Good day dear friends. A prayer update/prayer praise! Don Chapman who entered a local hospital with chest pains, underwent all the tests associated with blockage and none was found; doctors believe it was inflammation around the rib cage that caused his pain and Don was released to go home yesterday. Thank you for your prayers!
Our text for today comes from Genesis 3: 8 They heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the Lord God called to the man, and said to him, "Where are you?" 10 He said, "I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself."11 He said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?" 12 The man said, "The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate." 13 Then the Lord God said to the woman, "What is this that you have done?" The woman said, "The serpent tricked me, and I ate." 14 The Lord God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, cursed are you among all animals and among all wild creatures; upon your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. 15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will strike your head, and you will strike his heel." (NRSV)
This story paints a picture of life before prayer. God walked the earth with this first couple and held conversations with them. They could speak their minds and hearts and God would listen. God had shared what was on God's heart and they, sadly, did not listen,but they could have. The couple chose instead to follow the lead of the tempter and they gave in to what comes natural to most humans, disobedience. This was called original sin; the bent we have to be disobedient towards the things of God. As a result they ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and this opened their eyes or so they thought. Their first act was to judge that being naked was bad, which was a reflection against the litany of "God saw that it was good" we find in the first chapter of Genesis. Then their second decision was to hide from God which is where this passage begins. An Old Testament professor once asked a group he was addressed to portray Adam and Eve, God, and the serpent. He poised them in the front of the God and gave them their lines. He then asked, "What tone do you believe God used in asking, 'Where are you?'" The student read with anger, "WHERE ARE YOU?" The professor smiled and asked, where do we see that God was angry in this passage? The student tried again and this time, sounding like a concerned parents, asked gently but excitedly, "Where are you?"
The Blame Game began right then and there. We hid because we were naked, the man replies. "Who told you you were naked?" is asked but not expecting an answer, for God knew already what had happened thus the second immediate question, "Have you eaten from the treevof which I commanded you not to eat?" The man replies, that woman that YOU gave me, it's her fault! The woman replies, It wasn't my fault! The devil made me do it. (Thought "devil" does not appear there, it has in the years since!). And then God speaks to the serpent and established a less-than-pleasant relationship between the woman and the serpent, that some believe led all the way to the cross some many years later.
The lesson is simple. Walk with God and as you do, listen to what God says. Learn God's ways through faithful study and obedience to God's Word. And when you do make a mistake, take the responsibility for it and do not seek to blame others. God's love and patience for and with us, never ends. And if you do make a mistake or a wrong choice, don't try to hide from God; God still desires your relationship and we should not seek to break it for any reason.
PRAYER: Loving God, I pray with those who read this and make it their own, to be more faithful and responsible to You and Yours. Help me to walk and talk with You and help me to listen and obey. I pray in Christ Jesus' precious name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
PS Prayer please for annual conferences being held around the denomination. Ours begins today and we need God's blessing and presence.
Thursday, June 07, 2012
Wednesday, June 06, 2012
Just Like Everyone else!
Good day dear friends. Prayers continue for Don Chapman who this morning at 7 finds out what procedure/treatment he needs for his chest pains. Prayers also for Mrs. Carol Price, wife of retired pastor, Rev. Bob Price of San Antonio. She will be undergoing surgery.
Our text for today comes from 1 Samuel 8: 4-20 and 11:14-15: 4 Fed up, all the elders of Israel got together and confronted Samuel at Ramah. 5 They presented their case: "Look, you're an old man, and your sons aren't following in your footsteps. Here's what we want you to do: Appoint a king to rule us, just like everybody else." 6 When Samuel heard their demand - "Give us a king to rule us!" - he was crushed. How awful! Samuel prayed to God. 7 God answered Samuel, "Go ahead and do what they're asking. They are not rejecting you. They've rejected me as their King. 8 From the day I brought them out of Egypt until this very day they've been behaving like this, leaving me for other gods. And now they're doing it to you. 9 So let them have their own way. But warn them of what they're in for. Tell them the way kings operate, just what they're likely to get from a king." 10 So Samuel told them, delivered God's warning to the people who were asking him to give them a king. 11 He said, "This is the way the kind of king you're talking about operates. He'll take your sons and make soldiers of them - chariotry, cavalry, infantry, 12 regimented in battalions and squadrons. He'll put some to forced labor on his farms, plowing and harvesting, and others to making either weapons of war or chariots in which he can ride in luxury. 13 He'll put your daughters to work as beauticians and waitresses and cooks. 14 He'll conscript your best fields, vineyards, and orchards and hand them over to his special friends. 15 He'll tax your harvests and vintage to support his extensive bureaucracy. 16 Your prize workers and best animals he'll take for his own use. 17 He'll lay a tax on your flocks and you'll end up no better than slaves. 18 The day will come when you will cry in desperation because of this king you so much want for yourselves. But don't expect God to answer." 19 But the people wouldn't listen to Samuel. "No!" they said. "We will have a king to rule us! 20 Then we'll be just like all the other nations. Our king will rule us and lead us and fight our battles." 11: 14 Come, let's go to Gilgal and there reconsecrate the kingship." 15 They all trooped out to Gilgal. Before God, they crowned Saul king at Gilgal. And there they worshiped, sacrificing peace offerings. Saul and all Israel celebrated magnificently. (The Message)
It's sad for ourselves when we make decisions based on whatever everyone else is doing. Growing up most of us we received instructions from our parents about how to make the best choices and what things we should avoid or not do; yet, we still chose based on what everybody else was doing. Such was the case with Israel. Ruled by God in a form of government known as theocracy, the judge chosen and called by God sat and spoke on God's behalf. God has said Israel should be a light to the other nations, but they chose instead to have a form of government like their neighbors with a king. The recent news has been from England celebrating silver jubilee of Queen Elizabeth and I wondered why we still had monarchs in some governments even as figureheads. The judge/prophet at that time, Samuel, who had personally served God faithfully (except in the area of parenting) finds himself being removed from office and asked by God to list the things that the nation would have to give up and assume if they did go with a king. The first was to have a military conscription of both males and females (A "draft" like in the old days of the USA). The second would be taxation to fund this new form of government and with just those two things I think most reasonable people would say, "Okay, you've convinced me! Never mind, we'll do fine without a king!" But no, the cries grew louder and they wanted a king! They chose a tall, handsome man to lead them. It didn't matter at the time that this handsome king would not be much of a king.
Why do we still insist on our way versus what we know to be God's better way? Why, knowing the consequences of some of our decisions or choices do we still choose what is wrong or harmful for us? This story stands as that which should speak to us about listening and paying attention to God in our everyday life. Not all that appears sugarcoated is best for us. We need to stay connected with God.
PRAYER: May our choices and decisions be guided by You. We are tempted and attracted to things like everyone else, but help us to remember we as Christians are still called to be not only light, but salt for the earth. May it be so. We pray in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Our text for today comes from 1 Samuel 8: 4-20 and 11:14-15: 4 Fed up, all the elders of Israel got together and confronted Samuel at Ramah. 5 They presented their case: "Look, you're an old man, and your sons aren't following in your footsteps. Here's what we want you to do: Appoint a king to rule us, just like everybody else." 6 When Samuel heard their demand - "Give us a king to rule us!" - he was crushed. How awful! Samuel prayed to God. 7 God answered Samuel, "Go ahead and do what they're asking. They are not rejecting you. They've rejected me as their King. 8 From the day I brought them out of Egypt until this very day they've been behaving like this, leaving me for other gods. And now they're doing it to you. 9 So let them have their own way. But warn them of what they're in for. Tell them the way kings operate, just what they're likely to get from a king." 10 So Samuel told them, delivered God's warning to the people who were asking him to give them a king. 11 He said, "This is the way the kind of king you're talking about operates. He'll take your sons and make soldiers of them - chariotry, cavalry, infantry, 12 regimented in battalions and squadrons. He'll put some to forced labor on his farms, plowing and harvesting, and others to making either weapons of war or chariots in which he can ride in luxury. 13 He'll put your daughters to work as beauticians and waitresses and cooks. 14 He'll conscript your best fields, vineyards, and orchards and hand them over to his special friends. 15 He'll tax your harvests and vintage to support his extensive bureaucracy. 16 Your prize workers and best animals he'll take for his own use. 17 He'll lay a tax on your flocks and you'll end up no better than slaves. 18 The day will come when you will cry in desperation because of this king you so much want for yourselves. But don't expect God to answer." 19 But the people wouldn't listen to Samuel. "No!" they said. "We will have a king to rule us! 20 Then we'll be just like all the other nations. Our king will rule us and lead us and fight our battles." 11: 14 Come, let's go to Gilgal and there reconsecrate the kingship." 15 They all trooped out to Gilgal. Before God, they crowned Saul king at Gilgal. And there they worshiped, sacrificing peace offerings. Saul and all Israel celebrated magnificently. (The Message)
It's sad for ourselves when we make decisions based on whatever everyone else is doing. Growing up most of us we received instructions from our parents about how to make the best choices and what things we should avoid or not do; yet, we still chose based on what everybody else was doing. Such was the case with Israel. Ruled by God in a form of government known as theocracy, the judge chosen and called by God sat and spoke on God's behalf. God has said Israel should be a light to the other nations, but they chose instead to have a form of government like their neighbors with a king. The recent news has been from England celebrating silver jubilee of Queen Elizabeth and I wondered why we still had monarchs in some governments even as figureheads. The judge/prophet at that time, Samuel, who had personally served God faithfully (except in the area of parenting) finds himself being removed from office and asked by God to list the things that the nation would have to give up and assume if they did go with a king. The first was to have a military conscription of both males and females (A "draft" like in the old days of the USA). The second would be taxation to fund this new form of government and with just those two things I think most reasonable people would say, "Okay, you've convinced me! Never mind, we'll do fine without a king!" But no, the cries grew louder and they wanted a king! They chose a tall, handsome man to lead them. It didn't matter at the time that this handsome king would not be much of a king.
Why do we still insist on our way versus what we know to be God's better way? Why, knowing the consequences of some of our decisions or choices do we still choose what is wrong or harmful for us? This story stands as that which should speak to us about listening and paying attention to God in our everyday life. Not all that appears sugarcoated is best for us. We need to stay connected with God.
PRAYER: May our choices and decisions be guided by You. We are tempted and attracted to things like everyone else, but help us to remember we as Christians are still called to be not only light, but salt for the earth. May it be so. We pray in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Tuesday, June 05, 2012
Sharing and Shouting!
Good day dear friends. As we begin our morning devotional, please keep Mr. Don Chapman in your prayers. He is from here in Corpus Christi and was just admitted to ER with chest pains. Thank you.
Our text for today comes from 2 Corinthians 4:13-5:1: 13We're not keeping this quiet, not on your life. Just like the psalmist who wrote, "I believed it, so I said it," we say what we believe. 14 And what we believe is that the One who raised up the Master Jesus will just as certainly raise us up with you, alive. 15 Every detail works to your advantage and to God's glory: more and more grace, more and more people, more and more praise! 16 So we're not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. 17 These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. 18 There's far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can't see now will last forever. 1 For instance, we know that when these bodies of ours are taken down like tents and folded away, they will be replaced by resurrection bodies in heaven - God-made, not handmade (The Message)
Pentecost is not a time to keep quiet about what God is doing, has done, or will do. Paul writes in the above text about the wonders of God even when it seems everything is falling apart. This can be applied to our bodies or even the Body of Christ (our church and our churches). What is needed is our willingness to share with others, as God's witnesses, about what God can do even in the midst of of what seems to be failure or death. The Resurrection power of God to work in Christ can and is at work in us and our ministries. Paul is sure that as we share with others, grace will abound and more people will come and as more people come the greater our praise. The key is not to give up. Inwardly we should be asking and aware of the new life that is being made in us. Our faith continues to be on the things we cannot see, for those things are eternal.
Let Pentecost be a time of sharing and shouting out what God is doing in you!
PRAYER: Loving God, renew me for Thy work. Renew my church that I and others in it may be sharing and shouting what You are doing, have done, and will do, in our lives and in our ministry together. Help me to reach others and to do the things that need to be done. Let my eyes be eyes of faith that I can see that what is not seen is eternal. Bless those who need this in their bodies; those with cancer, those with heart disease, and those near the point of leaving this life into Thy presence. Renew them and let them know that when this life ends, our bodies change from earth-made to God-made. I pray this and with those who make it their prayer, in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord.
Eradio Valverde
Our text for today comes from 2 Corinthians 4:13-5:1: 13We're not keeping this quiet, not on your life. Just like the psalmist who wrote, "I believed it, so I said it," we say what we believe. 14 And what we believe is that the One who raised up the Master Jesus will just as certainly raise us up with you, alive. 15 Every detail works to your advantage and to God's glory: more and more grace, more and more people, more and more praise! 16 So we're not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. 17 These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. 18 There's far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can't see now will last forever. 1 For instance, we know that when these bodies of ours are taken down like tents and folded away, they will be replaced by resurrection bodies in heaven - God-made, not handmade (The Message)
Pentecost is not a time to keep quiet about what God is doing, has done, or will do. Paul writes in the above text about the wonders of God even when it seems everything is falling apart. This can be applied to our bodies or even the Body of Christ (our church and our churches). What is needed is our willingness to share with others, as God's witnesses, about what God can do even in the midst of of what seems to be failure or death. The Resurrection power of God to work in Christ can and is at work in us and our ministries. Paul is sure that as we share with others, grace will abound and more people will come and as more people come the greater our praise. The key is not to give up. Inwardly we should be asking and aware of the new life that is being made in us. Our faith continues to be on the things we cannot see, for those things are eternal.
Let Pentecost be a time of sharing and shouting out what God is doing in you!
PRAYER: Loving God, renew me for Thy work. Renew my church that I and others in it may be sharing and shouting what You are doing, have done, and will do, in our lives and in our ministry together. Help me to reach others and to do the things that need to be done. Let my eyes be eyes of faith that I can see that what is not seen is eternal. Bless those who need this in their bodies; those with cancer, those with heart disease, and those near the point of leaving this life into Thy presence. Renew them and let them know that when this life ends, our bodies change from earth-made to God-made. I pray this and with those who make it their prayer, in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord.
Eradio Valverde
Monday, June 04, 2012
Pentecost Power, Crazy at Times!
Good morning dear friends. Nellie and I thank you for your prayers for our time off. It was a most relaxing and restful time, thanks to God. I trust you continued with faithful study and devotional time with God.
Here is our Gospel text for today and the one recommended for this coming Sunday: Mark 3: 20 and the crowd came together again, so that they could not even eat. 21 When his family heard it, they went out to restrain him, for people were saying, "He has gone out of his mind." 22 And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, "He has Beelzebul, and by the ruler of the demons he casts out demons." 23 And he called them to him, and spoke to them in parables, "How can Satan cast out Satan? 24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. 26 And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but his end has come. 27 But no one can enter a strong man's house and plunder his property without first tying up the strong man; then indeed the house can be plundered. 28 "Truly I tell you, people will be forgiven for their sins and whatever blasphemies they utter; 29 but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit can never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin"— 30 for they had said, "He has an unclean spirit." 31 Then his mother and his brothers came; and standing outside, they sent to him and called him. 32 A crowd was sitting around him; and they said to him, "Your mother and your brothers and sisters are outside, asking for you." 33 And he replied, "Who are my mother and my brothers?" 34 And looking at those who sat around him, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother." (NRSV)
We are in that part of the Christian year called Pentecost. It is a time to celebrate and remember and share with others the continuing work of God as done through God's Holy Spirit. It is an awesome work simplified to say God's Comforter or Counselor is in our midst. And this passage shared above deals with Jesus' view of the importance and sacredness of God's work among us: No one should slander the work of God repeatedly for it is a serious sin, viewed even as unforgiveable, for such is the importance and centrality of God's work through the Holy Spirit. In this passage it was the Holy Spirit that moved Jesus to perform the miracles of healing and unexplainable signs. The Holy Spirit even led Jesus to the choosing of the twelve who would minister alongside Him and then have responsibility for the continuation of God's work after His death. The Holy Spirit also led Jesus to make a declaration of the power of the Holy Spirit that demons and devils could be driven out, for such was the importance of the work of God, that not even the negative forces of evil should be present where God and God's people are gathered. Such work and teachings led people to think that Jesus may have gone past the limits of sanity and word got back to his mother, brothers and sisters, and these came to take Jesus home to allow Him to rest and come back to Himself. Jesus asked an important question of truth, "Who are my mother and my brothers?" (v. 33) and He replied, "Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother." (v. 34). One version has Jesus saying, "Obedience is thicker than blood."
