GIVE THANKS WITH A JOYFUL HEART

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25 When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?” 26 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. 27 Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.” 28 Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” 29 Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” 30 So they asked him, “What sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? 31 Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ ” 32 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34 “Sir,” they said, “always give us this bread.” 35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. (John 6:25-35 NIV)

I write this in the evening of Saturday, November 22, 2025. It is yet another anniversary of the day President John Fitzgerald Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas by Lee Harvey Oswald. We won't argue the many theories out there as to who really killed him. The truth was that his death affected the nation and I truly believe caused the heart attack of my Dad's aunt, Paulina Martinez, Tía Nina to me and my siblings and she was a sweetheart of a lady. She was my Momo's sister, so that made her our great-aunt. She lived in McAllen, Texas and died there. Her funeral was held in her birthplace, Havana, Texas, where she was buried on Wednesday, November 27th. We returned home to Kingsville, Texas on Thanksgiving morning of that year. After we cleared the Border Patrol Checkpoint in Falfurrias, we stopped at the rest area located afterwards. It's not the one that exists today, the former was in a different location. Mom announced that our Thanksgiving meal would be there with bologna sandwiches on white bread and chips. I cried. "This is not a Thanksgiving meal! We need turkey and dressing and all the good things you make for that day!" She laughed and said, "That's tomorrow." Oh.

This will the only ConCafe for this week and I'm concentrating on the Thanksgiving passage for this year as selected by the Common Lectionary. And it's about food and Jesus. And people. And food. Most people like free food, especially the hungry. And people in Jesus' day were hungry. And having been fed once, for free, folks followed Him in hopes of getting more free food. And being Thanksgiving in the US of A, we majored in food, lots of food that a simple baloney sandwich won't do; well in the mind and tummy of a eleven year old, and a silly one at that.

The crowd has just witnessed Jesus feed five thousand people with five loaves and two fish. Now they're chasing Him down, hungry for more. When they find Him, Jesus confronts them with uncomfortable truth: "Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill." They want the gift, not the Giver. They want their stomachs filled, not their souls saved. They're pursuing Jesus for what He can provide rather than for who He is. On this Thanksgiving, we face the same temptation—to focus our gratitude on the blessings rather than on the One who blesses, to give thanks for the gifts while taking the Giver for granted. The crowd asks, "What must we do to do the works God requires?" They're still thinking transactionally—what can we do to get more bread? Jesus redirects them: "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent." They want a to-do list; Jesus offers a relationship. They want religion; Jesus offers Himself.

The crowd then demands another sign: "What sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness." The irony is staggering—they've just seen Jesus feed thousands with almost nothing, yet they want another sign. They reference the manna in the wilderness as if Jesus hasn't just done something even more remarkable. This is the human condition: we receive blessing after blessing, yet we quickly forget and demand more proof, more provision, more evidence that God cares. On Thanksgiving Day, we gather around tables laden with food, surrounded by the evidence of God's provision—yet how quickly we forget these blessings when challenges come. Jesus corrects their theology: "Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." The manna in the wilderness was just a preview, a shadow of something greater. God always intended to give something better than physical bread—He intended to give the Bread that satisfies the deepest hunger of the human soul.

The crowd responds with a request that reveals they still don't understand: "Sir, always give us this bread." They're still thinking about physical bread that fills stomachs temporarily. They want the convenience of never being hungry again, a perpetual food supply. But Jesus is offering something infinitely greater: "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty." This is one of Jesus' great "I am" statements—a direct claim to deity, echoing God's self-revelation to Moses at the burning bush. Jesus isn't just a provider of bread; He is the Bread. He doesn't just give life; He is life. The satisfaction He offers isn't the temporary fullness of a good meal but the eternal satisfaction of a soul that has found its true home. To come to Jesus means to find the end of our restless searching, the answer to our deepest hunger. To believe in Him means to discover that what we've been looking for in a thousand other places—fulfillment, purpose, security, joy—has been available all along in Him.

On this Thanksgiving, we gather to give thanks for food, family, health, home—all good gifts from our generous Father. But Jesus invites us to something deeper than gratitude for blessings. He invites us to gratitude for the Blessing Himself, to recognize that all the good gifts point to the greatest Gift—Jesus, the Bread of Life who came down from heaven to satisfy our deepest hunger. Every meal we enjoy, every provision we receive, every blessing we count is a reminder that God gives generously to His children. But the ultimate provision, the gift that makes all other gifts meaningful, is Jesus Himself. This Thanksgiving, as we taste earthly bread, may we remember and give thanks for the Bread of Life who gives us eternal satisfaction. As we gather around tables filled with abundance, may we come to Jesus and find in Him the abundance that never runs out, the satisfaction that never fades, the life that never ends. For whoever comes to Him will never hunger, and whoever believes in Him will never thirst.

PRAYER: Loving Father in heaven, we give You thanks this day for every blessing You've poured into our lives—for food on our tables, roofs over our heads, people we love, provision for our needs, and countless gifts we often overlook. But most of all, we thank You for Jesus, the Bread of Life who came down from heaven to satisfy our deepest hunger and quench our deepest thirst. Forgive us for the times we chase after Your gifts while neglecting You, the Giver. Forgive us for seeking satisfaction in things that can never truly satisfy. Thank You that in Jesus, we have everything we need—forgiveness, life, hope, purpose, and a love that will never let us go. As we celebrate this Thanksgiving, help us remember that every good gift comes from Your hand, and the greatest gift of all is Jesus Himself. We give You thanks, not just today, but every day, for You are good and Your love endures forever. In Jesus' name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord. OUR CALL TO ACTION: This Thanksgiving week, before each meal you eat, pause to thank God not just for the food but for Jesus, the Bread of Life, and share with someone at your table one way Jesus has satisfied a hunger in your life that physical blessings never could.

I love you and I thank God for you. You matter to God, you matter to me. Make others matter to you especially as you give thanks to God for all God has shared with you.

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Our King is Our Fortress

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1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea; 3 though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult. (Selah) 4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. 5 God is in the midst of the city; it shall not be moved; God will help it when the morning dawns. 6 The nations are in an uproar, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts. 7 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. (Selah) 8 Come, behold the works of the Lord; see what desolations he has brought on the earth. 9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire. 10 "Be still, and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth." 11 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. (Selah) (Psalm 46 NRSV)

Happy Thursday, dear Friend. As we pray today, please add this to your prayer list, from First Methodist Gonzales" "Friends please urgently pray for Pastor Clyde and Olivia Bostick (Clyde is pastor at Belmont and Monthalia). Olivia had surgery yesterday and is having complications."

In my life my parents were both places of refuge and strength. When major crises presented themselves I could find in them the solution, the hiding place, or the words needed to confront the challenge. As I've shared before, in fifth grade my teacher accused me of stealing a pen and pencil set. Dad went and fought the battle. In our move to Houston a kid called me a racist slur, which I had never heard before and found in my Mom the hiding place and counters I could use should I want. When a junior high teacher ignored my request for help, my Mom went and in the hallway outside that classroom fought the battle which helped me learn and pass that class. Both parents provided for me a model of Christian tolerance and responses.

