The Holy Family Fled! (NOT Ford!*) Thank you, Otto Korect!

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13 Now after they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him." 14 Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt, 15 and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, "Out of Egypt I have called my son." 16 When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he was infuriated, and he sent and killed all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had learned from the wise men. 17 Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah: 18 "A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be consoled, because they are no more." 19 When Herod died, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, 20 "Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who were seeking the child's life are dead." 21 Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And after being warned in a dream, he went away to the district of Galilee. 23 There he made his home in a town called Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, "He will be called a Nazorean." (Matthew 2:13-23 NRSV)

A very Merry Christmas to you and yours, dear Friend! I will take a few days off for this holiday season and today's will serve as the Christmas edition for 2019. This will be the last ConCafe for the decade!

The first Christmas was no different from some Christmases of today; you take the good with the bad. Yes, there are some homes where the gathering of family is not always a good thing; some family members will chose to leave in the middle of the night rather than ride out the holy days in conflict. Ouch. Sometimes it is better for those things to happen. Please know there is counseling available if you are troubled by this; a call to your pastor(s) may help

Now to our story: At some point early in Jesus' life, God orders Joseph to flee to Egypt. God knew that Herod was about to search for the child Jesus and kill all male children. In obedience to God, Joseph took Mary and Jesus across several country's borders until finally crossing into the nation of Egypt, where the family lived until the Lord told Joseph that it was now safe for the Holy Family to return back to Israel, specially to the town of Nazareth. Some scholars believe the family stayed in Egypt for two years. That my friends may have seemed like an eternity to a family whose roots and families were somewhere miles away. Did Joseph and Mary speak Egyptian? Did they find work easily? Were they welcomed with love and acceptance? Or, were they looked at with suspicion and fear? DId they hear "Why don't you go back to where you came from? Or, "We thank God you're here and among us! Please tell us how we can help you all?"

Joseph trusted God and knew that an early return home would mean his son's death, and possibly his own death and that of Mary. What sort of option is that? The question is not what would Jesus do, it's what would YOU do for the good of your child and wife?

Some would question why God would have chosen to make His Son run rather than stay and fight? Could not God send a million angels to fight Herod's armies? I think yes, but it would have defeated the purpose of God truly and completely identifying with us. Jesus came in human form. He ran fevers, He coughed and had the sniffles. He cut His fingers while playing; Jesus did all things that come with being a boy. No, He didn't sin; we know that, but He did know the human condition. And yes, He did die, at the right time, for you and me.

This Christmas, let's trust God and be like God, loving and giving. Let's even be like the Egyptian neighbors who welcomed and cared for God's Son and His earthly family.

Merry Christmas!

PRAYER: Loving God, thank You for this important story. It saddens us that sometimes leaders of nations make it necessary for its citizens to flee for their lives. And sadder that some in nations that can welcome them, don't. Grant us Your love in abundance so that it easily and freely flows from our hearts to others. Thank You for Jesus! May His birth be our greatest gift of all time! In HIS name we pray, amen!

**Prayer Request: Late Sunday evening we got word that the maternal grandfather of our son-in-law, Jesse Muñoz, died in Corpus Christi. Please keep the Muñoz family in your prayers during this difficult time.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Be a true peacemaker in someone's life this holiday season!

Receive my blessings of love and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

The Good Shepherd Saves His People!

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1 Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock! You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth 2 before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh. Stir up your might, and come to save us! 3 Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved. 4 O Lord God of hosts, how long will you be angry with your people's prayers? 5 You have fed them with the bread of tears, and given them tears to drink in full measure. 6 You make us the scorn of our neighbors; our enemies laugh among themselves. 7 Restore us, O God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved. (Psalm 80:1-7 NRSV)

Hello Dear Friend! Isn't if nice to have a shepherd upon Whom we can call? I may have shared before the day came when I knew I was completely on my own. Before that, I had a dad I could call whenever I felt in trouble or in need of his help. My dad had been my shepherd even during the days when I was a straying lamb. I knew that help was only a phone call away. I chuckle as I remember as I left home for college, my Mom gave me a quarter in case I needed to call home. In those days the quarter would get me a dial tone and then I could call collect. My Dad gave me his Texaco card, that I was only to use in dire emergencies. I don't know how he could have stressed that more. The day Nellie and I had our first child I knew that I was now the dad, and soon I would get calls of need. It was a great feeling but a scary one as well.