How is the Holy Spirit at work in your life? Are you listening and being guided by God through the Holy Spirit to do God's work in your life and in the realm of your influence? Can we ask the same about your church? Can faithfulness and fruitfulness be said to be characteristics of your church's ministry? I urged all of the churches in my district to find their comfort zone and to ask themselves, "What is it going to take on the part of God to get you to move beyond your comfort zone?" We exist not to care for our members, but to get our members to care for those who are not yet in a relationship with God. I urged churches (this means individual members as well!) to do three things: 1) Something uncomfortable. 2) Someting outrageous, and I would not define that for them, God would. 3) Something courageous. God's Holy Spirit is present and willing to help us do God's work in our midst.
PRAYER: Loving God, continue to work among us. May Your Holy Spirit make us uncomfortable and outrageous to do the things that we must do to win the lost. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
PRAYER UPDATE: Many of you have been praying for "Uncle Dan" who is battling cancer and here is his most recent update: THANK YOU, JESUS! Lita and I just returned from our meeting with the surgeon, Dr. Jon Wee. He told us that the PET scan I had earlier in the morning showed that the cancer had not spread to any other organs, and that the area at the base of the esophagus is remarkably clear, as well. As a result my surgery has been scheduled for Friday, June 22 at 7:30 a.m. Thank you so much for your prayers! Blood Counts Much Better. Nothing Is Hidden. As I was strapped down on the platform for the PET scan, I was thinking how the scanner was piercing my body with the purpose of detecting something that if left untreated would bring death to my body. As I thought about this I could not help but think about how God's word has that same effect. The writer to the Hebrews describes it this way: "For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account" (Hebrews 4:12-13). This is exactly what a PET scan is doing: penetrating, judging the cells, uncovering and laying bare, nothing is hidden. Is it any wonder then when confronted with the challenge to spend time with the Lord in His word that the response might be ignorance is bliss? But nothing could be more harmful to our very lives than to ignore that which not only reveals those things that bring death but also provides the very treatment that brings life. His word brings life, spend time in it!
Our hearts are filled and overflowing with thanksgiving and praise to our wonderful God. Your continuous flow of prayers, emails, cards, phone calls, passages from God's word all come at just the right time. Lita and I continue to experience the Lord's incredible peace as we continue, one day at a time, on the journey before us. Thank you for walking with us.
AMEN!
Here is our Gospel text for today and the one recommended for this coming Sunday: Mark 3: 20 and the crowd came together again, so that they could not even eat. 21 When his family heard it, they went out to restrain him, for people were saying, "He has gone out of his mind." 22 And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, "He has Beelzebul, and by the ruler of the demons he casts out demons." 23 And he called them to him, and spoke to them in parables, "How can Satan cast out Satan? 24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. 26 And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but his end has come. 27 But no one can enter a strong man's house and plunder his property without first tying up the strong man; then indeed the house can be plundered. 28 "Truly I tell you, people will be forgiven for their sins and whatever blasphemies they utter; 29 but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit can never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin"— 30 for they had said, "He has an unclean spirit." 31 Then his mother and his brothers came; and standing outside, they sent to him and called him. 32 A crowd was sitting around him; and they said to him, "Your mother and your brothers and sisters are outside, asking for you." 33 And he replied, "Who are my mother and my brothers?" 34 And looking at those who sat around him, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother." (NRSV)
We are in that part of the Christian year called Pentecost. It is a time to celebrate and remember and share with others the continuing work of God as done through God's Holy Spirit. It is an awesome work simplified to say God's Comforter or Counselor is in our midst. And this passage shared above deals with Jesus' view of the importance and sacredness of God's work among us: No one should slander the work of God repeatedly for it is a serious sin, viewed even as unforgiveable, for such is the importance and centrality of God's work through the Holy Spirit. In this passage it was the Holy Spirit that moved Jesus to perform the miracles of healing and unexplainable signs. The Holy Spirit even led Jesus to the choosing of the twelve who would minister alongside Him and then have responsibility for the continuation of God's work after His death. The Holy Spirit also led Jesus to make a declaration of the power of the Holy Spirit that demons and devils could be driven out, for such was the importance of the work of God, that not even the negative forces of evil should be present where God and God's people are gathered. Such work and teachings led people to think that Jesus may have gone past the limits of sanity and word got back to his mother, brothers and sisters, and these came to take Jesus home to allow Him to rest and come back to Himself. Jesus asked an important question of truth, "Who are my mother and my brothers?" (v. 33) and He replied, "Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother." (v. 34). One version has Jesus saying, "Obedience is thicker than blood."
How is the Holy Spirit at work in your life? Are you listening and being guided by God through the Holy Spirit to do God's work in your life and in the realm of your influence? Can we ask the same about your church? Can faithfulness and fruitfulness be said to be characteristics of your church's ministry? I urged all of the churches in my district to find their comfort zone and to ask themselves, "What is it going to take on the part of God to get you to move beyond your comfort zone?" We exist not to care for our members, but to get our members to care for those who are not yet in a relationship with God. I urged churches (this means individual members as well!) to do three things: 1) Something uncomfortable. 2) Someting outrageous, and I would not define that for them, God would. 3) Something courageous. God's Holy Spirit is present and willing to help us do God's work in our midst.
PRAYER: Loving God, continue to work among us. May Your Holy Spirit make us uncomfortable and outrageous to do the things that we must do to win the lost. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
PRAYER UPDATE: Many of you have been praying for "Uncle Dan" who is battling cancer and here is his most recent update: THANK YOU, JESUS! Lita and I just returned from our meeting with the surgeon, Dr. Jon Wee. He told us that the PET scan I had earlier in the morning showed that the cancer had not spread to any other organs, and that the area at the base of the esophagus is remarkably clear, as well. As a result my surgery has been scheduled for Friday, June 22 at 7:30 a.m. Thank you so much for your prayers! Blood Counts Much Better. Nothing Is Hidden. As I was strapped down on the platform for the PET scan, I was thinking how the scanner was piercing my body with the purpose of detecting something that if left untreated would bring death to my body. As I thought about this I could not help but think about how God's word has that same effect. The writer to the Hebrews describes it this way: "For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account" (Hebrews 4:12-13). This is exactly what a PET scan is doing: penetrating, judging the cells, uncovering and laying bare, nothing is hidden. Is it any wonder then when confronted with the challenge to spend time with the Lord in His word that the response might be ignorance is bliss? But nothing could be more harmful to our very lives than to ignore that which not only reveals those things that bring death but also provides the very treatment that brings life. His word brings life, spend time in it!
Our hearts are filled and overflowing with thanksgiving and praise to our wonderful God. Your continuous flow of prayers, emails, cards, phone calls, passages from God's word all come at just the right time. Lita and I continue to experience the Lord's incredible peace as we continue, one day at a time, on the journey before us. Thank you for walking with us.
AMEN!
Thursday, May 24, 2012
It's Your Turn God, I'm Listening!
Good day dear friends,
Our text for today comes from Romans 8: 22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; 23 and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. 26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. 27 And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. (NSRV)
All knowing God. God of mercy and love, You created a prayer life for your saints that some are not even aware of their prayers. being lifted up on their behalf, especially during times that we have no words to share. That's the thought that comes to my mind as I re-read verse 26. I urge prayer, especially the recapturing the power of prayer that our churches once knew, and I myself feel at times that I do not pray enough. I know that many are the blessings that could be ours if we would but pray and yet the busyness of our days keep us from going to our knees in prayer as we should. I have shared the story of a dear mother whose adult daughter was dying from cancer. The agony and pain of this mother's soul was such that one day she told me she could no longer pray. "Pastor, I do not have the words anymore." I grabbed a Bible and shared with her this passage and she was so relieved to see that even a sigh on ou part, in the Spirit's part is a prayer lifted up to God. Those who seek prayer as a way to stay connected, are connected, even when we are not aware of it.
This Sunday is the day we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit, but we know already that the Spirit has been present with us and has been our Advocate, Counselor, and Comforter all these years; and the Spirit will continue to be.
PRAYER: Loving God, how thoughtful are Your ways. How mighty are Your acts in Christ Jesus, and how awesome it is that we can and should be connected to You through our prayers. May our prayers never cease; may they be ways of praising and rejoicing and of receiving. May we know prayer is a two-way form of worship. After we say "amen," we are saying, "It is Your turn to talk, I'm listening." May it be so. In Jesus' name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Our text for today comes from Romans 8: 22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; 23 and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. 26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. 27 And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. (NSRV)
All knowing God. God of mercy and love, You created a prayer life for your saints that some are not even aware of their prayers. being lifted up on their behalf, especially during times that we have no words to share. That's the thought that comes to my mind as I re-read verse 26. I urge prayer, especially the recapturing the power of prayer that our churches once knew, and I myself feel at times that I do not pray enough. I know that many are the blessings that could be ours if we would but pray and yet the busyness of our days keep us from going to our knees in prayer as we should. I have shared the story of a dear mother whose adult daughter was dying from cancer. The agony and pain of this mother's soul was such that one day she told me she could no longer pray. "Pastor, I do not have the words anymore." I grabbed a Bible and shared with her this passage and she was so relieved to see that even a sigh on ou part, in the Spirit's part is a prayer lifted up to God. Those who seek prayer as a way to stay connected, are connected, even when we are not aware of it.
This Sunday is the day we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit, but we know already that the Spirit has been present with us and has been our Advocate, Counselor, and Comforter all these years; and the Spirit will continue to be.
PRAYER: Loving God, how thoughtful are Your ways. How mighty are Your acts in Christ Jesus, and how awesome it is that we can and should be connected to You through our prayers. May our prayers never cease; may they be ways of praising and rejoicing and of receiving. May we know prayer is a two-way form of worship. After we say "amen," we are saying, "It is Your turn to talk, I'm listening." May it be so. In Jesus' name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
How's the Graveyard?
Good day dear friends.
Our text for today comes from Ezekiel 37: 1 The hand of the Lord came upon me, and he brought me out by the spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. 2 He led me all around them; there were very many lying in the valley, and they were very dry. 3 He said to me, "Mortal, can these bones live?" I answered, "O Lord God, you know." 4 Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones, and say to them: O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. 5 Thus says the Lord God to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. 6 I will lay sinews on you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live; and you shall know that I am the Lord." 7 So I prophesied as I had been commanded; and as I prophesied, suddenly there was a noise, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. 8 I looked, and there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them; but there was no breath in them. 9 Then he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, mortal, and say to the breath: Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live." 10 I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood on their feet, a vast multitude. 11 Then he said to me, "Mortal, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, "Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are cut off completely.' 12 Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: I am going to open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people; and I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13 And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people. 14 I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you on your own soil; then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken and will act, says the Lord." (NRSV)
Graveyards have both scared and fascinated me. Tombstones and grave markers and their messages, especially among older cementeries such as the kind found in New Orleans have been interesting to visit. Tombstones with the little picture of the deceased also are interesting. What people leave on the ground by the grave on certain days also intrigue me. Along the Mexican border, El Dia de Los Muertos, Day of the Dead, make for colorful, brightly decorated places. As the day grows longer I start heading for the gate. Imagine being taken by the hand of God and led to a boneyard. Nothing hidden by sod and cement, all the dead bodies out in the open and then to be told by the Lord to preach to them. Is your blood pressure up yet? Fear of the dead and public speaking? Ezekiel was the one taken by God to this place and it was to share a lesson with him and with us; nothing is ever dead or over until God declares it so. The lesson for Israel was that their choice to live in hopelessness was not a good nor valid choice. The lesson for the Church today is the same: Quit living and acting like the dead! We have a living God who still wants us to declare God's love for all people! The last two nights I have introduced new pastors to small churches. Theirs is a situation where they could easily declare their need for a peaceful death, but in one, the new chairperson of the pastor-parish relations committee said, "I choose life!" And so, their pastor-to-be is one who stirs things up. The second is a church that is receiving a pastor sent by the Bishop to close the present church she is serving eight years ago! The church is now thriving and I expect the same to happen in this part-time church. Nothing is dead nor over until God says so.
The same is true in our personal lives. Whatever we may be facing we must face it with God on our side. Our prayers and petitions should reflect a living hope in a living God. No illness, no difficulty, no set-back is over until God says it is. But we must stay connected and stay focused on what God would want for us, even if it seems we're right in the middle of a bone or graveyard. We know and we want the whole world to know of the one, true living and loving God.
PRAYER: Living God, our prayer is that You continue to walk among us even when it seems we're walking among the dead. May life be our hope in all things, in our churches, our places of work and service, and in our families and lives. May it be so; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen!
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Our text for today comes from Ezekiel 37: 1 The hand of the Lord came upon me, and he brought me out by the spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. 2 He led me all around them; there were very many lying in the valley, and they were very dry. 3 He said to me, "Mortal, can these bones live?" I answered, "O Lord God, you know." 4 Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones, and say to them: O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. 5 Thus says the Lord God to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. 6 I will lay sinews on you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live; and you shall know that I am the Lord." 7 So I prophesied as I had been commanded; and as I prophesied, suddenly there was a noise, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. 8 I looked, and there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them; but there was no breath in them. 9 Then he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, mortal, and say to the breath: Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live." 10 I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood on their feet, a vast multitude. 11 Then he said to me, "Mortal, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, "Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are cut off completely.' 12 Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: I am going to open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people; and I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13 And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people. 14 I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you on your own soil; then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken and will act, says the Lord." (NRSV)
Graveyards have both scared and fascinated me. Tombstones and grave markers and their messages, especially among older cementeries such as the kind found in New Orleans have been interesting to visit. Tombstones with the little picture of the deceased also are interesting. What people leave on the ground by the grave on certain days also intrigue me. Along the Mexican border, El Dia de Los Muertos, Day of the Dead, make for colorful, brightly decorated places. As the day grows longer I start heading for the gate. Imagine being taken by the hand of God and led to a boneyard. Nothing hidden by sod and cement, all the dead bodies out in the open and then to be told by the Lord to preach to them. Is your blood pressure up yet? Fear of the dead and public speaking? Ezekiel was the one taken by God to this place and it was to share a lesson with him and with us; nothing is ever dead or over until God declares it so. The lesson for Israel was that their choice to live in hopelessness was not a good nor valid choice. The lesson for the Church today is the same: Quit living and acting like the dead! We have a living God who still wants us to declare God's love for all people! The last two nights I have introduced new pastors to small churches. Theirs is a situation where they could easily declare their need for a peaceful death, but in one, the new chairperson of the pastor-parish relations committee said, "I choose life!" And so, their pastor-to-be is one who stirs things up. The second is a church that is receiving a pastor sent by the Bishop to close the present church she is serving eight years ago! The church is now thriving and I expect the same to happen in this part-time church. Nothing is dead nor over until God says so.
The same is true in our personal lives. Whatever we may be facing we must face it with God on our side. Our prayers and petitions should reflect a living hope in a living God. No illness, no difficulty, no set-back is over until God says it is. But we must stay connected and stay focused on what God would want for us, even if it seems we're right in the middle of a bone or graveyard. We know and we want the whole world to know of the one, true living and loving God.
PRAYER: Living God, our prayer is that You continue to walk among us even when it seems we're walking among the dead. May life be our hope in all things, in our churches, our places of work and service, and in our families and lives. May it be so; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen!