This coming Sunday invites us to celebrate Jesus' sovereignty over all creation, and Psalm 46 presents the character of our King—not a distant ruler unconcerned with His subjects' struggles, but a refuge, a fortress, a very present help when everything falls apart. The psalmist begins with radical confidence: "God is our refuge and strength." Other kings build fortresses to protect themselves; our King is Himself the fortress that protects us. Other rulers demonstrate strength by conquering enemies; our King demonstrates strength by being our shelter in the storm. The phrase "very present help" is crucial—this isn't a God who helps from afar or intervenes occasionally when convenient. Our King is present, close, immediately available in the moment of trouble. On Christ the King Sunday, we celebrate not just that Jesus reigns, but that His reign is characterized by intimate availability to His people.

The psalm imagines the worst possible scenarios: "Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult." Mountains falling into the sea, foundations shaking, chaos replacing order—these images represent total cosmic upheaval. Yet the response is stunning: "we will not fear." Not because chaos won't come or because we're naively optimistic, but because our King is our refuge even when everything else collapses. Then the psalmist shifts to a beautiful contrast: "There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. God is in the midst of the city; it shall not be moved; God will help it when the morning dawns." While the chaotic waters outside threaten destruction, inside the King's city flows a peaceful river that brings gladness. This isn't just geography—it's theology. Where the King dwells, there is peace, stability, gladness even in the midst of surrounding chaos. Our King creates an oasis of joy and security within His presence, a place that "shall not be moved" even when everything around it shakes.

The psalm then describes the King's power over the nations: "The nations are in an uproar, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge." Human kingdoms rise and fall, nations rage and collapse, earthly powers scheme and crumble. But our King speaks, and the earth melts. His word carries absolute authority over all human power structures, all political upheaval, all military might. The refrain emphasizes both His transcendent power ("the Lord of hosts"—commander of heaven's armies) and His intimate presence ("is with us"). This is the paradox of Christ the King—the sovereign ruler of the universe who chooses to be with His people, the commander of heavenly hosts who makes Himself our refuge. Then comes the invitation: "Come, behold the works of the Lord; see what desolations he has brought on the earth. He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire." Our King's ultimate work isn't destruction but peace-making. He doesn't perpetuate violence—He ends it. He doesn't multiply weapons—He destroys them. The vision is of a King who establishes His reign by eliminating warfare itself, bringing peace to earth's farthest corners.

The psalm culminates with the King's own voice: "Be still, and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth." In Hebrew, "be still" can mean "stop striving, cease your frantic activity, let go, surrender." It's a command from the King to His anxious subjects: stop trying to control everything, stop fighting battles in your own strength, stop the exhausting effort to secure yourself through your own power. Instead, know—deeply, experientially know—that He is God. He is exalted among the nations whether they acknowledge it or not. He is exalted in the earth whether circumstances suggest it or not. Our King's sovereignty doesn't depend on our efforts to establish it or defend it. On Christ the King Sunday, we celebrate a King who doesn't need us to protect His throne but invites us to rest in the security of His unshakeable reign. The psalm ends with the refrain: "The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge." This is the comfort and challenge of Christ the King—almighty power wedded to intimate presence, cosmic authority combined with personal refuge. We bow before a King who is both transcendent enough to command nations and immanent enough to be our fortress in trouble, both powerful enough to still chaos and gentle enough to invite us to be still and know Him.

PRAYER: Lord of hosts, our King and our refuge, help us cease our striving and rest in Your sovereignty, knowing that You are exalted among the nations and that Your kingdom is our unshakeable fortress even when everything around us trembles—in Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: Identify one area where you've been frantically striving to control outcomes or protect yourself, and practice the King's command to "be still"—surrendering that area to His sovereign care and resting in His presence as your refuge.

I love you and I thank God for you! You matter to God and you matter to me. Make other see that you have found in God the perfect hiding place and strength.

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Christ the King is God's Son

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11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, 12 and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. 15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. (Colossians 1:11-20 NIV)

I heard an interesting and true perspective from a video with Steve Harvey, radio and tv star, as he shared the sad news about the day his father died. He said he realized that on that day, he lost the only man who wanted him to be more than he could be. In talking with two friends on video, he said, "You father is the only man who can honestly say he wanted his son to more than he was." His friends agreed, and so did I. Steve went on to say his father had been the first and only man to say that he was truly proud of him. He also said if you think about it, most men want to outdo other men in almost all aspects of life, but not your Dad. My Dad always stressed the need for me to get an education so that I wouldn't have to work as hard as him. He didn't get beyond junior high and his struggles led us to move from Kingsville to Houston, but he was always loving and as great an example I could have wanted for my life to be work hard, love my family, and serve my Lord. And we find in this passage a hint of the love and belief that God the Father had in His Son, Jesus Christ. We have evidence of Him speaking twice in Jesus' life by affirming the sonship of Jesus and the love He has for Him. And in this passage we also can read into its words the love and joy in Jesus' role as King and as our Savior.

In this magnificent passage, Paul presents one of Scripture's most comprehensive portraits of Christ's kingship—not the kingship of earthly rulers who dominate through force, but the kingship of the One who created all things, sustains all things, and reconciles all things through self-giving love. And all in obedience to God's will for His Son.

Paul begins with a prayer that reveals what spiritual maturity actually looks like: "being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience." Notice what God's power produces—not flashy miracles or dramatic experiences but endurance and patience. The strength God provides isn't primarily for performing but for persevering, not for impressing but for enduring. And not just for His Son, but also for you and me. This power enables us to keep going when we want to quit, to remain faithful when faithfulness is costly, to wait patiently when we want immediate results. And remarkably, Paul says we're to do this "while joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light." Joy and thanksgiving aren't the rewards that come after endurance—they're the companions that sustain us during it. We can endure with joy because we know we've been qualified not by our performance but by the Father's grace to share in an eternal inheritance.

Paul then paints a picture of what our King has done for us: "For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." This is the language of royal rescue—a conquering King liberating captives from enemy territory. We were under the dominion of darkness, subjects of a usurping tyrant, held captive by powers we couldn't overcome. But our King intervened decisively. He didn't negotiate or compromise; He transferred us from one kingdom to another through royal decree backed by divine power. We've been relocated from the realm where darkness rules to the kingdom where God's beloved Son reigns. On Christ the King Sunday, we celebrate not just that Jesus is King in some abstract theological sense, but that He has already exercised His kingly authority to rescue us, making us citizens of His kingdom of light. And in this King, we have redemption and forgiveness—not partial payment or probationary pardon but complete redemption and full forgiveness. This is our current reality under Christ's reign, not our future hope.

Paul then launches into one of Scripture's most magnificent descriptions of Christ's royal supremacy. First, Jesus' relationship to God: "The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation." The title "firstborn" is royal language—in ancient culture, the firstborn son held the position of supremacy, authority, and inheritance rights. Jesus isn't merely a prophet who speaks about God or a teacher who explains God—He is the visible image of the invisible God, the perfect representation of divine kingship. Want to know what the King of the universe is like? Look at Jesus. Then Paul describes the scope of Christ's kingdom: "For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him." Notice what falls under Christ's kingship—not just religious matters or spiritual things, but all things. Every earthly throne, every human power structure, every invisible spiritual authority—all were created by King Jesus, through King Jesus, and for King Jesus. Even the powers that appear to rival His authority are actually His creations, existing only by His permission and ultimately serving His purposes. This is kingship on a cosmic scale that makes earthly monarchs look like children playing dress-up.

