Who Can Praise the Lord?

Image from wallspaperscristaos.com

Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty firmament! Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his surpassing greatness! Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp! Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe! Praise him with clanging cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals! Let everything that breathes praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! (Psalm 150)

Six verses.  Six verses that explain who, what, when, where, and why of praising God.  The what is Praise the Lord!  Where is answered by our praising God in God's sanctuary and in His mighty firmament (the whole world!), Why is the fact that God has, is, and will do, mighty things (deeds) and as if we needed, yet more reason, "His surpassing greatness!"  How?  With trumpet sound, with lute, harp, tambourine, dance, strings, and pipe, clanging cymbals; make that LOUD clashing cymbals!  (Already I hear people thinking, "We can't do that in our church!"  Who?  Everything that has breath (or breathes) should praise the Lord.

Praise the Lord!

PRAYER:  Lord, let these six verses seep deep into my soul so that I may join all of Your creation praising You everywhere and with all things that make noise.  In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

P.S.  Sorry this comes a bit late, as Nellie and I drove home from Houston at a late hour.  My dad continues to hold on.   He's eating some, preferring his desserts. (like his boy!), and is alert.  He loves seeing all his family, especially Liam who makes him smile and laugh.  Thank you for your prayers.  e.v.

iWitness

Graphic made by Eradio Valverde on ReType and Over apps

When they had brought them, they had them stand before the council. The high priest questioned them, saying, "We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and you are determined to bring this man's blood on us." But Peter and the apostles answered, "We must obey God rather than any human authority.The God of our ancestors raised up Jesus, whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior that he might give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him." (Acts 5:27-32)

I remember years ago going to a little hole in the wall restaurant in Houston.  It was a Mexican restaurant that served traditional Mexican foods as well as some awesome aquas as can be found now most anywhere including some HEBs here in Texas.  The place was named Ninfa's.  I later took my district manager from SW Bell there to eat, as he was on a ride-along, evaluating my work.  The next day I was promoted; and I began to tell everyone I knew about this little eating spot.  Before too long it was impossible to eat there.  When we experience something out of the ordinary we share it, don't we?  And the disciples were no different.  Having been arrested and then set free by the Holy Spirit, they were told to go and teach and preach Jesus in the Temple.  They were again arrested and brought before the council.  They showed they believed and obeyed God rather than the council.  And they knew they had to be witnesses to the awesomeness of God.

You and I are witnesses as well.  God has been involved in our lives and has done great things for us and we should not keep quiet about that.  We have to share with everyone the good God can do in the lives of people who invite Him in.  

Don't wait for God to make the stones cry out; you have a way to share, so be an iWitness for God!

PRAYER:  Loving God, I want to share; give me wisdom, courage, boldness and opportunities and I will be an eyewitness to what God has done.  In Jesus Christ I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Christ Will Come Again!

Image from revolve church.com

Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood, and made us to be a kingdom, priests serving his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Look! He is coming with the clouds; every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and on his account all the tribes of the earth will wail. So it is to be. Amen. "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty. (Revelation 1:4b-8)

We say it so often we may take it for granted.  Every first Sunday of the month for most people, we celebrate Holy Communion.  It is a remembrance of what Jesus celebrated with His disciples and the message in it contains not only a memorial, an incarnational act of the moment, but also a coming celebration that Jesus mentioned in the gospels; He will celebrate it with us once we are all gathered there.  And as a part of that we say, "Christ has died, Christ is risen, and Christ will come again."  Indeed, amen.

From Jesus comes our grace, for He is the firstborn of the dead and the ruler of the kings of the earth.  And to Him we owe all honor and glory.  And, the cry will someday be heard, "Look!  He is coming with the clouds!"  And every eye will see Him, even those who opposed Him.  Everyone will be called to account for our lives and faith.  Nevertheless, Christ is the Alpha and Omega, We need to be ready.

PRAYER:  Lord, Easter season continues to be a time of worship and praise to You and it is still a call to be ready at all times to serve You and await Your return.  Let me be about Your work now and always, and let me love You, for You will come again.  In Thy name I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

If You Doubt, Look Here!

Image from agnusday.org

When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." But Thomas (who was called the Twin ), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe." A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe." Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe." Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name. (John 20:19-31)

Easter Sunday saw the church we attended pretty packed.  People here and there, and one wonders how many were there to truly praise God for God's resurrection power in the life of Jesus Christ?  How many were there just for family?  How many were there out of habit and routine?  It's not up to us to judge, but to question our being there (or not there).  Good Friday saw us at my dad's beside in an ICU in Houston.  All kinds of thoughts ran through my head about his condition and what might be next.  Initial reports said he had suffered a seizure and that he would bounce back within a few days.  Of course, he didn't have much to bounce back to; for he is paralyzed on his left side, limited mobility, and a life he spends in the home he and my mom bought back in 1968.  He has a limited time caregiver, and once it gets dark he locks himself in a very secure house.  Subsequent reports say he did suffer a stroke and given his advanced directives, he expect no heroic efforts to keep him alive, and the decision was made to place him on hospice care.  