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Tweeted God's Wonders Lately?
Good day dear friends. God's grace and peace be with you is my prayer.
Our text for today comes from Acts 2: 1 When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability. 5 Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. 6 And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. 7 Amazed and astonished, they asked, "Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? 9 Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretans and Arabs—in our own languages we hear them speaking about God's deeds of power." 12 All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, "What does this mean?" 13 But others sneered and said, "They are filled with new wine." 14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, "Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. 15 Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o'clock in the morning. 16 No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel: 17 "In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. 18 Even upon my slaves, both men and women, in those days I will pour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy. 19 And I will show portents in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and smoky mist. 20 The sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the coming of the Lord's great and glorious day. 21 Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.' (NRSV)
A day of miracles. Among them, speaking to people that would not normally share words. You've been there as have I. And sometimes it is not because of a language difference, it could be a matter of distrust or attitude; the result is the same, one of the parties feels less or better than the other, and nothing gets said. And like this event mentioned here, it was a "church" setting, for there it is the worst thing, to be gathering for the worship of God and no one says a word of welcome or greeting and some feel unwelcomed and unwanted. In some places it is indeed a miracle that someone speaks to them. But the miracle here was the outpouring of God's Holy Spirit and the disciples, men of Galilee regarded as less than others because of their home region, speaking in languages that covered the known world, each telling fo the wonders of God. I have shared this before, that if we ever travel to a place where the language is not ours, the first word that we hear in our native tongue makes us excited to know there may be someone with whom we can communicate. Such was the wonder of Pentecost - Common people sharing extraordinary things.
The Church today needs to speak to all. It has to learn the languages being spoken to convey the message of God. God is still the same and God is still doing some amazing, unexplainable things; we are God's interpreters and witnesses and we must share it with others. I heard some people talking about how young people today to not take cell phone calls anymore and some even will answer with disdain and ask the person to text instead. One even said that is the way to make dates to go out between boys and girls. And the one explaining it said much gets lost in texting that talking covers better. But for many, texting is the new language and some churches have even embraced that. Texting has led to tweeting and God only knows what is next. The question remains, how are we sharing the message of God's great works to all?
I would say continue to use your mouth and your words to share the goodness of God. God will provide. The miracle of Pentecost was an example of that. No matter how much more we are amazed at new ways of communicating, may we never forget to smile at others and to utter a word of welcome in whatever tongue you know. Some people still will respond. May it be so.
PRAYER: Loving God, for the Miracle of Pentecost we are thankful. You make possible ways in which we can share the goodness and wonder of Your love. May we also never forget to use our smiles, our handshakes, our hugs, and yes, even our words, to tell of Your great glory and grace for all people. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Our text for today comes from Acts 2: 1 When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability. 5 Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. 6 And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. 7 Amazed and astonished, they asked, "Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? 9 Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretans and Arabs—in our own languages we hear them speaking about God's deeds of power." 12 All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, "What does this mean?" 13 But others sneered and said, "They are filled with new wine." 14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, "Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. 15 Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o'clock in the morning. 16 No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel: 17 "In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. 18 Even upon my slaves, both men and women, in those days I will pour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy. 19 And I will show portents in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and smoky mist. 20 The sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the coming of the Lord's great and glorious day. 21 Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.' (NRSV)
A day of miracles. Among them, speaking to people that would not normally share words. You've been there as have I. And sometimes it is not because of a language difference, it could be a matter of distrust or attitude; the result is the same, one of the parties feels less or better than the other, and nothing gets said. And like this event mentioned here, it was a "church" setting, for there it is the worst thing, to be gathering for the worship of God and no one says a word of welcome or greeting and some feel unwelcomed and unwanted. In some places it is indeed a miracle that someone speaks to them. But the miracle here was the outpouring of God's Holy Spirit and the disciples, men of Galilee regarded as less than others because of their home region, speaking in languages that covered the known world, each telling fo the wonders of God. I have shared this before, that if we ever travel to a place where the language is not ours, the first word that we hear in our native tongue makes us excited to know there may be someone with whom we can communicate. Such was the wonder of Pentecost - Common people sharing extraordinary things.
The Church today needs to speak to all. It has to learn the languages being spoken to convey the message of God. God is still the same and God is still doing some amazing, unexplainable things; we are God's interpreters and witnesses and we must share it with others. I heard some people talking about how young people today to not take cell phone calls anymore and some even will answer with disdain and ask the person to text instead. One even said that is the way to make dates to go out between boys and girls. And the one explaining it said much gets lost in texting that talking covers better. But for many, texting is the new language and some churches have even embraced that. Texting has led to tweeting and God only knows what is next. The question remains, how are we sharing the message of God's great works to all?
I would say continue to use your mouth and your words to share the goodness of God. God will provide. The miracle of Pentecost was an example of that. No matter how much more we are amazed at new ways of communicating, may we never forget to smile at others and to utter a word of welcome in whatever tongue you know. Some people still will respond. May it be so.
PRAYER: Loving God, for the Miracle of Pentecost we are thankful. You make possible ways in which we can share the goodness and wonder of Your love. May we also never forget to use our smiles, our handshakes, our hugs, and yes, even our words, to tell of Your great glory and grace for all people. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Monday, May 21, 2012
The Holy Spirit Has Come!
Good day dear friends.
Our text for today comes from John 15&16: 26 "When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who comes from the Father, he will testify on my behalf. 27 You also are to testify because you have been with me from the beginning. 16:4 But I have said these things to you so that when their hour comes you may remember that I told you about them. "I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. 5 But now I am going to him who sent me; yet none of you asks me, "Where are you going?' 6 But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your hearts. 7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8 And when he comes, he will prove the world wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 about sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 about righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will see me no longer; 11 about judgment, because the ruler of this world has been condemned. 12 "I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 14 He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. 15 All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you. (NRSV)
This coming Sunday is Pentecost Sunday. It started, on that day, as a day of great rejoicing and festival for the Jews; it was the day associated with Moses receiving the Law. Jews that could afford to, came from all over the known world to celebrate this day. Tomorrow's text is from Acts and we will examine that text tomorrow. This text sets the stage for that important and significant arrival. For that reason it is believed that the one-time single volume of Luke-Acts was separated and this gospel inserted; for John told the reason of this coming "Advocate." The passage is Jesus speaking to the still mourning group of disciples. In chapter 14 He told them of His coming death and they were not listening to much; they could only remember their having heard that Jesus was coming soon to His end. Here, Jesus sets the stage for what happened in Acts: There is an Advocate coming with power and might. The role of this person of the Triune God is to help you be my witnesses as well as teach about righteousness and judgment, for He will speak the truth about sin.
Sin, in case you forgot, is alive and well. It shouldn't be, but it is. One of John Wesley's three main points of faith was the doctrine of original sin. He taught that we are all born with original sin and only the grace of God can remove it. Grace, by the way, is the second point, and sanctification is the third. But original sin is disobedience. It is our inner desire to please ourselves and not obey God. The Scriptures teach that through Adam and Eve we have that original sin. You may have seen it come to life in your children or grandchildren (not to mention our own lives some time back), as they learn and explore their new life and new earth, they have a tendency to gravitate to that which is labled, "no!" So do we. We gravitate to that which separates us from God. Which is why God gave Moses the Law. And which is why Jesus said, "I've come not to abolish the Law but to fulfill it," covering pretty much of what bothers God even today. The presence and power of the Holy Spirit helps those in tune with God in that way know that God cares for us and wants us to move away from sin, original or otherwise. Grace is what leads us to a better place, a relationship with God.
The Holy Spirit already came and is with us even today. As Jesus said, The role of the Holy Spirit is to advocate on God's behalf through us as we seek to be God's witnesses (read Acts 1). The Holy Spirit is also the One who intercedes for us when we pray, able to even interpret to God our sighes when we can pray no longer. What a wonderful gift we should be taking advantage of.
PRAYER: Loving God, thank You for the presence of Your Holy Spirit; may we learn that the Holy Spirit can be our help during times of trouble and our interpreter and intercessor during our times of prayer, even when we don't know what to say and can only sigh. What a precious gift You have shared with us! In Jesus' name we pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord.
Eradio Valverde
Our text for today comes from John 15&16: 26 "When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who comes from the Father, he will testify on my behalf. 27 You also are to testify because you have been with me from the beginning. 16:4 But I have said these things to you so that when their hour comes you may remember that I told you about them. "I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. 5 But now I am going to him who sent me; yet none of you asks me, "Where are you going?' 6 But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your hearts. 7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8 And when he comes, he will prove the world wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 about sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 about righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will see me no longer; 11 about judgment, because the ruler of this world has been condemned. 12 "I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 14 He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. 15 All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you. (NRSV)
This coming Sunday is Pentecost Sunday. It started, on that day, as a day of great rejoicing and festival for the Jews; it was the day associated with Moses receiving the Law. Jews that could afford to, came from all over the known world to celebrate this day. Tomorrow's text is from Acts and we will examine that text tomorrow. This text sets the stage for that important and significant arrival. For that reason it is believed that the one-time single volume of Luke-Acts was separated and this gospel inserted; for John told the reason of this coming "Advocate." The passage is Jesus speaking to the still mourning group of disciples. In chapter 14 He told them of His coming death and they were not listening to much; they could only remember their having heard that Jesus was coming soon to His end. Here, Jesus sets the stage for what happened in Acts: There is an Advocate coming with power and might. The role of this person of the Triune God is to help you be my witnesses as well as teach about righteousness and judgment, for He will speak the truth about sin.
Sin, in case you forgot, is alive and well. It shouldn't be, but it is. One of John Wesley's three main points of faith was the doctrine of original sin. He taught that we are all born with original sin and only the grace of God can remove it. Grace, by the way, is the second point, and sanctification is the third. But original sin is disobedience. It is our inner desire to please ourselves and not obey God. The Scriptures teach that through Adam and Eve we have that original sin. You may have seen it come to life in your children or grandchildren (not to mention our own lives some time back), as they learn and explore their new life and new earth, they have a tendency to gravitate to that which is labled, "no!" So do we. We gravitate to that which separates us from God. Which is why God gave Moses the Law. And which is why Jesus said, "I've come not to abolish the Law but to fulfill it," covering pretty much of what bothers God even today. The presence and power of the Holy Spirit helps those in tune with God in that way know that God cares for us and wants us to move away from sin, original or otherwise. Grace is what leads us to a better place, a relationship with God.
The Holy Spirit already came and is with us even today. As Jesus said, The role of the Holy Spirit is to advocate on God's behalf through us as we seek to be God's witnesses (read Acts 1). The Holy Spirit is also the One who intercedes for us when we pray, able to even interpret to God our sighes when we can pray no longer. What a wonderful gift we should be taking advantage of.
PRAYER: Loving God, thank You for the presence of Your Holy Spirit; may we learn that the Holy Spirit can be our help during times of trouble and our interpreter and intercessor during our times of prayer, even when we don't know what to say and can only sigh. What a precious gift You have shared with us! In Jesus' name we pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord.
Eradio Valverde
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Where Are You Planted?
Good day dear friends.
Our text for today comes from Psalm 1: 1 How well God must like you - you don't hang out at Sin Saloon, you don't slink along Dead-End Road, you don't go to Smart-Mouth College. 2 Instead you thrill to God's Word, you chew on Scripture day and night. 3 You're a tree replanted in Eden, bearing fresh fruit every month, Never dropping a leaf, always in blossom. 4 You're not at all like the wicked, who are mere windblown dust - 5 Without defense in court, unfit company for innocent people. 6 God charts the road you take. The road they take is Skid Row. (The Message) Okay, this version just doesn't quite do it for me. Here's NRSV: 1 Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or take the path that sinners tread, or sit in the seat of scoffers; 2 but their delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law they meditate day and night. 3 They are like trees planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season, and their leaves do not wither. In all that they do, they prosper. 4 The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. 5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; 6 for the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.
There's something about the biblical image of a tree planted by streams of water that intrigues me. Early in my ministry I would pray for the sick using that image from Jeremiah 17:7-8. This opening Psalm speaks of how good it is for believers to stay connected to God. There is never a drought of the spiritual nature for the connected. A tree planted by a stream or river never knows thirst because its need is meant right at the source. Cool, flowing fresh water daily nourishing that tree; in the same way, God's Spirit and Word nourish us in our desire to stay connected to the Source. Those are the ones who bear fruit and are desired by those who are hungry. The psalmist also knew those who choose to be the opposite; away from God and mocking those whose desire is God. The modern images of "Sin Saloon," "Dead End Road," "Smart Mouth College (Where are those shirts?)," and "Skid Road" (though this modern version may be showing its age in that term is almost outdated), speak of places where the righteous do not desire to be.
The positive images continue with "In all they do, they prosper." What is this telling us about ourselves and our churches? Are we staying close to the Source, the one, true living God? Or, are we seeking to please ourselves with our desires and wants and find ourselves straying? It's always our choice, but I would pray that we pray to choose the connected life.
PRAYER: Loving God, thank You for Your love and Your easy accessibility. Let us be like those trees planted by streams of water so that we never thirst and that we may bear fruit for You. May we prosper in our faithfulness to You. We need You and we love You; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Our text for today comes from Psalm 1: 1 How well God must like you - you don't hang out at Sin Saloon, you don't slink along Dead-End Road, you don't go to Smart-Mouth College. 2 Instead you thrill to God's Word, you chew on Scripture day and night. 3 You're a tree replanted in Eden, bearing fresh fruit every month, Never dropping a leaf, always in blossom. 4 You're not at all like the wicked, who are mere windblown dust - 5 Without defense in court, unfit company for innocent people. 6 God charts the road you take. The road they take is Skid Row. (The Message) Okay, this version just doesn't quite do it for me. Here's NRSV: 1 Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or take the path that sinners tread, or sit in the seat of scoffers; 2 but their delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law they meditate day and night. 3 They are like trees planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season, and their leaves do not wither. In all that they do, they prosper. 4 The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. 5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; 6 for the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.
There's something about the biblical image of a tree planted by streams of water that intrigues me. Early in my ministry I would pray for the sick using that image from Jeremiah 17:7-8. This opening Psalm speaks of how good it is for believers to stay connected to God. There is never a drought of the spiritual nature for the connected. A tree planted by a stream or river never knows thirst because its need is meant right at the source. Cool, flowing fresh water daily nourishing that tree; in the same way, God's Spirit and Word nourish us in our desire to stay connected to the Source. Those are the ones who bear fruit and are desired by those who are hungry. The psalmist also knew those who choose to be the opposite; away from God and mocking those whose desire is God. The modern images of "Sin Saloon," "Dead End Road," "Smart Mouth College (Where are those shirts?)," and "Skid Road" (though this modern version may be showing its age in that term is almost outdated), speak of places where the righteous do not desire to be.
The positive images continue with "In all they do, they prosper." What is this telling us about ourselves and our churches? Are we staying close to the Source, the one, true living God? Or, are we seeking to please ourselves with our desires and wants and find ourselves straying? It's always our choice, but I would pray that we pray to choose the connected life.
PRAYER: Loving God, thank You for Your love and Your easy accessibility. Let us be like those trees planted by streams of water so that we never thirst and that we may bear fruit for You. May we prosper in our faithfulness to You. We need You and we love You; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Are You Sure?
Good day dear friends.
Our text for today comes from 1 John 5: 9 If we take human testimony at face value, how much more should we be reassured when God gives testimony as he does here, testifying concerning his Son. 10 Whoever believes in the Son of God inwardly confirms God's testimony. Whoever refuses to believe in effect calls God a liar, refusing to believe God's own testimony regarding his Son. 11 This is the testimony in essence: God gave us eternal life; the life is in his Son. 12 So, whoever has the Son, has life; whoever rejects the Son, rejects life. 13 My purpose in writing is simply this: that you who believe in God's Son will know beyond the shadow of a doubt that you have eternal life, the reality and not the illusion. (The Message)
There was a reason that God led Fanny Crosby to write, "Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine; O what a foretaste of Glory divine..." The story goes that Ms. Crosby went to visit some friends who were having an organ installed in their home and the hostess asked Fanny to listen to a melody that had come to her and she played it on the piano. She asked Fanny what she thought the tune said, and Fanny replied, "Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine." Many are the Christians who say, "I'm not sure that I'll go to Heaven if I die;" and that's a normal human thought, but the divine, as shared in the above passage, says if we believe in Christ Jesus, we have life and not just life now, but life eternal. The writer of 1 John says that this is God's own testimony, something we should take over human testimony.