Paul continues: "He is before all things, and in him all things hold together." Our King doesn't just rule from a distant throne—He actively sustains His kingdom moment by moment. At this very second, Christ the King holds your life together, maintains the physical laws that make existence possible, keeps creation from flying apart into chaos. His is not an absentee monarchy but an actively engaged reign. Then Paul shifts to Christ's relationship to His people: "And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy." Here's the explicit statement of Christ the King Sunday's theme: "that in everything he might have the supremacy." Not supremacy in religious matters only, or spiritual things alone, but in everything—science, art, politics, family, work, leisure, suffering, death, and resurrection. All of it belongs under King Jesus' authority. He rules not just creation but the new creation, not just the physical realm but the resurrection realm, having conquered even death itself. Finally, Paul explains how this King established His reign: "For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross." Here's the stunning paradox of Christ's kingship celebrated on Christ the King Sunday—this King establishes His throne not through conquering armies but through His own blood, not through dominating enemies but through dying for them, not through violence but through peace-making sacrifice. The fullness of God—all divine authority, power, and glory—resides in this crucified and risen King who is reconciling all things to Himself. The cosmic scope is breathtaking: not just reconciling individual souls but all things, heaven and earth, reuniting the fractured universe under the lordship of the One who holds all things together. On Christ the King Sunday, we celebrate a King unlike any earthly monarch—one whose power is perfected in weakness, whose throne is a cross, whose crown is thorns, whose kingdom comes through self-giving love, and whose reign will one day restore all things. Our appropriate response is worship, joyful submission, and grateful thanksgiving that we serve a King who died to save His subjects rather than demanding His subjects die to save Him.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, our crucified and risen King, You are supreme over all creation, all powers, and all authorities—thank You for rescuing us from darkness and bringing us into Your kingdom of light, for ruling through self-giving love rather than dominating force, and for holding all things together by Your power; on this Christ the King Sunday, we bow before Your throne and pledge our allegiance to Your reign in every area of our lives, in Your strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: Sometime this week seek to consciously surrender one specific area of your life where you've been trying to maintain control, bowing before King Jesus and inviting His reign into that space, trusting that the King who holds all things together can handle what you've been clutching in your own hands.

I love you and I thank God for you! You matter to God and you matter to me. Be the son/daughter who knows and shares King Jesus with many this day!

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Our King on a Cross

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33 When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. 34 [Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing."] And they cast lots to divide his clothing. 35 And the people stood by, watching; but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, "He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!" 36 The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine 37 and saying, "If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!" 38 There was also an inscription over him, "This is the King of the Jews. 39 One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, "Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!" 40 But the other rebuked him, saying, "Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong." 42 Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." 43 He replied, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise." (Luke 23:33-43 NRSV)

This coming Sunday is Christ the King Sunday in most churches. It is the Church's way of reminding itself and all who worship with us, that Jesus is our true, eternal king. And this passage shows us the reverse or opposite of what we know earthly kings desire and exhibit. This is Christ the King Sunday, and we're confronted with the most subversive kingship in history. Every earthly understanding of power, authority, and royalty is turned upside down. Kings wear crowns—Jesus wears thorns. Kings command armies—Jesus prays for His executioners. Kings demand service—Jesus gives His life. Kings save themselves—Jesus saves others by refusing to save Himself. I repeat that Jesus is our true king that puts all earthly kings to shame. Our history of earth has a long, long list of those who were kings. Don't believe me? Re-read the Bible and take notes! Israel's kings were not the best examples of service and mission. Does the name Ahab the King make you smile? Not to mention his wife, Mean Ole Jezebel! We as citizens of the United States rejected kings in 1776. The closest thing to a king that we have is the office of president. In the same way as kings, most presidents were not the best. A friend of mine some years ago, in a remote part of Colorado where he was attending school went to a school dance and there in the place where the dance was held was a man walking alone, and would stop and shake hands with students. He came up to my friend and extended his hand. He identified himself as a peanut farmer and the conversation left an impression on him because of his humility and desire to serve the country. As he told the story we were both in seminary and the president was Jimmy Carter. He said he was impressed with the face he didn't have a big entourage nor an air of importance about him. Now, politics aside, Mr. Carter did the best he could given all he faced and what the world threw at him. Jimmy lived a life that showed his commitment to God. Jesus' first words from the cross reveal His kingdom's character: "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing." While they're driving nails through His hands, dividing His clothes, mocking His claims—He's praying for their forgiveness. This is what kingship looks like in God's kingdom: self-giving love that absorbs violence and returns mercy, power that manifests through weakness, authority that serves rather than dominates. The mockers think they're exposing Jesus as a false king because He won't come down from the cross. But they're missing the entire point. His refusal to save Himself is precisely what makes Him King. Any king can save himself. Only this King has the power and the love to save others by staying on the cross. The crucifixion isn't the defeat of His kingship—it's the demonstration of it.

Then comes the stunning moment when one criminal, in the midst of his own agony, sees what the religious leaders miss: "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." And if you've ever sung this song, you know the power and humility of those words in sung format.** This thief, with hours or minutes left to live, recognizes that Jesus possesses a kingdom even while dying naked on a cross. He doesn't see a defeated rabbi or a failed revolutionary. He sees a King. And he makes the simplest, most profound request: remember me. Not "save me from this cross" or "get me down from here" but "remember me when you come into your kingdom." He understands that Jesus' kingdom isn't of this world, that these crosses don't nullify His reign but somehow establish it. This criminal's faith is more clear-eyed than that of the disciples who scattered, the leaders who mocked, or the crowds who called for crucifixion.

Jesus' response is immediate and breathtaking: "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise." No waiting period. No probation. No religious hoops to jump through. No board or committee standardized questions. Today. This very day when both are dying as criminals, they will be together in Paradise. The thief asks to be remembered in some distant future kingdom, but Jesus promises presence in Paradise today. This is the King we celebrate on Christ the King Sunday—a King whose kingdom is so upside-down that the first citizen admitted is a dying criminal with nothing to offer except faith born in desperation. A King whose throne is a cross, whose coronation is execution, whose power is weakness, whose victory is death, and whose kingdom is open to anyone who simply asks to be remembered. The leaders saved themselves and lost everything. The thief lost everything and was saved. Christ the King saved everyone by refusing to save Himself. This is the kingdom we're invited into—not one earned by worthiness or achieved by righteousness, but one entered by recognizing the crucified Christ as King and asking Him to remember us.

PRAYER: Jesus, our crucified and risen King, help us see that Your kingdom comes through the cross, that Your power is perfected in weakness, and that Your throne is open to all who simply ask You to remember them—we worship You as the King who saved us by refusing to save Yourself, in Your strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: This week, worship Jesus as King not by seeking power or status but by serving someone in need, following the pattern of the King who demonstrated His reign through self-giving love rather than self-preservation.

I love you and I thank God for you! You matter to God, and you matter to me! Make this day special by being unique in your service and love.