Here how's this plays out, based on the passage for today.  The disciples did not really know what had happened to Jesus. The reports were out there that He has risen from the dead, as He had predicted; yet to this point, in this gospel, no one of the 12 had seen Him.  They locked themselves in the Upper Room because they were afraid the Jews might move against them next.  It was in this fearful, stress filled room that Jesus appears. His first words were, "Peace be with you."  Just what they needed to hear, at the very time they needed to hear it; but peace in a situation like this?  He shows them his hands and his side, it was then they realized this IS Jesus!  And then Jesus says again, "Peace be with you.  As the Father has sent me, so I send you."  Jesus breathes on them and says these powerful words, "Receive the Holy Spirit.  If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."  Even in the midst of this Resurrection experience, they're hearing about sin.  And what makes it interesting is that one of the 12 was missing.  Yes, Thomas, and yes, you're heard this story before.  He missed the personal appearance of Jesus in their midst, and so, naturally, he has his doubts.  He also had set his standards for what it would take for him to believe.  If I see this and that, then I will believe; though his version is more negative:  "Unless I see...I will not believe."  

Talk of heaven and a place that welcomes us eternally in the life of a man with deep faith blesses him, as is the case with my father.  He's been ready to go "home" the day my mother died.  I love and appreciate that, but personally as much as I know he's ready and as much as I believe in all that he believes it is difficult to imagine life without him.  Yet, I acknowledge Jesus, like Thomas, when he said, "My Lord and my God!"  And regardless of the challenges you might be facing we have that faith that says the same thing even in the face of death; "My Lord and my God!"  And guess what?  Jesus says that we who believe now not having actually seen Him, we are blessed!  And it falls to us to live and share that faith so that others might "come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in His name."  Amen.

PRAYER:  Loving God, we believe.  Yes, we sometimes come to difficult points in our life when it is a little bit tougher to believe, so help us even more then.  For those who have blessed our lives, we thank You and ask Your blessings on them and whatever they face.  This we pray in full faith in Jesus, our Lord and Savior, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

It is Finished

Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. And the soldiers wove a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and they dressed him in a purple robe. They kept coming up to him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" and striking him on the face. Pilate went out again and said to them, "Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no case against him." So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, "Here is the man!" When the chief priests and the police saw him, they shouted, "Crucify him! Crucify him!" Pilate said to them, "Take him yourselves and crucify him; I find no case against him." The Jews answered him, "We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die because he has claimed to be the Son of God." Now when Pilate heard this, he was more afraid than ever. He entered his headquarters again and asked Jesus, "Where are you from?" But Jesus gave him no answer. Pilate therefore said to him, "Do you refuse to speak to me? Do you not know that I have power to release you, and power to crucify you?" Jesus answered him, "You would have no power over me unless it had been given you from above; therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin." From then on Pilate tried to release him, but the Jews cried out, "If you release this man, you are no friend of the emperor. Everyone who claims to be a king sets himself against the emperor." When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus outside and sat on the judge's bench at a place called The Stone Pavement, or in Hebrew Gabbatha.Now it was the day of Preparation for the Passover; and it was about noon. He said to the Jews, "Here is your King!" They cried out, "Away with him! Away with him! Crucify him!" Pilate asked them, "Shall I crucify your King?" The chief priests answered, "We have no king but the emperor." Then he handed him over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus; and carrying the cross by himself, he went out to what is called The Place of the Skull, which in Hebrew is called Golgotha. There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, with Jesus between them. Pilate also had an inscription written and put on the cross. It read, "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews." Many of the Jews read this inscription, because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, in Latin, and in Greek. Then the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, "Do not write, "The King of the Jews,' but, "This man said, I am King of the Jews.' " Pilate answered, "What I have written I have written." When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his clothes and divided them into four parts, one for each soldier. They also took his tunic; now the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from the top. So they said to one another, "Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see who will get it." This was to fulfill what the scripture says, "They divided my clothes among themselves, and for my clothing they cast lots." And that is what the soldiers did. Meanwhile, standing near the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing beside her, he said to his mother, "Woman, here is your son." Then he said to the disciple, "Here is your mother." And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home. After this, when Jesus knew that all was now finished, he said (in order to fulfill the scripture), "I am thirsty." A jar full of sour wine was standing there. So they put a sponge full of the wine on a branch of hyssop and held it to his mouth. When Jesus had received the wine, he said, "It is finished." Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. Since it was the day of Preparation, the Jews did not want the bodies left on the cross during the sabbath, especially because that sabbath was a day of great solemnity. So they asked Pilate to have the legs of the crucified men broken and the bodies removed. Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who had been crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. Instead, one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once blood and water came out. (He who saw this has testified so that you also may believe. His testimony is true, and he knows that he tells the truth.) These things occurred so that the scripture might be fulfilled, "None of his bones shall be broken." And again another passage of scripture says, "They will look on the one whom they have pierced." After these things, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, though a secret one because of his fear of the Jews, asked Pilate to let him take away the body of Jesus. Pilate gave him permission; so he came and removed his body. Nicodemus, who had at first come to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, weighing about a hundred pounds. They took the body of Jesus and wrapped it with the spices in linen cloths, according to the burial custom of the Jews. Now there was a garden in the place where he was crucified, and in the garden there was a new tomb in which no one had ever been laid. And so, because it was the Jewish day of Preparation, and the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there. (John 19)