Israel always had God as their shepherd, as do we. The prayer of the psalmist as he writes this is to ask for the shepherd to shine forth His light and to bring His salvation upon His people. Salvation. The word of life. The word that lifts us from death and into life. The message of the entire Bible is summed up in one word. The prayer was answered in what we will be celebrating in some days; Christmas - the brith of He born to save the world. The answer came in God's time; the "fullness of time." And it is ours for the asking.

Call on the Lord for whatever it is you need. God is our Shepherd and God answers when we call. Don't wander any further lost in the darkness, call on God and He will bless you!

PRAYER: Loving God, we thank You for Christmas and all that it means to us. May it mean life to us for all days. This we pray in Christ Jesus' name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Pray like you've never prayed before and ask what you need.

Receive my blessings of peace and love,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Are You Wearying God?

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10 Again the LORD spoke to Ahaz, 11 "Ask a sign of the LORD your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven." 12 But Ahaz said, "I will not ask, and I will not put the LORD to the test." 13 And he said, "Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that you weary my God also? 14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, a young woman shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Imman'u-el. 15 He shall eat curds and honey when he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. 16 For before the child knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land before whose two kings you are in dread will be deserted. (Isaiah 7:10-16 RSV)

Hi Friend! As we were leaving a fast food place yesterday evening in San Marcos, a young man got out of a car and walked hurriedly to the door. I suspect he knew what was coming next. The kid looked at me just as the Dad said, "I love you, son!" In my thinking this probably embarrassed the dickens out of the young man, but the Dad said it because he meant it. Nellie noticed the young man's look too, and said one should always appreciate the kind and loving words our dads and moms say to us. Many of us at this certain age would, in the words of the song, "trade all of my tomorrows for a single yesterday" just to hear our dad's or mom's voice again. The son is probably, in this point of his life, weary of hearing sappy things like "I love you, son." But the day will come, sometimes too soon, when the young man would give anything to hear it again.

This passage, as well as the season of Advent, is about people being made weary by others, but the prophet truly understands that we, too, can weary God. It got to the point, or as the scriptures say, "In the fullness of time," that God acted and sent His only begotten Son, because we had wearied each other, and God, with our behavior and attitude. Ahaz is asked by the LORD to ask a sign of the LORD your God, and it could be anything as deep as the place of no return, or as high as Heaven itself. But Ahaz wouldn't, for fear he might be putting God to the test. It was then that the message about weariness came to him and the people of God. He then says, God will give you a sign, and this is it: "Behold, a young woman shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel (God with us). He shall eat curds and honey when he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, but the warning was that their land had wearied God to the point that before this child appeared, much desolation would come to the land. We know that it did.

Advent as our season right now is not to be worried about a desolate land from antiquity; we should we afraid of living a life that makes God weary with how we act, what we think, what we say, and how we worship (or not worship!). Advent is meant to spur us into action for the good and the positive as we seek to bless others with how we do live, by allowing Christ to make an impact in our lives now.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, if we have wearied you, please forgive us. If we continue to weary you, please remind us that this is not what you expect. Change us for the good. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Let someone see the change that has come upon your life, that instead of being a weary-causer, you are now a worship-causer!

Receive my blessings of love and peace!

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Jesus, The Gift from God!

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1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, 2 which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures, 3 the gospel concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh 4 and was declared to be Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, 5 through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for the sake of his name, 6 including yourselves who are called to belong to Jesus Christ, 7 To all God's beloved in Rome, who are called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

A very happy Tuesday, dear Friend, the best gift of Christmas is the gift of love. No gift can compare or compete with the gift of God's love as shown in the birth of His Son, Jesus. For me, a close second was the love I discovered when I was in my internship year at El Mesias UMC in Mission, Texas. After what seemed months of pursuing this woman, whom I knew to be the love of my life, she had said yes to a date. And that date led to the rest of our courtship being a non-stop date of sorts. After school I would be at her house and she could not get rid of me. I knew Nellie was the one for me, and she told me I was the one for her. But it didn't become so serious as that Christmas Eve when I had to stay and be the narrator of the Christmas program and could not leave for Houston until that was over. The plan was that Nellie would fly up two days later to meet my parents. She walked me to my car and as I was about to drive off, she started crying. What? I had never had a girl cry for me and then it hit me, really hard; this girl loves me!

