Thirsty for God

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1 As a deer longs for flowing streams, so my soul longs for you, O God. 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and behold the face of God? 3 My tears have been my food day and night, while people say to me continually, "Where is your God?" 4 These things I remember, as I pour out my soul: how I went with the throng, and led them in procession to the house of God, with glad shouts and songs of thanksgiving, a multitude keeping festival. 5 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my help 6 and my God. My soul is cast down within me; therefore I remember you from the land of Jordan and of Hermon, from Mount Mizar. 7 Deep calls to deep at the thunder of your cataracts; all your waves and your billows have gone over me. 8 By day the Lord commands his steadfast love, and at night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life. 9 I say to God, my rock, "Why have you forgotten me? Why must I walk about mournfully because the enemy oppresses me?" 10 As with a deadly wound in my body, my adversaries taunt me, while they say to me continually, "Where is your God?" 11 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my help and my God. (Psalm 42 NRSV)

This is a psalm that has always drawn me in; the image of a thirsty deer longing for water just hit me as a wow, God understands and God relates to us! And more so as we have been blessed with rain lately but we are still very much in drought conditions in our state, driven home as we traveled this weekend home through a longer route from Mission to Laredo and up to San Antonio and home. The once majestic and always wonderful Falcon Lake is gone! The lake is more a garden and grave of trees, and we live close to the Guadalupe River and that is unusually low and recent rain has made it a muddy mess. You might be in a spiritual drought my friend, and thank God you're in the right place studying the right passage! I pray this bring your the quenching you need in your soul. We are reading the actual words of David, who, being human, experienced both mountain top and valley experiences; moments when he sensed God "right there," and others when he asked, "Where are. you, God?" So, one day God led him to sit down and write down these very honest and searching words. He confesses that he is thirsty; going through a spiritual drought, and confesses that he as been crying such is his pain. He remembers the days when he was part of a happy throng processing to the House of the Lord, shouting and singing praises to God; now he is alienated from God, and he is asking the question, "Why have your forgotten me?"

And yet, this psalm is not one of hopelessness. It’s a cry of longing—a deep, soul-thirst for the living God.

The image of the deer searching for water is tender and telling. The deer doesn’t just want water; it needs it to survive. Likewise, the psalmist doesn’t merely want a religious experience—he needs God’s presence to live. This isn’t a casual devotion; it’s a desperate one.

In the middle of sorrow, the psalmist talks to himself: "Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God..." (v. 5) This is faith in real life. He doesn’t deny his pain. He doesn’t pretend things are fine. He acknowledges the hurt and still dares to hope. Twice he repeats this refrain—a reminder that feelings are real, but they are not the final word.

God hasn’t changed. Even in exile, even in silence, He is still the God of steadfast love (v. 8), still the Rock, still worthy of our trust.

Psalm 42 gives us permission to be honest about our spiritual thirst—and it also gently turns our face toward the One who alone can quench it.

PRAYER: God of mercy, we come to You thirsty, weary, and longing. Meet us in our dry seasons with the refreshment only You can give. Teach us to hope in You even when we feel far away. Help us remember who You are—faithful, near, and full of love. Satisfy our souls with Your presence. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: If your soul feels dry, don't hide it -- bring it to God. Let your thirst lead you back to the Source.

I love you and I thank God for you!

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Sometimes God Whispers

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1 Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 2 So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.” 3 Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, 4 while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, LORD,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” 5 Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep. All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” 6 He looked around, and there by his head was some bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again. 7 The angel of the LORD came back a second time and touched him and said, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.” 8 So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. There he went into a cave and spent the night. 9 And the word of the LORD came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 10 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.” 11 The LORD said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 14 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.” 15 The LORD said to him, “Go back the way you came, (I Kings 19:1-15 NIV)

I've shared my horror stories of churches who a) wanted to place a Complaint Box on the altar table so church members could share their complaints against their pastor. b) Announce loudly during worship that if anyone had a complaint against their pastor to them. This passage would please these folks. Ahab was the president of the church council, and his wife Jezebel, was the chair of the pulpit committee. They had no love loss for their pastor, The Rev. Elijah Truthteller. Old Elijah did not put up with any stuff and even stood up against false prophets that the two chairpersons wanted to hire after they fired Rev. Elijah. They put their 400 pastors up against one, and they cried and yelled to their flase gods and Elijah calmly defeated them and after that showdown, unalived all 400. Yes, this was a brutal church! Jezebel did not hide her anger and threatens Elijah with death, and so the old man starts to run for his life, as would you and me! What follows next is pure human drama.