It is finished. All for you and me.

O To Be Invited, To Be Chosen, To Participate, To Be Blessed, To Bless!

Image from heidibaking.com

Palms at the parade; waved at the King; selected, plucked, used as part of that which glorified God's plan.  The kernels of wheat chosen, ground, mixed, shaped, baked; the grapes, fresh once on a vine, selected, picked, stomped, juiced, and used - both of these set on the table later to be used by the hands of He who came to save the world, shared with twelve and more as they heard the words of body and blood, remembrance, sins, forgiveness and praise; vessels of grace and truth, blessed and used to bless. Come we now this night to that which happened for us: Just before the Passover Feast, Jesus knew that the time had come to leave this world to go to the Father. Having loved his dear companions, he continued to love them right to the end. It was suppertime. The Devil by now had Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot, firmly in his grip, all set for the betrayal. Jesus knew that the Father had put him in complete charge of everything, that he came from God and was on his way back to God. So he got up from the supper table, set aside his robe, and put on an apron. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the feet of the disciples, drying them with his apron. When he got to Simon Peter, Peter said, "Master, you wash my feet?" Jesus answered, "You don't understand now what I'm doing, but it will be clear enough to you later." Peter persisted, "You're not going to wash my feet - ever!" Jesus said, "If I don't wash you, you can't be part of what I'm doing." "Master!" said Peter. "Not only my feet, then. Wash my hands! Wash my head!" Jesus said, "If you've had a bath in the morning, you only need your feet washed now and you're clean from head to toe. My concern, you understand, is holiness, not hygiene. So now you're clean. But not every one of you." (He knew who was betraying him. That's why he said, "Not every one of you.") After he had finished washing their feet, he took his robe, put it back on, and went back to his place at the table. You address me as 'Teacher' and 'Master,' and rightly so. That is what I am. So if I, the Master and Teacher, washed your feet, you must now wash each other's feet. I've laid down a pattern for you. What I've done, you do. I'm only pointing out the obvious. A servant is not ranked above his master; an employee doesn't give orders to the employer. If you understand what I'm telling you, act like it - and live a blessed life.Jesus said, "Now the Son of Man is seen for who he is, and God seen for who he is in him. The moment God is seen in him, God's glory will be on display. In glorifying him, he himself is glorified - glory all around! "Children, I am with you for only a short time longer. You are going to look high and low for me. But just as I told the Jews, I'm telling you: 'Where I go, you are not able to come.' "Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples - when they see the love you have for each other." (John 13:1-17; 31b-35 The Message)

Love one anther.  A new commandment.  From the Latin Maundatum giving us Maundy Thursday, for this night Jesus said, "This is how they will know you are my disciples in that you love one another.

Love one another, meaning everyone, no exceptions. Every one.

PRAYER:  Lord, let me start with loving You in the ways I should, with all I have, then let me love me in healthy, appropriate ways; then let me love others, every person I see and meet.  Let me known as one of Yours.  In Thy name I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

All of This For Me?

