Repentance Blesses Our Lives

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1 Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. 2 Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? 3 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. 4 Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.” 6 Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any. 7 So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’ 8 “ ‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. 9 If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’ ” (Luke 13:1-9 New International Version)

Happy And Marvelous Monday, dear Friend! May the joy of the Lord be your strength! I am very blessed to report that our pastor, Rev. Dr. Matt Pennington has been discharged from MD Anderson, Sunday, and will spend the night in Houston and should return home today. He will need this month to fully recover and we ask prayers for his continued rest and blessings as he mends. We thank God for this surgery to be over. Also, Ms. Allison Davis, reports this week she and her husband finish their training for an in-home dialysis treatment. The following week all the needed treatments will be at her direction and convenience. Please pray for this treatment be successful for her. Sammie Massie reports Jeff is home and recovering from his hospital stay. Also, our continued prayers for the Eppright family as David's brother, Richard, from Fredericksburg, died suddenly from a heart attack. We pray for the family's comfort. I also ask prayers of comfort for the famiy of Nellie's nephew, Hector Lee Garza, who died unexpectedly after surgery in Corpus Christi. Also, Kathleen Borrer who underwent foot surgery this past week was in church this morning. Prayers for her continued recovery. Please pray for all who are on Spring Break this week. Please be safe on our roads and highways. Please pray for one another, for those on our prayer lists, and for those who have asked us to pray; remember we pray because God answers prayer!

The question asked of Jesus are like questions still asked today; why do some people die in sudden unexpected ways? Their example were some Galileans who were murdered and their blood was mixed with the blood of sacrificial animals. Why? Were these people such horrible sinners they deserved this? Jesus answers, "Do you think these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered in this way?" Jesus continued, "I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish." We can pretty well replace that example with countless in our lives or stories we have heard or read about. We note that what Jesus is concerned about is our personal relationship with God; are we asking for forgiveness from God for our sins? That we will all die is a given; most people know that, but not all who die perish in the eternal sense. All will die, but not all will perish. And what Jesus came to do was to save the world. God knew that the religious leaders of Jesus' day were failing at their calling. The emphasis was on the do not part of the law and commandments and very little to any emphasis on the love others, and compassion for all part of God's plan. Thus, Jesus' remark on the vineyard. The trees were empty of fruit; and as in the parable, God has given Jesus this opportunity to come and save the world.

In our household we are still numb after getting a late night call on Saturday about Hector Lee. He and Nellie are close in age, and we called each other cousins, but he was the son of one of Nellie's first cousins, so in more common understandings of our culture, he was a nephew. Nellie and I visited him in the hospital some years ago when we lived in Corpus and Nellie and he spoke not too long ago and during that conversation he said he knew he was going to die soon. He sensed something was not well within him and this turned out to be the case. Hector for some time was an active member of the Falfurrias United Methodist Church but had become inactive in recent years. I believe during his time he made the right decisions about his relationship with God, so that though he died, he did not perish. A major part of the fullness or abundance of life that Jesus spoke of in John 10:10 has to do with the peace that comes from knowing that we do, indeed, belong to God because He has forgiven us and taken away our sin. Our Lenten journy is about that trip that takes us deeper into reflection and honest evaluation of our walk with Jesus. I pray that today, we would take time to do that precisely about how we know Jesus and all that Jesus offers to us.

PRAYER: Loving God, we pray for our walk to deepen with You during this Lenten season. May we realize that this season allows for us to ask forgiveness of all that we have done against You. Make us clean and draw us closer to Your embrace; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Show the joy of the Lord with others today.

Receive my blessings of joy and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Live Like Jesus!

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Hear the devotional https://bit.ly/3pOupUE

17 Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do. 18 For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. 20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. 1 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, dear friends! (Philippians 3:17-4:1 New Revised Standard Version)

Happy and Wonderful Wednesday to you, Friend! I thank you for your prayers and emails sending your prayers and well wishes to us during this bug. I'm doing way better but my stomach still feels a little uneasy. I'm sticking to soup and crackers and Gatorade. I was able to be with Nellie at her second post-surgery appointment, where Dr. Box confirmed that Nellie is coming along very well! Thanks be to God! The best news for her was she no longer has to wear compression socks! If you know, you know exactly what she is celebrating! I was able to visit with Mr. Bill Blundell, who was in the hospital this morning and went home today to get his therapy there at home. May we continue to pray for his wellbeing and recovery! Also, please be in prayer for our Lenten Luncheon of Soup and a Psalm today at 12 noon at our Fellowship Hall in Gonzales. We will be looking at Psalm 42! Please join us if you can!

Are you a friend or enemy of the cross of Christ? Paul honestly shares his point of view to fellow believers about how there are truly those who do not live like Jesus, but live like enemies of the cross. We give credit to Paul for his commitment to live like Jesus knowing that by example he could reach many more than just by preaching to them. Paul was also blessed by those whom he reached and won for Jesus, who gladly lived as Jesus. Paul was driven to tears by those who did not try to live like Jesus, but lived as those who could not be bothered to live like Jesus, to the point that Paul considered them as enemies of the cross. Paul knows their intentions and motives. Although they do not admit it, they are, as Paul says, "Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things." If we know a better way to live, why then do we reject the better way to just follow others, who may not even know Jesus as Lord and Savior. I've had many heros in my life in many walks of life, but when it came to finding out their commitment, or lack of commitment, to God and the things of God, I quit looking up to them and seeking to live like them.

You and me, when we gave our hearts to Jesus, became citizens of heaven. We know that when we die, we will go to heaven, thanks to Jesus. No one has ever died and gone to America. I know some have tried, but The United States of America does not exist as a realm on the same level as heaven. It is from heaven that our Savior will come, and His name is the Lord Jesus Christ, Who will come with the authority and power to transform us from a lowly body to a glorious body like His; and if we stand firm in and for Him, that will happen to us. Please don't get me wrong, I love being a citizen of the US, but I do know we are far from being perfect in so many ways. I do what I can to better our situation in sharing Jesus and the best option for all people. You and I know the better way to live, and it's a way based on love.