Elijah has reached the boiling point and confesses to God; "I have had enough , Lord, take my life; I am no better than my ancestors." And Elijah lays down and falls asleep; expecting God to take him in his sleep. But God had no such plans; an angel immediately awakens him and orders Elijah to get up and eat some of the hot bread that was fresh baked, and to drink from a jar of fresh water. Elijah eats and drank and went back to sleep again. A second time this is repeated with Elijah eating and drinking again. He then starts a 40-day journey which led him to Mount Horeb, where he goes into a cave and spends the night there. In the cave the Lord asks Elijah what he was doing there? Elijah reports he has been very zealous for God and God's people have revolted against God and against Elijah's ministry. They tore down the altars, rejected the covenant, put other prophets to death, and I'm the only one left and now, they're out to put me to death. God says and stand out on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by. And then the great drama occurs: A great and powerful wind comes by, destroying the mountain, but God was not in the wind. Then an earthquake comes, again, the Lord was not in the earthquake. Then a fire, God was not in the fire, but then a gentle whisper and God asks again of Elijah what he was doing where he stood. Elijah repeats his speech and God simply says for him to return the same way he had come.

God’s response to Elijah’s exhaustion was not a rebuke, but rest. He gave him food, allowed him sleep, and sent him on a journey—not to punish him, but to meet him.

And when God does meet him, it’s not in the windstorm, the earthquake, or the fire—all things that had previously represented God's power. This time, it’s in a gentle whisper, or as the text says, “a sound of sheer silence.”

The presence of God met Elijah not in spectacle, but in stillness.

Sometimes, we look for God in the loud, the grand, or the dramatic. But God often meets us most powerfully in the quiet—through solitude, rest, or a soft word spoken in prayer. He listens when we cry out. He speaks when we feel empty. And just like Elijah, He reminds us that we are not alone.

God doesn’t just restore Elijah; He re-commissions him. There is still work to do, and God still trusts him to do it.

PRAYER: Lord, You are not only the God of fire and thunder, but also the God of silence and stillness. Thank You for meeting us in our weariness and reminding us that we are not alone. Speak to us in the quiet moments, restore our hearts, and help us trust Your voice even when it whispers. Strengthen us to rise again and walk in the calling You have given us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: Make time for silence today—God may be closer than the noise is letting you hear.

I love you and I thank God for you!

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Clothed with Christ

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23 Before the coming of this faith, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed. 24 So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. 25 Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian. 26 So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. (Galatians 3:23-29 NIV)

Happy Tuesday, dear Friend! I pray your day is going favorably and that you are influencing your world in a favorable manner. Smile more! Laugh often! Pray without ceasing. Love without wincing.. And as we pray, pray for this old man as I prepare to preach in First Methodist Gonzales, Texas the first Sunday of July. May the Lord give me the Word for that day!

For those of you who now consider yourself fully adult, do you remember the day when you realized, "Gulp. This is it. I'm the adult now. I'm on my own; win or lose, gain or fail, it's on me now."? Paul the Apostle is saying the same thing in the opening part of this passage; we're no longer under the guardianship of the law; we live in Christ Jesus now, and He has justified us by faith. No longer are we looking in; we're in! I've shared how in seminary they showed up an old 16mm film that had to be thread just right into the old projector and it showed a black and white movie of a small boy who had been orphaned in a fire, and not only having lost his family, he lost most of his looks in the flames of the fire, and now he has been accepted into a new family, the family that the orphanage will become to him as the priest opened the door and urged the other kids to welcome him, which they do with wide grins and much hugging. Justified by grace. Nothing required, just his willingness to become a part of this new family. Paul knows all about this for he was adopted, just as he was and had been, and made new as the newest member of this family called the Body of Christ. At his baptism, Paul put on Christ, as did we, as our outer covering was Christ Jesus.

This passage is a radical declaration of unity and identity. We are no longer defined by who we were or what we’ve done. We are defined by who we belong to. Through baptism, we have been “clothed with Christ,” wrapped in His righteousness, covered in His grace. Like a new garment, Christ becomes the way we present ourselves to the world—not in pride, but in freedom, love, and belonging.

Paul’s words dismantle hierarchy and elevate our shared identity: “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” This is not a denial of our uniqueness, but a celebration of our unity in Him. We belong to God’s family, and as heirs of the promise, we are called to live like it—with humility, justice, and grace toward all.