Image from pinterest.com

See, my servant shall prosper; he shall be exalted and lifted up, and shall be very high. Just as there were many who were astonished at him —so marred was his appearance, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of mortals— so he shall startle many nations; kings shall shut their mouths because of him; for that which had not been told them they shall see, and that which they had not heard they shall contemplate.Who has believed what we have heard? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by others; a man of suffering and acquainted with infirmity; and as one from whom others hide their faces he was despised, and we held him of no account. Surely he has borne our infirmities and carried our diseases; yet we accounted him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the punishment that made us whole, and by his bruises we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have all turned to our own way, and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. By a perversion of justice he was taken away. Who could have imagined his future? For he was cut off from the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people. They made his grave with the wicked and his tomb with the rich, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth.Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him with pain. When you make his life an offering for sin, he shall see his offspring, and shall prolong his days; through him the will of the Lord shall prosper. Out of his anguish he shall see light; he shall find satisfaction through his knowledge. The righteous one, my servant, shall make many righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will allot him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he poured out himself to death, and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. (Isaiah 52:13 - 53:12)

Wednesday of any week is a good time to look back and reflect on the first part of the week, and for many to look forward to the weekend.  This week in the life of Jesus, He did just that.  He had impressed many with His entrance into Jerusalem, angered many by His actions in the Temple, and gave hope to many by HIs very presence in the holy city.  Yet, weighing heavily on His mind was Friday, a day that He hoped would never come; fully human, Jesus would feel every slap, every whip, every spit, every single nail driven into His flesh.  The prophet said it best, "He was despised, and we held Him of no account."  And why?  Because, also as the prophet wrote, "He was wounded for our transgressions (sins), crushed for our iniquities."  Why?  Because Jesus bore that which should have been given to us.  "His punishment made us whole, and by His bruises we are healed."

May we truly see light during this day and the next four days.  Because yes, this was all for us.

PRAYER:  LORD, all I know to say is thank You.  Make me worthy.  Enter into my heart and be Lord and Savior of my life.  This I pray in His precious name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Tuesday of Holy Week; God Listens!

Image from verseoftheday.com

I love God because he listened to me, listened as I begged for mercy. He listened so intently as I laid out my case before him. What can I give back to God for the blessings he's poured out on me? I'll lift high the cup of salvation - a toast to God! I'll pray in the name of God; I'll complete what I promised God I'd do, and I'll do it together with his people.When they arrive at the gates of death, God welcomes those who love him. Oh, God, here I am, your servant, your faithful servant: set me free for your service! I'm ready to offer the thanksgiving sacrifice and pray in the name of God. I'll complete what I promised God I'd do, and I'll do it in company with his people, In the place of worship, in God's house, in Jerusalem, God's city. Hallelujah! (Psalm 116:1-2, 12-19 The Message)

It is so refreshing these days to find someone who will turn and face you as you visit with them.  What has become the norm is that their face will be involved in a screen and it appears they are not listening.  Some are, some are not; mostly, not.  But as we start this Tuesday of Holy Week, Jesus knew that this last week of HIs earthly life would be the hardest, and so He prayed.  And prayed.  He knew to face this week He needed to stay connected with God.  And Jesus knew this psalm as one of affirmation in the listening and loving ear of God.  And as Jesus prepares for the events of this week, He knows that not only can He trust God, He must continue to praise and worship God, and complete that which was expected of Him.

Trust in God.  God loves you and listens to you.  Worship and praise God right where you are right now, knowing that God is with you and you can face this week and all that comes with it.  And run to the worship space of your life and join those who also want to worship and praise God; make loud the praises of He who loves us and who died for us.

PRAYER:  Loving God, I worship and praise You for all You are, and all You  have done.  Bless me to the point of me being a blessing to You and Yours.  In Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

The Lord Jesus

Image from flickr.com

Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death— even death on a cross. Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:5-11)

As this Holy Week begins, the Lord Jesus should be at the center of it, and more importantly, at the center of your life.  This week is all about Him and what He was willing to suffer and endure for our sake.  We lift Him up in our hearts, minds, and lives, and we give Him thanks.  Christ Jesus, as Paul writes, chose not to stay equal with God, but rather chose to empty Himself, as a slave in human likeness to die for us on the cross. That earned Him the name above all names; we should kneel at hearing His name and use our tongues to confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.

Monday comes with the usual Monday challenges and options, but this Monday comes with the chance for us to make a difference in the life of someone else if we would but confess Him as Lord of our lives.

Live your life today as a witness to what Jesus has done for you.

PRAYER:  Loving God, I thank You for Jesus and what He did for me and so many.  Let me be emptied of me, and filled with You so that I may truly give witness to what You have done in my life. May I profess in an open way that Jesus is the Lord of my life.  This I pray in His name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Jesus Suffered Much for You and Me

Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress; my eye wastes away from grief, my soul and body also. For my life is spent with sorrow, and my years with sighing; my strength fails because of my misery, and my bones waste away. I am the scorn of all my adversaries, a horror to my neighbors, an object of dread to my acquaintances; those who see me in the street flee from me. I have passed out of mind like one who is dead; I have become like a broken vessel. For I hear the whispering of many— terror all around!— as they scheme together against me, as they plot to take my life. But I trust in you, O Lord; I say, "You are my God." My times are in your hand; deliver me from the hand of my enemies and persecutors. Let your face shine upon your servant; save me in your steadfast love. (Psalm 31:9-16)