Take time to read again the passage and if you have time to hear the hymn. There's a message for the Church in both. And you and I are the church. Live a life that shares life and one day will share eternal life.
PRAYER: Loving God, we praise You for Your testimony that in Your Son, Jesus Christ, we have life and not just for today here on the earth, but life without end in Your presence. Help us so to live so that others may come to life. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Our text for today comes from 1 John 5: 9 If we take human testimony at face value, how much more should we be reassured when God gives testimony as he does here, testifying concerning his Son. 10 Whoever believes in the Son of God inwardly confirms God's testimony. Whoever refuses to believe in effect calls God a liar, refusing to believe God's own testimony regarding his Son. 11 This is the testimony in essence: God gave us eternal life; the life is in his Son. 12 So, whoever has the Son, has life; whoever rejects the Son, rejects life. 13 My purpose in writing is simply this: that you who believe in God's Son will know beyond the shadow of a doubt that you have eternal life, the reality and not the illusion. (The Message)
There was a reason that God led Fanny Crosby to write, "Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine; O what a foretaste of Glory divine..." The story goes that Ms. Crosby went to visit some friends who were having an organ installed in their home and the hostess asked Fanny to listen to a melody that had come to her and she played it on the piano. She asked Fanny what she thought the tune said, and Fanny replied, "Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine." Many are the Christians who say, "I'm not sure that I'll go to Heaven if I die;" and that's a normal human thought, but the divine, as shared in the above passage, says if we believe in Christ Jesus, we have life and not just life now, but life eternal. The writer of 1 John says that this is God's own testimony, something we should take over human testimony.
Take time to read again the passage and if you have time to hear the hymn. There's a message for the Church in both. And you and I are the church. Live a life that shares life and one day will share eternal life.
PRAYER: Loving God, we praise You for Your testimony that in Your Son, Jesus Christ, we have life and not just for today here on the earth, but life without end in Your presence. Help us so to live so that others may come to life. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Replacement Worthy?
Good day dear friends.
Our text for today comes from Acts 1: 15 During this time, Peter stood up in the company - there were about one hundred twenty of them in the room at the time - 16 and said, "Friends, long ago the Holy Spirit spoke through David regarding Judas, who became the guide to those who arrested Jesus. That Scripture had to be fulfilled, and now has been. 17 Judas was one of us and had his assigned place in this ministry. 21 "Judas must now be replaced. The replacement must come from the company of men who stayed together with us 22 from the time Jesus was baptized by John up to the day of his ascension, designated along with us as a witness to his resurrection." 23 They nominated two: Joseph Barsabbas, nicknamed Justus, and Matthias. 24 Then they prayed, "You, O God, know every one of us inside and out. Make plain which of these two men you choose 25 to take the place in this ministry and leadership that Judas threw away in order to go his own way." 26 They then drew straws. Matthias won and was counted in with the eleven apostles. (The Message)
Throughout our lives we have been either a part of a group of friends or co-workers or even fans of groups, music or otherwise, and we have realized the value of working together for the common good or a common goal. If it has been a group of co-workers it has saddened us when one has left to take another job or has been re-assigned to another location or retires. We mourn that loss and then we either move on without that person or adjust when another person is assigned to be a part of that group. In the entertainment world, whenever a member of one of our favorite groups leaves or dies, we wonder if that group can continue without that person. Some groups that we may like, if they don't lose their frontman or singer, usually will find a replacement and continue on. We even hear of off-shoots of that group rivaling other groups and wonder what the point is except to continue to make money.
The disciples found themselves at a crucial point. They knew they still had much work to do and believed that staying together as a group of twelve was the best way to go. They understood Scripture and what it had said about Judas, the one who betrayed Jesus and left the group to do it. They believed they needed a replacement for him and through prayer and the casting of lots or "drawing straws" as this version has it, they chose between two candidates. We know little of these men other than they were believers in Christ and were devout and committed enough to be in a select group from which one would be selected to become a Disciple. Joseph "Justus" Barsabbas, and Matthias, were the two nominated. And the lot fell to Matthias, who was then the twelfth disciple. Nothing else is recorded of him in scripture, but legend has it that he preached among cannibals and was crucified in that region. Another legend has him stoned by Jews near Jerusalem. Both legends have him preaching the Gospel.
The disciples were first learners from the Master; called and prepared by Jesus for their work of spreading the Good News. They later were known as Apostles, or those sent by the Teacher to accomplish that which they had been taught. All, according to legend and tradition, died for their faith. More importantly, they died in the faith, never wavering or doubting Him that called them. We are called to make disciples but our starting point should be in asking ourselves if we indeed are disciples. Have we faith in He who called us? Have we learned all we could about the Gospel and the love of God which we are to share? Are we living the faith in a way that calls others to faith? If the answers are yes, then we need to move on to the next step of making disciples for Jesus Christ.
PRAYER: Loving God, may it be that today I begin the journey of being a true disciple of Jesus Christ so that I can be an apostle of His in my life. Grant me deeper and stronger faith. Let me move towards fullest of faith and life and may my life be a contagious example of what God can do in and through us. I pray this in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Our text for today comes from Acts 1: 15 During this time, Peter stood up in the company - there were about one hundred twenty of them in the room at the time - 16 and said, "Friends, long ago the Holy Spirit spoke through David regarding Judas, who became the guide to those who arrested Jesus. That Scripture had to be fulfilled, and now has been. 17 Judas was one of us and had his assigned place in this ministry. 21 "Judas must now be replaced. The replacement must come from the company of men who stayed together with us 22 from the time Jesus was baptized by John up to the day of his ascension, designated along with us as a witness to his resurrection." 23 They nominated two: Joseph Barsabbas, nicknamed Justus, and Matthias. 24 Then they prayed, "You, O God, know every one of us inside and out. Make plain which of these two men you choose 25 to take the place in this ministry and leadership that Judas threw away in order to go his own way." 26 They then drew straws. Matthias won and was counted in with the eleven apostles. (The Message)
Throughout our lives we have been either a part of a group of friends or co-workers or even fans of groups, music or otherwise, and we have realized the value of working together for the common good or a common goal. If it has been a group of co-workers it has saddened us when one has left to take another job or has been re-assigned to another location or retires. We mourn that loss and then we either move on without that person or adjust when another person is assigned to be a part of that group. In the entertainment world, whenever a member of one of our favorite groups leaves or dies, we wonder if that group can continue without that person. Some groups that we may like, if they don't lose their frontman or singer, usually will find a replacement and continue on. We even hear of off-shoots of that group rivaling other groups and wonder what the point is except to continue to make money.
The disciples found themselves at a crucial point. They knew they still had much work to do and believed that staying together as a group of twelve was the best way to go. They understood Scripture and what it had said about Judas, the one who betrayed Jesus and left the group to do it. They believed they needed a replacement for him and through prayer and the casting of lots or "drawing straws" as this version has it, they chose between two candidates. We know little of these men other than they were believers in Christ and were devout and committed enough to be in a select group from which one would be selected to become a Disciple. Joseph "Justus" Barsabbas, and Matthias, were the two nominated. And the lot fell to Matthias, who was then the twelfth disciple. Nothing else is recorded of him in scripture, but legend has it that he preached among cannibals and was crucified in that region. Another legend has him stoned by Jews near Jerusalem. Both legends have him preaching the Gospel.
The disciples were first learners from the Master; called and prepared by Jesus for their work of spreading the Good News. They later were known as Apostles, or those sent by the Teacher to accomplish that which they had been taught. All, according to legend and tradition, died for their faith. More importantly, they died in the faith, never wavering or doubting Him that called them. We are called to make disciples but our starting point should be in asking ourselves if we indeed are disciples. Have we faith in He who called us? Have we learned all we could about the Gospel and the love of God which we are to share? Are we living the faith in a way that calls others to faith? If the answers are yes, then we need to move on to the next step of making disciples for Jesus Christ.
PRAYER: Loving God, may it be that today I begin the journey of being a true disciple of Jesus Christ so that I can be an apostle of His in my life. Grant me deeper and stronger faith. Let me move towards fullest of faith and life and may my life be a contagious example of what God can do in and through us. I pray this in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Monday, May 14, 2012
Jesus' Long Prayer for You!
Good day dear friends.
Our text for today comes from John 17: 6 I spelled out your character in detail To the men and women you gave me. They were yours in the first place; Then you gave them to me, And they have now done what you said. 7 They know now, beyond the shadow of a doubt, That everything you gave me is firsthand from you, 8 For the message you gave me, I gave them; And they took it, and were convinced That I came from you. They believed that you sent me. 9 I pray for them. I'm not praying for the God-rejecting world But for those you gave me, For they are yours by right. 10 Everything mine is yours, and yours mine, And my life is on display in them. 11 For I'm no longer going to be visible in the world; They'll continue in the world While I return to you. Holy Father, guard them as they pursue this life That you conferred as a gift through me, So they can be one heart and mind 12 As we are one heart and mind. As long as I was with them, I guarded them In the pursuit of the life you gave through me; I even posted a night watch. And not one of them got away, Except for the rebel bent on destruction (the exception that proved the rule of Scripture). 13 Now I'm returning to you. I'm saying these things in the world's hearing So my people can experience My joy completed in them. 14 I gave them your word; The godless world hated them because of it, Because they didn't join the world's ways, 15 Just as I didn't join the world's ways. I'm not asking that you take them out of the world But that you guard them from the Evil One. 16 They are no more defined by the world Than I am defined by the world. 17 Make them holy - consecrated - with the truth; Your word is consecrating truth. 18 In the same way that you gave me a mission in the world, I give them a mission in the world. 19 I'm consecrating myself for their sakes So they'll be truth-consecrated in their mission. (The Message)
Yesterday I missed my Mom terribly. She's been gone now for nine years. I am blessed with a wonderful wife whose mother also has been gone now for more years than mine, and she misses her on Mother's Day as well. But what I miss about my Mom was that she was, during my college years, the one I could call and ask for specific prayer requests that I had. I knew she would share those with my Dad and that both of them would pray for me. This in the days of long distance charges, mind you! Those charges would get larger during the ends of semesters; I wonder why... I know some of you are saying, couldn't you pray for yourself? Yes, I could and did. And I had others praying for me, but to know your Mom is praying for you is special. Since I met and married Nellie, she's my Chief-Prayer-Person, and she prays for me all the time and I am blessed as a result. But this passage is about Jesus praying for me and praying for you.
This passage is Jesus' long prayer. He taught us the Lord's Prayer, but John 17 is a passage about Jesus sharing openly and painfully that which was on His heart as His date on the cross approached. The care and compassion for you and me is reflected in that prayer. The purpose of His earthly ministry is shared there, and His desire for us to carry on is also shared that. And I believe it is a prayer that never stops. Jesus' love for you and me knows no end and neither does his prayer for us.
May we be blessed with new strength and hope knowing that we are prayed for. Nothing can come against us, we cannot be preyed on if we're prayed for, especially by Jesus! Live accordingly!
PRAYER: Loving God, may the words of Jesus' prayer bring blessing to me and those who read this prayer as their own today and all days. Many are the times we find ourselves weak and in need of receiving that which only You can provide. Give us strength and hope to live lives that transform others; in the name of He who prayed for us, Jesus our Lord, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Our text for today comes from John 17: 6 I spelled out your character in detail To the men and women you gave me. They were yours in the first place; Then you gave them to me, And they have now done what you said. 7 They know now, beyond the shadow of a doubt, That everything you gave me is firsthand from you, 8 For the message you gave me, I gave them; And they took it, and were convinced That I came from you. They believed that you sent me. 9 I pray for them. I'm not praying for the God-rejecting world But for those you gave me, For they are yours by right. 10 Everything mine is yours, and yours mine, And my life is on display in them. 11 For I'm no longer going to be visible in the world; They'll continue in the world While I return to you. Holy Father, guard them as they pursue this life That you conferred as a gift through me, So they can be one heart and mind 12 As we are one heart and mind. As long as I was with them, I guarded them In the pursuit of the life you gave through me; I even posted a night watch. And not one of them got away, Except for the rebel bent on destruction (the exception that proved the rule of Scripture). 13 Now I'm returning to you. I'm saying these things in the world's hearing So my people can experience My joy completed in them. 14 I gave them your word; The godless world hated them because of it, Because they didn't join the world's ways, 15 Just as I didn't join the world's ways. I'm not asking that you take them out of the world But that you guard them from the Evil One. 16 They are no more defined by the world Than I am defined by the world. 17 Make them holy - consecrated - with the truth; Your word is consecrating truth. 18 In the same way that you gave me a mission in the world, I give them a mission in the world. 19 I'm consecrating myself for their sakes So they'll be truth-consecrated in their mission. (The Message)
Yesterday I missed my Mom terribly. She's been gone now for nine years. I am blessed with a wonderful wife whose mother also has been gone now for more years than mine, and she misses her on Mother's Day as well. But what I miss about my Mom was that she was, during my college years, the one I could call and ask for specific prayer requests that I had. I knew she would share those with my Dad and that both of them would pray for me. This in the days of long distance charges, mind you! Those charges would get larger during the ends of semesters; I wonder why... I know some of you are saying, couldn't you pray for yourself? Yes, I could and did. And I had others praying for me, but to know your Mom is praying for you is special. Since I met and married Nellie, she's my Chief-Prayer-Person, and she prays for me all the time and I am blessed as a result. But this passage is about Jesus praying for me and praying for you.
This passage is Jesus' long prayer. He taught us the Lord's Prayer, but John 17 is a passage about Jesus sharing openly and painfully that which was on His heart as His date on the cross approached. The care and compassion for you and me is reflected in that prayer. The purpose of His earthly ministry is shared there, and His desire for us to carry on is also shared that. And I believe it is a prayer that never stops. Jesus' love for you and me knows no end and neither does his prayer for us.
May we be blessed with new strength and hope knowing that we are prayed for. Nothing can come against us, we cannot be preyed on if we're prayed for, especially by Jesus! Live accordingly!
PRAYER: Loving God, may the words of Jesus' prayer bring blessing to me and those who read this prayer as their own today and all days. Many are the times we find ourselves weak and in need of receiving that which only You can provide. Give us strength and hope to live lives that transform others; in the name of He who prayed for us, Jesus our Lord, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Friday, May 11, 2012
GC2012 Did Not Take My Voice!
Good day dear friends. Happy Friday to everyone!
Our text for today is Psalm 98: 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. (The Message)
Did our singing praises to God end with our denomination's General Conference? To hear some people tell it, it did. That's telling about how much confidence we put in a group of a thousand delegates from around the world to agree on our differences. It was just a meeting on steroids. Our faith in God should still be as strong and steadfast as ever. The Psalmist is one who saw many things that almost took him to his death and certainly to his ruin, yet he sang on. This psalm is but another example of his faith and confidence in God. In this version, the image is to involve all of creation in the praise of God. God has, will, and is showing what God can do in all things. We just have to watch and believe. Among the greatest things that God does, is that God loves us! Yes, that's right, you and me, loved by God. We may not deserve it according to our limited thinking, but still, God loves us. If God were to do nothing else between now and the end of time to have been loved by God would be sufficient. And the least we can do? Love God back! Sing love songs to God and join in with all creation as we sing together, "God is love and God merits our praise!"