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

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Sing a New Song

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1 Sing to God a brand-new song. He's made a world of wonders! He rolled up his sleeves, He set things right. 2 God made history with salvation, He showed the world what he could do. 3 He remembered to love us, a bonus To his dear family, Israel - indefatigable love. The whole earth comes to attention. Look - God's work of salvation! 4 Shout your praises to God, everybody! Let loose and sing! Strike up the band! 5 Round up an orchestra to play for God, Add on a hundred-voice choir. 6 Feature trumpets and big trombones, Fill the air with praises to King God. 7 Let the sea and its fish give a round of applause, With everything living on earth joining in. 8 Let ocean breakers call out, "Encore!" And mountains harmonize the finale - 9 A tribute to God when he comes, When he comes to set the earth right. He'll straighten out the whole world, He'll put the world right, and everyone in it. (Psalm 98 The Message Bible)

Everyone has their favorite hymn or praise song. But do you also have like your least favorite hymn or praise song? Are there songs that you see in the worship bulletin and think, "Why today? Man, I thought they had erased that hymn from the book years ago!" Or is that just me? Go on, confess! Nothing scares a congregation more than a new hymn/song. Yet, the truth is that as long as God is moving and touching lives, people will respond with new hymns and songs. Imagine the Bible without the Book of Psalms. Imagine your hymnal without Amazing Grace or How Great Thou Art? What we do lack is serious reflection on why those hymns were written and the history behind them. I won't go into them here, but suffice it to say that God moved and did amazing and incredible things and thus the result of a hymn, new at the time and I can only imagine the congregation saying to John Newton, "What? A new hymn? And YOU wrote it? This sounds made up!"

King David did not let that deter him. He felt God at work and so he wrote hymns. And this psalm could be one that shares a little of what David felt as he wrote and the why behind he wrote what he wrote. God deserves new hymns! And so he shares his list: God is Creator and God made all things and to be honest, it's a world of wonders. And God is the God who doesn't mind getting his fingernails dirty or rolling up His sleeves, for He is a God of involvement. God is a God who makes all things right. He is the God of salvation and is not shy about that; the world, the whole world should know about God's loving, saving grace. God is a God who does not forget us and loves us with a love that never dies. God commands attention and deserves our praise, and would sound incredible with an orchestra and a hundred-voice choir. Imagine that setting where trumpets and big trombones; The air should be filled with praises to God.

The reason for this cosmic celebration is clear: "A tribute to God when he comes, when he comes to set the earth right. He'll straighten out the whole world, He'll put the world right, and everyone in it." This isn't just remembering what God has done—it's anticipating what God will do. The psalm looks forward to the day when God comes to establish justice completely and permanently. When He arrives, He'll straighten out the whole world—every crooked thing made straight, every wrong made right, every injustice corrected, every tear wiped away. The whole creation is holding its breath for this moment, and the only appropriate response is to start the celebration now. We sing the new song not just for what God has already done but for what we know He will do. Our praise is both retrospective and prophetic—celebrating past salvation and anticipating future restoration. When you know how the story ends, when you're certain that God wins and makes everything right, you can't help but break into song. The brand-new song isn't optional; it's the only adequate response to a God who rolls up His sleeves, sets things right, and promises to finish what He started.

What has God done for you; and why haven't you written anything? Why no new hymn written by you or a new praise song? Or a poem? The paper remains blank; pick up a pen and start expressing yourself.

PRAYER: God who makes all things new, help us sing brand-new songs of praise for Your indefatigable love and mighty salvation, living as people who know the story ends with You making everything right—in Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: Why not express your praise to God in a fresh way you haven't tried before—whether through art, music, writing, movement, or simply finding new words to describe His faithfulness—letting worship break free from familiar routines into genuine wonder.

I love you and I thank God for you! You matter to God and you matter to me. Make people smile with joy as you express your love and gratitude towards God.

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

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A Do-Over!

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Hear the devo: https://bit.ly/485gd05

View the devo: https://bit.ly/3Xp2XNG

17 For I am about to create new heavens and a new earth; the former things shall not be remembered or come to mind. 18 But be glad and rejoice forever in what I am creating; for I am about to create Jerusalem as a joy, and its people as a delight. 19 I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and delight in my people; no more shall the sound of weeping be heard in it, or the cry of distress. 20 No more shall there be in it an infant that lives but a few days, or an old person who does not live out a lifetime; for one who dies at a hundred years will be considered a youth, and one who falls short of a hundred will be considered accursed. 21 They shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit. 22 They shall not build and another inhabit; they shall not plant and another eat; for like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be, and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands. 23 They shall not labor in vain, or bear children for calamity; for they shall be offspring blessed by the Lord— and their descendants as well. 24 Before they call I will answer, while they are yet speaking I will hear. 25 The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, the lion shall eat straw like the ox; but the serpent—its food shall be dust! They shall not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain, says the Lord. (Isaiah 65:17-25 NRSV)

When we were young, or especially in some areas of Texas, some games or activities required two magical words, especially if it would benefit us, we would say, "Do-Over!" That meant that everything we had tried (and usually failed) would be allowed to be done anew because we had said those two words. A do-over was to allow a new attempt. The game was usually tops or marbles. Kids, you might need to awaken great-grandpa and see if he remembers such games. Tops was a more dangerous game for a wooden pear-shaped toy with a pointed metal tip that spun when thrown and unwound by a string. The object of the game was that whomever threw first had to make the top spin within a marked area of the ground. The second thrower would attempt to make the first top stop spinning to make the spinning first top leave the designated area, thus making the second thrower the winner. The more able top thrower could sharpen his metal tip and aim the top in such a way that it would split the spinning top in half, thus winning the game and causing the owner of that broken top to have to buy another one. Many could be the reasons one of the players to cry out, "Do-over!" In most games the reasons a house rule such as a do-over could be used may have been one of four: 1) Interference. Someone could have placed his foot or a stray marble or a gust of wind, interfered with the shot while in motion. 2). Accidental movement: If a player's sleeve or hand accidentally nudged a marble or motion of the top before shooting. 3). Misfire or slip: Sometimes a thumb slipped off the shooter (the larger marble used to try to move marbles out of the area) and it moved only a few inches instead of a real shot. 4)Uneven ground or Obstruction: On dirt or playground surfaces, if the marble hit a rock, root or other obstruction that wasn't part of the playing field, a do-over could be employed.

The prophet Isaiah, as he cried and prayed to the Lord about His people Israel, heard God say that God was about to do a do-over. And one where the entire game would start over with new marbles and new tops. Make that newer and better and stronger marbles and tops! And this would be a cause for great rejoicing. The current land of lament and weeping would become a land of joy and delight. Weeping would cease as would the cry of distress. God paints a picture of this new creation with vivid, earthy details. "No more shall there be in it an infant that lives but a few days, or an old person who does not live out a lifetime." Death will lose its tyrannical power, especially its cruelest manifestation—the death of children and the premature cutting short of life. People will live full lives, experiencing the years they were meant to have without disease, violence, or tragedy stealing them away prematurely. "They shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit. They shall not build and another inhabit; they shall not plant and another eat." This addresses the injustice of exploitation—working hard only to have others steal the fruit of your labor. In God's new creation, the connection between effort and reward is restored. You build, you live there. You plant, you eat. No oppression, no theft, no exploitation. The dignity of work is honored and the laborer enjoys what their hands have made.