Perhaps you have had late night, "no one is hearing me" prayers that either begin or end in tears; your agony shared with the caring, loving, listening ear of God, but yet your mind races and believes no one is listening.  Such was the prophetic prayer written by the psalmist and later used as a description of the suffering of Jesus, especially that night in the Garden of Gethsemane.  Not only did Jesus shed tears, He shed tears of blood, and like the psalmist said, His soul and body also seemed wasted away with the agony and the weight of that which He would undergo.  Yet, like the psalmist said, Jesus kept His trust in God; "I trust in you, O Lord; I say, 'You are my God.'"  So should we be during our most trying times, and so should we remember as we start Holy Week, all that Jesus endured for our sake.

Jesus took our enemies, namely our sins, and removed them from us as He carried them to the cross with Him.  We know that because of that, His face shines upon us and He has saved us.

PRAYER:  Loving Lord, all I can think to say is Thank You for all you endured.  Make me a vessel that shares that with others.  In Thy name I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

He's Always Ready to Serve

Image from pilgrimsprogresspddm.blogspot.com

The Master, God, has given me a well-taught tongue, So I know how to encourage tired people. He wakes me up in the morning, Wakes me up, opens my ears to listen as one ready to take orders. The Master, God, opened my ears, and I didn't go back to sleep, didn't pull the covers back over my head. I followed orders, stood there and took it while they beat me, held steady while they pulled out my beard, Didn't dodge their insults, faced them as they spit in my face.  And the Master, God, stays right there and helps me, so I'm not disgraced. Therefore I set my face like flint, confident that I'll never regret this. My champion is right here. Let's take our stand together! Who dares bring suit against me? Let him try!  Look! the Master, God, is right here. Who would dare call me guilty? Look! My accusers are a clothes bin of threadbare socks and shirts, fodder for moths! (Isaiah 50:4-9 The Message version)

As we consider Jesus and all He suffered for us during Holy Week, we shouldn't help but think about His willingness and readiness to serve God and us.  The prophetic word from the prophet Isaiah speaks of this mindset; a readiness that awoke each morning in Him, an attitude of servanthood for whatever lay ahead.  Later, the other words come into play as He faced the passion that He did, being whipped and humiliated as He was; yet He never wavered, doing what He did to save you and me.

I can relate some days to wanting to stay in bed, but the call from God calls us ever onward and upward.  So much work to do in reaching out to others with a word or action of encouragement.

PRAYER:  Lord, use me.  Give me Jesus' mind, heart, and attitude.  In His name I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Open That Door!

Image from lovefaithmusic.com

O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his steadfast love endures forever!  Let Israel say, "His steadfast love endures forever."Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the Lord. This is the gate of the Lord; the righteous shall enter through it. I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation.  The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.  This is the Lord's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.  This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.  Save us, we beseech you, O Lord! O Lord, we beseech you, give us success! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord. We bless you from the house of the Lord. The Lord is God, and he has given us light. Bind the festal procession with branches, up to the horns of the altar. You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God, I will extol you. O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever. (Psalm 118:1-2; 19-29 NRSV)

Last year was a year of Jubilee according to the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church.  It is during the years of jubilee that the holy doors of St. Peter's Basilica are opened, and all those who walk through them are forgiven of their sins.  It is done more to invite those who think they cannot be forgiven their sins to do this symbolic thing representing what Christ has done through His sacrifice on the cross.  There's more to the act, but for our understanding this passage I shared that with you.  Our daughter, Nellie, was in Rome in 2000 when the pope did the same thing and she and her college roommate walked through the doors.  The psalmist was sharing what he believed needed to be said; namely, the Lord is good and we should give thanks to the Lord, and that we as the people of God, should say, "Open to us the gates of righteousness so that we may enter in and give thanks to the Lord."  Years and years later, as Christ entered Jerusalem, He was entering the gates of the city to bring that righteousness to all who would claim it.  He was the "cornerstone" rejected by the builders; this is the basis of what we say when we say, "This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it;"  but there's more, "Save us, we beseech you, O Lord!"  Exactly why the Lord came, and all the more so that we still say, "Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord."  And there is no end to that steadfast love.

PRAYER:  Loving Lord, help me to open the doors of my heart to You; and let me enter the doors of Your heart and love to be forgiven and saved from my sin.  I desire a relationship with You now and forever.  In Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

The Parade of Parades!