When you walk outside today, yes, you'll have to turn off your computer or at least walk away from it. Look around and see what praise is already going on around you. Here, the earth is singing because of last night's rain. The trees are clapping their praise to God for all that God has done for us. The birds are singing and water in the oceans, bays, lakes, creeks and rivers, are also praising God.
Praise God! God loves you!
PRAYER: Loving God, I may not have much of a voice when it comes to singing, but I can make a joyful noise! Receive my love through my praise as I join heaven and nature singing about Your love for me. Thank You, and praise You! I praise You in Jesus' precious name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Our text for today is Psalm 98: 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. (The Message)
Did our singing praises to God end with our denomination's General Conference? To hear some people tell it, it did. That's telling about how much confidence we put in a group of a thousand delegates from around the world to agree on our differences. It was just a meeting on steroids. Our faith in God should still be as strong and steadfast as ever. The Psalmist is one who saw many things that almost took him to his death and certainly to his ruin, yet he sang on. This psalm is but another example of his faith and confidence in God. In this version, the image is to involve all of creation in the praise of God. God has, will, and is showing what God can do in all things. We just have to watch and believe. Among the greatest things that God does, is that God loves us! Yes, that's right, you and me, loved by God. We may not deserve it according to our limited thinking, but still, God loves us. If God were to do nothing else between now and the end of time to have been loved by God would be sufficient. And the least we can do? Love God back! Sing love songs to God and join in with all creation as we sing together, "God is love and God merits our praise!"
When you walk outside today, yes, you'll have to turn off your computer or at least walk away from it. Look around and see what praise is already going on around you. Here, the earth is singing because of last night's rain. The trees are clapping their praise to God for all that God has done for us. The birds are singing and water in the oceans, bays, lakes, creeks and rivers, are also praising God.
Praise God! God loves you!
PRAYER: Loving God, I may not have much of a voice when it comes to singing, but I can make a joyful noise! Receive my love through my praise as I join heaven and nature singing about Your love for me. Thank You, and praise You! I praise You in Jesus' precious name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Loving God and Living Love
Good day dear friends.
Our text for today comes from 1 John 5: 1 Every person who believes that Jesus is, in fact, the Messiah, is God-begotten. If we love the One who conceives the child, we'll surely love the child who was conceived. 2 The reality test on whether or not we love God's children is this: Do we love God? Do we keep his commands? 3The proof that we love God comes when we keep his commandments and they are not at all troublesome. 4 Every God-begotten person conquers the world's ways. The conquering power that brings the world to its knees is our faith. 5 The person who wins out over the world's ways is simply the one who believes Jesus is the Son of God. 6 Jesus - the Divine Christ! He experienced a life-giving birth and a death-killing death. Not only birth from the womb, but baptismal birth of his ministry and sacrificial death. And all the while the Spirit is confirming the truth, the reality of God's presence at Jesus' baptism and crucifixion, bringing those occasions alive for us.[(s15.7)] A triple testimony (The Message)
I remember the time when anything my parents asked me to do was troublesome. I was just too into whatever it was that I was doing to be interrupted or bothered by one of their requests. What's more important than listening to music or reading comics? Not mowing the grass or running to the store to get milk or bread. Yet, I loved my parents but I loved myself a little more back then. Isn't this the trouble with us sometimes in our love for God? The writer of John is saying that in our relationship with God it's all about love and in our love for God we have to throw in there the reality that love involves others as well. And our obedience lived out is what amazed and conquers the world. When we respond in love to things that most would expect vengeance or hatred, the world is conquered. Jesus is the key to this amazing life that more need to be living. For the writer our faith is not simply believing, it is putting into practice the teachings and commands and examples of the Lord in our lives.
Think on the places where you are not living this way; your home, your work, your church,and ask yourself prayerfully what you can do to combat and change that for good.
The world is watching. And the world is in need.
PRAYER: Loving God, may our love for You be shared with others in a way that conquers the world. In Jesus' precious and powerful name we pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Our text for today comes from 1 John 5: 1 Every person who believes that Jesus is, in fact, the Messiah, is God-begotten. If we love the One who conceives the child, we'll surely love the child who was conceived. 2 The reality test on whether or not we love God's children is this: Do we love God? Do we keep his commands? 3The proof that we love God comes when we keep his commandments and they are not at all troublesome. 4 Every God-begotten person conquers the world's ways. The conquering power that brings the world to its knees is our faith. 5 The person who wins out over the world's ways is simply the one who believes Jesus is the Son of God. 6 Jesus - the Divine Christ! He experienced a life-giving birth and a death-killing death. Not only birth from the womb, but baptismal birth of his ministry and sacrificial death. And all the while the Spirit is confirming the truth, the reality of God's presence at Jesus' baptism and crucifixion, bringing those occasions alive for us.[(s15.7)] A triple testimony (The Message)
I remember the time when anything my parents asked me to do was troublesome. I was just too into whatever it was that I was doing to be interrupted or bothered by one of their requests. What's more important than listening to music or reading comics? Not mowing the grass or running to the store to get milk or bread. Yet, I loved my parents but I loved myself a little more back then. Isn't this the trouble with us sometimes in our love for God? The writer of John is saying that in our relationship with God it's all about love and in our love for God we have to throw in there the reality that love involves others as well. And our obedience lived out is what amazed and conquers the world. When we respond in love to things that most would expect vengeance or hatred, the world is conquered. Jesus is the key to this amazing life that more need to be living. For the writer our faith is not simply believing, it is putting into practice the teachings and commands and examples of the Lord in our lives.
Think on the places where you are not living this way; your home, your work, your church,and ask yourself prayerfully what you can do to combat and change that for good.
The world is watching. And the world is in need.
PRAYER: Loving God, may our love for You be shared with others in a way that conquers the world. In Jesus' precious and powerful name we pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Loving God and Living Love
Good day dear friends.
Our text for today comes from 1 John 5: 1 Every person who believes that Jesus is, in fact, the Messiah, is God-begotten. If we love the One who conceives the child, we'll surely love the child who was conceived. 2 The reality test on whether or not we love God's children is this: Do we love God? Do we keep his commands? 3The proof that we love God comes when we keep his commandments and they are not at all troublesome. 4 Every God-begotten person conquers the world's ways. The conquering power that brings the world to its knees is our faith. 5 The person who wins out over the world's ways is simply the one who believes Jesus is the Son of God. 6 Jesus - the Divine Christ! He experienced a life-giving birth and a death-killing death. Not only birth from the womb, but baptismal birth of his ministry and sacrificial death. And all the while the Spirit is confirming the truth, the reality of God's presence at Jesus' baptism and crucifixion, bringing those occasions alive for us.[(s15.7)] A triple testimony (The Message)
I remember the time when anything my parents asked me to do was troublesome. I was just too into whatever it was that I was doing to be interrupted or bothered by one of their requests. What's more important than listening to music or reading comics? Not mowing the grass or running to the store to get milk or bread. Yet, I loved my parents but I loved myself a little more back then. Isn't this the trouble with us sometimes in our love for God? The writer of John is saying that in our relationship with God it's all about love and in our love for God we have to throw in there the reality that love involves others as well. And our obedience lived out is what amazed and conquers the world. When we respond in love to things that most would expect vengeance or hatred, the world is conquered. Jesus is the key to this amazing life that more need to be living. For the writer our faith is not simply believing, it is putting into practice the teachings and commands and examples of the Lord in our lives.
Think on the places where you are not living this way; your home, your work, your church,and ask yourself prayerfully what you can do to combat and change that for good.
The world is watching. And the world is in need.
PRAYER: Loving God, may our love for You be shared with others in a way that conquers the world. In Jesus' precious and powerful name we pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Our text for today comes from 1 John 5: 1 Every person who believes that Jesus is, in fact, the Messiah, is God-begotten. If we love the One who conceives the child, we'll surely love the child who was conceived. 2 The reality test on whether or not we love God's children is this: Do we love God? Do we keep his commands? 3The proof that we love God comes when we keep his commandments and they are not at all troublesome. 4 Every God-begotten person conquers the world's ways. The conquering power that brings the world to its knees is our faith. 5 The person who wins out over the world's ways is simply the one who believes Jesus is the Son of God. 6 Jesus - the Divine Christ! He experienced a life-giving birth and a death-killing death. Not only birth from the womb, but baptismal birth of his ministry and sacrificial death. And all the while the Spirit is confirming the truth, the reality of God's presence at Jesus' baptism and crucifixion, bringing those occasions alive for us.[(s15.7)] A triple testimony (The Message)
I remember the time when anything my parents asked me to do was troublesome. I was just too into whatever it was that I was doing to be interrupted or bothered by one of their requests. What's more important than listening to music or reading comics? Not mowing the grass or running to the store to get milk or bread. Yet, I loved my parents but I loved myself a little more back then. Isn't this the trouble with us sometimes in our love for God? The writer of John is saying that in our relationship with God it's all about love and in our love for God we have to throw in there the reality that love involves others as well. And our obedience lived out is what amazed and conquers the world. When we respond in love to things that most would expect vengeance or hatred, the world is conquered. Jesus is the key to this amazing life that more need to be living. For the writer our faith is not simply believing, it is putting into practice the teachings and commands and examples of the Lord in our lives.
Think on the places where you are not living this way; your home, your work, your church,and ask yourself prayerfully what you can do to combat and change that for good.
The world is watching. And the world is in need.
PRAYER: Loving God, may our love for You be shared with others in a way that conquers the world. In Jesus' precious and powerful name we pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Tuesday, May 08, 2012
Ready For Outsiders?
Good day dear friends.
Our text for today is from Acts 10:44 No sooner were these words out of Peter's mouth than the Holy Spirit came on the listeners. 45The believing Jews who had come with Peter couldn't believe it, couldn't believe that the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out on "outsider" Gentiles, 46 but there it was - they heard them speaking in tongues, heard them praising God. 47 "Do I hear any objections to baptizing these friends with water? They've received the Holy Spirit exactly as we did." 48 Hearing no objections, he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay on for a few days. (The Message)
Can you imagine "outsiders" receiving the Holy Spirit? Can you imagine outsiders coming into our churches? Can you imagine outsiders leading our churches? Such was the reaction on the "believing Jews" who came with Peter to visit the Gentile (non-Jews) Chrisitans when they experienced hearing these outsiders speaking and praising God in other tongues. Is your church ready for that? I will never forget one Sunday in one of the churches I served when one Sunday morning we sang one of the eighteen Spanish hymns in our UM Hymnal. It is one of my favorite bymns and I was truly blessed . At the receiving line after worship a man so angry she was shaking said, "This is America! Why are we singing in a foreign language? Are we going to sing in Polish next Sunday?". I replied, "Yak se mas!" ( or however you spell it) and she stormed off to write a letter to the S.P.R.C. Which I turn became an item at our next meeting. Not every one is ready for outsiders nor the tongues spoken by outsiders but still they wonder why our churches are dying?
Peter, as well as Paul, knew the future of the Christian Church lay in reaching the outsiders. Actually, God knew that and used these to begin the move towards that goal. Today as our neighborhoods shift and as outsiders come in, will you be open to their presence?
PRAYER: Loving God of all people and languages, open my eyes and the eyes and hearts of all who call themselves Christian to become open to Yournwork among and through "outsiders.". In Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name I pray, amen,
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Our text for today is from Acts 10:44 No sooner were these words out of Peter's mouth than the Holy Spirit came on the listeners. 45The believing Jews who had come with Peter couldn't believe it, couldn't believe that the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out on "outsider" Gentiles, 46 but there it was - they heard them speaking in tongues, heard them praising God. 47 "Do I hear any objections to baptizing these friends with water? They've received the Holy Spirit exactly as we did." 48 Hearing no objections, he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay on for a few days. (The Message)
Can you imagine "outsiders" receiving the Holy Spirit? Can you imagine outsiders coming into our churches? Can you imagine outsiders leading our churches? Such was the reaction on the "believing Jews" who came with Peter to visit the Gentile (non-Jews) Chrisitans when they experienced hearing these outsiders speaking and praising God in other tongues. Is your church ready for that? I will never forget one Sunday in one of the churches I served when one Sunday morning we sang one of the eighteen Spanish hymns in our UM Hymnal. It is one of my favorite bymns and I was truly blessed . At the receiving line after worship a man so angry she was shaking said, "This is America! Why are we singing in a foreign language? Are we going to sing in Polish next Sunday?". I replied, "Yak se mas!" ( or however you spell it) and she stormed off to write a letter to the S.P.R.C. Which I turn became an item at our next meeting. Not every one is ready for outsiders nor the tongues spoken by outsiders but still they wonder why our churches are dying?
Peter, as well as Paul, knew the future of the Christian Church lay in reaching the outsiders. Actually, God knew that and used these to begin the move towards that goal. Today as our neighborhoods shift and as outsiders come in, will you be open to their presence?
PRAYER: Loving God of all people and languages, open my eyes and the eyes and hearts of all who call themselves Christian to become open to Yournwork among and through "outsiders.". In Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name I pray, amen,
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Monday, May 07, 2012
At Home in God's Love?
Good day dear friends.
This coming Sunday is Mother's Day here in the USA. Please don't forget and hubbies, NEVER, I repeat NEVER use the excuse to your wife, "You're not my mother!" WRONG! That's all I'm going to say about that!
Our text for this coming Sunday from the Gospels is from John 15: 9 "I've loved you the way my Father has loved me. Make yourselves at home in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you'll remain intimately at home in my love. That's what I've done - kept my Father's commands and made myself at home in his love. 11 "I've told you these things for a purpose: that my joy might be your joy, and your joy wholly mature. 12 This is my command: Love one another the way I loved you. 13 This is the very best way to love. Put your life on the line for your friends. 14 You are my friends when you do the things I command you. 15 I'm no longer calling you servants because servants don't understand what their master is thinking and planning. No, I've named you friends because I've let you in on everything I've heard from the Father. 16 "You didn't choose me, remember; I chose you, and put you in the world to bear fruit, fruit that won't spoil. As fruit bearers, whatever you ask the Father in relation to me, he gives you.17 "But remember the root command: Love one another. (The Message)
Nellie and I have been away from home for almost half a month. Home is a special word and an even more special place. By the way, Sunday is also Festival of the Christian Home. And the version of the recommended Lectionary text makes it easy to preach or hear a sermon on home. When I was not married, my home was with my Mom and Dad. I could truly be myself there and I felt welcome and loved whenever I was there. When I went away to college I longed for home and during the first two years of college went home almost every other week. There were so many from Houston at my school that getting a ride was no problem. There was one friend whose girlfriend was in Houston and so he went home every weekend. He didn't provide a helmet to ride in his car with him and at times it seems like it was truly needed! Now that Nellie and I have made a home, it's still the place to be. It's a refuge from the world and a place to truly be ourselves and to enjoy each other's company and to be blessed by the love we have for each other, and that's what Jesus was saying about making ourselves "at home" in God's love. Be yourself, find refuge from the world, enjoy God's company, and be blessed by the awesomeness of God's love.
Being at home in God's love means that we have to take that love wherever we go. We have to love others. That means everyone. No distinctions, no judgments about whom you can or cannot love; God meant everybody. And God meant that for the basic interactions that should be occurring with basic human presence. Civility, kindness, courtesy, caring for one another. And I think this is where we fail sometimes as individuals or as a Church. We put more importance on our needs than those of others and we close the doors of our homes to other people. Three weeks ago I was the Emcee at a special Wesley Community Center banquet where awards were given to the person(s) who exhibited Open Hearts, Open Minds, and Open Doors. I was asked to say a word about what each meant. I asked the question of those in the audience of who was young enough to remember sitting on their front porch and having interaction with their neighbors? Most of my age and above did. I then asked, but who was the person who invented the deck? What drove us from the front porch to the privacy and security of our decks? The deck is usually situated between a privacy fence big enough to hide what we are doing from our next door neighbors. You will rarely see a new home built with a porch. I also believe that when we could afford air conditioning that further drove us away from interaction with others.
Whom will you invite to the "front porch" of your life? Will all be welcome? Will you share God's love so that others may be at home with God?
PRAYER: Loving God, we fear our neighbors and that is why we live now in homes securely locked and without front porches. We have decks for those rare times we want to be outside. And we enjoy the comfort of air conditioning. Sadly, Lord, You know that is how we also live our lives, insulated from others and not wanting interaction with others. May You forgive us for that and move us towards being neighbors that love everyone. We cannot do it without Your love and strength; bless us with those; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
This coming Sunday is Mother's Day here in the USA. Please don't forget and hubbies, NEVER, I repeat NEVER use the excuse to your wife, "You're not my mother!" WRONG! That's all I'm going to say about that!
Our text for this coming Sunday from the Gospels is from John 15: 9 "I've loved you the way my Father has loved me. Make yourselves at home in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you'll remain intimately at home in my love. That's what I've done - kept my Father's commands and made myself at home in his love. 11 "I've told you these things for a purpose: that my joy might be your joy, and your joy wholly mature. 12 This is my command: Love one another the way I loved you. 13 This is the very best way to love. Put your life on the line for your friends. 14 You are my friends when you do the things I command you. 15 I'm no longer calling you servants because servants don't understand what their master is thinking and planning. No, I've named you friends because I've let you in on everything I've heard from the Father. 16 "You didn't choose me, remember; I chose you, and put you in the world to bear fruit, fruit that won't spoil. As fruit bearers, whatever you ask the Father in relation to me, he gives you.17 "But remember the root command: Love one another. (The Message)
Nellie and I have been away from home for almost half a month. Home is a special word and an even more special place. By the way, Sunday is also Festival of the Christian Home. And the version of the recommended Lectionary text makes it easy to preach or hear a sermon on home. When I was not married, my home was with my Mom and Dad. I could truly be myself there and I felt welcome and loved whenever I was there. When I went away to college I longed for home and during the first two years of college went home almost every other week. There were so many from Houston at my school that getting a ride was no problem. There was one friend whose girlfriend was in Houston and so he went home every weekend. He didn't provide a helmet to ride in his car with him and at times it seems like it was truly needed! Now that Nellie and I have made a home, it's still the place to be. It's a refuge from the world and a place to truly be ourselves and to enjoy each other's company and to be blessed by the love we have for each other, and that's what Jesus was saying about making ourselves "at home" in God's love. Be yourself, find refuge from the world, enjoy God's company, and be blessed by the awesomeness of God's love.
Being at home in God's love means that we have to take that love wherever we go. We have to love others. That means everyone. No distinctions, no judgments about whom you can or cannot love; God meant everybody. And God meant that for the basic interactions that should be occurring with basic human presence. Civility, kindness, courtesy, caring for one another. And I think this is where we fail sometimes as individuals or as a Church. We put more importance on our needs than those of others and we close the doors of our homes to other people. Three weeks ago I was the Emcee at a special Wesley Community Center banquet where awards were given to the person(s) who exhibited Open Hearts, Open Minds, and Open Doors. I was asked to say a word about what each meant. I asked the question of those in the audience of who was young enough to remember sitting on their front porch and having interaction with their neighbors? Most of my age and above did. I then asked, but who was the person who invented the deck? What drove us from the front porch to the privacy and security of our decks? The deck is usually situated between a privacy fence big enough to hide what we are doing from our next door neighbors. You will rarely see a new home built with a porch. I also believe that when we could afford air conditioning that further drove us away from interaction with others.
Whom will you invite to the "front porch" of your life? Will all be welcome? Will you share God's love so that others may be at home with God?
PRAYER: Loving God, we fear our neighbors and that is why we live now in homes securely locked and without front porches. We have decks for those rare times we want to be outside. And we enjoy the comfort of air conditioning. Sadly, Lord, You know that is how we also live our lives, insulated from others and not wanting interaction with others. May You forgive us for that and move us towards being neighbors that love everyone. We cannot do it without Your love and strength; bless us with those; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Friday, May 04, 2012
Worship is Key!
Good day dear friends. Today is the tenth and last day of General Conference 2012 in Tampa, Florida. We are set to adjourn this afternoon at 5:30 p.m., but many suspect we will be finishing closer to 12 midnight. My prayer blog for today can be found at http://50daysprayer.blogspot.com/2012/05/goodbye-farewell-hasta-la-vista.html.
Our text comes from Psalm 22: 25 Here in this great gathering for worship I have discovered this praise-life. And I'll do what I promised right here in front of the God-worshipers. 26 Down-and-outers sit at God's table and eat their fill. Everyone on the hunt for God is here, praising him. "Live it up, from head to toe. Don't ever quit!" 27 From the four corners of the earth people are coming to their senses, are running back to God. Long-lost families are falling on their faces before him. 28 God has taken charge; from now on he has the last word. 29 All the power-mongers are before him - worshiping! All the poor and powerless, too - worshiping! Along with those who never got it together - worshiping! 30Our children and their children will get in on this As the word is passed along from parent to child.31 Babies not yet conceived will hear the good news - that God does what he says. (The Message)
Worship is an essential part of life. This time spent in General Conference, ten days with delegates from all over the world, has been a time of making decisions, plans, and worship. Worship has been key. All types of worship styles have been shared with us. There has not been one quiet lunch or break time in which the music of praise in some language has not wafted through the air of our meeting spaces. Some worship styles have blessed, some have troubled, some have even angered; but the purpose has not been about us, but about God. This psalm, part of which Jesus uttered from the cross, shares the psalmist's faith that the day would come when all those who knew and loved the Lord God would return to a place of worship. So strong is his faith that he says even unborn children would hear the good news.
There are several unborn children among us and they have been hearing this music and I wonder how it is blessing them as they continue to develop in their mother's womb. I also wondered what our Church will look like in their lifetime and I pray that it will have the fruits of our labors during our time together. It will begin with revival; a complete surrender of our lives and wills to God, repentant about our sins and a willingness to receive and take advantage of any second chances God will give us to live lives of righteousness. Let it begin with me.
PRAYER: Loving God of new life, start in me and those who pray this prayer as theirs. May our lives be transformed so that we can transform the world. In Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Our text comes from Psalm 22: 25 Here in this great gathering for worship I have discovered this praise-life. And I'll do what I promised right here in front of the God-worshipers. 26 Down-and-outers sit at God's table and eat their fill. Everyone on the hunt for God is here, praising him. "Live it up, from head to toe. Don't ever quit!" 27 From the four corners of the earth people are coming to their senses, are running back to God. Long-lost families are falling on their faces before him. 28 God has taken charge; from now on he has the last word. 29 All the power-mongers are before him - worshiping! All the poor and powerless, too - worshiping! Along with those who never got it together - worshiping! 30Our children and their children will get in on this As the word is passed along from parent to child.31 Babies not yet conceived will hear the good news - that God does what he says. (The Message)
Worship is an essential part of life. This time spent in General Conference, ten days with delegates from all over the world, has been a time of making decisions, plans, and worship. Worship has been key. All types of worship styles have been shared with us. There has not been one quiet lunch or break time in which the music of praise in some language has not wafted through the air of our meeting spaces. Some worship styles have blessed, some have troubled, some have even angered; but the purpose has not been about us, but about God. This psalm, part of which Jesus uttered from the cross, shares the psalmist's faith that the day would come when all those who knew and loved the Lord God would return to a place of worship. So strong is his faith that he says even unborn children would hear the good news.
There are several unborn children among us and they have been hearing this music and I wonder how it is blessing them as they continue to develop in their mother's womb. I also wondered what our Church will look like in their lifetime and I pray that it will have the fruits of our labors during our time together. It will begin with revival; a complete surrender of our lives and wills to God, repentant about our sins and a willingness to receive and take advantage of any second chances God will give us to live lives of righteousness. Let it begin with me.
PRAYER: Loving God of new life, start in me and those who pray this prayer as theirs. May our lives be transformed so that we can transform the world. In Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Thursday, May 03, 2012
Got Love?
Good day dear friends. Live from Tampa, Florida, as the 2012 General Conference winds down. Much has happened, some are pleased, some are not. Do your own reading and decide for yourself.
Our text for today is this coming Sunday's Epistle reading from 1 John 4: 7 Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9 God's love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us. 13 By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father has sent his Son as the Savior of the world. 15 God abides in those who confess that Jesus is the Son of God, and they abide in God. 16 So we have known and believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them. 17 Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness on the day of judgment, because as he is, so are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love. 19 We love because he first loved us. 20 Those who say, "I love God," and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen. 21 The commandment we have from him is this: those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also. (NRSV)
I know I've shared this story before, but I pray it's been some time since, so you can share it with those who have never heard it. A young couple, deeply (I started to say "madly") in love, go to lunch to talk about their upcoming marriage. She brings along her childhood Bible so that they can together find a verse that best describes the love and perhaps put it on their wedding cake. They find the verse found above, verse 18, "There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts our fear." After lunch she goes to have coffee with her mother. The mom weeps with joy and the napkin on which they scribbled the verse is later given to the baker. When the big day arrives the ceremony goes off without a hitch, a beautiful event. When they get to the reception hall, as they are led to the cake the bride breaks down in tears for the smeared napkin given to the baker resulted in his going to John 4:18 which reads, "for you have had five husband, and the one you have now is not your husband." I don't know if that is a true story or not, but the message from John is true and perfect, we must be people of love.
We are recipients of God's perfect love and it is that sort of love we must share. The Church is the only place where agape, unconditional, love should be shared with people. The more we show love, the more people will see God. And the verse mentioned in the joke above is perhaps the most telling; as a Church we should show a love that has no fear. Do we? Or do we make ministry and program decisions based on fear more than love? Many are the churches that say they cannot do this or that because they do not have the money. What they really don't have is perfect love; they have plenty of fear. What we should show is the love for all people, claiming and living in love with all people even those who do not look nor speak like us.
PRAYER: Loving God, as we prepare for Sunday, prepare us for today. Let us know that today is the day in which we can receive and share perfect love, the love without fear. Help us to trust You more and love You and Yours more; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord.
Eradio Valverde
Our text for today is this coming Sunday's Epistle reading from 1 John 4: 7 Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9 God's love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us. 13 By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father has sent his Son as the Savior of the world. 15 God abides in those who confess that Jesus is the Son of God, and they abide in God. 16 So we have known and believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them. 17 Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness on the day of judgment, because as he is, so are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love. 19 We love because he first loved us. 20 Those who say, "I love God," and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen. 21 The commandment we have from him is this: those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also. (NRSV)
I know I've shared this story before, but I pray it's been some time since, so you can share it with those who have never heard it. A young couple, deeply (I started to say "madly") in love, go to lunch to talk about their upcoming marriage. She brings along her childhood Bible so that they can together find a verse that best describes the love and perhaps put it on their wedding cake. They find the verse found above, verse 18, "There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts our fear." After lunch she goes to have coffee with her mother. The mom weeps with joy and the napkin on which they scribbled the verse is later given to the baker. When the big day arrives the ceremony goes off without a hitch, a beautiful event. When they get to the reception hall, as they are led to the cake the bride breaks down in tears for the smeared napkin given to the baker resulted in his going to John 4:18 which reads, "for you have had five husband, and the one you have now is not your husband." I don't know if that is a true story or not, but the message from John is true and perfect, we must be people of love.
We are recipients of God's perfect love and it is that sort of love we must share. The Church is the only place where agape, unconditional, love should be shared with people. The more we show love, the more people will see God. And the verse mentioned in the joke above is perhaps the most telling; as a Church we should show a love that has no fear. Do we? Or do we make ministry and program decisions based on fear more than love? Many are the churches that say they cannot do this or that because they do not have the money. What they really don't have is perfect love; they have plenty of fear. What we should show is the love for all people, claiming and living in love with all people even those who do not look nor speak like us.
PRAYER: Loving God, as we prepare for Sunday, prepare us for today. Let us know that today is the day in which we can receive and share perfect love, the love without fear. Help us to trust You more and love You and Yours more; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord.
Eradio Valverde
Wednesday, May 02, 2012
Why Did You Take My Minister Away?
Good day dear friends. I thank you all for your prayers for us who are delegates to the 2012 General Conference in Tampa, Florida. We are way behind schedule and today will be a very heavy day. Your prayers for wisdom and peace will be a blessing to us all.
The text for this coming Sunday from the Book of Acts is found in Acts 8: 26 Later God's angel spoke to Philip: "At noon today I want you to walk over to that desolate road that goes from Jerusalem down to Gaza." 27 He got up and went. He met an Ethiopian eunuch coming down the road. The eunuch had been on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem and was returning to Ethiopia, where he was minister in charge of all the finances of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians.28 He was riding in a chariot and reading the prophet Isaiah. 29 The Spirit told Philip, "Climb into the chariot." 30 Running up alongside, Philip heard the eunuch reading Isaiah and asked, "Do you understand what you're reading?" 31 He answered, "How can I without some help?" and invited Philip into the chariot with him. 32 The passage he was reading was this: As a sheep led to slaughter, and quiet as a lamb being sheared, He was silent, saying nothing. 33 He was mocked and put down, never got a fair trial. But who now can count his kin since he's been taken from the earth? 34 The eunuch said, "Tell me, who is the prophet talking about: himself or some other?" 35 Philip grabbed his chance. Using this passage as his text, he preached Jesus to him.36 As they continued down the road, they came to a stream of water. The eunuch said, "Here's water. Why can't I be baptized?" 38 He ordered the chariot to stop. They both went down to the water, and Philip baptized him on the spot. 39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of God suddenly took Philip off, and that was the last the eunuch saw of him. But he didn't mind. He had what he'd come for and went on down the road as happy as he could be. 40 Philip showed up in Azotus and continued north, preaching the Message in all the villages along that route until he arrived at Caesarea. (The Message)
All of our spiritual disciplines are interrelated; if you read the Bible, you should pray for deeper and better understanding. If you worship, you should take a Bible with you to better understand the sermon and other messages that God may share during worship. If you sing, you should know the message behind the song or hymn and sometimes the song will show the biblical passage behind the author's writing such a message. This passage is about that exact same thing. The Holy Spirit guided Philip to a person who did not yet understand God's message of salvation through Jesus Christ. The person in question was an official of a foreign court, who also happened to be a man of Jewish faith. As he read a particular passage he was reading Isaiah and did not quite understand what he was reading. It was a passage foretelling the coming Messiah and what He would endure for our sake. Philip took advantage of that opening and shared Jesus with him, leading the official to ask for baptism, which he received. Then the Holy Spirit whisked away Philip, but the official had something far better, the new knowledge and relationship with God.
While we are ending appointment season, this passage should be preached about our system. The official did not cry nor yell, "Wait! I was just getting to know this servant of Yours, why is he being taken away so soon?" The official knew his need had been met in God through this servant and having that the man moved on with his life and although the Bible does not tell us more about him, his life was different and he may have had a hand in bringing more people to that special relationship that is ours in Jesus Christ.
What have you done with the first time God met your need in Jesus and you accepted Him as Lord and Savior? Well, it's not too late, get busy!
PRAYER: Loving God, thank You for the servants You have used in my life and in the life of this dear reader to bring them to relationship with You. May we understand that although that first servant is now long gone, we have the most important part, a relationship in Jesus because of his/her work. May we now understand and undertake that which is ours to do; sharing Jesus. We ask for wisdom, courage and boldness in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
The text for this coming Sunday from the Book of Acts is found in Acts 8: 26 Later God's angel spoke to Philip: "At noon today I want you to walk over to that desolate road that goes from Jerusalem down to Gaza." 27 He got up and went. He met an Ethiopian eunuch coming down the road. The eunuch had been on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem and was returning to Ethiopia, where he was minister in charge of all the finances of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians.28 He was riding in a chariot and reading the prophet Isaiah. 29 The Spirit told Philip, "Climb into the chariot." 30 Running up alongside, Philip heard the eunuch reading Isaiah and asked, "Do you understand what you're reading?" 31 He answered, "How can I without some help?" and invited Philip into the chariot with him. 32 The passage he was reading was this: As a sheep led to slaughter, and quiet as a lamb being sheared, He was silent, saying nothing. 33 He was mocked and put down, never got a fair trial. But who now can count his kin since he's been taken from the earth? 34 The eunuch said, "Tell me, who is the prophet talking about: himself or some other?" 35 Philip grabbed his chance. Using this passage as his text, he preached Jesus to him.36 As they continued down the road, they came to a stream of water. The eunuch said, "Here's water. Why can't I be baptized?" 38 He ordered the chariot to stop. They both went down to the water, and Philip baptized him on the spot. 39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of God suddenly took Philip off, and that was the last the eunuch saw of him. But he didn't mind. He had what he'd come for and went on down the road as happy as he could be. 40 Philip showed up in Azotus and continued north, preaching the Message in all the villages along that route until he arrived at Caesarea. (The Message)
All of our spiritual disciplines are interrelated; if you read the Bible, you should pray for deeper and better understanding. If you worship, you should take a Bible with you to better understand the sermon and other messages that God may share during worship. If you sing, you should know the message behind the song or hymn and sometimes the song will show the biblical passage behind the author's writing such a message. This passage is about that exact same thing. The Holy Spirit guided Philip to a person who did not yet understand God's message of salvation through Jesus Christ. The person in question was an official of a foreign court, who also happened to be a man of Jewish faith. As he read a particular passage he was reading Isaiah and did not quite understand what he was reading. It was a passage foretelling the coming Messiah and what He would endure for our sake. Philip took advantage of that opening and shared Jesus with him, leading the official to ask for baptism, which he received. Then the Holy Spirit whisked away Philip, but the official had something far better, the new knowledge and relationship with God.
While we are ending appointment season, this passage should be preached about our system. The official did not cry nor yell, "Wait! I was just getting to know this servant of Yours, why is he being taken away so soon?" The official knew his need had been met in God through this servant and having that the man moved on with his life and although the Bible does not tell us more about him, his life was different and he may have had a hand in bringing more people to that special relationship that is ours in Jesus Christ.
What have you done with the first time God met your need in Jesus and you accepted Him as Lord and Savior? Well, it's not too late, get busy!
PRAYER: Loving God, thank You for the servants You have used in my life and in the life of this dear reader to bring them to relationship with You. May we understand that although that first servant is now long gone, we have the most important part, a relationship in Jesus because of his/her work. May we now understand and undertake that which is ours to do; sharing Jesus. We ask for wisdom, courage and boldness in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Tuesday, May 01, 2012
Abide in Jesus!
Good day dear friends. This morning's prayer for General Conference is posted at http://50daysprayer.blogspot.com/2012/05/take-heart-be-not-afraid.html.
Our gospel text for this coming Sunday is found in John 15: 1 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. 2 He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. 3 You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. 6 Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples. (NRSV)
This very powerful and moving statement comes after the chapter in which Jesus had shared with His disciples that He was going to be taken from them. John 14 was the subject of a devotional yesterday that spoke of something leading universities had some time ago called "the infidel club," where skeptics of God would gather to read and tear apart scripture. It is said that one night one club gathered to discuss John 14. The leader began to read the passage and soon one of the students exclaimed, "That is wonderful!" Another soon said, "That is beautiful," and soon a third, "That is grand!" As the Holy Spirit moved among that group, even the leader had to exclaim that the "Book was divine." Add to it this passage that speaks of Jesus' desire to have us "abide" in Him. The illustration is that Jesus is the vine and we are the branches. That connectedness is what brings us blessings and results in our Christian lives. If we try to cut that relationship, we find that most times we fail or we can do nothing. But it is in the connectedness, in the fullness of that relationship that we can have fruit and be known as disciples.
To abide means to dwell in or with. The invitation from Jesus is to stay with Him on a daily basis. To live with Jesus means to walk with Jesus; to walk with Jesus means to know Jesus and act as Jesus. To abide with Jesus means to reach out in love to others, just like Jesus. We've said many times to friends or maybe just to each other, that some married couples after living together for some years begin to look alike. Could that be said of you and Jesus?
PRAYER: Loving Jesus, abide in me and let me abide in You. Help my actions and life reflect Your presence in a way that blesses You and Yours; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Our gospel text for this coming Sunday is found in John 15: 1 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. 2 He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. 3 You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. 6 Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples. (NRSV)
This very powerful and moving statement comes after the chapter in which Jesus had shared with His disciples that He was going to be taken from them. John 14 was the subject of a devotional yesterday that spoke of something leading universities had some time ago called "the infidel club," where skeptics of God would gather to read and tear apart scripture. It is said that one night one club gathered to discuss John 14. The leader began to read the passage and soon one of the students exclaimed, "That is wonderful!" Another soon said, "That is beautiful," and soon a third, "That is grand!" As the Holy Spirit moved among that group, even the leader had to exclaim that the "Book was divine." Add to it this passage that speaks of Jesus' desire to have us "abide" in Him. The illustration is that Jesus is the vine and we are the branches. That connectedness is what brings us blessings and results in our Christian lives. If we try to cut that relationship, we find that most times we fail or we can do nothing. But it is in the connectedness, in the fullness of that relationship that we can have fruit and be known as disciples.
To abide means to dwell in or with. The invitation from Jesus is to stay with Him on a daily basis. To live with Jesus means to walk with Jesus; to walk with Jesus means to know Jesus and act as Jesus. To abide with Jesus means to reach out in love to others, just like Jesus. We've said many times to friends or maybe just to each other, that some married couples after living together for some years begin to look alike. Could that be said of you and Jesus?
PRAYER: Loving Jesus, abide in me and let me abide in You. Help my actions and life reflect Your presence in a way that blesses You and Yours; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
DOING WHAT IS GOOD AND RIGHT ALWAYS
Good day dear friends.
Our text for today comes from Acts 4: 5 The next day a meeting was called in Jerusalem. The rulers, religious leaders, religion scholars, 6 Annas the Chief Priest, Caiaphas, John, Alexander - everybody who was anybody was there. 7 They stood Peter and John in the middle of the room and grilled them: "Who put you in charge here? What business do you have doing this?" 8 With that, Peter, full of the Holy Spirit, let loose: "Rulers and leaders of the people, 9 if we have been brought to trial today for helping a sick man, put under investigation regarding this healing, 10 I'll be completely frank with you - we have nothing to hide. By the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, the One you killed on a cross, the One God raised from the dead, by means of his name this man stands before you healthy and whole. 11 Jesus is 'the stone you masons threw out, which is now the cornerstone.' 12 Salvation comes no other way; no other name has been or will be given to us by which we can be saved, only this one." (The Message)
The name and power of Jesus can get us into trouble. The power of the Holy Spirit empowers us to do what is right and good before God. This does not always sit right with humans. Such was the case with Peter and John. They shared what they had and that was the power to heal. They healed a man born crippled. This was met with joy by the man and those who knew and loved the man, but the religious leaders frowned upon their having done this. Did this stop the two from continuing with their message and mission about God and God's power to heal and restore? No. What's happened with the Church? What's happened with us?
PRAYER: May it be so with us, loving God, as we seek to be Your people today and all days. May the Church follow our example in awakening again to doing the things that are right and good for all people. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.
Our text for today comes from Acts 4: 5 The next day a meeting was called in Jerusalem. The rulers, religious leaders, religion scholars, 6 Annas the Chief Priest, Caiaphas, John, Alexander - everybody who was anybody was there. 7 They stood Peter and John in the middle of the room and grilled them: "Who put you in charge here? What business do you have doing this?" 8 With that, Peter, full of the Holy Spirit, let loose: "Rulers and leaders of the people, 9 if we have been brought to trial today for helping a sick man, put under investigation regarding this healing, 10 I'll be completely frank with you - we have nothing to hide. By the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, the One you killed on a cross, the One God raised from the dead, by means of his name this man stands before you healthy and whole. 11 Jesus is 'the stone you masons threw out, which is now the cornerstone.' 12 Salvation comes no other way; no other name has been or will be given to us by which we can be saved, only this one." (The Message)
The name and power of Jesus can get us into trouble. The power of the Holy Spirit empowers us to do what is right and good before God. This does not always sit right with humans. Such was the case with Peter and John. They shared what they had and that was the power to heal. They healed a man born crippled. This was met with joy by the man and those who knew and loved the man, but the religious leaders frowned upon their having done this. Did this stop the two from continuing with their message and mission about God and God's power to heal and restore? No. What's happened with the Church? What's happened with us?
PRAYER: May it be so with us, loving God, as we seek to be Your people today and all days. May the Church follow our example in awakening again to doing the things that are right and good for all people. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
The Good Shepherd
Good day dear friends.
Our text for today comes from John 10: 11 "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away—and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. 17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father." (NRSV)
We continue to marvel the mystery of Christ's willingness to die in our place. In this powerful passage of Scripture, which I count among my most favorite (v. 10 is my favorite verse), Jesus explains in terms that for that day were very understandable and can be for us as well. A good shepherd was committed to the sheep of his fold. The shepherd claimed the sheep as his own and knew no limits of what he would do to protect and care for them. The good shepherd spent the time needed for the sheep to get to know him and to now his voice. Re-read the 23rd Psalm and some of the passages of David as he remembered his days in the pasture. He fought lions and bears to protect his sheep and would have died to protect them had that been necessary. It was necessary for Jesus. And Jesus offered Himself willingly for us.
Easter re-claims the victory of that first Resurrection Sunday. Easter is the season that celebrates the power of God over sin and death. Easter is our message to the world that there can be hope in this place when it seems there is none. Easter is our message of promise that we are cared for and loved, by the only Good Shepherd the world has ever known.
Live you life as a confident lamb of God. Know that your every step, your every provision, is being guided and protected by He who knows and loves you. Spend time with the Shepherd and get to know His voice through prayer, Bible reading and reflection, through worship, through studying the faith, and your life will be blessed and a blessing to others.
PRAYER: Loving God, as I, and the one who prays this for themselves, go about this day, may the message of Easter stay with us. May we be a blessing of hope and peace to those who do not know it yet. May we be a source of love for those who feel unloved. And may we seek to learn Your voice so that we can share it with others. In Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Prayer Request: Dear friends, today is the day that the 2012 General Conference of The United Methodist Church begins. There is a lot of work that needs to be done in the ten days before us. Pray that we who represent you may do so in the knowledge and blessing of God. Thank you for praying for one another.
Our text for today comes from John 10: 11 "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away—and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. 17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father." (NRSV)
We continue to marvel the mystery of Christ's willingness to die in our place. In this powerful passage of Scripture, which I count among my most favorite (v. 10 is my favorite verse), Jesus explains in terms that for that day were very understandable and can be for us as well. A good shepherd was committed to the sheep of his fold. The shepherd claimed the sheep as his own and knew no limits of what he would do to protect and care for them. The good shepherd spent the time needed for the sheep to get to know him and to now his voice. Re-read the 23rd Psalm and some of the passages of David as he remembered his days in the pasture. He fought lions and bears to protect his sheep and would have died to protect them had that been necessary. It was necessary for Jesus. And Jesus offered Himself willingly for us.
Easter re-claims the victory of that first Resurrection Sunday. Easter is the season that celebrates the power of God over sin and death. Easter is our message to the world that there can be hope in this place when it seems there is none. Easter is our message of promise that we are cared for and loved, by the only Good Shepherd the world has ever known.
Live you life as a confident lamb of God. Know that your every step, your every provision, is being guided and protected by He who knows and loves you. Spend time with the Shepherd and get to know His voice through prayer, Bible reading and reflection, through worship, through studying the faith, and your life will be blessed and a blessing to others.
PRAYER: Loving God, as I, and the one who prays this for themselves, go about this day, may the message of Easter stay with us. May we be a blessing of hope and peace to those who do not know it yet. May we be a source of love for those who feel unloved. And may we seek to learn Your voice so that we can share it with others. In Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Prayer Request: Dear friends, today is the day that the 2012 General Conference of The United Methodist Church begins. There is a lot of work that needs to be done in the ten days before us. Pray that we who represent you may do so in the knowledge and blessing of God. Thank you for praying for one another.
Friday, April 20, 2012
Forgive Google, for they know not what they do!
Dear friends, the appearance of this new posting is the result of a forced change-over from the classic style to the "new look". One of the drawbacks of the new look is that the blog site now does not recognize paragraph breaks, so it appears that everything was typed in one big paragraph. Please believe me, it was not. Check yesterday's post and the breaks are there. I guess this is the breaks, huh? PLEASE CLICK ON "IT'S ALL ABOUT LOVE" on the right under ARCHIVE to read today's post. It's more positive than this one...
It's All About Love!
Good day dear friends.
Our text comes from 1 John 3: 16 This is how we've come to understand and experience love: Christ sacrificed his life for us. This is why we ought to live sacrificially for our fellow believers, and not just be out for ourselves.17 If you see some brother or sister in need and have the means to do something about it but turn a cold shoulder and do nothing, what happens to God's love? It disappears. And you made it disappear. 18 My dear children, let's not just talk about love; let's practice real love. 19 This is the only way we'll know we're living truly, living in God's reality. 20 It's also the way to shut down debilitating self-criticism, even when there is something to it. For God is greater than our worried hearts and knows more about us than we do ourselves. 21 And friends, once that's taken care of and we're no longer accusing or condemning ourselves, we're bold and free before God! 22We're able to stretch our hands out and receive what we asked for because we're doing what he said, doing what pleases him. 23 Again, this is God's command: to believe in his personally named Son, Jesus Christ. He told us to love each other, in line with the original command. 24 As we keep his commands, we live deeply and surely in him, and he lives in us. And this is how we experience his deep and abiding presence in us: by the Spirit he gave us. (The Message)
Last night it was my honor and privilege to be the master of ceremonies for the annual Wesley Community Center banquet. We were celebrating 70 years of faithful ministry to the communities of Robstown and Corpus Christi. It started when some concerned church women saw the needs of the poor in their area and decided to do something about it. I opened with a statement about Jesus' having said, "Where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them," and I said, "Jesus also meant to say, 'Where two or three women are gathered in my name, watch out!" Love serves no purpose if it is not shared nor lived out. That's what this passage is saying. In Christ we saw ultimate LOVE lived out. Love is meant to be shared and love means having to share with others from your heart, your life, your treasures and resources. Rick Warren says, "The one who dies rich, sins!" To me that means the one who has amassed a fortune but does not have enough love to share it with others is living a sinful life.
It is a joy to share and give. It is a joy to give of our lives to others. When we become others-centered, the world ceases to revolve around us and the world becomes better. It is said that "idleness is the devil's workshop," I say selfishness is the devil's factory. Thoughtfulness and sacrifice is God's harvest ground. Where are you and what are you doing?
PRAYER: Loving God, may today be a day in which I give of myself and of the great love You have shared with us. May we seek to be all about love, for You and for Yours. I pray this in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Showers of Blessings
Good day dear friends. Our text for today comes from Acts 3: 12 When Peter saw he had a congregation, he addressed the people: 13 The God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, the God of our ancestors, has glorified his Son Jesus. The very One that Pilate called innocent, you repudiated. 14 You repudiated the Holy One, the Just One, and asked for a murderer in his place. 15 You no sooner killed the Author of Life than God raised him from the dead - and we're the witnesses. 16 Faith in Jesus' name put this man, whose condition you know so well, on his feet - yes, faith and nothing but faith put this man healed and whole right before your eyes. 17 "And now, friends, I know you had no idea what you were doing when you killed Jesus, and neither did your leaders. 18 But God, who through the preaching of all the prophets had said all along that his Messiah would be killed, knew exactly what you were doing and used it to fulfill his plans. 19 "Now it's time to change your ways! Turn to face God so he can wipe away your sins, pour out showers of blessing to refresh you, (The Message)
Christians know where their power lies, it lies in God. No one can nor should take credit for what God has done or is doing. Such was the case with Peter and John. The passage begins with Peter's response to the congregation gathered after witnessing what was for many, their first miracle; a man born without the ability to walk, carried everywhere by his friends, is now not just walking, but "leaping and jumping, and praising God," as the Sunday school song says. Peter asks, how can you be so amazed at what our God can do? It was the same God we have always believed in, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, Who also provided us with Jesus, that did this miracle. Yes, even the same one you turned over to be tried and killed, that's the One who made this man's walking possible. It was in the name of Jesus, through faith, that had made possible this man's walking among you.
What also amazes me is Peter's message of understanding about why so many were involved in this process of turning Jesus over to be killed, and offers to them a chance to believe and to get right with God. Peter offers them an opportunity to confess and come clean with what they've done personally with their lives, and to receive, through that new relationship a "shower of blessings" with which to be refreshed.
That continues to be the message we as individual members of Christ' Church and as the Church need to continue to offer to all. Our "demonstration plus proclamation should equal credibility" among those who have not yet believed. This quote comes from John Maxwell's "Leadership Bible." Dr. Maxwell was for years a successful Wesleyan preacher in San Diego, CA, later became a writer and speaker and founder of a leadership education empire. His Bible has leadership message by most of the stories and teachings of the Bible. This passage is one Maxwell labels as that which allowed the Christian movement to pick up steam and grow throughout the area. It was thanks to the faithfulness of Peter, John, and the others to make it so. It continues to depend on leaders such as you and me, to see that this movement never ends.
PRAYER: Loving God of all people, even the unsaved, bless and use us to make known this message of love and forgiveness. If ever Your church needed showers of blessings, it is now. Make me a part of that shower and let me join with others in living a life that demonstrates faith that matches our proclamation, so that it may be a credible message to all. I pray in Jesus' precious name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Christians know where their power lies, it lies in God. No one can nor should take credit for what God has done or is doing. Such was the case with Peter and John. The passage begins with Peter's response to the congregation gathered after witnessing what was for many, their first miracle; a man born without the ability to walk, carried everywhere by his friends, is now not just walking, but "leaping and jumping, and praising God," as the Sunday school song says. Peter asks, how can you be so amazed at what our God can do? It was the same God we have always believed in, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, Who also provided us with Jesus, that did this miracle. Yes, even the same one you turned over to be tried and killed, that's the One who made this man's walking possible. It was in the name of Jesus, through faith, that had made possible this man's walking among you.
What also amazes me is Peter's message of understanding about why so many were involved in this process of turning Jesus over to be killed, and offers to them a chance to believe and to get right with God. Peter offers them an opportunity to confess and come clean with what they've done personally with their lives, and to receive, through that new relationship a "shower of blessings" with which to be refreshed.
That continues to be the message we as individual members of Christ' Church and as the Church need to continue to offer to all. Our "demonstration plus proclamation should equal credibility" among those who have not yet believed. This quote comes from John Maxwell's "Leadership Bible." Dr. Maxwell was for years a successful Wesleyan preacher in San Diego, CA, later became a writer and speaker and founder of a leadership education empire. His Bible has leadership message by most of the stories and teachings of the Bible. This passage is one Maxwell labels as that which allowed the Christian movement to pick up steam and grow throughout the area. It was thanks to the faithfulness of Peter, John, and the others to make it so. It continues to depend on leaders such as you and me, to see that this movement never ends.
PRAYER: Loving God of all people, even the unsaved, bless and use us to make known this message of love and forgiveness. If ever Your church needed showers of blessings, it is now. Make me a part of that shower and let me join with others in living a life that demonstrates faith that matches our proclamation, so that it may be a credible message to all. I pray in Jesus' precious name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Just When We Need Him Most
Our text for today comes from Luke 24: 36 While they were saying all this, Jesus appeared to them and said, "Peace be with you." 37They thought they were seeing a ghost and were scared half to death. 38 He continued with them, "Don't be upset, and don't let all these doubting questions take over. 39 Look at my hands; look at my feet - it's really me. Touch me. Look me over from head to toe. A ghost doesn't have muscle and bone like this." 40 As he said this, he showed them his hands and feet. 41 They still couldn't believe what they were seeing. It was too much; it seemed too good to be true. 42 They gave him a piece of leftover fish they had cooked. 43 He took it and ate it right before their eyes.44 Then he said, "Everything I told you while I was with you comes to this: All the things written about me in the Law of Moses, in the Prophets, and in the Psalms have to be fulfilled." 45 He went on to open their understanding of the Word of God, showing them how to read their Bibles this way. 46 He said, "You can see now how it is written that the Messiah suffers, rises from the dead on the third day, 47 and then a total life-change through the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed in his name to all nations - starting from here, from Jerusalem! 48 You're the first to hear and see it. You're the witnesses. (The Message)
Jesus meets us in our place of need when invited. And sometimes Jesus meets us in our place of need when we least expect it or even during times we don't invite Him! Such was the case in this powerful Resurrection story. The story takes place as the two men from the Emmaus Walk join the eleven in the Upper Room. They were joyously sharing their stories about Jesus' defeat of death when in the midst of this conversation, Jesus appears. He knows what they are feeling and He knows what they are thinking and doubting, and He addresses these needs. He points out His wounds. He eats with them and then, like He had done with the two followers on the Emmaus road, He opens their minds to understanding of the Scriptures. In this version, Jesus shares about how the scriptures speak of a total life-change through the forgiveness of sins, and how we should proclaim that as well. Jesus calls them, as He calls us, His witnesses.
What did you see? What did you hear? What can you share about this experience to help us better understand this situation? These are the questions some might ask witnesses in a case before a judge and jury. These are also the questions that we who know Jesus, and He risen from the dead, can share with others.
PRAYER: God of Resurrection power, speak to my needs and weaknesses. Make me bold in proclaiming what I have experienced and received from You. I know the world still needs to hear and I want to be a part of that! I pray this in Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Jesus meets us in our place of need when invited. And sometimes Jesus meets us in our place of need when we least expect it or even during times we don't invite Him! Such was the case in this powerful Resurrection story. The story takes place as the two men from the Emmaus Walk join the eleven in the Upper Room. They were joyously sharing their stories about Jesus' defeat of death when in the midst of this conversation, Jesus appears. He knows what they are feeling and He knows what they are thinking and doubting, and He addresses these needs. He points out His wounds. He eats with them and then, like He had done with the two followers on the Emmaus road, He opens their minds to understanding of the Scriptures. In this version, Jesus shares about how the scriptures speak of a total life-change through the forgiveness of sins, and how we should proclaim that as well. Jesus calls them, as He calls us, His witnesses.
What did you see? What did you hear? What can you share about this experience to help us better understand this situation? These are the questions some might ask witnesses in a case before a judge and jury. These are also the questions that we who know Jesus, and He risen from the dead, can share with others.
PRAYER: God of Resurrection power, speak to my needs and weaknesses. Make me bold in proclaiming what I have experienced and received from You. I know the world still needs to hear and I want to be a part of that! I pray this in Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Thursday, April 05, 2012
How Is It With Your Heart?
Loving God of action and involvement; bless the day's activities of this dear reader in ways that bring glory to Thy Name, in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
Our text for today comes from John 13: 1 Just before the Passover Feast, Jesus knew that the time had come to leave this world to go to the Father. Having loved his dear companions, he continued to love them right to the end. 2 It was suppertime. The Devil by now had Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot, firmly in his grip, all set for the betrayal. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had put him in complete charge of everything, that he came from God and was on his way back to God. 4 So he got up from the supper table, set aside his robe, and put on an apron. 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the feet of the disciples, drying them with his apron. 6 When he got to Simon Peter, Peter said, "Master, you wash my feet?" 7 Jesus answered, "You don't understand now what I'm doing, but it will be clear enough to you later." 8 Peter persisted, "You're not going to wash my feet - ever!" Jesus said, "If I don't wash you, you can't be part of what I'm doing." 9 "Master!" said Peter. "Not only my feet, then. Wash my hands! Wash my head!" 10 Jesus said, "If you've had a bath in the morning, you only need your feet washed now and you're clean from head to toe. My concern, you understand, is holiness, not hygiene. So now you're clean. But not every one of you." 11 (He knew who was betraying him. That's why he said, "Not every one of you.") 12 After he had finished washing their feet, he took his robe, put it back on, and went back to his place at the table. 13 You address me as 'Teacher' and 'Master,' and rightly so. That is what I am. 14 So if I, the Master and Teacher, washed your feet, you must now wash each other's feet. 15 I've laid down a pattern for you. What I've done, you do. 16 I'm only pointing out the obvious. A servant is not ranked above his master; an employee doesn't give orders to the employer. 17 If you understand what I'm telling you, act like it - and live a blessed life. "Now the Son of Man is seen for who he is, and God seen for who he is in him. The moment God is seen in him, 32 God's glory will be on display. In glorifying him, he himself is glorified - glory all around! 33 "Children, I am with you for only a short time longer. You are going to look high and low for me. But just as I told the Jews, I'm telling you: 'Where I go, you are not able to come.' 34 "Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. 35 This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples - when they see the love you have for each other." (The Message)
It was the third year they had celebrated this special holy meal. Passover was observed by every good Jew and Jesus and His 12 were good Jews. The first two meals had been celebrations of God's acts in their history; God liberating the Jews from slavery in Egypt and allowing them to leave in the Exodus. The meal was important and meaningful to every good Jew. This meal was different in some ways; Jesus took on the role of a common servant and washed the feet of each disciple. This passage only records Peter's objection that Jesus should not be washing his feet. Upon explanation of the why behind it, Peter wants to be completely washed. The other difference was that in this celebration, Jesus reveals that he is going to die and again this is not yet fully understood nor accepted. And the final is a new commandment given to them by Jesus that they love one another. A love so special that others will know they belong to Jesus by the way they demonstrate that love to each other.
How is it with you and your life? Do you live a life that shows a Christ-like love to others? Can people see that you belong to Jesus? Is it the same with the place at which you worship? Does everyone love one another and welcome everyone in loving ways?
PRAYER: Loving God, let it be seen in me and this dear reader praying this as their own, that we belong to You. May our actions, our words and our thoughts be those of love, love from You for us, to share with others. Make this special holy day even more special and holy by the way we love You and Yours. Our prayer is lifted up in the Name of He who gave Himself for us, Jesus the Lord, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
P. S. Today is Maundy Thursday! Find a worship space or church for tonight's celebration of Jesus' Last Supper. They may even tell you what "Maundy" means!
Our text for today comes from John 13: 1 Just before the Passover Feast, Jesus knew that the time had come to leave this world to go to the Father. Having loved his dear companions, he continued to love them right to the end. 2 It was suppertime. The Devil by now had Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot, firmly in his grip, all set for the betrayal. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had put him in complete charge of everything, that he came from God and was on his way back to God. 4 So he got up from the supper table, set aside his robe, and put on an apron. 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the feet of the disciples, drying them with his apron. 6 When he got to Simon Peter, Peter said, "Master, you wash my feet?" 7 Jesus answered, "You don't understand now what I'm doing, but it will be clear enough to you later." 8 Peter persisted, "You're not going to wash my feet - ever!" Jesus said, "If I don't wash you, you can't be part of what I'm doing." 9 "Master!" said Peter. "Not only my feet, then. Wash my hands! Wash my head!" 10 Jesus said, "If you've had a bath in the morning, you only need your feet washed now and you're clean from head to toe. My concern, you understand, is holiness, not hygiene. So now you're clean. But not every one of you." 11 (He knew who was betraying him. That's why he said, "Not every one of you.") 12 After he had finished washing their feet, he took his robe, put it back on, and went back to his place at the table. 13 You address me as 'Teacher' and 'Master,' and rightly so. That is what I am. 14 So if I, the Master and Teacher, washed your feet, you must now wash each other's feet. 15 I've laid down a pattern for you. What I've done, you do. 16 I'm only pointing out the obvious. A servant is not ranked above his master; an employee doesn't give orders to the employer. 17 If you understand what I'm telling you, act like it - and live a blessed life. "Now the Son of Man is seen for who he is, and God seen for who he is in him. The moment God is seen in him, 32 God's glory will be on display. In glorifying him, he himself is glorified - glory all around! 33 "Children, I am with you for only a short time longer. You are going to look high and low for me. But just as I told the Jews, I'm telling you: 'Where I go, you are not able to come.' 34 "Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. 35 This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples - when they see the love you have for each other." (The Message)
It was the third year they had celebrated this special holy meal. Passover was observed by every good Jew and Jesus and His 12 were good Jews. The first two meals had been celebrations of God's acts in their history; God liberating the Jews from slavery in Egypt and allowing them to leave in the Exodus. The meal was important and meaningful to every good Jew. This meal was different in some ways; Jesus took on the role of a common servant and washed the feet of each disciple. This passage only records Peter's objection that Jesus should not be washing his feet. Upon explanation of the why behind it, Peter wants to be completely washed. The other difference was that in this celebration, Jesus reveals that he is going to die and again this is not yet fully understood nor accepted. And the final is a new commandment given to them by Jesus that they love one another. A love so special that others will know they belong to Jesus by the way they demonstrate that love to each other.
How is it with you and your life? Do you live a life that shows a Christ-like love to others? Can people see that you belong to Jesus? Is it the same with the place at which you worship? Does everyone love one another and welcome everyone in loving ways?
PRAYER: Loving God, let it be seen in me and this dear reader praying this as their own, that we belong to You. May our actions, our words and our thoughts be those of love, love from You for us, to share with others. Make this special holy day even more special and holy by the way we love You and Yours. Our prayer is lifted up in the Name of He who gave Himself for us, Jesus the Lord, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
P. S. Today is Maundy Thursday! Find a worship space or church for tonight's celebration of Jesus' Last Supper. They may even tell you what "Maundy" means!
Tuesday, April 03, 2012
A God Who Loves the World!
Read ISAIAH 49:1-7; JOHN 12:20-36 Key Verse: "I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.’"
The passage from the prophet Isaiah speaks of One called to minister to the earth. He mentions that this was a "servant" known even while forming in the womb. One who would be a "light to the nations," with a plan of "salvation" that would "reach to the end of the earth." Salvation is that restored relationship with God, reached when one realizes that with all the baggage of sin burdening our hearts we are going nowhere, but when God removes that sin upon our confession, we become a new creation, ready to receive and to share love. Salvation is that which leads us to new life, beyond just existence, to what Jesus called "abundant life" or "life to the fullest." And so it is with those who know, love, and trust Jesus; a life that goes beyond just breathing; a life filled with joy and wonder and opportunities for serving and helping.
As we pray for the coming General Conference of The United Methodist Church, may we pray that all delegates may be reminded of that wonderful relationship that is still available for us all, and that we have a task to take that message out of Tampa into all the world, until everyone has heard and everyone has had a chance to respond.
PRAYER: Loving God, may our prayers bless and protect all delegates, and may our prayers bring new life to our Church through You. We cannot do it without You. We pray in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.
The passage from the prophet Isaiah speaks of One called to minister to the earth. He mentions that this was a "servant" known even while forming in the womb. One who would be a "light to the nations," with a plan of "salvation" that would "reach to the end of the earth." Salvation is that restored relationship with God, reached when one realizes that with all the baggage of sin burdening our hearts we are going nowhere, but when God removes that sin upon our confession, we become a new creation, ready to receive and to share love. Salvation is that which leads us to new life, beyond just existence, to what Jesus called "abundant life" or "life to the fullest." And so it is with those who know, love, and trust Jesus; a life that goes beyond just breathing; a life filled with joy and wonder and opportunities for serving and helping.
As we pray for the coming General Conference of The United Methodist Church, may we pray that all delegates may be reminded of that wonderful relationship that is still available for us all, and that we have a task to take that message out of Tampa into all the world, until everyone has heard and everyone has had a chance to respond.
PRAYER: Loving God, may our prayers bless and protect all delegates, and may our prayers bring new life to our Church through You. We cannot do it without You. We pray in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.
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