The promise extends to relationships and community: "They shall not labor in vain or bear children for calamity; for they shall be offspring blessed by the Lord—and their descendants as well." Work will be meaningful, not futile. Children will be born into blessing, not disaster. Families will flourish without the constant dread that disaster lurks around every corner. "Before they call I will answer, while they are yet speaking I will hear." God's responsiveness reaches its fullness—prayer doesn't go unanswered, cries for help don't echo in emptiness. God hears and answers before we even finish asking, so intimate and immediate is His connection with His people. This is the restoration of the communion humanity lost in Eden, where God walked with Adam and Eve in the cool of the day. Prayer becomes conversation, and distance between Creator and creation disappears.

The climax of this vision is cosmic peace: "The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, the lion shall eat straw like the ox; but the serpent—its food shall be dust! They shall not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain, says the Lord." The predator-prey relationship that has defined nature since the fall will be transformed. Violence, whether animal or human, will cease. Even ancient enemies—wolf and lamb—will feed side by side in harmony. The serpent, representing evil itself, will be reduced to eating dust, stripped of its power to poison and destroy. God's holy mountain—representing His full reign over all creation—will be characterized not by violence and destruction but by peace and flourishing. This is the world God always intended, the creation interrupted by sin but now restored beyond its original glory. This vision should shape how we live now—not waiting passively for God to fix everything someday, but working actively for justice, peace, and flourishing wherever we have influence, knowing that every act of mercy, every pursuit of justice, every moment of peace we create is a small preview of the world God is making. We live as people of hope, anchored not in optimism about human progress but in certainty about God's promises.

I just read today about a 63 year old woman who had two years to llve, the bank had foreclosed on her family farm, and that could not kill her dream of seeing the Pacific Ocean. She lived in Minot Maine, and she was 4,000 miles away from the Pacific Ocean. She needed a Do-Over with a capital D and O. So, she bought in 1954 an old worn out horse for $75 and despite advanced heart and liver disease, she defied her doctor's recommendation that she check into the county's chairty home and wait for the end; she mounted her horse and took off firmly believing in the kindess of Americans to help her along the long journey before her. To make the story more interesting the horse she bought was named Tarzan. And she brought along her scruffy terrier, Depeche Toi. So, without a map and a plan, off she rode. Slowly but surely with a mindset of unshakeable determination, and a profound faith in Americans who might help her out.

The rest was a remarkable journey in American history. For a year and a half, Annie Wilkins, rode straight into a nation that was being transformed by modernity. The Interstate Highway System was rapidly making its way criscrossing the nation as car ownership had nearly tripled and television was rewiring American culture; and all of this as she rode at 3 miles per hour. America stopped for her as she pushed through blizzards in Pennsylvania; forded swollen rivers and clung to the shoulders of narrow highways as cars sped past her at terrifying speeds. And everywhere she went, people opened their hearts. Farmers opened their barns for her for shelter; families invited her to dinner tables; gas stations owners gave her food; and strangers became friends to her within hours. Word of her journey was shared by newspapers and she was a minor celebrity. The renowed artist Andrew Wyeth sketched Tarzan and she was a guest on Art Linkletter's TV show, and Groucho Marx chatted with her. Job offers came her way - a position with a Kentucky gas station, a permanent home at a New Jersey riding stable and even a marriage proposal from a Wyoming rancher; but on she rode westward. In 1955, she made it to the Pacific Ocean in California. Her Do-Over helped her outlive her prognosis and proved that even in a rapidly modernizing America, kindness still moved at the speed of a human connection. Annie lived another 25 years, dying in 1980 at the age of 89. The questions of her life include what would happen if we still stopped for strangers in need? What kindnesses are we missing because we move too fast to notice who needs help? Annie Willkins bet her life that Americans would be kind to a stranger who had nothing to offer but her company and her story; and thousands of people proved her right. She taught us that generosity isn't naive -- it's revolutionary. And sometimes the most radical act is simply believing that people are good, then giving them the chance to prove it.

PRAYER: Father of the Do-Over, make in us new hearts, minds and spirits that can see the good that is still within us and within others. Grant us wisdom to trust You and to do for You what Jesus taught us to share food, water, clothing, company and hope. We can be a do-over people with Your help; in Christ Jesus' strong name we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord. OUR CALL TO ACTION: Help someone with a do-over today; showing them that God's grace is sufficient to help someone try again.

I love you and I thank God for you! You matter to God and you matter to me! Show someone the joy of do-overs that count.

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Never Tire of Doing Good

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View devo: https://bit.ly/4nUEyuh

6 In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers and sisters, to keep away from every believer who is idle and disruptive and does not live according to the teaching you received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, 8 nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. 9 We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you to imitate. 10 For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.” 11 We hear that some among you are idle and disruptive. They are not busy; they are busybodies. 12 Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the food they eat. 13 And as for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good. (2 Thessalonians 3:6-16 NIV)

The Church, like any other business or organization has financial needs and some churches approach their fundraising in different ways, too. Some churches have visible items on their church grounds that give themselves away, much like volunteer fire departments in these parts that have huge barbecue pits and host a big once-a-year event of selling plates with BBQ chicken, and all the trimmings. Some churches have a big BBQ fundraiser with borrowed BBQ pits. And if that event requires an overnight shift not every member will spend the night starting, tending and keeping the fire going. Not everyone wants to get their hands on the raw chicken and place it on the grill for it to cook. Remember the "Little Red Hen," and her story to plant, grow and harvest wheat with which to make bread? She asked for volunteers at key points and no one volunteered to help until the bread was ready and all were ready to eat? Yep, from a church! Nah, just kidding. It was written in 1873 by Mary Mapes Dodge and serves a purpose to get motivated to help out in whatever task a group or organization needs to get going. The point is work, fairness, and reward.

The Apostle Paul encountered the same thing in, guess where, the church and I suspect all churches that he helped start or encourage on his mission—believers who have stopped working and become idle, apparently because they believe Christ's return is so imminent that working is pointless. Some have misinterpreted Paul's earlier teaching about Christ's coming and concluded they should quit their jobs and wait around for the Second Coming. But their "spiritual waiting" has devolved into lazy mooching off other believers and meddling in others' business. Paul's response is direct and uncompromising: "Keep away from every believer who is idle and disruptive and does not live according to the teaching you received from us." This isn't about judging struggling believers or those unable to work due to genuine hardship—it's about confronting able-bodied people who choose idleness and then become busybodies, creating disruption in the community while living off others' generosity.

Paul holds himself up as an example: "We were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone's food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to anyone." Paul had every right as an apostle to receive financial support from the churches he served—he taught this principle clearly in other letters. Yet in Thessalonica, he deliberately chose to work with his hands making tents, supporting himself so he could model the work ethic he was teaching. He worked night and day, not because he loved money or lacked faith, but to set an example. "We did this... in order to offer ourselves as a model for you to imitate." Paul understood that the most powerful teaching happens through example. Words about the dignity of work ring hollow when spoken by someone who won't work themselves. Paul's credibility came from his willingness to practice what he preached, laboring alongside those he was teaching.