PRAYER: Loving God, bless us as we seek to share what You have offered to us; the way of Jesus Christ. Help us live and love like Him in ways that excite others to the point of wanting to live like Jesus, too. Bless the saints and sinners of our church; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Show off Jesus in a positive way today to all people!

Receive my blessings of love and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Foxes and Mother Hens

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31 At that time some Pharisees came to Jesus and said to him, “Leave this place and go somewhere else. Herod wants to kill you.” 32 He replied, “Go tell that fox, ‘I will keep on driving out demons and healing people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal.’ 33 In any case, I must press on today and tomorrow and the next day—for surely no prophet can die outside Jerusalem! 34 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. 35 Look, your house is left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’” (Luke 13:1-9 NIV)

Happy and blessed Monday, dear Friend. I pray the blessings of the Lord enrich your soul and guide you to new and awesome spiritual adventures; that's my prayer for you! May we continue to pray for one another; may our Lenten journey be a blessed one truly preparing us for the service of the Lord to those whom we can bless. I spoke with Dr. Commie Hisey and he shared how his brother Dan was able to released from the hospital this weekend after a second stay. Please continue to pray for his recovery. My brother-in-law, Hector Rosales is still not full conscious; pray for his recovery. Pray for this old man as this week I lead the Lenten Wednesday noon meal and study of the psalm. Please pray for one another, pray for peace in Ukraine, pray for peace in the souls of those who are troubled by life.

One of my favorite cities in the world is Jerusalem. I've shared with you how it is the city that Nellie immediately said we should live in. I told her there was a severe shortage of Methodist churches and my chances of getting a church job in Jerusalem were slim to none. Such was the awesomeness that came over us as we explored the Holy City. Jerusalem is the home to three of the world's major religions, Judaism, Isalm, and Christianity. It is a moden city with all the modern conveniences and stores that major cities of the world have, and it has the ancient city where Jesus stood on the day of this passage. He is not yet under arrest, but His time is drawing near. Herod knows about Jesus, and some Pharisees come to supposedly warn Jesus about it. The Pharisees wanted Jesus dead, and they may have been stretching the truth about the whole matter. What is interesting is that Jesus tells the Pharisees that Herod, in the scheme of territorial predators of that region, he was a fox. The photo for today is not a religious one, but one of the major predator of that area, the Siberian bear. The least threatening of them all was the fox; so Jesus has lobbed a dig at Herod and the Pharisees. Jesus also makes His stand clear; His work was not yet completed and thus He states, "I will keep on driving out demons and healing people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal." Here, Jesus has hinted again of His death and resurrection. And plainly states that He will die whe He says, "For surely no prophet can die outside Jerusalem!" And this leads Jesus to express His sorrow over Jerusalem. I had mentioned that Luke was the more universal of the gospels for the way Luke shared stories and references to the neglected of society, and here Jesus in His sorrowful recollection of Jerusalem's history with God's prophets. His statement; "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing." Jesus wants to be like a mother hen who can protect her children under her wings, but knows that Jerusalem is not willing. He continues, "Look, your house is left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.'"

This passage means that no matter the threat, Jesus fears nothing nor anyone. The powerful man Herod and his threats, was no match for Jesus, nor was Jerusalem's history something for Jesus to fear. Imagine Jesus protecting you? I do. And I ask Him often ask for His blessing and protection. Yesterday, between services at church, I met one of the sons of our church brother, John Boothe, who passed away this past week. The young man with whom I spoke is a twin, and he is a United States Marine serving in Okinawa. As we closed I spoke of my praying for Jesus to bless and protect him in his service for our country. I also mentioned my prayer that we never need to send him to Ukraine. I would ask that we do add young men and women, who are in our armed forces to be blessed and protected by the Lord. May we also pray for the wellbeing of those who are in harm's way. And may our prayers include our worries and fears, too. And may we also pray that Jesus use us to protect others.

PRAYERS: Loving God, bless and protect us, and allow us to bless and protect others as well. May our Lenten Journey bring others to know You and Your love; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Be a protector of each one's dignity and life today.

Receive my blessings of joy and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Give to God what is God's!

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1 When you have come into the land that the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance to possess, and you possess it, and settle in it, 2 you shall take some of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which you harvest from the land that the Lord your God is giving you, and you shall put it in a basket and go to the place that the Lord your God will choose as a dwelling for his name. 3 You shall go to the priest who is in office at that time, and say to him, "Today I declare to the Lord your God that I have come into the land that the Lord swore to our ancestors to give us." 4 When the priest takes the basket from your hand and sets it down before the altar of the Lord your God, 5 you shall make this response before the Lord your God: "A wandering Aramean was my ancestor; he went down into Egypt and lived there as an alien, few in number, and there he became a great nation, mighty and populous. 6 When the Egyptians treated us harshly and afflicted us, by imposing hard labor on us, 7 we cried to the Lord, the God of our ancestors; the Lord heard our voice and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression. 8 The Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with a terrifying display of power, and with signs and wonders; 9 and he brought us into this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. 10 So now I bring the first of the fruit of the ground that you, O Lord, have given me." You shall set it down before the Lord your God and bow down before the Lord your God. 11 Then you, together with the Levites and the aliens who reside among you, shall celebrate with all the bounty that the Lord your God has given to you and to your house. (Deuteronomy 26:1-11 New Revised Standard Bible)

Happy Wednesday, ConCafe Family. In fact, may this be a reflective and worshipful Ash Wednesday. I chose not to address any Ash Wednesday text so that you might be surprised today! May God speak to us as we begin this 40 day journey. You can do it, Friend! Let God guide you! Prayers for The Rev. Isabel Gomez; he's starting treatment for cancer in Dallas.

Firstfruits is a wonderful word in my opinion. It is a great Bible word. We first find it in the first book, Genesis 4, verse 4. It's when we read that Cain brought to God "an offering" of his fruit, and Abel brought to the Lord "The first and fattest" of his herd. Most can see the difference. Cain remembered he had to bring God something, and so he brings something. Abel knew to give God of the first and best, and does so. God had regard for Abel's offering, but not for Cain's. And as a result we have the first murder in the Bible. And a fraticide, meaning brother killing brother. I am almost sure the teaching from this passage mimics what Adam and Eve might have taught to their sons. Give to God the first of what you produce in your land and give it to God in gratiude and remembrance for what God has done. The passage shows the response one should recite, "A wandering Aramean was my ancestor; he went down to Egypt and lived there as an alien, few in number, and there he became a great nation, mighty and populous." I was not yet familiar with the phrase, "A wandering Aramean was my Father (in Revsied Standard years), and my Old Testament professor said it to us all as we entered his class. By itself it caught my attention and has always stayed with me. It was a self-declaration of identifty with pride and remembrance of where he/we had come from and where we ended up. There's also the truth of shared ancestors; I honestly truly believe that we all share common ancestors and instead of dividing us, it unites us.

Quite honestly, the more we remember where we came from and Who brought us thus far, we can't help but be thankful. Not everyone does that, and not everyone has a thankful heart; but for those who acknowledge God and God's role in our lives, we know that God loves us and provides for us. As we enter into the season of giving up in our fasts, we should first remember Who brought or gave to us that which we willingly part with. We should also know that He who blessed us also shares that which we can take up as part of our spiritual nourishment to make us stronger.

PRAYER: Loving Provider of all things; thank You for all You have shared with us. Grant to us the wisdom to be thankful and mindful of all things. Help us to fast in ways that make us stronger and more grateful. And gracious Lord, help us take up new ways of spiritual nourishment that makes us truliy appreciative of Jesus. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Remember we are dust and to dust we shall return. But in the meantime, we have much to do to help others.

Receive my blessings of hope and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

How Can I Be Saved?

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Listen to the devotional here: https://bit.ly/3BZlEw5

"The word is near you, on your lips and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); 9 because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved. 11 The scripture says, "No one who believes in him will be put to shame." 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on him. 13 For, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Romans 10:8b-13 New Revised Standard Version)

Happy and Tremendous Tuesday, ConCafe Family! I pray that God's light shine brightly on you Friend as you seek Him today. May our prayers continue to bless those in need, especially those hurting, in need of healing, in need of love and hope; for those areas in the world that need peace, and for our brothers and sisters. May we truly use prayer as a form of worship to glorify God, and may we listen after we pray.

Have you ever been so close to death that you knew that the only next thing you would see next would be the face of St. Peter who would either let you in or send you down? If the answer is yes, then you know what salvation is. If the answer is no, thenget ready to learn or learn how to survive in a very very warm place. We know salvation is being taken out of the jaws of certain death and safely placed in an area where you are no longer in fear of being killed. You have life, and you get to keep it! And that is great news! Salvation is the key role of the Church. Every person who wants to be a Christian, must know that Jesus did and expereienced all that He did because He came to offer salvation. I live less than a mile from the river that tried to claim my life. I don't blame the river, but every time I cross a bridge over the Guadalupe River, I am in awe that such a beautiful river, on most days, on that one day that a dear friend and I chose to learn to canoe, was a raging gray rushing of muddy water. The type of flow that would require little paddling. The kind of flow that made my friend ask if we should really proceed with this trip. What, are you kidding? Two macho men, ready to explore this river, camp overnight on islands, and complete the journey in two days? Of course we proceed! Long story, short, canoe overturned, I almost drowned in one of those life-passes-through-in-seconds. I saw myself in a coffin with my mother crying over me, but the bright sunlight and the strong arm of my friend let me know that today would not be that day. I was saved. I had been saved earlier at the age of eight years old, when I asked Jesus into my heart and I knew that I belonged to Jesus. And often, I repeat the powerful words that Paul mentions here, "Jesus is Lord." And I truly, honestly believe in my heart that God raised Jesus from the dead; I am saved. And I confess that I truly also believe what Paul wrote about those who believe in Him will never be put to shame. Our Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on Him.

Several years ago, the Salvation Army held an open-air meeting where a man dared to give his testimonry about Jesus. A heckler yelled, "Why don't you shut up and sit down? You're just dreaming!" Immediately, the heckler felt a tug on his coat. He saw a little girl who said, "Sir, may I talk to you? That man who is talking up there is my daddy. Daddy used to be a drunkard. He used to spend all his money he made on whiskey. My mother was very sad and would cry most of the time. Sometimes, when he would come home, he would hit my mother. I didn't have shoes or a nice dress to wear to school. But look at my shoes. And see this pretty dress? My daddy bought these for me." But the little girl was not yet through with the heckler; "You see my mother up there? She's the one with the bright smile on her face. She's happy now. She sings even when she's doing the ironing. Then the little girl said, "Mister, if my daddy is dreaming, please don't wake him up."

Salvation is that door that leads people away from their evil past into God's bright future. Jesus opens and holds that door for us. And if we have trouble walking because of the burdens and weights of past sins, He will remove them and help us thorugh the door and inside He will embrace us and hold us for the rest of the journey we have here on the earth; and when it comes time to die, Jesus will again be at that door, but this time, the entrance is a forever entrance into a much better place.

PRAYER: Loving Father, thank You for Jesus. Thank You for the love and forgiveness that Jesus shared with us at the time we entered the door of salvation. For those who may be listening or hearing this for the first time, show them how wide open the door is for them right now; and guide them through. Help the hurting. Heal the sick, and bring life to those who have pretty much given up on life here; and it's in the strong name of Jesus that we pray, amen!

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Be one who can guide someone to the door of salvation. At the very least, say with your lips so that someone can hear today, Jesus is Lord!

Receive my blessings of salvation's joy and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Overcoming Temptation

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Hear the devotional read here: https://bit.ly/3vp5lHC

1 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, 2 where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry. 3 The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.” 4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’” 5 The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. 6 And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. 7 If you worship me, it will all be yours.” 8 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’” 9 The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down from here. 10 For it is written: “ ‘He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully; 11 they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’ ” 12 Jesus answered, “It is said: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” 13 When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time. (Luke 4:1-13 New International Version of The Bible)

Happy, Marvelous Monday, ConCafe Family. May the devil quake as you awaken today because he knows you, Friend, have been in the presence of God and he trembles because you mean business! Let us continue to be people of prayer as we pray for one another, for the needs of the world, for the needs of our brothers and sisters, and for our own needs. Prayers of comfort for the family of Mr. John David Boothe, who passed away this past Thursday.

This coming Sunday is the first Sunday of Lent. Let me remind you that this Wednesday is Ash Wednesday, the start of Lent. Many churches will be celebrating special Ash Wednesday services with the imposition of ashes. So, let us start the 40 Day journey now.

The gospel lesson for this coming Sunday is from Luke, the gospel commonly known as the universal gospel because it is more inclusive of Gentiles, women, and other cultures. It was written by a Gentile, Luke, who was believed to be a physician. He also wrote the Book of Acts, which were originally one volume, but later separated into two separate volumes.

Our story is about Jesus in a very key part of His ministry and journey. We join Him just after His baptism, where He was filled with the Holy Spirit and then led by the Spirit into the wilderness where He was to spend forty days and forty nights in prayer and fasting. On Ash Wednesday, many Christians give up things that nourish in exchange for spiritual things. For example, some will give up a meal at lunch and spend that time in prayer or reading and reflection, and is thus blessed with the spiritual blessings that have come by giving up that meal. Some give up soft drinks, candy, ice cream, and the like, in order to make those as sacrfices to increase their spiritual awareness and blessings.

Jesus gave up all food and water for the time He spent in the wilderness. Jesus' companion for this time was Satan himself, who tormented Jesus. Since he knew Jesus had not eaten anything the first temptation was to tempt Jesus into turning stones into bread. This was a logical temptation, hunger is a strong force but Jesus is stronger. His response was to quote Scripture, "Man shall not live on bread alone." The devil then takes Jesus to a high place and showed Him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. The offer? The devil said he would give to Jesus all the authority and splendor them. All Jesus had to do was to worship him. Jesus, again quoting scripture says, "It is written, 'Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.'" The devil then takes Jesus to Jerusalem and had Jesus stand on the highest point of the temple. The devil says, "If you are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here. For it is written: 'He will command His angels concerning You to guard You carefully; they will lift you up in their hands, so that You will not strike your foot against a stone.'" Again, Jesus answers by quoting His book: "It is said: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'" Jesus 3, Satan 0. The devil leaves Jesus "until an opportune time."

As we begin this forty day journey, most of us know that the road is dusty. Even our best attempts to be holy and clean during this time will result with dirt, dust, and sin on us. Thus the very reason Jesus came to be among us and to die for us. Our goal is to know Jesus more and to allow Him to know us more. In fact, the best we can do is to allow us to know us better; to be honest with ourselves in ways that can better our walk with Jesus. What are our true hungers that make or can make us, weak? What are the powers we seek that could make us richer or famous that could work against us? And who do we truly worship? It is God? Or, are we seeking ways to worship ourselves? Jesus' main focus was then, and always will be, centered on God. Jesus rose above hunger, above the quest for power and splendor, and above making Himself the focus of worship; God remains God.

PRAYER: Loving God of the Journey, guide us and bless us as we prepare to journey with You down the dusty road of Lent. May the days leading us to Ash Wednesday and then into Lent, be those which reveal to us our greatest needs and may we surrender those needs to You so that we may know and love You more. In Christ Jesus' name we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Show others that you can rise above weaknesses.

Receive my blessings of hope and joy,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Our Reason for Hope

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Listen to the podcast here: https://bit.ly/3seOtkH

1 God rules. On your toes, everybody! He rules from his angel throne - take notice! 2 God looms majestic in Zion, He towers in splendor over all the big names. 3 Great and terrible your beauty: let everyone praise you! Holy. Yes, holy. 4 Strong King, lover of justice, You laid things out fair and square; You set down the foundations in Jacob, Foundation stones of just and right ways. 5 Honor God, our God; worship his rule! Holy. Yes, holy. 6 Moses and Aaron were his priests, Samuel among those who prayed to him. They prayed to God and he answered them; 7 He spoke from the pillar of cloud. And they did what he said; they kept the law he gave them. 8 And then God, our God, answered them (But you were never soft on their sins). 9 Lift high God, our God; worship at his holy mountain. Holy. Yes, holy is God our God. (Psalm 99 The Message Bible)

Happy, Tremendous Thursday, ConCafe Family! May you share hope with many today and all days, dear Reader, is my prayer for you! Prayer Update: Mr. Byron Lester underwent a successful surgery on Tuesday night and by 2 am was in his room, and early on Wednesday was already up and in physical therapy. The plan is to spend another day in Houston, return home then a followup appointment to scan the areas in hopes that all the cancer has been cleared. Please continue to pray for Byron's recovery, and for strength and peace for Julie and all the family. Prayers for our pastor, Rev. Dr. Matt Pennington as he and his family prepare for his treatments in Houston as well. This is a difficult journey for our pastor and he needs our prayers. Pray for Brooke, and Drew, Nate, and Grace. May God be glorified in their lives. Pray for one another, and pray for your needs, too.

This coming Sunday as most churches celebrate Transfiguration Sunday, the focus will be on that significant mountaintop experience of Jesus and His three inner circle disciples, Peter, James, and John. The language of this psalm parallels the experiences there on that mountain. The greatest of all is God. God rules over all things, and the splendor of God outpaces all others. The beauty of God is a call to worship Him; God is worthy of our praise, and all creation should worship God. God is holy, God is King, God is just, and God is Creator that no one can compare to. God is a God of life, so much so that that event showed long dead prophets present with the living Son of God. Moses and Elijah were there to speak to and encourage Jesus on the road that awaited Him. They spoke from experience and love, knowing that God would do all that He promised to fulfill all things that would call us all back to Him.

That day on Transfiguration Mountain, God did several things. He reminded us that He is indeed the Creator of all things, and as such, even those long dead from here on the earth, can re-appear on the earth though they are from a new realm we call Heaven. God created Heaven to be a holy and spectacular place, and that radiance has been mentioned throughout this week in all the passages we have studied, and using Jesus' clothing and body, the disciples caught a glimpse of the heavenly realm. God also used the event to once again speak so that those present with Jesus would hear that Jesus was indeed, the Son of God, and as such, would bring the world back to God. All that Jesus had preached and taught, was true. Sin was bad and needed to be removed from us, and once removed, eternal life would be the reward to all who believed and accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior. Not bad for an event that took place we guess was not even an hour long; but the impact would forever remain in the minds and hearts of the three who saw it. As they were led to their death, they held on to all they had heard and all they had seen and had no fear of what would come next, for they knew the promises of Jesus were that to which we cling even when facing the pains of death. God is triumphant in all things, even, and perhaps, especially death. To God be the glory. Not a bad psalm to read to wrap up this week leading to Transfiguration and to the beginning of Lent.

PRAYER: Loving Father, come into our hearts we pray, and help us prepare for our lives' journeys and challenges; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Show others how awesome God has been in your life!

Receive my blessings of life and hope,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Radiate the Glory of God!

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Hear the podcast here: https://bit.ly/33HbROj

29 Moses came down from Mount Sinai. As he came down from the mountain with the two tablets of the covenant in his hand, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God. 30 When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, the skin of his face was shining, and they were afraid to come near him. 31 But Moses called to them; and Aaron and all the leaders of the congregation returned to him, and Moses spoke with them. 32 Afterward all the Israelites came near, and he gave them in commandment all that the Lord had spoken with him on Mount Sinai. 33 When Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil on his face; 34 but whenever Moses went in before the Lord to speak with him, he would take the veil off, until he came out; and when he came out, and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, 35 the Israelites would see the face of Moses, that the skin of his face was shining; and Moses would put the veil on his face again, until he went in to speak with him. (Exodus 34:29-35 NRSV)

Happy Wednesday to you, ConCafe Family! And may this day be a day of wondrous blessings for you, Friend! May we continue to pray for one another; for the needs shared with us, and for those of our personal needs with which we have entrusted to God.

This is the passage that Paul talked about in his second letter to the church in Corinth. Part of Moses' job description called for him to be a man of prayer and regular trips up to Mount Sinai. On this particular day, Moses descends from the mountain with the two tablets where the covenant were written the Ten Commandments. So intense was his time with God, that Moses's face changed. As you could expect, he was not aware of the change that came over his face "because he had been talking with God." As he makes his way down to where the assembly was gathered, the shine off his face frightened the congregation, and they were afraid to come near to Moses. Yet, Moses called and they reluctantly come toward him. There Moses was able to share with them what God had given to them. When he finished his discourse, he veiled his face, only removing it when it was time to talk to God, then when he talked to the people, he would place the veil again. And this continued in that way.

As I got to thinking about Moses' intense and powerful time with God, his face radiated that glory of God, and I thought about our first baby when she was exposed to the glory of chocolate. We have several cute pictures of her encounter with chocolate and how her face radiated that glory of chocolate. We have one photo of her inside a round laundry basket that served also as her favorite buggy to ride in around the living room as Daddy would pull her around. And we have pictures of our other babies, and our grandbabies as they have discovered the glories of popsicles and snowcones, where the lips and tongues also radiated the enjoyment those babies had in their encounter with the delicacies of chocolate and sugary ice cream treats. We humans are not used to being directly exposed to the sacred on a regular basis. The closest we usually get is when we pray, receive Communion, or open our hearts as we sing or listen to a sermon or presentation on God and we feel the touch of God on our hearts and spirits. We are a skiddish bunch prone to running or hiding from something that hints of the divine; but still, the possibility of our radiating the glory of God is within our reach if we would allow God to approach us and share with us His love and message. Many a retreat has brought back souls whose lives were touched by God and they radiated that in their responses and their testimonies to the church on the following Sunday of what they experienced in the presence of God. Many a life was touched second or third-hand by those faithful souls who shared their excitement of coming to know Jesus in new, never-before experiences. There is nothing wrong with experiencing the grace and love of God in ways that affect your smiles, your kindness in words, and thoughtful actions of charity and compassion.

We need more of them I believe; and at the very least, we need more openness to the possibilities that God can and will encounter us and maybe just transform us to greater things. This past weekend many of our children and youth were absent from church because they were at a Confirmation retreat. I know that was a means of God's grace to touch lives and bring new hope to hearts and homes like never before. It is through such encounters that new servants and servant-leaders of the Lord are called into leadership of the Church. Are you ready? Or, as the beautiful hymn asked, "Are Your Able?"

PRAYER: Come, loving God, to our hearts and to the hearts of our little ones. Radiate newness of love and life in them in ways that will bless them, us, and others. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Radiate love to those who seem to be lacking some today!

Receive my blessings of joy and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Be Reconciled to God!

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Hear the podcast here: https://bit.ly/3JI83eZ

20b we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 1 As we work together with him, we urge you also not to accept the grace of God in vain. 2 For he says, "At an acceptable time I have listened to you, and on a day of salvation I have helped you." See, now is the acceptable time; see, now is the day of salvation! 3 We are putting no obstacle in anyone's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, 4 but as servants of God we have commended ourselves in every way: through great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, 5 beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; 6 by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, holiness of spirit, genuine love, 7 truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; 8 in honor and dishonor, in ill repute and good repute. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; 9 as unknown, and yet are well known; as dying, and see—we are alive; as punished, and yet not killed; 10 as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing everything. (2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10 NRSV)

A tremendous and terrific Tuesday be yours, ConCafe Family, is my prayer. May the joy of God bless you in new and marvelous ways is my prayer for you, dear Friend. As we pray, may our top priority be prayers for Pastor Matt Pennington of FUMC-Gonzales, who yesterday shared some unexpected news of a health challenge that has come into his life. A growth on his kidney will be removed and a pathology report will determine the course of action best needed for our pastor. We trust God to provide healing for Matt, and comfort and hope for Brooke, Drew, Nate, and Grace. Please pray for all of the Pennington family. Please continue to pray for Hector Rosales, Baby Hudson, Dan Hisey, and so many others who have asked prayers for us. Pray for one another, lift and share your prayers with the Lord, and pray for the world and its needs.

As some prepare to say goodbye to loved ones, some pastors like to ask, "What was one thing that your loved one said over and over again?" Some are very touching, loving words or phrases, and some are hilarious. In the Apostle's case, his message was soiidly on Jesus and Jesus' love for the world. To hear him say, "Be reconciled to God," is to hear his life's drive. His encounter with the risen Christ changed his entire life. And his message changed severely; from "A good Christian is a dead Christian," to "Come to life in Christ," was possible only because of the power of God to bring about such a change in his life. Christ Jesus took our sin, and became sin, even though He was sinless, so that we might become "the righteousness of God." And once we become God's righteousness we work together with Christ to redeem the world. And this is difficult, even agonizing work. Paul lists a partial list of that which he and some of this companions endured in order to bring salvation to the world.

Here is that list. Afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; all for the sake of sharing Jesus with the world. And the blessings that came as a result of such are purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, holiness of spirit, genuine love, truthful speech, and the power of God, added to the weapons of righteousness to fight off that which had come against them. It was that rootedness in Christ Jesus that helped his perspective of life, seeing the positive even among the negative, so that he could keep moving forward the goal of winning the world for God.

Our rootedness in Christ is that which fuels us to have the same attitude as Paul, and the same faith; to view all things as either blessings or lessons. And whether a blessing or a lesson, everything is possible through Christ Jesus. We begin to truly belive that that which seeks to harm us can teach us; and all these things should be turned over to God as soon as they come so that God can handle those for, and with, us. The goal is in sight, and we are armed with might. Let's make a difference for God one person at a time, and let that first person be me!

PRAYER: Awesome and loving Father, into Thy hands we commit ourselves to fully serve You. Make our hearts strong, and make our spirits soar. Bring blessings to whom we have mentioned as having needs. Forgive our sins and our doubts and lead us onward and upward; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen!

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Share the victory of Jesus with those who seem defeated today!

Receive my blessings of love and hope,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

In the Highs and Lows, God is There. With Us!

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Hear the podcast here and be blessed! https://bit.ly/3s3nNmU

28 About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. 29 As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. 30 Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. 31 They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem. 32 Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. 33 As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, “Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” (He did not know what he was saying.) 34 While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and covered them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. 35 A voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.” 36 When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone. The disciples kept this to themselves and did not tell anyone at that time what they had seen. 37 The next day, when they came down from the mountain, a large crowd met him. 38 A man in the crowd called out, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child. 39 A spirit seizes him and he suddenly screams; it throws him into convulsions so that he foams at the mouth. It scarcely ever leaves him and is destroying him. 40 I begged your disciples to drive it out, but they could not.” 41 “You unbelieving and perverse generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you and put up with you? Bring your son here.” 42 Even while the boy was coming, the demon threw him to the ground in a convulsion. But Jesus rebuked the impure spirit, healed the boy and gave him back to his father. 43 And they were all amazed at the greatness of God. (Luke 9: 28-43 New International Version Bible)

Happy and Blessed Monday, ConCafe people! May the blessing of yesterday spent in the presence of God radiate from you to others in ways that blesses them, dear Friend, is my prayer for you. I thank our pastor, Rev. Dr. Matt Pennington, for allowing me to preach at his church. I was warmly received and I always feel loved by those of that fine church. The American Medical Association some years ago determined that for every 20 minute sermon, the stress placed on a body is equivalent to an eight hour workday. So, when your pastor preaches two or more sermons per Sunday, you can imagine the stress, and wear and tear on her/his body. May it allow us to be more understanding of Mondays for them. May we pray for our pastors as they prepare the coming journey that is Lent; that God use them to share with us that which will prepare us spiritually, and physcally to more deeply understand appreciate the events of Christ Jesus during His Passion and death. A reminder that Wednesday, March 2nd is Ash Wednesday when our Lenten journey begins. May we start now in our prayers for each other, for ourselves and for our families.

This coming Sunday is Transfiguration Sunday, the day Jesus revealed the Glory of Heaven to the inner circle of disciples that followed Him to the mountain to pray. One of two, among many, holy habits, was to pray. The other, as we discussed a few days past, was to be in worship as often as He could. Prayer was Jesus' way of staying connected to God. It was through prayer that Jesus and His Father communicated and shared that which Jesus needed to continue forward in His ministry. On this day, Jesus goes to pray and He takes with Him, Peter, James, and John. During this particular prayer, Jesus' appearance of His face changed, and even His clothing radiated the reality of that which was happening; Heaven shone through Him! And if that was not enough to scare the three of the inner circle, they soon saw two figures they recongnized as Moses and Elijah, also in "glorious splendor" meaning radiant clothing, and these two were in conversation with Jesus about upcoming events. What comes of this very special time is the declaration from Heaven from God, Who says, for the second time, "This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to Him." At that pronouncement, they were alone with Jesus. This was needed confirmation they were indeed following the Son of God, the Messiah, the Anointed One of God, the Redeemer of Israel.

Almost immediately, the Twelve were in ministry again. Ministry is an interesting adventure, for when one leasts expects it, there is the opportunity or the challenge. In this case, it was a father, crying out to Jesus for help for his only child, who was demon-possessed. The demon would cause the boy to scream and made him convulse and foam at the mouth; it was a constant, but sure destruction of the child. The disciples had been asked by the father to deliver the boy, but they could not. Jesus rebukes the "generation" for being perverse and unbelieving, but still asks to have the boy brought to Him. Even in the presence of Jesus, the boy is convulsing and in agony. Jesus rebukes the spirit, and the boy is healed, and Jesus hands him back to the father, healed. And the reaction from all who witneessed this was to be amazed at the greatness of God.

In the highs and the lows, God is with us. During our mountaintop experiences, God is with us. This means our retreats, our Sunday mornings, our Sunday school classes, or devotional time, God is there. And just as surely, when we're in the midst of the lows of life, God is there as well. So, in the good and the bad, God is there. And to be delivered, we have but to trust and ask of Him, and His will will be done. Whatever the challenge or obstacle you are encountering, God is with you and me. Our time spent in prayer, like Jesus, will guide, strengthen, and deliver us. We can trust God to see us through!

PRAYER: Loving Father, guide us and bless us, in the highs and the lows. May our journey be a faithful one, and may we defeat whomever comes against God and our attempts to serve Him. Be a blessing to all; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Seek to be faithful to God today in all ways.

Receive my blessing of joy and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

The Free Life is From God!

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Hear the podcast read here: The passage is from Psalms 37, and not Genesis! (I'm not overworked!) https://bit.ly/3JzJssR

1 Don't bother your head with braggarts or wish you could succeed like the wicked. 2 In no time they'll shrivel like grass clippings and wilt like cut flowers in the sun. 3 Get insurance with God and do a good deed, settle down and stick to your last. 4 Keep company with God, get in on the best. 5 Open up before God, keep nothing back; he'll do whatever needs to be done: 6 He'll validate your life in the clear light of day and stamp you with approval at high noon. 7 Quiet down before God, be prayerful before him. Don't bother with those who climb the ladder, who elbow their way to the top. 8 Bridle your anger, trash your wrath, cool your pipes - it only makes things worse. 9 Before long the crooks will be bankrupt; God-investors will soon own the store. 10 Before you know it, the wicked will have had it; you'll stare at his once famous place and - nothing! 11 Down-to-earth people will move in and take over, relishing a huge bonanza. 39 The spacious, free life is from God, it's also protected and safe. 40 God-strengthened, we're delivered from evil - when we run to him, he saves us. (Psalm 37:1-11, 39-40 The Message Bible)

Well, a blessed welcome to Thursday, again! When you have the super-budget (cheap server) one cannot cancel a scheduled email blast. You may have received two emails today, one from a week ago, because of a mix-up in the date, and another was the draft version that I was going to complete today (Wednesday) and mail early tomorrow. And so, you will receive, again, two emails. The first will be the original for tomorrow that I messed up in formatting, and you will get this one. I apologize for that, but I'm thankful you're along for this adventure! Please continue in prayer for those for whom we are praying; pray for yourselves; and pray for one another. Blessings for you, dear Friend, in your life and that that you may be facing, and doing!

It was as if King David read social media on a regular basis, and saw how some promised to make him richer, thinner, healthier, more productive, more handsome, and quite frankly, the list is too long to continue; but hear what he wrote in that first verse. David knew, as should we, that there is really no future in what the world promotes as good or enriching. Ours should be to "keep company with God," and we will rejoice in "getting the best." God offers to us forgiveness, grace, the fullness of life, and the hope of eternal life. What in the world compares to that? Nada.

David knew for us the best road is the way of God. We should be prayerful people, We should strive to know the ways of God for our lives, and be blessed in that way. Anyway, our lives are better spent in doing for others in positive ways than in comparing ourselves to what we would like to have that others have. As David wrote, "The spacious, free life is from God, it's also protected and safe." We say every time we celebrate Holy Communion, "Free us for joyful obedience," and that resonates with this psalm. The one who finds life in God can enjoy a spacious, free life that comes with God's protection and safety. Who can argue against God's strength and deliverance from evil. And when we run to Him, He saves us!

PRAYER: Loving Father, for all that You offer to us, we are thankful and excited! Help us to truly live a contagious and free life that blesses others to join us. Truly free us for a joyful, obedient life. Help us to keep company with You and to live a life that exemplifies a better choice of living. This we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Show off your freedom in Christ today!

Receive my blessings of joy and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

God Was Behind It!

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Listen to the Podcast here: https://bit.ly/3JfrbRC

1 Joseph couldn't hold himself in any longer, keeping up a front before all his attendants. He cried out, "Leave! Clear out - everyone leave!" So there was no one with Joseph when he identified himself to his brothers. 2 But his sobbing was so violent that the Egyptians couldn't help but hear him. The news was soon reported to Pharaoh's palace. 3 Joseph spoke to his brothers: "I am Joseph. Is my father really still alive?" But his brothers couldn't say a word. They were speechless - they couldn't believe what they were hearing and seeing. 4 "Come closer to me," Joseph said to his brothers. They came closer. "I am Joseph your brother whom you sold into Egypt. 5 But don't feel badly, don't blame yourselves for selling me. God was behind it. God sent me here ahead of you to save lives. 6 There has been a famine in the land now for two years; the famine will continue for five more years - neither plowing nor harvesting. 7 God sent me on ahead to pave the way and make sure there was a remnant in the land, to save your lives in an amazing act of deliverance. 8 So you see, it wasn't you who sent me here but God. He set me in place as a father to Pharaoh, put me in charge of his personal affairs, and made me ruler of all Egypt. 9 "Hurry back to my father. Tell him, 'Your son Joseph says: I'm master of all of Egypt. Come as fast as you can and join me here. 10 I'll give you a place to live in Goshen where you'll be close to me - you, your children, your grandchildren, your flocks, your herds, and anything else you can think of. 11 I'll take care of you there completely. There are still five more years of famine ahead; I'll make sure all your needs are taken care of, you and everyone connected with you - you won't want for a thing.' 12 "Look at me. You can see for yourselves, and my brother Benjamin can see for himself, that it's me, my own mouth, telling you all this. 13 Tell my father all about the high position I hold in Egypt, tell him everything you've seen here, but don't take all day - hurry up and get my father down here." 14 Then Joseph threw himself on his brother Benjamin's neck and wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck. 15 He then kissed all his brothers and wept over them. Only then were his brothers able to talk with him. (Genesis 45:1-15 The Message Bible)

A blessed and wonderful Wednesday, ConCafe Family! May the joyous love of God pour forth out of heart, dear Reader, and into the acts of kindness and compassion you share with others. Pray for one another, pray for the needs of the church, and pray for your needs. Lift God high in your prayers. If this sound a bit familliar, it is because it now arrives on its proper date! From our church, FUMC-Gonzales we have these prayer requests: Prayers for Mr. Stan Bias. Stan has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Also, Ms. Norma Fink has asked that we pray for her grandson, Josh Fletcher, who fell and broke his collar bone and will be having surgery. No change on my brother-in-law, Mr. Hector Rosales. His brother, Mr. Jose Armando Rosales, is recovering well after a surgical procedure. Thank you for your prayers!