Has it hit you? That God really loves you? It hit Paul super hard, as he discovered his new found life's purpose in putting Christians behind bars was not his true life's calling. The man whom Paul thought he hated and wanted to get people to stop talking and praying about, Jesus, met Paul on the road, called him by name and asked him why he was doing what he was doing. And more than that, Jesus called him into ministry. The Good News of Christmas became the lifeblood of his life.

Paul writes about the good news as he had read them in the scriptures of the prophets, and how they understood all that was to happen in order for for all humanity to come to know God's love. He heard about God's grace, and the need to be apostles of Jesus; all in order to bring about the obedience of faith. We are called to be saints; grace is ours.

Let it be real; let it hit you. You matter to God. And nothing nor anyone can take that away from you!

PRAYER: Thank You, dear God, for Your love. Let me do something about it today. This is my prayer in Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Let God's love hit you today like never before!

Receive my blessing of peace and love!

Pastor Eradio Valverde

The Birth of Jesus Took Place in This Way...

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18 Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. 20 But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." 22 All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: 23 "Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel," which means, "God is with us." 24 When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, 25 but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus. (Matthew 1:18-25 NRSV)

Here is the Christmas Story, dear Friend! It involves a baby. And before we look at the Baby Jesus, let us be in prayer for babies who need our prayers for healing. A dear member of one of my former churches, Christina Sandell, her son Jack, a newborn, has been in the hospital with respiratory problems including severe sleep apnea. He is too tiny for any sleep apnea machine. We trust God and we ask God for his healing. Jack was born on November 4, 2019. Join me in praying for a miracle! And I just received news that a retired UM pastor from our conference who lives in Costa Rica, The Rev. Rafael Campos, is very ill and tomorrow undergoes some tests to see how he's doing. Please pray for Rev. Campos.

Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah, the deliverer of God's people. Jesus was born to Mary, a young woman betrothed to a man named Joseph. Mary found herself to be with child even before being with a man; a child promised to her in a dream by an archangel. Joseph, as the Bible described him, was a "righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, and the more severe option of being stoned to death. His plan was to divorce her quietly. But as happens so often, the plans of a person don't always match those of God.

God interrupts Joseph's sleep with the visit of an angel who tells him, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." This was the fulfillment of biblical prophecy.

Joseph did as told, and married Mary, and she bore a son, and Joseph named Him Jesus.

In this baby the world received her salvation. For in Jesus we had Him who would die in our place, for our sins, so that we might be restored back with God. In Jesus we find all that Advent had prepared for us. Praise be to God.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, for Jesus we are thankful and eternally grateful. May we make room for Jesus to be born in us and for us. And in His holy name we pray, amen!

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Be someone who shares this sacred birth with others.

Receive my blessings of love and peace!

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Get Help from God!

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1 Hallelujah! O my soul, praise God! 2 All my life long I'll praise God, singing songs to my God as long as I live. 3 Don't put your life in the hands of experts who know nothing of life, of salvation life. 4 Mere humans don't have what it takes; when they die, their projects die with them. 5 Instead, get help from the God of Jacob, put your hope in God and know real blessing! 6 God made sky and soil, sea and all the fish in it. He always does what he says - 7 he defends the wronged, he feeds the hungry. God frees prisoners - 8 he gives sight to the blind, he lifts up the fallen. 9 protects strangers, takes the side of orphans and widows, but makes short work of the wicked. 10 God's in charge - always. Zion's God is God for good! Hallelujah! (Psalm 146 The Message)

Many people paste on their vehicles a bumper sticker that says something about them or about where they put their hope and trust. Some are funny, some are very serious, and some are scary. My truck has several of the Central Texas 100 Club in honor of our son-in-law, Eric Cortez, who is a police officer with Austin PD, as well as all other police officers and first responders. They put their lives on the line for us each day, and we pray the Lord protect them always.