The principle Paul establishes is simple and stark: "The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat." This isn't about those who can't work—the disabled, the elderly, children, or those facing genuine unemployment through no fault of their own. It's about those who are unwilling to work, who could contribute but choose not to. The problem isn't just economic—it's spiritual and relational. "We hear that some among you are idle and disruptive. They are not busy; they are busybodies." Idle hands don't just cost the community resources; they create relational havoc. People who aren't productively occupied find destructive ways to fill their time—gossip, meddling, stirring up controversy, criticizing others' work while doing none themselves. Paul commands these idle believers: "settle down and earn the food they eat." Get to work. Stop being disruptive. Contribute to the community instead of draining it. Support yourself instead of depending on others' charity when you're perfectly capable of working.

Paul's final word is to the rest of the church: "And as for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good." This is crucial. When some people take advantage of generosity, when others abuse the community's kindness, the temptation is to become cynical and stop helping anyone. Paul says don't. Don't let the lazy few destroy your generous spirit. Don't let the busybodies make you suspicious of everyone who needs help. Keep doing good. Keep working hard. Keep being generous. Maintain your integrity even when others lack it. This passage speaks to our contemporary debates about work, welfare, and Christian responsibility. It affirms that work has dignity—it's not a curse but part of how we participate in God's creative purposes and contribute to community flourishing. It challenges both the prosperity gospel that equates godliness with wealth and the false spirituality that disdains ordinary work as unspiritual. It calls us to earn our own way when we're able, to help others generously when they genuinely need it, and to confront those who abuse the community's kindness. Most importantly, it reminds us that authentic faith expresses itself through productive contribution—not idle waiting for heaven but active engagement in the work God has given us to do until Christ returns.

PRAYER: Lord, give us the dignity of honest work, the generosity to help those genuinely in need, the wisdom to discern when help becomes enabling, and the perseverance to never tire of doing good—in Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: Examine your own life this week—are you contributing productively to your community through work, service, or care for others, or have you drifted into idleness that makes you a burden rather than a blessing to those around you?

I love you and I thank God for you! You matter to God and you matter to me; and the more you give of yourself the more you will matter to others.

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

When Structures Collapse

Photo by Rev. Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Hear the devo: https://bit.ly/49FyFNZ

View the devo: https://bit.ly/47xJ795

5 One day people were standing around talking about the Temple, remarking how beautiful it was, the splendor of its stonework and memorial gifts. Jesus said, 6 "All this you're admiring so much - the time is coming when every stone in that building will end up in a heap of rubble." 7 They asked him, "Teacher, when is this going to happen? What clue will we get that it's about to take place?" 8 He said, "Watch out for the doomsday deceivers. Many leaders are going to show up with forged identities claiming, 'I'm the One,' or, 'The end is near.' Don't fall for any of that. 9 When you hear of wars and uprisings, keep your head and don't panic. This is routine history and no sign of the end." 10 He went on, "Nation will fight nation and ruler fight ruler, over and over. 11 Huge earthquakes will occur in various places. There will be famines. You'll think at times that the very sky is falling. 12 "But before any of this happens, they'll arrest you, hunt you down, and drag you to court and jail. It will go from bad to worse, dog-eat-dog, everyone at your throat because you carry my name. 13 You'll end up on the witness stand, called to testify. 14 Make up your mind right now not to worry about it. 15 I'll give you the words and wisdom that will reduce all your accusers to stammers and stutters. 16 "You'll even be turned in by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends. Some of you will be killed. 17 There's no telling who will hate you because of me. 18 Even so, every detail of your body and soul - even the hairs of your head! - is in my care; nothing of you will be lost. 19 Staying with it - that's what is required. Stay with it to the end. You won't be sorry; you'll be saved. (Luke 21:5-19 The Message Bible)

Welcome to Monday, dear Friend. Blessings wiithout end be upon you, and then share them! Give of yourself and love that blesses.

My favorite pastor as a child was The Rev. Refugio Castro, an American Indian/Hispanic from Oklahoma. He and his family were down-to-earth and I related well to him as pastor. His sermons were great and he made being in church fun. He and his family would go on vacations, take pictures and at church suppers he would show us slides of their vacation fun! A new concept for this boy. I had not yet realized that pastors were appointed by a bishop and could be moved at any time. And, as the bishop would have it, the day came when during a worship service the announcement was made that Rev. Castro was moving. I had never cried during worship before, but I did that morning. The news hit hard as they were totally unexpected. Life was changing right in front of me and I had no control over it. My world would be different sooner rather than later. The only saving grace of this move was that he was moving from our El Buen Pastor UMC, to the El Buen Pastor UMC of Houston and I did not know that we would also be moving to Houston one day not long after.

The moving of a pastor is difficult enough, but imagine being told that your church, as you knew it, a building filled with tradition and memories, would one day be no longer there. I once tried telling one church that because of our growth we should relocate to a bigger site and man the people reacted like I wanted each one to cut off one of their fingers during worship. One angry member said, "Every brick in this church is sacred; and not matter what this building becomes I would still come here every Sunday." I replied, "Well, if it gets torn down, you can take a load of bricks and build an altar in your home for you to worship and pray to."

In the same way, Jesus sorta ruins their tourist vibe by declaring "the time was coming when every stone in that building will end up in a heap of rubble." They want to know when this would come and ask for clues tp know when such a thing would happen. They want to know the timeline, to predict the catastrophe, to control the uncontrollable. But Jesus doesn't give them a schedule—He gives them something better: a perspective that enables them to endure when everything falls apart. The photo above was taken by me when Nellie and I were in Jerusalem some years ago. The stones are what is on the ground where the temple once stood.

Jesus warns against two temptations when facing upheaval. First, don't be deceived by false messiahs and panic-inducing voices: "Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am he,' and, 'The time is near.' Do not follow them." When the world shakes, deceivers multiply, offering false hope and fear-based predictions. They claim special knowledge about the end times, creating urgency and anxiety. Jesus says don't follow them. Second, don't be frightened by disasters: "When you hear of wars and uprisings, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away." Nation will rise against nation, there will be earthquakes, famines, and fearful events. These aren't signs that the world is spinning out of control—they're birth pangs indicating something new is coming. Jesus isn't minimizing suffering; He's reframing it. These upheavals aren't evidence that God has lost control but that history is moving toward its appointed climax.

Jesus then addresses personal persecution: "They will seize you and persecute you... You will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name." Following Jesus doesn't exempt us from suffering—sometimes it guarantees it. Family members will betray each other, friends will turn into enemies, and some believers will be put to death. This isn't a distant possibility but a present reality for millions of Christians worldwide. Yet in the midst of this sobering warning, Jesus makes a stunning promise: "But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict." When we're called to testify under pressure, we won't be alone. The Holy Spirit will provide exactly what we need exactly when we need it. Our job isn't to script our defense in advance; it's to trust that God will speak through us in the moment.