Image from grandprairiepresbyterian.org

After saying these things, Jesus headed straight up to Jerusalem. When he got near Bethphage and Bethany at the mountain called Olives, he sent off two of the disciples with instructions: "Go to the village across from you. As soon as you enter, you'll find a colt tethered, one that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it. If anyone says anything, asks, 'What are you doing?' say, 'His Master needs him.'" The two left and found it just as he said. As they were untying the colt, its owners said, "What are you doing untying the colt?" They said, "His Master needs him." They brought the colt to Jesus. Then, throwing their coats on its back, they helped Jesus get on. As he rode, the people gave him a grand welcome, throwing their coats on the street.Right at the crest, where Mount Olives begins its descent, the whole crowd of disciples burst into enthusiastic praise over all the mighty works they had witnessed: Blessed is he who comes, the king in God's name! All's well in heaven! Glory in the high places! Some Pharisees from the crowd told him, "Teacher, get your disciples under control!" But he said, "If they kept quiet, the stones would do it for them, shouting praise." (Luke 19:28-40 The Message Version)

A couple of times in my life, we have been in the right place at the right time for what we believed to be unexpected parades.  Once, late at night near the Alamo in downtown San Antonio, one of the many night parades this city holds, here comes an awesome parade; with few there to enjoy it, we had a great view!  Another time we drove into Fredericksburg at the right time to park downtown and see their night time Christmas parade.  They enjoyed a bigger crowd, but we still had a great view of all the floats.  Imagine walking the Jerusalem streets on what we now call Palm Sunday.  You would have seen people rushing to the palm trees and pulling down branches.  You would have seen others taking off their coats and placing them right on the street.  The ones with the palm branches would have been waving them.  You might have joined in, not knowing truly what was going one. You may have asked someone, "What's going on?  What are we celebrating?"  In San Antonio they might have said, "Ah, man, we have parades like every other week!  Just enjoy it and yell!"  But here some might have said, "Here comes the Messiah; He will overthrow the Roman government!"  Others might have said, "He is the One we have been waiting for to deliver us from everything the scriptures say have held us down for so long!"  And you might have joined in shouting what you see in this passage:  "Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!  Hosanna!" And you would have seen a bearded man riding on a colt through the streets, followed by 12 other bearded men and a cast of women close behind; you might have wondered where the army was.

It would be the next day you would have news that this man had gone to the Temple and made quite a ruckus; and by the end of the week the same crowd you had seen praising God would now be calling for this man's death.  Would that have changed your view of this man and that day's events?

Lent is drawing to a close, and we are remembering the events in Jesus' life we call the Passion.  It starts with Palm Sunday and moves through Maundy Thursday and Good Friday and we await Sunday morning.  Are you closer to God today than you were yesterday?  Have these days of Lent prepared you spiritually for what is to come?

PRAYER:  Lord, let the doors of my heart swing open wide to allow Jesus in!  I cannot face life without Him and I cannot hold on to anyone or anything else, save Jesus.  Come into my heart, Lord Jesus, be King and ruler of my life!  This I pray in your name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Armloads of Blessings

Image from m.delphiforums.com

It seemed like a dream, too good to be true, when God returned Zion's exiles.We laughed, we sang, we couldn't believe our good fortune. We were the talk of the nations - "God was wonderful to them!" God was wonderful to us; we are one happy people.And now, God, do it again - bring rains to our drought-stricken lives So those who planted their crops in despair will shout hurrahs at the harvest, So those who went off with heavy hearts will come home laughing, with armloads of blessing. (Psalm 126 The Message)

To the unemployed person, to come home with bags of groceries is an awesome blessing.  To the one with a drought-strikened soul, to have God's blessings come in, it is like rain causing a flood on a land once cracked with dryness.  You can write your own description of what it means to be at a place without God and now in a place blessed by God's presence, peace, power, and grace.  There is no comparison. 

The psalmist had been at both places, and he knows the best place to be; so do we.  We yearn for that place filled with "armloads of blessings," and it is ours if we but return our hearts to God.  Nothing else will do; nothing else will satisfy.

PRAYER:  Lord, lift me to that place.  I need armloads of blessings.  And Father, I pray for those looking for work, that today be a day of great promise and hope for them.  In Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord.

Eradio Valverde

Quit Looking Back! Look Towards God!

Image from www.pnwumc.org

Thus says the Lord, who makes a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters, who brings out chariot and horse, army and warrior; they lie down, they cannot rise, they are extinguished, quenched like a wick: Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old. I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. The wild animals will honor me, the jackals and the ostriches; for I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my chosen people,the people whom I formed for myself so that they might declare my praise. (Isaiah 43:16-21)

Doors will open.  Paths will be made.  Walls will fall.  Even a walkway in the ocean will appear.  The ones who pursued you in the past will give up.  You need but look forward, towards God, and away from the harm and sin of the past.  This is the Biblical message in a nutshell.  It is the story of a loving, involved God in the lives of His people.  It is your story.  It is my story.