In a world that still builds walls, the gospel calls us to tear them down.

PRAYER: Gracious God, thank You for making us Your children through faith. Thank You for clothing us in Christ, for covering us in His righteousness and calling us Your own. Help us live out this identity with confidence and compassion. Tear down any walls we’ve built in our hearts, and let us walk as one family, united in Your love. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: Live like one who’s clothed in Christ—let your life reflect His love, His grace, and His unity.

I love you and I thank God for you!

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

From the Margins to the Mission Field

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26 Then they arrived at the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. 27 As he stepped out on land, a man of the city who had demons met him. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he did not live in a house but in the tombs. 28 When he saw Jesus, he fell down before him and shouted at the top of his voice, "What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me"— 29 for Jesus had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many times it had seized him; he was kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles, but he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into the wilds.) 30 Jesus then asked him, "What is your name?" He said, "Legion"; for many demons had entered him. 31 They begged him not to order them to go back into the abyss. 32 Now there on the hillside a large herd of swine was feeding; and the demons begged Jesus to let them enter these. So he gave them permission. 33 Then the demons came out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned. 34 When the swineherds saw what had happened, they ran off and told it in the city and in the country. 35 Then people came out to see what had happened, and when they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. 36 Those who had seen it told them how the one who had been possessed by demons had been healed. 37 Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them; for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and returned. 38 The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him; but Jesus sent him away, saying, 39 "Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you." So he went away, proclaiming throughout the city how much Jesus had done for him. (Luke 8:26-39 NRSV Bible)

Happy and Holy Monday to you, dear Friend! May the grace and peace of the Lord fall upon you with a double portion of power to make you the greatest blessing someone will receive from you! Okay, confession time: I so wanted to name this devotional GO HOGS in honor of my hometown university's team, the Javelinas of Texas A&I (now A&M) where for years they had a sign that read: Jesus said, Go Hogs! Luke 8:33. It was funny and appropriate, don't you think? My childhood weekend ritual in Kingsville was Friday night, go see the Brahmas play in A&I Stadium. Saturday go see whatever movie (and it really didn't matter, usually!), then Saturday night back to A&I Stadium to see the Hogs play, and play they did! It seemed they never lost a game! And every time they scored a TD they fired a super loud cannon! BOOM! It was a nice and blessed childhood, thanks to God!

What wasn't nice was the life this poor soul lived. It happened one day, when he made a mistake in his spiritual life and let enter into him a legion of demons. No one, I would hope, sets out to invite demons into their life, but it happens. In the 1980s I was campus minister and Bible professor at Pan American University, no UT-RGV in Edinburg, Texas. In one of my clases, Intro to the New Testament, I assigned each student a short passage for them to write a simple reflective page on what that text means to them. In the class was a student who appeared to be troubled; many of his remarks were off-base and far from reality. On the day he was to present, I called on him and he snapped. "Why are you always picking on me!!?? You're picking on me because I am _______________ (his denomination), and I resent that!" And he packed up his things and stormed out and as he's leaving, his voice dropped and instead of English he started speaking in an unknown language and it sounded evil. He left the building yelling and the front metals doors which were very heavy, slammed shut and open with the force that he used to close the door. The class ended and as I'm going up the stairs two young ladies came in and they were crying. I asked what was wrong and one said, "A Bible professor cussed at us in some Bible language and scared us!" I said, "That was not a Bible professor, and that was not a Biblical language; just a troubled young man who is a student." I then went to my office and soon he was back in my office and still yelling and this time he said he was going to destroy me. He also said, "You think I'm demon possessed, but I'm not, you are, and your name is Legion!" He finally felt he had said enough and left. I perceived his destruction remark to be a threat and I called the Assistant Police Chief of Edinburg, who was from our church and a friend of mine. The chief asked if I had his SSN, of course, he was a student and he said he would call me back. He agreed his remarks were to be taken seriously. When he called back he asked, "Reverend, why is he a student at Pan Am? He has a rap sheet a mile long!" Gulp.

Demons serve one purpose, like their boss, to kill, steal and destroy as Jesus warned in John 10:10. Jesus, on the other hand, came to restore, heal, and make whole, which he does in this story. Jesus took this man from a living death among the dead, to a full life among the living. Demons are no match for Jesus' power. Jesus took the legion of demons living in that man and sent them, at their request, into the swine from the nearby hillside, and, yes, "Go hogs," but they decided to drown themselves as they rushed off the hillside into the lake. This entire event rocked the village and they were further rocked by the testimony of this new believer and now preacher of the Gospel! No better witness than to share what Jesus has done for you.