A faded one on ther other side shows a helicopter and was a service that we had in San Marcos, Seguin, and some other places; it said that we who had the sticker believed in their service should we ever need it and we, of course, all prayed we never would. The service announced this year they would no longer serve this area for a variety of reasons. But guess what? My hope has always been in God, not in helicopters, or any other thing or person. The psalmist nailed it with his words in this passage. So called experts can only do so much, and then verse 5 says it all: "Instead, get help from the God of Jacob, put your hope in God and know real blessings!" My hope is in HIm! How about you?

The psalmist lists what God does and can do; God is a Creator; He made all things; what could He possibly NOT do? God keeps His word. God defends the wronged; who else does? God feeds the hungry. God frees prisoners. God gives sight to the blind. God lifts up the fallen. God protects strangers. God takes the side of orphans and widows. God makes short work of the wicked. God's in charge - always. God is God for good!

Now, where are the new bumper stickers that affirm our faith? Better yet, how can we become the walking bumper stickers that share the positive that God can use to grow His kingdom?

PRAYER: Loving God, empower me to be a better person, a walking symbol of Your goodness. Let me work among those listed above who need me. In Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! I mean it, be a walking bumper sticker for God (Not with paper signs pasted on you, but you giving witness with your acts and words!)

Receive my blessings of love and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

The Lord is Near!

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7 Be patient, therefore, beloved, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious crop from the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. 8 You also must be patient. Strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near. 9 Beloved, do not grumble against one another, so that you may not be judged. See, the Judge is standing at the doors! 10 As an example of suffering and patience, beloved, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. (James 5: 7-10 NRSV)

"It's either feast or famine!" We all have heard that said by farmers that we all know and love. A farmer plants with faith and trust, prays for rain, and then patiently waits to see what sort of crop they will receive. The waiting is the hardest part. Dear Friend, as James wrote this epistle, he was addressing believers who were anxious about when Jesus would return for them. James believes with all his heart that the Lord was near, as we do even today some two thousand years later. His calm suggestion is for the reader to be calm and patient. And yet, he writes, "Strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near." Advent is about waiting and trusting. We await the time to draw close to once again celebrate the birth of our Lord. As years go by it seems churches no longer put on plays or special music on the actual holy days like the 24th or 25th, but do the celebrating on earlier days, so that family plans can be carried forth. And even in those days when celebrations of Christ's birth were low-key, there was a tendency for conflict among other believers, even family, were possible and were happening, so James writes, "Beloved, do not grumble against one another, so that you may not be judged." The pressures and stresses of the holidays at time cause us to not be ourselves and defeats the entire purpose of why we celebrate.

Patience and peace as we await the birth of He born to be the Prince of Peace. What a concept!

Show peace, and show love. People may wonder what you're up to!

PRAYER: King of Kings, and Lord of Life, and our Prince of Peace; show us how and share it with us. May You be glorified in all this, for we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Show just an ounce more of patience than yesterday and soon your cup will overflow!

Blessings of peace and love,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

John the Preparer!

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2 When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples 3 and said to him, "Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?" 4 Jesus answered them, "Go and tell John what you hear and see: 5 the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them. 6 And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me." 7 As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind? 8 What then did you go out to see? Someone dressed in soft robes? Look, those who wear soft robes are in royal palaces. 9 What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10 This is the one about whom it is written, "See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.' 11 Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. (Matthew 11:2-11 NRSV)

Happy Monday, dear Friend! If the joy of the Lord is your strength, then any day, especially Monday can be a Happy day! I pray the joy of Jesus in you give you the joy, strength, courage, and boldness as you face today and all this week! May the peace and the pace that the Lord shares shape your week for productivity and blessing!

