer is saying the same thing, if we spend time and "keep company" with God, we do indeed learn a different life, a "life of love." Look at Jesus, the writer continues, notice how Jesus loved us with extravagant, giving love; "love like that." The verses that come before speak of the high ideals of truthfulness, relational calm that we should keep and practice. Anger, the writer knows, serves no good purpose. And it certainly does not help to go to sleep angry. I heard and I later used this with premarital counseling; a night spent apart because of anger, makes it easy to make it many nights and days apart from your loved one. Nellie and I learned to settle differences before morning and that blessed our marriage. The passage also says to respect what is not ours, and to use words to construct and build up one another; we serve no purpose in putting or cutting anyone down. We should live our lives in a way that glorifies God.
PRAYER: Loving God, I thank You for the extravagant love You have shown me and mine, through Jesus Christ. Make me like Christ. Make me a person whose life does indeed glorify You and You only. May my words, thoughts, and actions be only for Your good. I pray this in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord.
Eradio Valverde
Monday, August 06, 2012
Bread from Heaven
Good day dear friends. It has been a long time and I trust everyone is well. Again, my thanks for your continued prayers.
Our text for today comes from John 6: 35 Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. 41 Then the Jews began to complain about him because he said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven." 42 They were saying, "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, "I have come down from heaven'?" 43 Jesus answered them, "Do not complain among yourselves. 44 No one can come to me unless drawn by the Father who sent me; and I will raise that person up on the last day. 45It is written in the prophets, "And they shall all be taught by God.' Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me. 46 Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God; he has seen the Father. 47 Very truly, I tell you, whoever believes has eternal life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died.50 This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh." (NRSV)
John captures the essence of Jesus in ways that most people can relate to. John shares more "I am" statements from Jesus than the other three gospels. Here, Jesus says that He is the bread of life. Most people understood the importance and centrality of bread to their diets. Others understood and related to the importance of bread in their history, more especially the manna of the Exodus. And here Jesus says that He is the bread of life and shares how this bread is a satisfying bread that will not allow hunger after having eaten it. Yet, it is a bold claim and one that not everyone would understand nor accept. The Jews were angered by this claim. Those who knew Jesus and His family were upset by the heavenly claim when they knew who His parents were. "How can Jesus say he's from heaven when we know he's from here?" Not everyone on the ground floor of an idea will understand nor accept the coming bigger picture. In this case, what Jesus is sharing, we, centuries later, completely understand that Jesus' whole life and ministry would be seen as a needed sacrifice for our eternal good. Those on the ground floor with Jesus did not. The issue of finding and having daily bread was still a challenge, and it's hard to think on spiritual things when your stomach is growling with hunger. Please know I am not defending them nor making less of their need for Jesus; some were not yet in a position to understand nor accept all of the things that Jesus came to share.
Yesterday in the church where we worshipped we had Holy Communion. The words of this sacrament remind us of all that God did for us through Jesus. "Do this in remembrance of me," we hear over and over, and yet, we sometimes forget that because of love, God remembered us and we should remember God in all things and in all ways, every single day. God has always provided for us and will continue to do so. Sometimes we are so overwhelmed by abundance we take it for granted. May we never forget that during our time of need, God was right there offering us Jesus and when we said yes to Him, we were never the same.
PRAYER: O Provider of Heavenly Bread, provide for me right now. Fill me and use me. Thank You, for Jesus and all that Jesus has shared with me. May I seek to share Jesus with others this day and all days; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Our text for today comes from John 6: 35 Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. 41 Then the Jews began to complain about him because he said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven." 42 They were saying, "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, "I have come down from heaven'?" 43 Jesus answered them, "Do not complain among yourselves. 44 No one can come to me unless drawn by the Father who sent me; and I will raise that person up on the last day. 45It is written in the prophets, "And they shall all be taught by God.' Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me. 46 Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God; he has seen the Father. 47 Very truly, I tell you, whoever believes has eternal life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died.50 This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh." (NRSV)
John captures the essence of Jesus in ways that most people can relate to. John shares more "I am" statements from Jesus than the other three gospels. Here, Jesus says that He is the bread of life. Most people understood the importance and centrality of bread to their diets. Others understood and related to the importance of bread in their history, more especially the manna of the Exodus. And here Jesus says that He is the bread of life and shares how this bread is a satisfying bread that will not allow hunger after having eaten it. Yet, it is a bold claim and one that not everyone would understand nor accept. The Jews were angered by this claim. Those who knew Jesus and His family were upset by the heavenly claim when they knew who His parents were. "How can Jesus say he's from heaven when we know he's from here?" Not everyone on the ground floor of an idea will understand nor accept the coming bigger picture. In this case, what Jesus is sharing, we, centuries later, completely understand that Jesus' whole life and ministry would be seen as a needed sacrifice for our eternal good. Those on the ground floor with Jesus did not. The issue of finding and having daily bread was still a challenge, and it's hard to think on spiritual things when your stomach is growling with hunger. Please know I am not defending them nor making less of their need for Jesus; some were not yet in a position to understand nor accept all of the things that Jesus came to share.
Yesterday in the church where we worshipped we had Holy Communion. The words of this sacrament remind us of all that God did for us through Jesus. "Do this in remembrance of me," we hear over and over, and yet, we sometimes forget that because of love, God remembered us and we should remember God in all things and in all ways, every single day. God has always provided for us and will continue to do so. Sometimes we are so overwhelmed by abundance we take it for granted. May we never forget that during our time of need, God was right there offering us Jesus and when we said yes to Him, we were never the same.
PRAYER: O Provider of Heavenly Bread, provide for me right now. Fill me and use me. Thank You, for Jesus and all that Jesus has shared with me. May I seek to share Jesus with others this day and all days; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
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