This once-bound man becomes the first missionary to the Gentile region. His testimony is simple but profound—look what Jesus did for me. He doesn’t need a seminary degree or a long resume. He just needs his story.

No one is too broken for Jesus. No place is too far gone. And no story is too simple to be used by God.

PRAYER: Jesus, You are the restorer of broken lives. Thank You for seeing us when others overlook us, for healing what we cannot fix, and for calling us to be witnesses of Your grace. Help us to share what You’ve done in our lives with courage and compassion. May our story lead others to Your saving love. Amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: Don’t underestimate your testimony—someone needs to hear what Jesus has done for you. Tell it boldly.

I love you and I thank God for you!

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

The Voice of Wisdom

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1 Do you hear Lady Wisdom calling? Can you hear Madame Insight raising her voice? 2 She's taken her stand at First and Main, at the busiest intersection. 3 Right in the city square where the traffic is thickest, she shouts, 4 "You - I'm talking to all of you, everyone out here on the streets! 22 "God sovereignly made me - the first, the basic - before he did anything else. 23 I was brought into being a long time ago, well before Earth got its start. 24 I arrived on the scene before Ocean, yes, even before Springs and Rivers and Lakes. 25 Before Mountains were sculpted and Hills took shape, I was already there, newborn; 26 Long before God stretched out Earth's Horizons, and tended to the minute details of Soil and Weather, 27 And set Sky firmly in place, I was there. When he mapped and gave borders to wild Ocean, 28 built the vast vault of Heaven, and installed the fountains that fed Ocean, 29 When he drew a boundary for Sea, posted a sign that said, no trespassing, And then staked out Earth's foundations, 30 I was right there with him, making sure everything fit. Day after day I was there, with my joyful applause, always enjoying his company, 31 Delighted with the world of things and creatures, happily celebrating the human family. (Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31 The Message Bible)

You and I may have heard Wisdom speak softly to us at key times in our lives. Your first date with your intended. The birth of your first child. Each graduation of your children; then of your grandchildren. The birth of your children, or nephews and nieces; their baptisms, their confirmations, their many graduations from Kindergarten up to university; their weddings, the birth of your grandchildren. All truly amazing things. And that, dear friends, is like seeing a molecule droplet of the wonder that Jesus experienced at the creation of all things. And if you think about the motivation of that creation, you will know it was love. The Father's Love was in the Son, and also in the Holy Spirit. All things that were created by God for us, and we for Him. The cycle is not complete until we all return back to the right relationship that God designed us for, and desires us for.

This is all part of the preparation we should do as we prepare for Trinity Sunday, so we look at King Solomon's book and find in there a prophetic word about Jesus, who is, as the graphic above says, "Wisdom Personified." Before Christ made His appearance on earth, ancient writers, such as Solomon, knew wisdom to be female and addressed it as such. As he writes, we begin to see the characteristics of Christ in the words of Solomon. What the ancients knew to be true, that of God and His Heavenly Court present at Creation, we now see the revelation that it was Jesus Himself present and active in the creative process, with God the Father at the beginning of all things.

In Proverbs 8, Wisdom isn’t just a helpful guide for ethical living. She is portrayed as eternal, present before creation, rejoicing with God in the formation of the world. Wisdom was there when the seas were given their boundaries and the mountains took shape. She was, in essence, the joyful heartbeat of creation’s design.

What does this mean for us today? It means that God's wisdom is woven into the fabric of everything —not just the cosmos but our own lives. When we feel uncertain, Wisdom stands near, calling us to walk in understanding and reverence. Her voice echoes through Scripture, through the Spirit, and through the lives of those who walk closely with God.

This passage is also profoundly relational. Wisdom "rejoices" in God’s presence and in the inhabited world. There is delight, not just design. This reminds us that God's wisdom is not cold or distant —it is joyful, dynamic, and deeply engaged with creation and with us.

PRAYER: God of all creation, we thank You for the gift of wisdom that has been with You since the beginning. Help us hear her voice in the noise of everyday life. Teach us to live with insight, humility, and joy. May we walk in paths that reflect Your design and bring glory to Your name. Amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: Listen today for Wisdom’s voice—in Scripture, in nature, in wise counsel—and dare to follow her call toward the life God has beautifully designed for you.

I love you and I thank God for you!

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Begin in Peace...