On social media I saw a grandpa exit from a terminal to find a sign by his grandkids, who had not seen him for two years, holding a sign that said, "Welcome home from prison, Grandpa! We missed you!" Gulp. I didn't know how I would have reacted to such a sign even if I had been in prison. I would be a bit embarrassed and sort of bashful about admitting that. I may be wrong, but not all people react to all things like me, nor do they need to, but being in prison changes your life. I've shared how when I was in Rotary in San Antonio, a SAPD police officer in a cruiser came to my office at the church and "arrested" me. I was taken to a "jail" in a shopping mall, where I had a phone to call friends and church members to "bail" me out. It was a scholarship fund for which we were raising the money, but the impact of the experience stayed fresh with me. Thankfully, my church members and friends quickly raised the money and I was released soon. I could only imagine what it is like to be really locked up and have no idea as to when one could leave. John, the cousin of Jesus, was locked up and he knew there would be only one way that he would leave that prison; as a dead person. One's mind wanders and asks all the wrong things. And to be in prison and to hear things, makes the mind wander even more, so the question John asks Jesus is not far off. "Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?"

John's parents knew what he was going to do with his life. His aunt, Mary, the mother of Jesus, also knew. And John grew up with the full knowledge that he was the one chosen by God to prepare the way of the Lord. And soon he learned that his baby cousin, Jesus, was the Lord. He reluctantly baptized Him, and had seen the progress that Jesus made in the plans and purposes of God in Jesus. John was then arrested for criticizing Herod and his lifestyle, namely, living with his brother's wife. And he had an idea that things would not go well with his life. And as he heard about Jesus and what He was doing, he wondered, "Have I truly done what God wanted me to do with my life?" This was a normal reaction that comes to so many. It was said the late Mother Theresa doubted towards the end of her life, if she had truly done what God wanted her to do. So much good was done for those whom no one even saw nor wanted to touch; she brought humanity to them and blessed them, even as most of them died. So, John wonders. And he asked. And Jesus responded.

"Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them. And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me." John had heard. John had even seen. But, the confirmation that he needed was shared with him. Jesus knew that His cousin would die, but he would be given the gift of eternal life in the kingdom of God.

Jesus, after He sent the messengers to answer John, continued His evaluation of John; that John was not a shaky reed blowing in the wind. He was a stalwart of faith; faithful, bold, and bowed to no one, not even Herod. His very dress, Jesus says, gave proof to his calling and work. Jesus further jabs at those who live in palaces, who just happen to be the ones who were holding John prisoner and who would ultimately order his death. "John was a prophet!" Jesus declares, with all the right and privileges thereof!" He was mentioned in scripture, the Lord said, and his place is secure in the annals of the history of faith; even his birth has blessed his mother; and yet, those who believe and do what God has asked of them, will hold a greater place in Heaven.

Wow. Quite a humbling thought. Faithfulness that leads to fruitfulness will reward those with a fullness of life for all eternity. We sometimes think "I have not done enough," but we leave it to God and onward we continue, to love, care, support, and live as called by Christ. It may seem like an insignificant ripple in a large body of water, but the ripple may bring life to someone who was lacking life. And we may never even see it here, but when it counts, we will know. Today after church I had lunch with a dear friend, who is now a pastor in Floresville. He shared how some things I shared with him when I was his pastor in Harlingen impacted him and allowed him in his own call from God to serve in the local church. I had no recollection of any of it. I just thank God that it blessed someone.

PRAYER: Loving God, I thank You for John the Baptist and his faithfulness. Mold me into being faithful and fruitful, like him in what I do. I want to make a difference in whatever way I can. This I pray in Jesus' name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord. What can I do to prepare further the way of the Lord among those whom I know?

Blessings of love and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Let Righteousness Burst into Blossom!

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1 Give the gift of wise rule to the king, O God, the gift of just rule to the crown prince. 2 May he judge your people rightly, be honorable to your meek and lowly. 3 Let the mountains give exuberant witness; shape the hills with the contours of right living. 4 Please stand up for the poor, help the children of the needy, come down hard on the cruel tyrants. 5 Outlast the sun, outlive the moon - age after age after age. 6 Be rainfall on cut grass, earth-refreshing rain showers. 7 Let righteousness burst into blossom and peace abound until the moon fades to nothing. 10 Kings remote and legendary will pay homage, kings rich and resplendent will turn over their wealth. 11 All kings will fall down and worship, and godless nations sign up to serve him, 12 Because he rescues the poor at the first sign of need, the destitute who have run out of luck. 13 He opens a place in his heart for the down-and-out, he restores the wretched of the earth. 14 He frees them from tyranny and torture - when they bleed, he bleeds; when they die, he dies. (Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14 The Message)

May a glad heart, filled with joy and the love of God be yours today, dear Friend. For those of you who prefer my narrating these devotionals, I have been under the weather and felt that a bullfrog talking to you in the morning is not the best thing! Please remember me in your prayers. I'm a good boy and get my flu shot without much screaming or resistance, but there is not yet anything to prevent us from getting the common cold. Whoever thought to call it common was not well.