Yet, we sometimes get lured back, in those quiet moments to thinking back about the bad we've done, the things we've said, the thoughts we thought.  We start feeling the guilt of a sin long removed from us.  We find ourselves exactly where Satan would have us be.  But God still calls out in a more loving and caring voice:  "Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old.  I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?"  And indeed, the way of God is to keep moving ever forward and ever upward; for God makes a way when it seems no way is possible.

And what does God expect in return?  Our love and praise.  A love of action and a praise that invites, so that others can leave behind the mire in which they find themselves and come on that path that leads to life in the fullest.

PRAYER:  THANK YOU, LOVING GOD for inviting me to leave the past in the past and to walk hand in hand with You towards Your future.  Help me to love You and Yours more, and praise You more, so that others may come and join alongside us.  This I pray in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

PS  Thank you all for your prayers.  I am suffering from allergies.  The doctor gave me new eye drops and a new nasal spray.  Onward and upward!  Praise His Name!

Pedigree and the Power to Press On

Image from dlyrflctns.blogspot.com

If anyone else has reason to be confident in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, a member of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ. More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but one that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God based on faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:4b-14)

When faced with a challenge to his calling and purpose, Paul responded with a classic response at first; his pedigree.  And he had an impressive one:  So Jewish he was circumcised on the eighth day of his life as was required by his faith, "a member of the people of Israel," and he knew the tribe, Benjamin, and sums it up as a "Hebrew born of Hebrews."  As to his faith in the law he had been a Pharisee.  As to his energy and commitment to the faith, a persecutor of the church, and if questioned about his being righteous or not, he said, he was "blameless."  Yet, he says, what does this count for if not for the power of Jesus Christ to make me realize the importance of having Him in my life?  And it is because of that relationship I now have with Him that everything else has paled.  I seek to know more and more about Jesus, and I want to know the power of His resurrection and all that He suffered for me, so that I may die like Him.  And whatever may come after my death it will be because of Him and He only.  And, I still have work to do, and toward that I press on.

What an attitude and perspective to have!  Like Paul, we have been greatly blessed by our heritage, and upbringing; but what makes us even more special should be that we know and belong to Jesus Christ.  With Him in our hearts whatever comes next we face with full faith and certainty, that we will be more than conquerors through Him.  We know we have work to do and with Jesus' power and presence, we too press onward and upward, "for the prize of the heavily call of God in Christ Jesus."  

Not sure of your call, ask.  Pray today and see again what God would have you do, and be.

PRAYER:  Lord, give me the faith of Paul, to seek You and You only.  Help me to forget what lies behind, and help me to press on towards that to which You have called me; this I pray in Christ Jesus  my Lord, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

PS  I'm sorry I was not able to share a devotional yesterday, I have been having some issues with my eyes and I needed to rest and to return home, where I now am, asking your prayers.  May the Lord bless you and keep you is my prayer.  

Of Thieves and the Poor

Image from gbcdecatur.org

Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus' feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, "Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?" (He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.) Jesus said, "Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial.You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me." (John 12:1-8)

Jesus was in the home of three siblings who really loved Him.  He had, after all, raised Lazarus from the dead at the request of the two sisters who loved their brother.  Jesus had also been at the house before, when Martha did all the housework and Mary sat at Jesus' feet, and told Mary that her sister truly understood what was more important.  And it is during this visit, the last He would make to this home, that the Spirit prompted Mary to anoint Jesus' feet and to wipe them with her hair; it was her way of saying goodbye to Jesus.  But there was a thief in the house with them who asks why the expensive perfume was not sold so that the money could be given to the poor.  The writer of the gospel knew now that this thief was also the treasurer of the group and helped himself to the money.  Jesus' reply is to say that she was only doing what she had been told to do by God and in this way she was hoping prepare Him for His burial.  Jesus then says, "You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me."

Of all the characters in the house there was one who had tasted death and had been blessed by resurrection. There was one who was a good host and worked hard at making sure all the requirements of treating visitors nice, especially one as important as Jesus, and so did all that needed to be done in her opinion to welcome Him.  There was one who looked out only for himself, caring not for the poor; wanting money to steal; and there was one who "got it," who understood Jesus and His mission and loved Him for all He had shared with her, especially a message of forgiveness and love from God.  Where would you have been in this story?

I pray we all say that we would be like Mary, who "get it" and seek to do all we can for our Lord; making room in our hearts to welcome Him, cleaning out that which does not belong in there to allow His stay to be a long and pleasant one; and truly realizing who He is and anointing His presence with the goodness of our faith.  That's who I want to be in this story.