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1 Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. 3 And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. 6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. 8 But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us. 9 Much more surely then, now that we have been justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more surely, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life. 11 But more than that, we even boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. (Romans 5:1-11 NRSV)

I remind you that this letter from Paul to the believers is called The Gospel According to Paul," for in it he pretty much addresses the entire good news of Jesus Christ and is a serious theological treatise of all he learned while a Pharisee and then later what he learned at Jesus Seminary, meaning the three days he spend blind, fasting, and feasting on teachings of the Lord Himself. In this passage, he addresses our justification or the moment of our salvation or acceptance of Jesus as our Lord and Savior; and he plainly says that our starting point is one, not of perfection, but of peace. Jesus accepts us just as we are when we surrender to Him and He immediately gives us peace. Peace is a great starting place for faith; that we are accepted, loved, and affirmed as His regardless of where and how we arrived at that starting point. Each additional step is guided by Him. We gain immediate access to grace and permission to share our hope in the glory of God that we have received through our salvation. And, we can also boast of our sufferings. We can be transparent about all we've been through, done, experienced, and then follow the progression that Paul shares as a systematic progression of character building and maturation. Our suffering produces endurance, that strength that comes as we endure the pain and suffering of whatever came our way. This endurance, or ability to continue forward brings us character, a clear definition of who we are and how we present ourselves as more Christ-like in our everyday dealings. That character or outward presentation of ourselves leads us to hope, which, Paul adds, does not disappoint, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, Who has been shared with us. Then Paul shares this truth: "For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly." He further adds, "Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person - though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die."

Paul shares further truth which serves us as hopeful and powerful, "But God proves His love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us;" and that our salvation came through Christ's blood and this salvation saves us from the coming wrath of God. We are now fully reconciled with God, thus no longer enemies; and through Christ's death we have been given life. We can also boast in God because of Jesus, who has given us reconciliation.

God’s love comes to us while we are still weak, still sinners, and even while we are enemies. That’s the radical center of the Gospel: God moves first. Christ died not for the cleaned-up versions of ourselves, but for us as we truly are. That is grace.

PRAYER: Gracious God, thank You for loving us before we even turned toward You. Thank You for the peace we have through Christ, for hope that endures suffering, and for Your Spirit who pours love into our lives. Teach us to live not from fear or guilt, but from grace. Help us be people who carry peace and hope into a hurting world. Amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: Let grace define your worth. Let suffering shape your hope. Let God's poured-out love spill over into the lives of those around you.

I love you and I thank God for you!

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Trinity Sunday

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12 “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. 13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14 He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.” (John 10:12-15 NIV)

Happy Monday, Friend! May the grace and peace of the Lord Jesus be with you and yours is my prayer. I pray you have a restful weekend and are ready for the week. May you live a life that becomes a blessing to others. May others see the risen Christ in you and me!

In an ancient movie Heaven Help Us, about boys and girls in a Catholic school, one troublemaking student is asked to explain the Holy Trinity by a very strict teacher/priest, who uses the ruler quite liberally. The student did not expect to be put on the spot responds, "The Trinity is, has been, and will always be a mystery." The priest is not happy and uses the ruler to show his displeasure.

On Trinity Sunday, we celebrate the deep mystery and beauty of God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit —not three gods, but one God in three persons. It’s a doctrine that can challenge our intellect but also deeply nurture our hearts.

In this passage, Jesus prepares His disciples—and us—for life after His earthly ministry. He doesn’t leave them alone or uninformed. Instead, He promises the Spirit of truth, who will guide them into all truth. Not a truth invented, but truth given—truth from the Father, through the Son, delivered by the Spirit.

Think of a relay race. The baton of divine truth is passed securely from the Father to the Son to the Spirit, and ultimately to us. The unity among the Trinity ensures that what we receive is consistent, trustworthy, and filled with grace. The Spirit doesn’t bring a new message but helps us understand and live the message Jesus already gave.

This is good news. You are not expected to figure out faith on your own. God is with you—in every moment, in every question, in every act of obedience or doubt. The Spirit gently illuminates the way, guiding you into deeper understanding and love.

PRAYER: Holy God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—thank You for the mystery and gift of Your unity and love. Thank You that we are not alone, but that the Spirit guides us, glorifying Jesus and revealing Your heart. Teach us to listen, to follow, and to trust. Lead us in truth, that our lives might reflect Your glory and love in a confused world. Amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: Let the Spirit guide your heart and mind today. Listen closely. Walk boldly. Trust that the God who speaks through the Trinity is still speaking to you.

I love you and I thank God for you!

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.