Advent continues to bless us if we but listen and learn. Advent is a time to let God speak honestly and lovingly to us. While most want to hear only words of comfort and peace, Advent is a time for honesty and frankness. The needs prior to Jesus' birth were very similar to today's. Justice is still sought in all corners of the world and in most homes. The psalmist lifts up his voice in a prophetic way and the words of a prophet were usually harsh words of warning, calling those who love and seek God to become servants and soldiers of a righteous way.

Hear this, "Please stand up for the poor, help the children of the needy, come down hard on the cruel tyrants." This is the time of year that a news source will feature a man who hands out one hundred dollar bills to people in need. He's a mystery Santa of sorts, who goes into grocery stores or stores like Dollar General or Dollar Tree, and as he sees need, gives the bills to people. Their reaction is usually one of great joy and shock. His actions have motivated others to mimic him. I saw a video on social media of a young man in a college asking people for high fives, and those who did high five the guy received a one hundred dollar bill. These asked, "Why?" And he just said he wanted to bless them. Others have YouTubers who have made significant money giving out more than $100 bills; some paying the full rent of neighbors, groceries, and more. We must listen to God and follow His lead to truly "stand up for the poor," especially for the children.

Poetically, the psalmist says, "Be rainfall on cut grass, earth-refreshing rain showers." These could be simple acts like a smile, a kind word, opening a door, asking how a person is, and being a blessing to all. These actions will do, as the title of today's devotional says, "Let righteousness burst into blossom and peace abound until the moon fades to nothing."

The arrival of Jesus in His birth set in motion what needs to occur to make this earth a better place. Our actions are also shaping what needs to be in place for His second return. We should be the hands and feet of the Lord so that when He comes, He will bless us, for we have blessed others. This is Advent!

PRAYER: Loving Father, bless me to be a blessing. Use us to be those who seek to bring justice and mercy to all, especially the poor and the victims of tyrants. Help me be the hands and feet of Jesus to all. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Confuse someone by making them think you are Christ incarnate, doing His will for them.

Blessings of peace and love,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Look Up to See the Light of the Lord!

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1 The word that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. 2 In days to come the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be raised above the hills; all the nations shall stream to it. 3 Many peoples shall come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths." For out of Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. 4 He shall judge between the nations, and shall arbitrate for many peoples; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. 5 O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord! (Isaiah 2:1-5 NRSV)

Good Wednesday to you, dear Friend! May the blessings of preparation be yours in a mighty way.

Yesterday was a great blessing for Nellie and I who are on a mini-outing with dear friends. They suggested we visit Moody Gardens' Holiday Extravaganza and it was awesome. What made it so nice, besides the company of dear friends, was that Tuesday is Seniors Day, and those of a certain age (65 or older) get to enter for only $30 each. And that included all the attractions including the Festival of Holiday Lights and the marvel that is Iceland, a room cooled to 9 degrees (yes, brrrr!) and these marvelous ice sculptures made by Chinese artists are on display. To enter you must wear one of their parkas and enjoy the marvels from around the world done in ice.

The real highlight was a 3D movie called "Jerusalem" that told the story of the Holy City. It shared how this ancient city of the Jebusites became the center of three of the world's major religions. The Jebusites found the highest mountain in that area and it is believed they worship the Shalems, gods of the sun, and the site became known as Jerusalem. But the prophecy of the prophet Isaiah as he shares it today, came true when King David's son built the original temple in the highest point of Jerusalem where it stood as a beacon and symbol for all of Israel. What the prophet said came true; people would say "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; that He may teach us His ways and that we may walk in His paths." And still today, in the Son of God, we find that the best counsel, advice, and direction for meaning and purpose in life come from looking up to Him and obediently listening to what God can say to us through what Jesus taught and lived.

Advent is that which prepares us for more faithful listening and more obedient ways to walk with the Lord. Hope, joy, cheer, strength, purpose, direction; all these come from above, not below. The placement of the Temple on the highest point of Jerusalem called to people to look up towards God. The results would be as Isaiah said, "God will judge between the nations, and shall arbitrate for many peoples; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more." The upper things call for change in our thinking and perspectives; the lower things call for destruction and war. This passage inspired the song, "I'm not gonna learn war no more," a song meaning the positive changes that come through knowing the Lord call us to become people of peace and compassion. Advent is that time when this can happen.

PRAYER: Loving Father, lift us up beyond the things that destroy and divide. Make us like You and Your Son, people of the higher way, the way of life. And let it begin right now. In Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Be a person of the higher way!

Blessings of peace and love,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?

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11 Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; 12 the night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; 13 let us live honorably as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. 14 Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. (Romans 13:11-14 NRSV)

Happy Tuesday, dear Friend! I trust the blessings of this season of preparation have been yours. As we pray please pray for the world; too many people dying in senseless violence. Our prayers for former president Jimmy Carter and his health; he is hospitalized not long after his surgery. Pray for his healing. Pray for the summit and all leaders present.

As I read the passage for today my mind raced to the old Chicago Transit Authority song by the same title as today's devotional. It seems the group had time on their mind as another song, "25 or 6 To Four" was about time; a groggy band member wanting not to get up from sleep asked another what time it was, and he replied, "It's 25 or 6 to Four." And that became another one of their hits. The title song of today's devotional is about the hustle and bustle of daily life with people not caring enough for the other. It's still a timely (no pun intended!) song and could be tied to the message from Paul to the Romans in today's passage.

The urgency of every Christian is to make sure his or her neighbor is right (saved) with God. Paul knew that his time on earth was running out and so he urges people to "wake from sleep." Again, the challenge to the church is apathy or indifference to the reality of our spiritual situation. Salvation was not a certificate to hang on our walls; it was a daily process of growing in the Lord, doing and serving as much as we could. Salvation was an action of joy and love. Paul saw it as something that would grow in us the more we did for God and for others. I spoke briefly about sanctification earlier in one of my devotions, as a process that begins at the moment of our salvation and continues to bless us each day until the day we graduate into the presence of the Lord. For Paul, the darkness of "the night" was drawing to a close, and "the day" which refers to the appearance of the Lord Jesus (think Advent!) was getting closer, so Paul says, "let us then lay aside the works of darkness (sinful things) and put on the armor of light (evidence of salvation in our lives, words, and actions). Paul saw this as an opportunity to shine as being set apart and different from the world, living "honorably as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provison for the flesh, to gratify its desires."

Long story short; advent can only work in us if we wake up to the reality of the need we have for Jesus to guide us and use us. So, if you're resting or slumbering in the deeds of yesterday or the deeds of your parents, wake up! And get to work!

PRAYER: Loving Father, bless us as we seek to prepare for Your birth and Your return for us. Make us worthy as we seek to work in the light of the day. Let us be a blessing to others. This we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Let people really know what time it is in your heart!

Blessings of peace and love,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Change Your Life! God's Kingdom is Here!

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1 While Jesus was living in the Galilean hills, John, called "the Baptizer," was preaching in the desert country of Judea. 2 His message was simple and austere, like his desert surroundings: "Change your life. God's kingdom is here." 3 John and his message were authorized by Isaiah's prophecy: Thunder in the desert! Prepare for God's arrival! Make the road smooth and straight! 4 John dressed in a camel-hair habit tied at the waist by a leather strap. He lived on a diet of locusts and wild field honey. 5 People poured out of Jerusalem, Judea, and the Jordanian countryside to hear and see him in action. 6 There at the Jordan River those who came to confess their sins were baptized into a changed life. 7 When John realized that a lot of Pharisees and Sadducees were showing up for a baptismal experience because it was becoming the popular thing to do, he exploded: "Brood of snakes! What do you think you're doing slithering down here to the river? Do you think a little water on your snakeskins is going to make any difference? 8 It's your life that must change, not your skin! 9 And don't think you can pull rank by claiming Abraham as father. Being a descendant of Abraham is neither here nor there. Descendants of Abraham are a dime a dozen. 10 What counts is your life. Is it green and blossoming? Because if it's deadwood, it goes on the fire. 11 "I'm baptizing you here in the river, turning your old life in for a kingdom life. The real action comes next: The main character in this drama - compared to him I'm a mere stagehand - will ignite the kingdom life within you, a fire within you, the Holy Spirit within you, changing you from the inside out.12 He's going to clean house - make a clean sweep of your lives. He'll place everything true in its proper place before God; everything false he'll put out with the trash to be burned." (Matthew 3:1-12 The Message Version)

Happy Advent to you, dear Friend! (Hint: It's not Christmas yet! But tell that to the stores that have had Christmas stuff up and ready to sell since July!). The stage for the big drama of Christmas has to be set. The readings leading up to the events of Christmas Eve prepare us for each change that has to happen in order to fully appreciate and to fully take advantage of God's gift to us on Christmas; and the first is a change in us!

Imagine growing up with a faith community that only stressed the Do Nots of your faith. You know, "Don't do this; don't do that." Well, that was pretty much what was happening in most synagogues during Jesus' time. I wish we could say it was different in the Temple in Jerusalem. And it wasn't. Please don't get me wrong; certain men and women were doing their part in being all that God wanted them to be and do. If you read chapter 1 of Luke last night, you read about Zechariah and Elizabeth, and the girl Mary, and their important roles in the coming of the Lord.

Today's passage comes from a prophet sent by God to prepare the way for the Lord. We know him as John the Baptist, or as this modern version calls him, "the Baptizer." We might think old school wrestlers and John would fit right in. As a newly arrived to Houston boy of 13, live wrestling was only 50¢ and with free parking at my dad's uncle's home across the street from the arena under Houston's "spaghetti bowl" (the garbled mess of bridges and underpasses of Houston's early freeways near downtown Houston), the action and drama of this sport called to me and my brothers. We could not believe our dad telling us it was staged. To us it was the real life drama of challenge and strength! But I could imagine a strong man dressed in camel-hair with long hair and a shaggy beard calling out his opponents. In John's case, the opponent was apathy and laziness towards the things of God. "Change your life! God's kingdom is here." Also, his cries of "Thunder in the desert! Prepare for God's arrival! Make the road smooth and straight! And while this version downplays his call for repentance, it was there and people responded to John's invitation to change their lives, rid themselves of sin, and to get right with God. And, in an affront to the traditions of their faith, John offered baptism, a ritual of cleansing for those born unclean as non-Jews, to the Jews and to all who heard and responded to the invitation to change. And the lines formed and people entered the waters of the Jordan River to become new creatures in God. Among those who presented themselves for this were the leaders of the religious groups who were the most guilty of laziness and apathy and who also offered themselves for baptism; John calls them a "brood of snakes!" He perceived they only wanted a superficial cleansing, and he calls them out: "Do you think a little water on your snakeskins is going to make any difference? It's your life that must change, not your skin!" And he further challenges them not to hide behind their ancestor's actions; "what counts is your life. Is it green and blooming? Because if it's deadwood, it goes on the fire." John further states all this must take place before the main drama even begins.

Advent is a call to you and me to be ready. Change, if we haven't yet. The old nature, the old person not right with God and headed for death and destruction will not do; we must change and be presented as new. For what Jesus will do is clean house, and everything that is not fit for the house will be thrown out as trash to be burned. Ouch. But it is serious and true. We must be made new in Christ, or face the reality of a life separated from God.

PRAYER: God of Advent, and God of Change; make us new. We want to be counted among those who are Yours, clean and ready to serve You and serve our fellow brothers and sisters. Make my life count. This we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Show others your "newness" today!

Blessings of peace and love,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

PRAYER UPDATE AND PRAISE! Baby Hunter is home! He improved so much that he was released from the hospital! Tell me again; why do we pray? Because God answers prayers!