PRAYER:  Loving God, help me to realize what I should be and do for You and for Yours.  Make right my spirit so that I will always serve You.  This I pray in Jesus' name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord.

Eradio Valverde

Count Yourself Blessed!

Image from blogs.blueletterbible.org

Count yourself lucky, how happy you must be - you get a fresh start, your slate's wiped clean. Count yourself lucky - God holds nothing against you and you're holding nothing back from him. When I kept it all inside, my bones turned to powder, my words became daylong groans. The pressure never let up; all the juices of my life dried up.Then I let it all out; I said, "I'll make a clean breast of my failures to God." Suddenly the pressure was gone - my guilt dissolved, my sin disappeared. These things add up. Every one of us needs to pray; when all hell breaks loose and the dam bursts we'll be on high ground, untouched. God's my island hideaway, keeps danger far from the shore, throws garlands of hosannas around my neck. Let me give you some good advice; I'm looking you in the eye and giving it to you straight: "Don't be ornery like a horse or mule that needs bit and bridle to stay on track." God-defiers are always in trouble; God-affirmers find themselves loved every time they turn around. Celebrate God. Sing together - everyone! All you honest hearts, raise the roof! (Psalm 32 The Message version)

A fresh start.  Who hasn't ever wanted one at one time or another?  That's what the psalmist is celebrating in today's psalm; God gave him a fresh start, with the slate wiped clean, as in all your sins are forgiven!  The language here is a bit more street-wise; Count yourself lucky!  And that works too.  God removed the weight of guilt and shame, and we can walk away lighter and freer, for we now have in God, a place to hide away.  We join the crowd of those whom David calls, "The God-affirmers," those who "find themselves loved every time they turn around."  So, we do as the psalmist says, we "celebrate God," and join the happy and thankful chorus of those who are truly starting new.

Let's raise the roof!

PRAYER:  Loving God, thank You for the fresh start You've given me.  I want to join those singing Your praises, for we are loved enough to the point where You have given us a new start.  Praised be Your Name!  I pray in Christ Jesus' precious name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

That Special Day!

The Lord said to Joshua, "Today I have rolled away from you the disgrace of Egypt." And so that place is called Gilgal to this day. While the Israelites were camped in Gilgal they kept the passover in the evening on the fourteenth day of the month in the plains of Jericho. On the day after the passover, on that very day, they ate the produce of the land, unleavened cakes and parched grain.The manna ceased on the day they ate the produce of the land, and the Israelites no longer had manna; they ate the crops of the land of Canaan that year. (Joshua 5:9-12)

It could have been your wedding day, or the arrival of your first child, or your first day on the job - you knew the day was special because your life had changed for the better.  Imagine that sort of day for your family, or your workplace, your church, or your nation.  If you can, you can begin to imagine the specialness of what this passage is about.  Joshua, in his meeting with God, hears the Lord say, "Every negative thing about your past life has been rolled away from you."  That was the day that the nation of Israel, God's people, enjoyed their first Passover celebration in their new land.  They ate the produce of that land as they celebrated God's liberating acts; and the days of eating manna came to an end.

The special day that God removed from you life all your sins should compare to no other; your life was made new, and with God by  your side, you could walk confidently towards the future.  All your yesterdays ended at midnight of that day when the Lord rolled away your sin, and the sunrise of that day signaled the start of a new life in Jesus Christ.

Why not share that with somebody today?  And you might just be making a special day happen in that person's life.

PRAYER:  Loving God, thank You for that day when You rolled away my sins.  Help me find someone today who could hear that same message that changed my life.  This I pray in Christ Jesus, my Lord and Savior, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

God Makes All Things New!

Image from angusday.org

From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view; even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view, we know him no longer in that way. So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:16-21 NRSV)

Growing up there was something about tying a towel around our necks and letting it fly behind us as we ran - for we were each, with just that towel, Superman.  Sadly, I don't know how many moms had to run into the back yard to tend to sons, and yes, some daughters, who had jumped off garages thinking they could fly.  But, for those few moments, we were not regarding ourselves "from a human point of view," for we were regarding ourselves as the Superman, our hero from the black and white screens of our television sets.

What's important now is to have received Christ as Lord and Savior is to know that we have been made new; the old has passed away, and we are new to God and to those around us.  This is the gift of the reconciliation that has come our way; God no longer a distant things to grasp, now our real Father, and Christ our brother and Savior.  That new behavior is the gift of being now ambassadors for Christ; we represent Him in all things and in all ways.  Sin is dead and gone, and forgotten; we should live like those who have nothing to do with sin, but everything to do with He who took it away.

PRAYER:  Loving God, thank You for making us new.  Let us truly live as Your ambassadors in all things.  ThankYou for removing our sin through Jesus our Lord; in Whose name we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde