Intro into the New Life Continues...

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21 "You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, "You shall not murder'; and "whoever murders shall be liable to judgment.' 22 But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, "You fool,' you will be liable to the hell of fire. 23 So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift. 25 Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are on the way to court with him, or your accuser may hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. 26 Truly I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny. 27 "You have heard that it was said, "You shall not commit adultery.' 28 But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to go into hell. 31 "It was also said, "Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.' 32 But I say to you that anyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of unchastity, causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery. 33 "Again, you have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, "You shall not swear falsely, but carry out the vows you have made to the Lord.' 34 But I say to you, Do not swear at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. 37 Let your word be "Yes, Yes' or "No, No'; anything more than this comes from the evil one. (Matthew 5:21-37 NRSV)

Happy Monday, dear Friend! I pray you blessed the Lord this weekend with your worship and praise. I pray that whatever sermon you heard kick-started a response for Jesus! I also pray that worship and praise continue today as we pray and reflect on God's word. As we pray, I ask for prayers for Cary Boddeker, of Austin, TX, who was United Methodist Men Conference President of the Rio Texas Conference. On Friday, he underwent surgery and is recovering in the hospital with hopes of returning home on Monday or Tuesday. Cary is a servant of the Lord and has blessed many with his life and witness. Pray for his healing and recovery. Prayers continue for Eva Boscamp as she continues to deal with pain from injuries on her ribs in Gonzales, Texas. Pray for one another, and pray for yourselves.

Yesterday's gospel lesson covered Jesus' comment on the Law. Jesus said he did not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it. And in today's passage we begin to see what He meant by this. What Jesus shares is nothing less than radical and revolutionary. The Law, namely The Ten Commandments has the solid Thou Shalt Not Kill. There is really no way around that word from God, the Author of Life. Jesus shifts from actual murder to the killing that happens when we are angry with one another. And if you've ever been really angry, you know that Jesus is telling the truth about the impact anger has on our souls. Anger that leads to insult and name calling leads to a liability with God; as if we had indeed killed that person.

Then Jesus addresses adultery. Another of the Big Ten! Jesus says, "Everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. It was some years ago, during this time of presidential posturing and campaigning that one of the candidates admitted in a men's magazine, that he was guilty of having lusted in his heart. Oh, the scandal that honest response created; yet, President Jimmy Carter was elected as president. Jesus continues, "If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away." Ouch! And more, "It is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to be thrown into hell." Jesus says the same thing about one's hands. The purpose behind these is to emphasize how important self-control is over our thoughts and actions. We should control our eyes to viewing that which blesses rather than condemns. And our hands in the same manner, should be used for good rather than bad.

Jesus then really meddles by addressing divorce. Jesus asks that a finalization of divorce be shared with the woman because since the time of Moses, a man was allowed to take his wife's possessions out of the dwelling, usually a tent, and place it outside. This was a sign that she was no longer welcome. The women were, as one can imagine, shocked and dazed by this act, and did not know if they were fully divorced or not. To have a certificate of divorce, Jesus said, was necessary. But, Jesus also said that those men who for any other reason, other than unfaithfulness, would be guilty of adultery if he remarried. Jesus is stressing the seriousness with which we are to undertake marriage. A television show that I watch on Sunday nights had one gentleman say that in his family, no one has divorced in over 500 years. Quite an accomplishment and blessing, is it not? The late Ruth Graham was asked if she ever considered divorcing her husband, the Evangelist Billy Graham. She replied, "Murder maybe, never divorce."

And the passage concludes with vows and swearing. In Jesus' time just like now, there have been times when we have said something that someone else has not believed, and because we didn't know better, we have said, "I swear!" or more seriously, that Jesus discourages, "I swear to God!" And countless others that Jesus says we need not and should not do. "Let your yes be yes and your no, no." Beyond that, you've used Satan.

We are part of this life regardless of what the world and society may say to us. We are committed to living like Jesus to glorify Him and God. We should invite God into our lives and live out a different and better way that gives witness to God.

PRAYER: Loving Father, Your Son Jesus, has truly shared with us a new way to live. It is not an easy way, but it is a better way. Bless our faith so that we may be faithful and fruitful. We want to help share with the world the truth about life as it can be truly found in You. Bless us and those for whom we are praying. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Live a revolutionary life that blesses God and others!

Receive my blessings of peace and love,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

A Generous Life Blesses!

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1 Hallelujah! Blessed man, blessed woman, who fear God, Who cherish and relish his commandments, 2 Their children robust on the earth, And the homes of the upright - how blessed! 3 Their houses brim with wealth And a generosity that never runs dry. 4 Sunrise breaks through the darkness for good people - God's grace and mercy and justice! 5 The good person is generous and lends lavishly; 6 No shuffling or stumbling around for this one, But a sterling and solid and lasting reputation. 7 Unfazed by rumor and gossip, Heart ready, trusting in God, 8 Spirit firm, unperturbed, Ever blessed, relaxed among enemies, 9 They lavish gifts on the poor - A generosity that goes on, and on, and on. An honored life! A beautiful life! 10 Someone wicked takes one look and rages, Blusters away but ends up speechless. There's nothing to the dreams of the wicked. Nothing. (Psalm 112 The Message Bible)

God is the most generous person I know. Okay, we can debate "person," but think about it. The Bible says God created everything, and thereby, owns everything. And if we think about it some more, God has given you and me all that we have. God's generosity knows no bounds. I love hearing and reading about how at the last second, God has stepped in and provided someone just what they needed. A scholarship check. A can of Spaghett-O's. An invitation to a meal when one didn't have food. A job offer when one had given up hope. Rain when you thought you'd lose everything if it didn't rain. And what I love more is hearing stories about men and women, boys and girls, that have learned from the generosity of God and now live generous lives. They have taken their blessings as lessons, and shared with others. And a generous person shares hope and light with those still living in despair. The psalmist shared his lesson with us today!

The psalmist knew the key to hope. He knew to start his day with a word of praise, like "Hallelujah!" He also knew he could be blessed with light if he had a respectful love towards God, and who daily sought to know more about God by reading and learning God's precious word. And that brings blessings beyond the person - it carries on to the children of that person, and on the homes of the upright, God's blessings, and wealth with a generosity that never runs dry. No darkness, just light in those homes and souls. He knew that the generous person keeps on giving - back to God, to God's people, to the less fortunate.

You gotta love the verse where it says, (v. 9) "They lavish gifts on the poor - a generosity that goes on, and on, and on. An honored life! A beautiful life!" Indeed, and amen.

PRAYER: God of love and hope; Father of Generosity and Blessings; rain down Your grace on me so that it pours out in generosity in my back to You and to Yours. In Jesus' name, amen!

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Live a generous life today and all days!

Receive my blessings of peace and love,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Set the Captives Free!

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1 Shout out, do not hold back! Lift up your voice like a trumpet! Announce to my people their rebellion, to the house of Jacob their sins. 2 Yet day after day they seek me and delight to know my ways, as if they were a nation that practiced righteousness and did not forsake the ordinance of their God; they ask of me righteous judgments, they delight to draw near to God. 3 "Why do we fast, but you do not see? Why humble ourselves, but you do not notice?" Look, you serve your own interest on your fast day, and oppress all your workers. 4 Look, you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to strike with a wicked fist. Such fasting as you do today will not make your voice heard on high. 5 Is such the fast that I choose, a day to humble oneself? Is it to bow down the head like a bulrush, and to lie in sackcloth and ashes? Will you call this a fast, a day acceptable to the Lord? 6 Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? 7 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover them, and not to hide yourself from your own kin? 8 Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up quickly; your vindicator shall go before you, the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. 9 Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry for help, and he will say, Here I am. If you remove the yoke from among you, the pointing of the finger, the speaking of evil, 10 if you offer your food to the hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted, then your light shall rise in the darkness and your gloom be like the noonday. 11 The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your needs in parched places, and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters never fail. 12 Your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to live in. (Isaiah 58:1-12 NRSV)

A terrific Thursday be yours, dear One, is my prayer. I pray you konw you are surrounded by God's peace, power, and love. And that you are responding with what this passage says we are to do as our fast before the Lord.

I knew of some very loving ranchers, who owned property on or near the Mexican border, who set out daily portions of food and water, for those who might cross their property on their way to a better life. Their acts were acts of charity and not judgement. They knew that more than likely the "visitors" would be hungry, thirsty, and scared. They had experienced something they did not want their family to experience and so risked their very lives to cross a border to find the resources to stay alive, and maybe just get ahead a bit in life. In another state I knew of a retired, older man, who every day bought gallon jugs of water and placed them in the regions known mostly as hot, arid areas of the country so that visitors here would not perish from thirst. These acts were Christian charity, not political statements, made by true citizens of Heaven, who voted for life in sharing food and water. These acts shone the bright light of God's love carried on by the hands of those who love and trust God. These are the ones mentioned thousands of years ago, as those who would be guided continually, whose needs would satisfied; their pasts forgiven, and their future a time of rebuilding. A future with hope.

The prophet never had an easy job. He or she, called by God, had to share the truth about what God expected and it was not to win any popularity contest; it was to call people to righteousness and to a right relationship with God.

As I mentioned yesterday, dear one, we are living in what are perhaps the most despairing of all days. Just yesterday we saw a documentary on the consequences of despair. A son of a pharmacist, acting out of despair, became addicted to an opioid. His addiction to it drove him to a major city where he was killed by his own dealer. The film is more about the pain that has stayed with that family and the family of that killer. There were no winners in that entire situation. All now live captive to that loss and pain. Who or what can possibly free them from their prison cells? If we are willing, God can and will use us to share the good news of hope.

The Lord's last Commandment was that we love one another. Pray and think on that. And as we assess ourselves, correct what is lacking and share love!

PRAYERS: God of love and justice, touch our hearts and minds. Let us touch others with Your love and Your mercy. Allow us to break the chains of hate and ignorance. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Be a person of love to all people!

Pastor Eradio

Is Your Faith in the Wisdom of Men or The Power of God?

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1 When I came to you, brothers and sisters, I did not come proclaiming the mystery of God to you in lofty words or wisdom. 2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 3 And I came to you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling. 4 My speech and my proclamation were not with plausible words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God. 6 Yet among the mature we do speak wisdom, though it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to perish. 7 But we speak God's wisdom, secret and hidden, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. 8 None of the rulers of this age understood this; for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 But, as it is written, "What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the human heart conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him"— 10 these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. 11 For what human being knows what is truly human except the human spirit that is within? So also no one comprehends what is truly God's except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit that is from God, so that we may understand the gifts bestowed on us by God. 13 And we speak of these things in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual things to those who are spiritual. 14 Those who are unspiritual do not receive the gifts of God's Spirit, for they are foolishness to them, and they are unable to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. 15 Those who are spiritual discern all things, and they are themselves subject to no one else's scrutiny. 16 "For who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ. (1 Corinthians 2:1-16 NRSV)

Happy Wednesday, dear Friend. I trust this day finds you well and enjoying the peace and presence of our Lord Jesus. May our time together in God's word be like having a quiet time in God's garden of tranquility and peace. May it serve to strengthen us and embolden us for battle against all that has come against us by the enemy.

I love the Apostle Paul. He and Peter were identical brothers from different mothers. Paul was always truthful and never had any airs about himself or his abilities. In this first verse he tells it like it was; "I did not come proclaiming the mystery of God to you in lofty words or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. And I came to you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling." I so identified with those words as I started my internship. My first language was español and I learned English along the way and in school. The more English I learned the less Spanish I could use. And then to come from 12 years of public school, 3 years of university, and two of seminary to a very proud and proper Castellaño setting called El Mesias; well, I was like Paul. Weak and afraid. My meetings with my Internship committee were first about how well I could preach in Spanish. I knew I could get my point across but it weren't pretty. My not-yet-to-be my girlfriend was on the SPRC and she defended me even before she knew me. And she was on the same page: "Does he get his point across?" Yes, the committee sheepishly admitted. My standing in the pulpit was a testament to the power of God and not human wisdom. My friends and MYF acquaintances didn't give me a chance to succeed. One said I was boring and would be a boring pastor. Thanks, God, for getting me here!

Paul had more reason to be scared for he traveled alone into areas not yet familiar with God or God's Son, and the ones who knew God were his Jewish brethren, and they had no love for Jesus. The wisdom of men would have told any other man, go home, take it easy and let someone else do it. The power of God said, Head right into what no one else would do, and tell the world about Jesus.

It won't be wisdom to win people over for Jesus; it will be the power of God. I know that means all of us reading this are qualified to share Jesus. Just open your heart, engage it, and then open your mouth. Pray and give witness to what God has done. A great theologian once said, "Evangelism (telling others about Jesus) is just one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread." Indeed. Start today.

PRAYER: Loving God, thank You for helping me once upon a time to find bread; the Bread of life. My life has not been the same since. Now, please put me to work in sharing Jesus with others hungry for bread. Empower me and use me; in the name of Jesus I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Share the bread of life with the hungry in your midst.

Receive my blessings of love and peace.

Pastor Eradio

BONUS: Song about The Apostle Paul:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxv0XGa1tV0

Salt, Light, and Righteousness; These Count for Much!

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13 "You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot. 14 "You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. 15 No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven. 17 "Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. 18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. 19 Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:13-20 NRSV)

Happy Tuesday, dear Friend. I know this arrives a day late, but what happened was... Nellie and I left Seguin on Saturday and spent the night in San Angelo, where at the gracious invitation of a dear friend and colleague, The Rev. Scott Bradford, I preached two services at First UMC. This was my first time in that awesome church, and Nellie and I were warmly received. Immediately after worship, we left for home where we had planned a family Super Bowl watch party. Long story short, we were double tired from the travel and the party. I thank you for your understanding. Prayers again for this old man as next Sunday I preach in Shiner, TX; then on the 16th of February, I preach at home in Gonzales FUMC.

I hope you read last night's prayer update as I shared the death of Ryder Purlee-Heather at St. Jude's Hospital in Memphis. Please continue to pray for his family and loved ones who prayed nonstop for his healing. I ask prayers for healing of our dear sister, Eva Boscamp of FUMC-Gonzales, who has had some serious health challenges which have left her in much pain and discomfort. Pray for her healing.

The theme and focus of my sermons has been on despair. Our country is living in days of despair. A recent major newspaper article called it the number one killer in the USA. Several factors contribute to it; economic realities and challenges, depression, the opioid epidemic, the high suicide rate, et al. And the scriptures from the Lectionary have served to remind us of the hope that God offers through Jesus. The Sermon on the Mount was the introduction to this new hope available in Jesus. And this week's gospel passage, which we read above, strengthens the hope.

Jesus begins talking about those hearing and believing this, are "the salt of the earth." Salt, Jesus knew that we should know as well, has its purposes; flavor, preservation, and insulation. We use salt to flavor our food in a positive way; the same way our lives should positively flavor life. Salt is the same as the positive outlook that we can share through our words and lives with others. Salt was used as a preservative on meat and other foods. Salt was also used in Jesus' day on the bottom of the ovens to more evenly spread the heat and thus help more thoroughly cook the food as well as speeding up the cooking process. Jesus also knew that if salt looses its saltiness, it was no longer good for anything. Old, used salt, would be thrown out into the streets and trampled by those walking on that street. We should ask ourselves, "Am I being salt in the way that I live."

Jesus then addresses light. Jesus says that believers in Him should be the light of the world. Light, as in that which can break through the darkness. As in the love we radiate from God that brings hope to those in despair. Jesus knows the power of light and mentioned several ways to destroy darkness (despair) and hopelessness. Jesus also then refers to the role of the law, with a key punctuation Jesus makes, "Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not abolish but to fulfill." And then Jesus addresses the need for believers to be righteous people, the kind whose righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees.

Quite the task for us, no? On the contrary, we are simply responding to what we accepted at our Confirmation, and for most of us, our parents at our baptism. To live a life that glorifies God and serves the needs of others.

PRAYER: Loving Father, we confess our need to be forgiven for that which we have taken for granted or otherwise ignored. Grant to us Your power and peace to serve You. This we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name. We pray for the family of Baby Ryder. Lord, we cannot understand fully the why behind his death, but we rejoice in the promises of Jesus of life beyond life. We pray healing and comfort for our sister, Eva Boscamp, along with all anywhere who suffer illness and distress. And Lord, help us be those who alongside You can battle despair. The Church, namely us, should help dispel the darkness and bring forth the light of hope. Hear our prayer that we lift not by our merits, but through He who paid it all, Jesus our Lord, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord. Break despair with a loving smile for someone today.

Receive my blessings of peace and love,

Pastor Eradio

Are You on God's Guest List?

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1 God, who gets invited to dinner at your place? How do we get on your guest list? 2 "Walk straight, act right, tell the truth. 3 "Don't hurt your friend, don't blame your neighbor; 4 despise the despicable. "Keep your word even when it costs you, 5 make an honest living, never take a bribe. "You'll never get blacklisted if you live like this."(Psalm 15 The Message)

You, Dear Friend, are cordially invited to dine at the Table of the Lord! Come as you are; but feel free to let God change you if you need! This Sunday at the church of your choice.

"I'd rather be on Jesus' mailing list than Satan's hit list!" Words from the Apostle E.F., from the movie The Apostle, starring Robert Duvall as a wayward pastor. Centuries earlier, the psalmist asked the same question, a bit differently, but still asking the same thing; what must we do to get on God's good side?

God answers the question in the next verse; "Walk straight, act right, tell the truth. Don't hurt your friend, don't blame your neighbor; despise the despicable. Keep your word even when it costs you, make an honest living, never take a bribe. You'll never get blacklisted if you live like this."

What God shares to the prophet is a summary of the Ten Commandments, the entire Mosaic law, and the desire God has had since Day One. This psalm rounds out all the scriptures that we have studied this week. Jesus shared the Beatitudes in the gospel as a new way to live. The Epistle was from 1 Corinthians about the power of the cross for the believers. And yesterday, the word spoken from the Old Testament about the requirements from God on how to live. You and I are called to be people of commitment and faith. We are to live lives that give witness to the power of God at work in us. "Walk straight" is another way of saying we are to live with integrity. "Act right" is our commitment to righteousness. "Tell the truth" is speaking the truth always. This is like the conversations that a parent should have with their child when the moment is right, and that parent cares enough to explain expectations that honor God and the family name. "Live in this way, and everything will come out alright for you in your life."

Indeed. Such is God's love for you as His child. As a child we have the choice to believe this and live it, or to walk away and not be bothered by it. Your choice. I pray that we have wisdom enough to live in a way that honors and pleases God.

PRAYER: Loving Father, smile down on me and help me to be as You have asked. I accept the responsibility to live in a way that honors You. Let me bless You and Yours by living in this way of walking straight, acting right, telling the truth. I seek to help not hurt my friends, and I accept personal responsibility for my actions; I won't blame my neighbor. I will walk away from that which can hurt or hinder me. I will be a person of truth, and I will seek to make an honest living. I accept Your invitation to dine with You this coming Sunday. In Jesus' name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Live a life of praise in a way that blesses God.

Receive my blessings of love and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

The Lord's Requirement

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1 Hear what the Lord says: Rise, plead your case before the mountains, and let the hills hear your voice. 2 Hear, you mountains, the controversy of the Lord, and you enduring foundations of the earth; for the Lord has a controversy with his people, and he will contend with Israel. 3 "O my people, what have I done to you? In what have I wearied you? Answer me! 4 For I brought you up from the land of Egypt, and redeemed you from the house of slavery; and I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. 5 O my people, remember now what King Balak of Moab devised, what Balaam son of Beor answered him, and what happened from Shittim to Gilgal, that you may know the saving acts of the Lord." 6 "With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? 7 Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?" 8 He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:1-8 NRSV)

Happy Wednesday, dear Friend! May this time spent with God be an investment for a day filled with purpose, meaning, and opportunities to bless the work of God in our midst.

It seems the desire of God to be united with His people was a never-ending one-sided conversation between God and His prophets; the people, for the most part were deaf to anything God. Do I even have to state that the people of God's memory was very limited to what God had done on their behalf? Does that sound familiar in your life? The moment we stop thanking God for something that God did on our behalf, it becomes the moment we either forget or tend to overlook the great things the Lord has done. Not a good place to be!

And after the recap of past history and God victories, the Lord sums up to the prophet and to us, what it is that God requires of all believers. There's a list of three: Do justice. Love Kindness. Walk humbly with our God. The three sum up recurrent themes throughout the Bible, God-themes. God desires us to practice and live lives of justice. That means fairness to all. No impartiality towards any one group or person; everyone is the same. Everyone deserves the same treatment as others.

The second one is about living a life that cares for others in ways that show our concern for one another; like kindness. And as I write this I confess that having been a driver in Houston traffic since yesterday, this is a difficult subject. I was shown kindness by some, and I showed kindness to others, but there were some whom I judged as not worthy of any kindness because of how they drove. So, Lord in Thy mercy, hear my prayer and forgive me and show me how to be all about kindness.

The third one is a life that desires a nearness and devoted walking with God in all things and in all ways. A humble walk is one that listens more than anything else. In a humble walk, God is the leader and we are the followers. The more we walk the more God can share with us and help us to mature and grow.

Friend, I for one, need a daily checklist of these three things. I should begin and end my day reflecting on the way I have treated others. Did I favor someone over another? Did I show preference to one group over another? How can I live my life in a way that guides my life towards justice? Secondly, I need ask, does kindness come naturally to me? Do I genuinely care about others enough to love that way of living? Can I put myself second, behind God and behind God's creatures? If not, what do I have to do to change that? And finally, let me learn how to walk humbly with God in ways that bless me and allows me to be a blessing to others. This is my prayer.

PRAYER: Loving God, let me pray the above as my daily morning and evening prayer. Help me to be a person that gives witness to God? And Lord, I pray for all those in need. Bring healing and comfort to them in a way that blesses Your name; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Have you got the three in line to live that way?

Receive my blessing of peace and love!

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr. Pastor Eradio Valverde

The Power of the Cross

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18 For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart." 20 Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness of our proclamation, to save those who believe. 22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, 23 but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For God's foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God's weakness is stronger than human strength. (1 Corinthians 1:18-25 NRSV)

Happy Tuesday to you, dear Friend. I pray God has already spoken to you about today and how you can make a difference in someone's life by your words, thoughts and actions. I also hope you have spent time in prayer and reflection, sharing with God as your trusted confidant and friend. I pray these words also bless you.

I cannot find the words to describe the City of Jerusalem. It is set in a beautiful location and we were so moved by its beauty and peace that my wife actually said she wanted to move there! I said I wouldn't mind it as the city spoke to my heart and spirit. Jerusalem is the most sacred city in the world and held so by three of the world's major religions; Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. Each of these control major sections of the city and the history of the city is an open display to what God can do. In reading today's passage Jerusalem came to mind because of the three religions mentioned only one holds to the meaning and power of the cross. The others while respecting it publicly, do not buy into what we know the cross holds for us. I would venture to say that within those major three, there might be some who might see the cross as foolishness. But to those who have been saved by the blood of Jesus, we know it to be the power of God.

You and I have heard countless stories of how believers have not debated the cross but have proven the strength and love of God. Paul himself brought the message to Jew and Greek alike, and he knew what they desired; the Jews wanted signs as their history is replete with them; and the Greeks desired wisdom, as their history was one great intelligence and wisdom; and an ever increasing desire to learn more. We, the Christians proclaim and believe Christ as crucified. He may be a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but as Paul says we believe Jesus Christ as the power of God and the wisdom of God. God's foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God's weakness is stronger than human strength.

So, dear one, you and I are on the right team. We are on the wise, powerful team; which is not a privilege position, but a position of responsibility. We win when we win the world for Jesus. We win only when we can pull just one person from the pit of despair. We can rejoice, but we should get busy in winning another disciple for Jesus.

PRAYER: Loving God, we pause to reflect on what it means to be on Your team. We accept full responsibility for what all is involved in reaching the world for you. This we pray in Christ Jesus' powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Share the power today with someone!

Receive my blessings of love and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Jesus Shares a New Way of Life

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1 When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. 2 Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying: 3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5 "Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6 "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 7 "Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. 8 "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9 "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. 10 "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 "Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matthew 5:1-12 NRSV)

Happy Monday, Friend. I pray the blessings of the weekend were great in your spirit. Nellie and I enjoyed our time with the fine people of St. Luke's UMC in Corpus Christi. They are very welcoming people, and we rejoiced being with them for the two Sunday morning services. And I was late! In my aging mind I was sure the worship service started at 9:30, but as we cooly entered the church at 9:10 we find Lisa, the pastor's wife, with a relieved face. She joked about the praise band being worried they would have to vamp for unknown minutes. She also said, "Well, if you didn't have a way to start the sermon you have one now." And I did. I said, "This was a test of faith. I know most of you were worried that one of you might get called on to preach!" And several nodded in agreement. As we pray in our time this morning, please remember Mr. Bud DeHaven, father of The Rev. Brad DeHaven, the senior pastor of St. Luke's UMC, who undergoes his second chemo treatment in San Antonio.

At the very beginning of His ministry, Jesus lays out a plan for life that was at that point never heard of before. Truth be told, all of His ministry covered areas and experiences that the world did not expect and sadly, still does not completely understand. The reality of life addressed by the new way as Jesus knew it could and would be. Let's look at these step by step, with faith eyes and trust in Jesus.

The first reality was a spiritual one. The way the Church in Jesus' day was addressing hope; okay it wasn't. People were living in hopelessness and the church was not addressing it at all. The Church, quite frankly was a judgmental institution insisting on condemning the sins of people rather than offering hope and forgiveness. So Jesus says, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Think on that for a minute. It's as if having stood outside the huge entrance into the holy of holies. All your life you have been told to stand right where you have stood, which is outside and quite forbidden from entering and now you are one of the owners with an all access pass. The shame and heaviness you've carried for all these years are no longer on your heart or mind; they've been erased, forgiven and forgotten.

Death was very common in Jesus' day; no medical care like today and you can only imagine that any little curable thing for us today would certainly bring about death quickly and unexpectedly. Mourning was common. And words of comfort were rare. Hope was not shared by the Church. It would be Jesus who would talk about what happened after death. Jesus is able to say, "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted."

The Jews lived under Roman control during Jesus' day. They were in all reality, prisoners of war. They were not kept in confinement, but they were not as free as the Roman citizens. There were uprisings and rebellions, but for the most part, the safest way to live was a meek person. The definition of meek is not what we commonly hold it to be. We believe a meek person is usually a doormat for others to walk on. The true meaning of a meek person is one who knows when to get angry, and when to keep calm. The meek, Jesus says, will inherit the earth. No one will walk on those who own the earth.

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." The people did not find nor hear about righteousness from the religious people, who knew about those things from the prophets in their Bible; but soon they would hear and see Jesus living out the prophetic things shared hundreds years ago.

The merciful would receive mercy.

The pure in heart would see God.

The peacemakers will be called children of God.

The persecuted for the sake of righteousness would also be owners of heaven.

The people reviled and persecuted who heard evil things hurled against them would be blessed.

And Jesus closed out this first part of His sermon with a message of hope; "Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you."

Those who felt and truly were, left out and ignored, now heard a message of a new hope that included full inclusion and full participation in all things God. This invitation is still valid and includes you!

PRAYER: Loving God, thank You for letting Jesus speak to our needs. The times may be a bit different but our needs are still the same. We want to be a part of the kingdom of God and all that includes. Spark in us a new hope; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Spread the good news; God cares for you.

Receive my blessings of peace and love,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Light & Salvation

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1 The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? 4 One thing I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple. 5 For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will set me high on a rock. 6 Now my head is lifted up above my enemies all around me, and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and make melody to the Lord. 7 Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud, be gracious to me and answer me! 8 "Come," my heart says, "seek his face!" Your face, Lord, do I seek. 9 Do not hide your face from me. Do not turn your servant away in anger, you who have been my help. Do not cast me off, do not forsake me, O God of my salvation! (Psalm 27:1, 4-9 NRSV)

Good day, dear Friend. On Monday, we read about Jesus calling His first disciples who were four brothers, who left behind prosperous businesses to seek to fish for people. They understood at that point of their life that there was more to life than the money they were making as fishermen. Success, they now understood, was helping find people light in the darkness, and salvation in the midst of hopelessness. Success was finding Jesus as the stronghold of their life.

Yet to be truthful, even after three years of faithful service to Jesus, they still did not fully know Who Jesus was and what Jesus was about. It would take the pain and agony of the cross for them to begin to realize just how far Jesus would go to truly free them from their prisons of sin. And it would be the power of that Easter Sunday' Resurrection that would begin to cement in their spirits the power of God in Jesus.

The desire that the psalmist speaks of in verses four and following is that which should bless our lives. There is a secure place in which we can rest, and that is the presence of the Lord. Some find Him in prayer; others in worship; some in quiet times of reflection; others in study and reading Scriptures and related books. The psalmist says to seek Him, and He will be found.

PRAYER: Awesome God, in the midst of pressures and deadlines, we pause to seek Your face. Reveal Yourself to us especially as we wrestle with anxiety and worry. Lift us up and place us in secure places. This we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Show others how they too can find the Lord.

Receive my blessings of love and peace.

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Prayer Request: Dear friends, please keep this old man in your prayers as we travel to Corpus Christi for Sunday worship at St. Luke's UMC. The following Sunday we travel to FUMC of San Angelo; then to Shiner UMC on the 9th for a sermon there. We ask for traveling mercies and for the anointing of God's Holy Spirit for these sermons. Thank you!

From Darkness to Light

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1 But there will be no gloom for those who were in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he will make glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations. 2 The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness— on them light has shined. 3 You have multiplied the nation, you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as people exult when dividing plunder. 4 For the yoke of their burden, and the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian. (Isaiah 9:1-4 NRSV)

Have you ever gone through a gloomy period? Uncertain about where to go next, or what to do next? I have and so I know it is not a good feeling or a good place to be. But it was the promise of God being in control and for me to be patient and soon enough His light would shine through.

The people of God are not immune from darkness nor gloom especially when they wandered into those regions on their own. The people of Israel were experts in Meandering and Wandering. They had been raised differently, but still chose the wrong path all the time. But thanks be to God that He never gave up on them, and neither has He given up on you or me. The scriptures for this week speak of the light coming into the darkness through Jesus and His ministry. Those who heard and believed found themselves delivered into God's hands and received His joy. And rejoicing was what followed next.

My gloom came when I entered my internship church. This particular church was not built to have more than one pastor. And he had a nice office, and next to him was a Sunday school classroom that was made to house a secretary which the church had not planned on when it was built. My first day there the pastor with whom I was to study with said, "Here's your desk." I know someone meaning to be helpful was asked by the pastor to find a desk. And the closest thing to a desk was a vanity desk. My knees did not fit in it. I remembered the full office I had had as a youth director in Houston. I remembered the nice cubicles I had as an AT&T rep. Satan laughed and said, "Now are you sure you want to be a minister? It would be so easy to leave and get your old job back!" I was a semester from graduation. Just then the oldest son of the pastor said, "My Dad says you got it! Which he means you got what it takes to be a minister." Wow, just what I needed to hear at that time. The pastor saw how silly I must have looked trying to fit into that desk and he said, "I know where there's a better desk." And we found one. And that night, at the weekly prayer meeting where about 8 or so golden agers were gathered to pray, the light shone on the youngest woman in the room, who would become my wife.

Whatever you may be thinking or experiencing, God is with you, and you will see the light soon enough. The passage said that when the people saw the light they had their joy increased and the yoke of their burden and everything that was holding them back was removed and broken. And so it shall be with you and your burden.

PRAYER: Lord God, breaker of all that holds us back, I pray that you remove from this dear reader that which has been holding him or her back from the fullness of Your grace. Whatever burden or oppression they are feeling, in the name of Jesus, remove it and increase their joy and make light their load. I pray for healing and restoration on them; in the name of our Lord and Savior, Christ Jesus, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Bless others as you become the light God has asked you to be for them.

Receive my blessings of peace and love,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Where 2 or 3 Are Gathered, There Might Be Trouble

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10 Now I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you be in agreement and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same purpose. 11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there are quarrels among you, my brothers and sisters. 12 What I mean is that each of you says, "I belong to Paul," or "I belong to Apollos," or "I belong to Cephas," or "I belong to Christ." 13 Has Christ been divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? 14 I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 so that no one can say that you were baptized in my name. 16 (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.) 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize but to proclaim the gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom, so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its power. 18 For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. (1 Corinthians 1:10-18 NRSV)

May the unlimited grace of God fall afresh on you and yours today, dear Friend is my prayer. I pray that that which has troubled your life be lifted in the name of Jesus as we enter this time of worship and devotion. I pray God's voice would direct you in life-affirming and life-giving words.

As a superintendent I sometimes said, from experience, Jesus said, "Where two or three are gathered, there might be trouble." It was a joke and most knew that. Some would say, "Didn't He say, 'In my name'?" Yes, He did. But that also means where two or three gather, not in Jesus' name, anything might happen, including things God might not approve of. Well, here is the situation: The church is a spiritual organization. It has a supernatural enemy who deploys all at his disposal to come against the church. The more we do for God, the more the enemy comes against us. Paul wrote about this, Ephesians 6:12; "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."

The case before Paul seems innocent enough; people arguing with each other about their baptisms and their baptizers. They took sides and gave more importance to the one who baptized them than to God. Some said, "I belong to Paul," others, "I belong to Apollos," or "I belong to Cephas (Peter)," or "I belong to Christ." And here is where Paul begins to stress what he had stressed from the beginning; that the Church was of God's. And to detract from that main point was to further allow Satan to come in and wreak further havoc. Paul's main focus on the church was to "proclaim the gospel...so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its power." And here the Apostle drives home the point we all know and treasure, "For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God."

We, dear friends, should never lose sight of the main purpose of the Church; to save the perishing by offering the cross of Christ. We are seeing the modern church very much in distress due to distractions. Our numbers in all areas have been falling since 1968, and until we stop and re-focus ourselves on the cross of Christ, we will continue downward. I don't mean this devotional to be depressing, yet what we face as a church is very important. We are almost to the point of screaming, but what we need are the outrageous characters of Christ, like Paul. In my podcast this morning (pimplesandwrinkles.org - "Look in the Mirror First.") I mentioned how Paul accomplished what he did because he was outrageous. He feared no one or anything, only God and failing Him and His commission to make disciples. We, too, dear friends, should fear God and we must do something to reach the world for Him. And it can start maybe in your own home.

PRAYER: Loving God, we want to be courageous and outrageous characters like Paul. Empower us, embolden us, and deploy us; even if it is with the person sitting next to us. This we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Be outrageous today in sharing Jesus!

Receive my blessings of love and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

"I Will Make You Fishers of People"

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12 Now when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. 13 He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14 so that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: 15 "Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali, on the road by the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles— 16 the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned." 17 From that time Jesus began to proclaim, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near." 18 As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen. 19 And he said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fish for people." 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him. 21 As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. 22 Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him. 23 Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness among the people. (Matthew 4:12-23 NRSV)

Happy Monday, Friend. I pray that your weekend was blessed and wonderful in spite of things that distracted and disappointed. What thing or what person or group did you follow this weekend? Can I ask if you followed Jesus at any time this week? I don't need an answer, I just want your mind thinking.

This passage is about Jesus calling the first disciples according to Matthew. Remember, Matthew wrote his gospel with the Jewish people in mind and the Jewish scriptures backing the story he shares about the Jewish Messiah. He moved from Nazareth and moved to Capernaum by the sea, here comes the reference to the Old Testament, verse 14, "so that what had been spoken through the prophert Isaiah might be fulfilled." And the references about Jesus being the "light" for those "people who sat in darkness, "for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned."

Then Jesus shares His first sermon, "Repent for the kingdom of Heaven has come near." The sermon is simple but powerful and it hit the hearts of people. I would add His sermon is the same as John the Baptist's sermon which drew lines and lines of people to the Jordan River with people wanting their sins washed away.

It was by the Sea of Galilee that Jesus encountered two brothers, Simon Peter and Andrew, His brother, busy at their work of fishing and Jesus offers this invitation, "Follow me, and I will make you fish for people." Their response was immediate; they left their nets and followed Him. Jesus then comes to another set of brothers, James and John, sons of Zebedee; they were also called, and they also followed immediately, and they went with Jesus throughout Galilee, teaching and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and curing every disease and every sickness among the people.

This what Matthew presented is that in the fullness of time, meaning the right time, God acted on our behalf. God sends His only begotten Son. The Son repeats John's sermon on being clean before the Lord, and He calls four disciples to begin His earthly ministry, a ministry not only calling, but providing that which brings the good news, curing and healing every disease and sickness among the people. This shows that God is the leader we need in our lives, now more than ever. Whatever the world may offer may look more attractive, but ultimately we realize that nothing lasts like the things that God offers to us. And the job Jesus asked of Peter, Andrew, James and John is still unfilled; we need to continue to reach people for Jesus; there is no better offer, no better deal. Jesus is the answer!

PRAYER: Loving God, we thank You for Jesus and all that HE offers to us. As we pray, we remember what Jesus offers to us; healing and wholeness; the cleansing of our souls and hearts of our sin. Empower us to share Jesus like never before because the world so desperately needs Him. In Christ Jesus' name we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Fish for people, today and all days!

Receive my blessings of peace and love,

Pastor Eradio

PRAYER REQUEST: Please keep the Menking family OF FUMC - Gonzales in your prayers. Ronnie's mom Margie Menking passed away. Visitation will be Wednesday from 5-7 pm at Seydler-Hill and the funeral Thursday at 2 pm at Monthalia UMC.

The Importance of Light

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1 Listen to me, O coastlands, pay attention, you peoples from far away! The Lord called me before I was born, while I was in my mother's womb he named me. 2 He made my mouth like a sharp sword, in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me a polished arrow, in his quiver he hid me away. 3 And he said to me, "You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified." 4 But I said, "I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity; yet surely my cause is with the Lord, and my reward with my God." 5 And now the Lord says, who formed me in the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob back to him, and that Israel might be gathered to him, for I am honored in the sight of the Lord, and my God has become my strength— 6 he says, "It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the survivors of Israel; I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth." 7 Thus says the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One, to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nations, the slave of rulers, "Kings shall see and stand up, princes, and they shall prostrate themselves, because of the Lord, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you." (Isaiah 49:1-7 NRSV)

Hello Friend. What is your earliest childhood memory? Some have shared some incredible memories that have stayed with them. I have two that go way back. The first is a girl who lived next door who was my age who bit me on my cheek. I remember the pain and the way she made me cry. The other was for some non-church words that I shared with my mother when she pinched me for not behaving while in worship. I remember the spanking I got with a brush in our restroom. So, you can say I remember my first "sermon" in church.

The prophet Isaiah remembers experiences in the womb of his mother. He remembers the Lord calling him at that stage of his life, that God named him, and formed his mouth with a weapon and a purpose. God protected him while hiding him and making him like a polished arrow and made him his servant. And God's purpose? To reel back in the nation of Israel that so easily strays. God created His people to be a light to the other nations, "and that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth." Think of dark places and what happens in them. I've shared how a new neighborhood near our church in the Valley had no infrastructure and when it got dark in "El Paraiso," bad things happened. There were shootings and knifings, but these stopped when we as a church worked to bring electricity into the colonia.

Even more terrifying is the darkness of the soul. If we close off the entrance to our soul and we deny light its rightful place, we soon begin to experience the slow, painful death of our soul. Soon others can see it in our eyes; no longer any sparkle or shine; the only remedy is to invite Jesus in to bring forth the fullness of life back into us. And because we have the light of Jesus in us, we shine into others so that others may come to life as well.

PRAYER: God of light and life, lead us away from the realms of darkness and death that call to us in tempting ways. Ours is to live life in the light in a way that calls others to You. Guide us there; in Christ Jesus' name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Would you hide your light under a bushel? NO! You gotta let it shine today!

Receive my blessings of love and peace,

Pastor Eradio

Me a Saint? You Must Mean my Friend!

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1 Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes, 2 To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, together with all those who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours: 3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 4 I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus, 5 for in every way you have been enriched in him, in speech and knowledge of every kind— 6 just as the testimony of Christ has been strengthened among you— 7 so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ. 8 He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. (1 Corinthians 1:1-9 NRSV)

May this be a tremendous Tuesday for you, dear Friend, and for all those whom you count as loved ones. I thank the Lord for you and your faithfulness in reading these words that I share as inspiration from God for us and our journey with Him. As we journey, prayer fuels our steps and as we add fuel to our lives, please share prayers for Mrs. Terry Hernandez of San Antonio. Terry was a mom to me during my MYF days when I would stay at her home where dear friends, Andy and Bobby lived. The days of hotel rooms for MYF meetings had not yet arrived; the Rio Grande Conference believed in housing out-of-town youth in homes. Terry is now in hospice care in San Antonio and needs our prayers. Please pray for Andrew and Robert and Becky, her children. May God's comfort be with her is my prayer. From FUMC-Gonzales we got this word; Amber Lassig who is having brain tumor surgery today. I have not yet heard how she is doing, but we trust the Lord that her recovery be comfortable and speedy. Please remember the rest of our loved ones whose names appeared in your church's prayer list. I also just received word that Mr. Arturo Molina, for whom we prayed yesterday, died last night, 01/12/2020. May God's comfort be with the family.

The scriptures have the Apostle Paul calling those who believe in Jesus as being saints. This designation is a binding title of honor and responsibility. As the name implies, those who believe in Jesus, live like Jesus. As we read the passage we read how Paul understood and lived out his calling as "an apostle of Christ Jesus." As we've discussed, a disciple is a follower of Jesus Christ, who studies all they can about Jesus and lives out that faith. An apostle is a disciple who goes and lives out the commands of Jesus; there's a difference. In truth, we should all be apostles, doing all we can to be better disciples, then going and applying all we learn to the process of making disciples.

Paul says those who know Jesus are also sanctified, or made more holy in our walk with Him. And as a result we share in a brotherhood and sisterhood of faith, being related to all who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and as such, we are saints. As saints, living sanctified lives, we receive from God His grace and peace.

Paul also was a man who always gave thanks in all things, for all things, especially for the way the saints whom he knew were active in sharing their faith and making the kingdom of God stronger. Paul knew that God made possible in the saints, a strong language and knowledge of every kind to better witness to the Lord and what He offers to all who seek Him. And Paul knew that blessing belongs to the saints for all time, until the end.

Ours is to remain faithful, dear friend. Praying, worshiping, studying, sharing, and going to do the work the Lord called us to do. To be a living example of Jesus, a faithful witness and a ready servant to the ones in need.

PRAYER: Loving Father, for all You have shared with us, we are thankful. As you work on us, make us stronger disciples, ready apostles and truly sanctified saints. The work awaits us and we want to be faithful. This we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Yes, you, are a saint!

Receive my blessings of peace and love,

Pastor Eradio

Who Have You Brought to Jesus?

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29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and declared, "Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is he of whom I said, "After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me because he was before me.' 31 I myself did not know him; but I came baptizing with water for this reason, that he might be revealed to Israel." 32 And John testified, "I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. 33 I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, "He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' 34 And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God." 35 The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, "Look, here is the Lamb of God!" 37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. 38 When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, "What are you looking for?" They said to him, "Rabbi" (which translated means Teacher), "where are you staying?" 39 He said to them, "Come and see." They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o'clock in the afternoon. 40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. 41 He first found his brother Simon and said to him, "We have found the Messiah" (which is translated Anointed ). 42 He brought Simon to Jesus, who looked at him and said, "You are Simon son of John. You are to be called Cephas" (which is translated Peter ). (John 1:29-42 NRSV)

A blessed and bountiful Monday for you dear Friend and those who matter to you in love and life. Did you know that "back in the day," the Methodist Church would have Quarterly Conferences, which was like having four charge conferences a year! As a pastor, and even now as a retired one, I thank God and Baby Jesus, that we did not have them when I was in active ministry. The preparation leading up to one charge conference is very time consuming, and to have four of them in one year, well, you get the picture. As a retired district superintendent I can also say, "Thank the Lord" that we did not have quarterly conferences as well. The reading of the materials from one annual charge/church conference takes from two to three weeks to complete, imagine the work from four per year! Well, I took a bit longer there than I wanted; what I wanted to say is that in those reports was a question that was taken out; "How many people did you bring to Jesus since the last conferences?" was asked of the pastor and of the church. And while the church may no longer ask it in that way, Jesus may ask us that question very directly when we stand before Him. Will it be an "ouch" question? Or, a very solemn moment when we, with great humility respond, "Lord, thanks to Your help and guidance, I was able to bring X number of new believers to You." Of course, the Lord already knew that because as Luke 15:7,10 shares, every time a sinner repents of his or her sin, and comes home to Jesus, there is a party in Heaven of great rejoicing. And dear friend, it is a touching and powerful moment when we share Jesus' love and desire with a person who says, "I want that for myself." And they say yes to Jesus; and we get the victory for Jesus. We have just led them into eternal life.

Here's a powerful clue; it's not just the pastor's job to make disciples; it is the job of all believers. In this awesome passage of today, we see how Andrew, who was a disciple of John the Baptist's, leads his brother Simon to the feet of Jesus. In that action step, Andrew led to the Savior, he would who be the leader among the disciples. The Roman Catholic Church so recognized Simon's actions that he is recognized as the first Vicar of Christ; the first Pope of the Church. And, as the passage ends, we see Jesus changing Simon's name to Cephas, "rock" aka Petros or Peter. Later, Jesus would say, "Upon this rock I will build my church." And in the same way, Jesus is either building or waiting for us to do our part in bringing new people to Jesus.

"Come and see" was all Andrew had to say to bring Simon to Christ. And we, can with our actions, witness, and testimony also say, "Come and see Jesus in me." It may just be that some soul has been waiting all his or her life for this moment to accept life for him or herself. May it be so and quickly.

PRAYER: Loving Father, because of Your love, You desire of us faithfulness and fruitfulness. May we be led to those opportunities where we can share openly, boldly, and lovingly the truth of Your grace. Help us grow the Kingdom; this we pray in Jesus' name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Show someone the Way, the Truth and the Life!

Receive my blessings of love and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

PRAYER REQUEST: Dear friends, I ask prayers for a church brother whom I have known most of my life. Mr. Arturo Molina was a Methodist who worked on his master's degree at A&I when we lived in Kingsville. He and his family would spend the summers in Kingsville until he finished his degrees. He and my Dad were long time friends until my Dad's death. I was Mr. Molina's pastor for eleven years and now that he is in hospice I ask for prayers for him. May God give him comfort and peace and to his family as well. Mr. Molina is a widower and the father of a blended family, including a stepson who is a UMC pastor and Naval Chaplain. I give thanks for his service to the Lord in El Mesias UMC and El Divino Redentor UMC of McAllen. He lives in McAllen, Texas.

What Matters Most to God Should Matter Most to Us!

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1 Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations. 2 He will not cry or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street; 3 a bruised reed he will not break, and a dimly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice. 4 He will not grow faint or be crushed until he has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for his teaching. 5 Thus says God, the Lord, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people upon it and spirit to those who walk in it: 6 I am the Lord, I have called you in righteousness, I have taken you by the hand and kept you; I have given you as a covenant to the people, a light to the nations, 7 to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness. 8 I am the Lord, that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to idols. 9 See, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth, I tell you of them. (Isaiah 42:1-9 NRSV)

Dear Friend, if God would come to you in a dream or vision and tell you that a loved one now in His presence would be allowed a 2-hour visit to your home, what would you do? I don't know about you, but I would prepare their favorite meal. I would not even consider serving my Mother or Father left-overs, or fast food! I would serve them only the best and I would treasure each moment, every bite, and the conversation that I have been wanting to have ever since they departed. I would also want to listen as closely as possible to what they had to say. I can tell you now that two hours would not be enough, but who among us would reject that offer? My parents mattered to me and what mattered to them mattered to me as well.

I preached that question some years ago during a stewardship campaign, and I asked more pointedly, if you could welcome your mother or father back from Heaven, what would you do? Some of us would love to prepare their favorite foods, and no one in their right mind would offer them left-overs or fast food. We would give them our best. In the same way, God walks among us and what do we offer Him? Left-overs or fast food? What we need to be reminded of are the things that matter to God.

Family. The prophet shares in this short passage what he knows matters to God. We start with family, for God's Son matters to God. And give Him whatever name, Jesus is Son and Servant to God.

Soul. God's soul matters to Him. Delight in His soul to be more direct. Jesus in His faithfulness and dedication to God makes God's soul delight. And guess what? When we do what God wants, we delight His soul as well.

Spirit. God's third person is the Holy Spirit. It is the Spirit who guides us to faithfulness, and true faithfulness is helping to bring justice to all people.

Justice. Fairness and equality for all people is justice. Treating and welcoming all people the same is justice. Not believing oneself to be better than others is justice. A just person treads carefully over every aspect of creation.

Steadfastness. Being committed to God's ideals and laws matters to God. We are called to never waver or falter. If we commit to justice, we live being just people and we will not give up until we are called before Him to give an account of what we did and who we were.

Righteousness. To walk with God and to be guided by God is to walk in righteousness. That simply means that we are called to do and be right. It is a higher calling to a better and higher way of life. Before I could even read the Bible, my Mom would say, "The road that leads to the bad place (she didn't want me learning the word "hell.") is full of roses and kinds of flowers, and it is a very wide road. The road that leads to God is full of stickers (thorns) and is very narrow." It was a simple story that stayed with me. I know now it is the road of righteousness.

Trust. There is no one we can trust other than God. The image spoken by the prophet is the image of God having taken us by the hand (that's trust) and keeping us with Him.

Covenant. That's another, more holy word, for contract, where the Party of the First Part is God, and the Party of the Second Part is You and Me. The big difference is that God never forfeits or withdraws from His part of the deal.

Restoration. God loves nothing more than for His people to be made whole and restored; the blind are able to see. The prisoners are set free from whatever jail cell or prison is holding him in. From darkness to light, the oppressed are set free, right into the light.

Newness. God seeks to have us made new. The old things, the old selves are made new, by Him!

Life. God's invitation is to leave an old life and to enter into a new one. One that will never end.

Us. We matter to God. Accept that and rejoice.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, in a few weeks, we will sit (or kneel) at Your table. Really we are on that journey towards that meal even now. Share with me what I need to hear and as I pray my thought prayers, let me share with You what I need. This I pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Let me share my life with God and with God's people.

Receive my blessings of peace and love,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Jesus Christ is Lord of All!

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34 Then Peter began to speak to them: "I truly understand that God shows no partiality, 35 but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. 36 You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ—he is Lord of all. 37 That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced: 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. 39 We are witnesses to all that he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree; 40 but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear, 41 not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead. 43 All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name." (Acts 10:34-43 NRSV)

A wonderful Wednesday be yours today, dear Friend! We come to Peter sharing what God has shared with him after his visit to the home of Cornelius, the righteous centurion who loved God and who invited Peter to come and dine with him. Peter learns what he shares in the above passage: "I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears Him and does what is right is acceptable to Him." Quite a change from the Peter who at first was reluctant to knock on this Roman's door. But in his vision Peter understood that God was the God of all people and as Jesus said in His actions in being baptized, that He was the Savior of the World. He's not a regional Savior, sent only here or there, for this or that group; He was sent for all, for the sins of all, to forgive those sins and offer forgiveness, salvation, and eternal life.

Many of you who are United Methodists have been alarmed by the recent news that all sides of the homosexuality issue have devised a plan that will allow the United Methodist Church to become the Un-tied Methodist Church. The end has not yet been decided, friends; there are many plans and the vote will take place on or after May 5, 2020. Among the possible results will be to divide the church into regional areas. I cannot stress enough that there are many options that will be before the Church and division is certainly the most possible. What that may look like no one knows. The reality is that for many years now we have been divided and broken; this General Conference will perhaps make it formal and final. I urge us all to be in prayer for what it is that God would have us be and what is best for His Kingdom. My prayer is that I want to be right before God, and I read the above words from St. Peter as God's inspired word for all people, not as words of condemnation but of hope and life. So, whatever you know that God may have deemed as a sin in your life and as an obstacle to abundant living, confess that to Jesus and ask Him to remove it from your life, and He will. Finally, when you have a chance, and if you have a United Methodist Hymnal, turn to page 45 in the front of it and read these words, "The church is of God, and will be preserved to the end of time, for the conduct of worship and the due administration of God's Word and Sacraments, the maintenance of Christian fellowship and discipline, the edification of believers, and the conversion of the world. All, of every age and station, stand in need of the means of grace which it alone supplies."

PRAYER: Loving God, speak to our hearts. Calm those who are worried and anxious about tomorrow; let us know that right now we are called to be right before and to seek fullness of life in You. Let us confess what we know we have said, thought, and done - not all were graciously accepted by You, and so we ask that our sins would be removed from our lives and allow us to stand righteous before You. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Speak a word of love and hope to your neighbor now and always.

Receive my blessings of love and peace.

Pastor Eradio Valverde

The Baptism of Jesus: God Said "Jesus is With Me!" Jesus: "I'm With Them!"

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13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him. 14 John would have prevented him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" 15 But Jesus answered him, "Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness." Then he consented. 16 And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased." (Matthew 3:13-17 NRSV)

A blessed and tremendous Tuesday to you, dear Friend. This coming Sunday will be when we the Church celebrates the Baptism of Jesus. Many have, through the years, responded like John the Baptist in saying, "Why? Why would Jesus need baptism? Isn't He the only one in the entire Bible without sin?" Yes, indeed He was. Jesus' goal was to fully identify with humanity. He wanted to show that He too was willing to connect with God through this sacred moment. John the Baptist had taken the ritual of baptism, a Jewish ceremony for those born Gentile (non-Jew), who wished to become Jewish in their faith. In a certain sense, to be baptized prior to John's new view on baptism, was to admit a deep uncleanness. But, what John found out was that when he began his ministry with a simple sermon of "Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand," it fell on willing, ready ears, and hungry hearts, and the lines began to form; people willing to admit they were unclean, sinful, and they wanted to have their sins removed. And, people of all walks of life were in that line, including the religious leaders of the day. But Jesus? Yes, Jesus!

The revelation of the moment was made more real when, as Jesus is emerging from the water, God spoke. God said, in effect, "Jesus is with me! He is my Son, and I love Him, and all He has said and done, is just what I want Him to do!" And, Jesus said, "I am with you! I know what it is like to need God, to connect with God, and to be loved by God; that's why I'm here!" And this Sunday, we the Church should say loudly and joyfully, "Thank You, God! Thank You, Jesus!"

PRAYER: Loving God, we begin early in saying our thank you's right now. We need You, We need Jesus. We need Your Holy Spirit. Come and abide in us and make us examples of the people who truly need you in ways that bring more to You. It is in the name of Jesus our Lord that we pray, amen!

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Be an outrageous example of gratitude today! Move into the uncomfortable zone so that others may find comfort.

Receive my blessings of love and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

The Three Kings & Epiphany

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1 In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2 asking, "Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage." 3 When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 They told him, "In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet: 6 "And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel.' " 7 Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. 8 Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, "Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage." 9 When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. 11 On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road. (Matthew 2:1-12 NRSV)

Happy Dia de Los Reyes Magos, dear Friend! This is the day when in Mexico, Latin America, and Spain, and certainly some households here in the States, marks the end of Christmas festivities with the placing of gifts in the shoes of children who leave them outside their door. It is believed that the three kings have left them there for them. When we lived in the Valley of Texas, this weekend would see our mall filled to capacity from our neighbors from the South, who bought various gifts to place ON shoes because some really big gifts are left on that day for the kids. You might have noticed that your grocery stores had king cakes or roscas for sale, which is an oval pastry with dried fruits, icing, and nuts on them, and inside a tiny plastic baby representing the Christ child who was hidden from Herod and his desire to kill Him. The tradition in some homes, businesses, groups, is that a nice party is held, the cake is cut and a slice shared with everyone present. The one receiving the baby inside his/her piece, must then host the party next year. Dare I forget, it is also the day in which most people take down their Christmas tree and other decorations. (I'm not making any such promise! LOL)

For the other parts of the world that do not celebrate the 3 Kings, today is Epiphany. The word means a manifestation or revealing the true divine nature of Jesus as the Son of God, the Messiah, our Lord and Savior. For some, the fact that these kings or wise men were not Jewish take it to mean that God revealed to all humanity the need to know Jesus for Who He is, and should be in our lives. Herod certainly counts in that crowd, but his insecurities and fears led him in another way; to kill all male children aged two and under, for Herod wanted to stay as king of the Jews for all of his life.

Some people have shared how epiphany has been a revelation in their lives to which they are now being called to change their lives. Some have shared how it was Jesus who has led them away from drug and substance addictions, leading them to sober lives or making life-saving and life-changing attitudes towards that which was killing them. One wrote how he was a highly paid news anchor and reporter who had a vision from God about a church he was to start and in the vision he saw people he knew and didn't know. He put that aside for a few days until a stranger approached him and said, "You have heard the revelation God shared with you, and now the time to take action." He started a church with 7 people which grew to 150 in three years, and the man is now happy that he abandoned his career for the one God had planned for him.

Today may be the day when God will reveal to you exactly what it is that God wants for you. What will you decide?

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I thank You for Jesus and for faithful men and women who still follow the Christ child into new ways of life. I pray that You would make clear to me what I need to do to become the son or daughter You have for my life. I know change is needed in my life, and with Thy help I will make those changes; in Jesus' name I pray, amen!

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! May others see in you the light of Jesus in ways that blesses them with Jesus!

Receive my blessings of peace and love,

Pastor Eradio Valverde