Jesus concludes with two seemingly contradictory promises that hold the key to enduring faith: "All men will hate you because of me" and "Not a hair of your head will perish." How can both be true? Some will be put to death, yet not a hair will perish? Jesus is distinguishing between physical harm and ultimate harm. Our bodies may suffer, but our souls are secure. Temporary persecution cannot touch our eternal life. The final command ties it all together: "Stand firm, and you will win life." The Greek word for "stand firm" means to endure, to remain under pressure without giving up. Winning life isn't about escaping suffering but about remaining faithful through it. This passage challenges our cultural Christianity that promises comfort, success, and smooth sailing. Jesus promises exactly the opposite—upheaval, persecution, betrayal, and suffering. But He also promises His presence, His words, His protection of what matters most, and ultimately, life that cannot be taken away. When the world shakes and everything we thought was solid crumbles, we stand firm not by predicting the future or controlling our circumstances but by trusting the One who holds the future and walks with us through every storm, even the moving of your favorite pastor to another church.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, when the world shakes and persecution comes, help us stand firm without fear, trusting that You will give us the words we need, protect what truly matters, and bring us safely to eternal life—in Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: In the midst of current upheavals—whether personal, cultural, or global—practice standing firm by choosing daily to trust God's promises rather than being consumed by fear or drawn to panic-inducing voices predicting the end.

I love you and thank God for you! You matter to God and also to me. Use your unique gifts to bless the work of Jesus in your world.

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Hope From The Ashes

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Hear the devo: https://bit.ly/3JirQaD

View the devo: https://youtu.be/WGnzLXoDeEE

23 “Oh, that my words were recorded, that they were written on a scroll, 24 that they were inscribed with an iron tool on lead, or engraved in rock forever! 25 I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth. 26 And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; 27 I myself will see him with my own eyes—(Job 19:23-27a)

A blessed and glory-filled Wednesday be yours today and all days, dear Friend. This passage made me think of the old song, "Heaven came down, and glory filled my soul. When at the cross my Saviour made me whole (made me whole) My sins were washed away And my night was turned to day Heaven came down and glory filled my soul." May it be so in you and me and all who read or listen to this devotional today.

This passage is very relevant considering the number of fellow Americans who have lost their SNAP benefits or who have not been paid during this government shutdown. In our state of Texas alone, 3.5 million people have lost their food stamps. On Halloween Nellie and I handed out large size candy bars as well as Velveeta and Kraft mac and cheese cups just in case some of the kids coming by did not have food. One little girl said she did not want candy but did want the mac and cheese. I said she could have both and she replied, "Really?" Not many of us, thank God, know what it feels like to lose everything. Some have lost loved ones and that's very close in pain, suffering, terror, etc. in losing everything.

We should all know at least the background story of the man named Job. He went from being the most blessed man in the world to one who lost all. And this is where we find him at one of his lowest points. He has lost his children, his wealth, his health, and his reputation. His friends accuse him of hidden sin. His wife suggests he curse God and die. His body is covered with painful sores. He sits in ashes, scraping his skin with broken pottery. Yet from this pit of despair, Job makes one of Scripture's most stunning declarations of faith: "I know that my redeemer lives." Not "I hope" or "I believe" or "I've heard"—but "I know." This isn't theoretical theology or secondhand religion. This is bedrock certainty forged in the fire of suffering. Job's confidence doesn't rest on his circumstances, which are catastrophic, or his understanding, which is incomplete. It rests on the character of his Redeemer who lives even when everything else seems dead.

Job's declaration looks beyond his present suffering to ultimate vindication: "In the end he will stand on the earth." Job knows his story isn't finished. There's an "end" coming when his Redeemer will stand in judgment and justice, when truth will be revealed and wrongs will be made right. This hope isn't escapism or denial—Job fully acknowledges his present reality. But he refuses to let present suffering define ultimate reality. He insists that there's more to the story than what he's currently experiencing. "After my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God"—Job anticipates seeing God even after death, even after his body has decomposed. This is a stunning glimpse of resurrection hope centuries before Christ. Job believes that death isn't the end of his relationship with God, that his Redeemer's vindication will extend beyond the grave.

The most striking part of Job's declaration is its intensely personal nature: "I myself will see him with my own eyes—I, and not another." Job isn't content with secondhand reports or others' testimonies. He yearns for direct, personal encounter with God. Not a vision or a dream, but face-to-face seeing with his own resurrected eyes. This isn't about doctrinal correctness or theological precision—it's about intimate relationship. "How my heart yearns within me!" Job's suffering hasn't killed his desire for God; it has intensified it. His losses haven't made him indifferent to eternity; they've sharpened his longing for the day when he'll see his Redeemer face to face. This yearning keeps him anchored when everything else has been swept away.

Job's faith speaks powerfully to us when we face suffering that makes no sense, losses that feel unbearable, or circumstances that seem to contradict everything we believe about God's goodness. In those moments, we're invited to join Job in declaring what we know rather than what we feel, what's ultimately true rather than what's immediately visible. Our Redeemer lives. There is an end coming when He will stand and make all things right. Death isn't the final word. We will see Him with our own eyes. And this hope—not the absence of suffering but the presence of a living Redeemer who promises vindication beyond the grave—is what enables us to endure when life falls apart. Job teaches us that the deepest faith isn't found in prosperity but in the ability to declare "I know my Redeemer lives" when everything else has died.

PRAYER: Oh God, Our Redeemer who lives, when suffering makes no sense and losses feel unbearable, anchor us in the certainty that You live, that our story isn't finished, and that we will one day see You face to face with our own eyes—in Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: When you face suffering or loss this week, practice declaring aloud "I know my Redeemer lives" as an act of faith, anchoring yourself not in circumstances but in the living presence of the One who promises ultimate vindication.

I love you and I thank God for you! You matter to God, and you matter to me, and to many others. Use your smile, wit, joy and peace to share with others, especially those who need it most.

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

**Hear the song mentioned above, "Heaven Came Down" by clicking on this link: https://bit.ly/438QelK

And a Christmas idea for the hard-to-please person on your list! https://amzn.to/498mmK5

Stand Firm In Whom You Believe!

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Hear the devo: https://bit.ly/43fbXbI

View the devo: https://bit.ly/496q2Mp

1 Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers and sisters, 2 not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us—whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter—asserting that the day of the Lord has already come. 3 Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. 4 He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God. 5 Don’t you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things? 13 But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as firstfruits to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. 14 He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15 So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter. 16 May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, 17 encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word. (2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17 NIV)/

Welcome, Tuesday! Bring to this dear reader, the fullness of love and peace. And may it be contagious so it pours out onto others.

The Apostle Paul's message had to change as the days, months, and years crept by. His zeal and joy at the imminent coming of the Lord did not appear as he had preached. And so, Paul began to change his message as more and more new and seasoned believers began to ask, "Where is Jesus? You said He'd be here soon! How soon is soon?" And even today, people post on social media dates they believe is the return date for Jesus with one as recent as September 23, 2025. (Oh, that was the corrected date, as an earlier posted date did not come to pass either). All of this comes under the name of Rapture, a term not found in the Bible but used by some segments of Christianity as the name given to a series of events that will usher in the Second Coming of Jesus. But as Jesus Himself said, "No one knows the day nor the hour," and He included Himself in that statement. We do all believe in the Second Coming of Jesus, but when it will be, and in what form, we do not know. All I have stressed, as Jesus taught us, to be ready at any hour. Thus, Paul's statement to the believers in Thessalonica not to become easily unsettled or alarmed, that some talked about Jesus' return already having happened.

His message is clear: don't be easily shaken or alarmed by rumors, prophecies, or even letters supposedly from us. The day of the Lord hasn't come yet, and specific events must happen first. Paul reminds them that he already taught them these things when he was with them: "Don't you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things?" False teaching thrives when people forget what they've been taught. The antidote to spiritual confusion isn't necessarily new revelation but remembering and holding fast to truth we've already received. When we're shaken by alarming messages or spiritual panic, we need to return to the solid foundation of what we know to be true.

Paul then shifts from warning to encouragement: "But we must always give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the first fruits for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and through belief in the truth." After addressing their confusion, Paul grounds them in their identity—they are beloved, chosen, and saved. This isn't just theological truth to be believed; it's personal reality to be embraced. God chose them for salvation, the Spirit is sanctifying them, and they believed the truth. Their salvation isn't fragile or uncertain—it rests on God's sovereign choice, the Spirit's ongoing work, and their response of faith. When we're spiritually disoriented, remembering our secure identity in Christ stabilizes us. We don't have to panic about missing God's timing or being left behind because our salvation depends on God's faithful choice, not our perfect understanding of prophetic timelines.

Paul's instruction is both simple and profound: "Stand firm and hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you." In times of confusion and false teaching, the call isn't to seek new revelation or chase after sensational claims. It's to stand firm—remain stable, don't be moved, keep your footing. And to hold fast—grip tightly, don't let go, maintain your grasp on truth. The "teachings" Paul refers to aren't complicated mysteries available only to spiritual elites; they're the foundational truths he already taught them through his preaching and letters. Spiritual stability comes not from constantly seeking the next new thing but from deeply knowing and firmly holding what God has already revealed. In our age of spiritual novelty and constant streams of new teachings, this is a countercultural call to be rooted rather than restless, anchored rather than drifting.

Paul concludes with a beautiful prayer that becomes a model for us: "May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and through grace gave us eternal comfort and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word." Notice what Paul prays for—not just knowledge or understanding, but encouragement and strength. The Thessalonians need more than correct information; they need fortified hearts and empowered lives. And the source of this encouragement and strength is both God's past action (He loved us, gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace) and His ongoing presence (may He encourage and strengthen you now). We stand firm not through willpower alone but through the encouragement and strength that come from the God who has already loved us, saved us, and given us unshakeable hope. His comfort is eternal, His hope is good, and His grace sustains us in every word we speak and deed we do.

PRAYER: Loving God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, encourage our hearts and strengthen us to stand firm in truth, holding fast to what You've taught us and living confidently in the salvation You've secured for us—in Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: Write down three foundational truths you've been taught about God and salvation, and when you feel shaken or confused, return to these truths instead of chasing after new or sensational teachings.

I love you and I thank God for you. You matter to God, and you matter to me. Your specialness in Christ makes you worth sharing your witness and testimony about the goodness of God.

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

The God of the Living

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Hear the devo: https://bit.ly/47iMMaA

View the devo: https://bit.ly/3JfaVFX

27 Some of the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus with a question. 28 “Teacher,” they said, “Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother. 29 Now there were seven brothers. The first one married a woman and died childless. 30 The second 31 and then the third married her, and in the same way the seven died, leaving no children. 32 Finally, the woman died too. 33 Now then, at the resurrection whose wife will she be, since the seven were married to her?” 34 Jesus replied, “The people of this age marry and are given in marriage. 35 But those who are considered worthy of taking part in the age to come and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, 36 and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God’s children, since they are children of the resurrection. 37 But in the account of the burning bush, even Moses showed that the dead rise, for he calls the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ 38 He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.” (Luke 20: 27-38 NIV)

There's a song that mentions this group of religious Jews who do not believe in resurrection and the line in the song says, "That's why they're always sad, you see?" Okay, it was funnier back in the day. But, they, during Jesus' time, were dead serious about there not being any life after death. You and I know Christians who also believe in that way. I did my college internship with a Jewish woman who did not believe in resurrection saying, "The only way you live on is in the hearts and minds of those who love you." But here in this passage, the serious and devious opponents of Jesus, seek to trap Him with a complex quiz based on Mosaic law. If a man's brother dies and leaves a wife with no children, the man must marry the widow and ruase up offspring for his brother. And the quiz asks, what happens if there are seven brothers and no children? And the big question, Whose wife will she be, since she was married to seven brothers? But their trap reveals more about their limited imagination than about the reality of resurrection. They're trying to fit eternal realities into earthly categories, assuming that resurrected life is simply this life extended forever with all its same structures and complications. Jesus responds by exposing the poverty of their imagination: "The people of this age marry and are given in marriage. But those who are considered worthy of taking part in the age to come and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels." The Sadducees assume resurrection life is just this life with better health, but Jesus reveals it's an entirely different kind of existence. Marriage serves crucial purposes in this age—companionship, procreation, family continuation—but in the resurrection, these purposes are either fulfilled or transcended. People don't marry in resurrection life not because relationship becomes less important but because we enter into a kind of existence where earthly institutions designed for mortal life are no longer necessary. We'll be "like the angels"—not that we become angels, but that we share their deathless existence and direct relationship with God.

Jesus then addresses the deeper issue—not the mechanics of resurrection life but the reality of resurrection itself. He points to a passage the Sadducees claim to accept: when God spoke to Moses at the burning bush, He identified Himself as "the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." Jesus' logic is stunning: "He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive." If God is still, in Moses' present tense, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob centuries after they died, then they must still be alive in some real sense. God doesn't form covenant relationships with people only to let death end them. He doesn't identify Himself by His relationship to corpses. The present-tense declaration "I am the God of Abraham" testifies that Abraham still exists in relationship with God. Death doesn't sever what God has joined.

This passage confronts our tendency to domesticate eternal realities by forcing them into familiar categories. We often think about heaven as "this life, but better"—same relationships, same pleasures, same structures, just perfected. But Jesus invites us to expand our imagination. Resurrection life isn't this life extended; it's a qualitatively different existence where death has no power, where our relationship with God defines everything, and where earthly categories give way to realities we can barely conceive. The comfort isn't that everything will be exactly as we know it now, only improved. The comfort is that God is the God of the living, that His covenant love is stronger than death, and that those who belong to Him are alive to Him even when they seem dead to us. Death is real, but it's not ultimate. Relationship with the living God transcends the grave. Our task isn't to figure out all the details of resurrection existence but to trust the character of the God who promises it—the God for whom all are alive.

PRAYER: Loving God of the living, expand our imagination beyond what we can see and help us trust that Your covenant love is stronger than death and that resurrection life with You will be better than anything we can currently conceive. Strength our relationship with You, with those whom we love and need, and with those whom we need to meet and love; in Christ Jesus' strong name we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: Reflect on one relationship or aspect of this life you're tempted to absolutize, and ask God to help you hold it with open hands, trusting that resurrection life will fulfill and transcend earthly loves in ways you can't yet imagine.

I love you and I thank God for you. You matter to God and you matter to me; show others they matter to you. Remember your uniqueness is an asset to God's kingdom - make the most of it!

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.