The Bible is an honest book. All pimples and wrinkles, scars and sores, are presented in real time in real life. They paint a picture of real life and the drama and tensions that life sometimes brings with it. In today's passage we see the drama of Joseph's family presented in full honesty of what was going on in the lives of those whom one would expect better behavior from; Joseph, after all, was sold into slavery after the desire to kill him was nixed by one brothers. Not quite the family drama one expects from the first families called by God to establish God's people. We catch up with Joseph as he has come to the point of revealing who he truly is to his brothers. Joseph, we will remember, was the second youngest son of Jacob, and the firstborn of Jacob's favorite wife, Rachel. The youngest son was the younger brother of Joseph as he was the second born of Rachel. Joseph's journey took him to Egypt where he became the governor of Egypt, second only to Pharoah; for his blessing from God allowed him to save Egypt from famine and hunger. This famine was worldwide thus the presence of Joseph's brothers; they had come to seek food to save themselves and their father. The drama is awesome in the way Joseph toys with them, but today's passage is the great reveal, for he could not contain himself any longer.

"God was behind it," says Joseph to this brothers; instead of hating them and killing them, he understands the why behind all that happened to him. And now in his position of power he uses it for the good of his people. Instead of harm that he could have meted out to them, he offers protection and privilege. All the while, the brothers are in shock and cannot speak, for they knew they deserved death, but once Joseph revealed all he intended, and saw him weeping with his little brother, they were able to speak with Joseph.

What in your life presently do you not fully understand? What could be in the big picture behind all things thus far? We may not see Him yet, but like Joseph, God may be behind it and one day we will fully understand and fully appreciate all they received. Our responsibiilty at this point is to fully be patient and prayerful, trusting God and knowing God will bless us and keep us during this time.

PRAYER: Loving God, bless our journey. Grant us vision and patience for all that we may be enduring right now. Help us to bless others in the meantime. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Bless someone with the joy that blossoms from patience.

Receive my blessings of joy and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Remove the Veil!

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Listen here for the podcast/reading of the devotional: https://bit.ly/33mmSo5

12 Since, then, we have such a hope, we act with great boldness, 13 not like Moses, who put a veil over his face to keep the people of Israel from gazing at the end of the glory that was being set aside. 14 But their minds were hardened. Indeed, to this very day, when they hear the reading of the old covenant, that same veil is still there, since only in Christ is it set aside. 15 Indeed, to this very day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their minds; 16 but when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit. 1 Therefore, since it is by God's mercy that we are engaged in this ministry, we do not lose heart. 2 We have renounced the shameful things that one hides; we refuse to practice cunning or to falsify God's word; but by the open statement of the truth we commend ourselves to the conscience of everyone in the sight of God. (2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2 New Revised Standard Version)

A blessed and tremendous Tuesday be yours, ConCafe Family! May the joys of the Lord strengthen you in rich and awesome ways is my prayer for you, Friend. Pray for one another. Pray for your own needs. Prayers for this old man as I will be filling in for our pastor, Matt Pennington, who has not had a break in a long time. Prayers for him to get some rest and that God share with me the words I should share with the kind folks of First UMC of Gonzales.

Paul believed that if one believed in Christ, that person should not only live, but act, with boldness; such is the hope that we have found in Christ Jesus. Paul believed and rightly so, that many believers would rather live guarded lives with guarded minds. His comparison is to use the scriptural reference to Moses, who when he saw that his encounters with God affected his countenance, that if he wore a veil after each appointed time, that would be beneficial to the people; but what happened was the veiled face made for veiled minds. A veiled mind does not fully understand nor appreciate the great stregnth and beauty of what God shares through His word. There is no fullness of truth nor life found in the hearts, minds, and spirits of the veiled. Paul says that those who come to know Christ come to an unveiling, meaning the shallowness is removed and replaced by the fullness of God. To see the fullness of God is to reflect the glory of God and we are therefore transformed into the same image of glory that is found in God. And thus comes encouragement for the work of ministry that we have been entrusted to do.

If we're honest, we sometimes have those days where someone has hidden our energy and our drive. And it's not under the bed or in the closet; it's right where it has always been, but it has taken a backseat to fear, doubt, and anxiety. Paul says if we can recover our seeing the glory of God present and active in our lives, we can recover hope and with the recovery of hope comes the drive that we need every day. Thanks to God's mercy, we have been forgiven and given new opportunity to serve. And since God's mercy has allowed us to renounce the shameful things that we used to hide. We commit ourselves solely to the sharing of God's truth, which in turn, blesses all who seek God.

Tuesday seems like a great day to hear this message. It may be that a close loved one is feeling a bit anxious in her/his life, but hasn't said anything about it; but knowing there is help, both in God, and those called to be trained and licensed to help, we can find that which we need to keep moving forward. We should let no burden or worry weigh us down when we have the glory of God within our reach. And that is a message we can share with others.

PRAYER: Loving God, burden us with Your love, and shine on us the glory of God. Bless those whom we love with that which they need. For those who need healing but fear the road ahead as scary, lighten their load with hope and the surety of Your presence with them. For those who fear the unknown and that burdens them with fear, shine through us, the light of peace that with You by our side,we can face and defeat all things that are not from You. For those who need sleep, bring calm and stillness to anxious heart and troubled minds, and grant them Thy peace; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord. Be all the things that God has given you to be!

Receive my blessings of peace and joy,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Upside Down Living

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Hear the devotional read here: https://bit.ly/3HR092t

27 “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. 30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you. 32 “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. 35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. 37 “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (Luke 6:27-38 New International Bible)

Happy and Blessed Monday, ConCafe Family! HAPPY VALENTINES DAY TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU! May the marvels of a Monday be yours, dear reader, is my prayer for you. May we continue to pray for my brother-in-law, Hector Rosales, who remains in a coma, but stable. Pray for his recovery. Our continued prayers for Baby Hudson. Our brother in Christ, Daniel Soliz is now on day fourteen of a hospital stay at Baylor Hospital in Dallas. His lung is not yet where it should be, but Daniel is feeling better and says he can feel our prayers; pray for his complete healing and recovery. Our continued prayers for Dan Hisey and his recovery. Pray for one another, pray for your needs. May God be glorified in our lives.

"If someone hits you, you hit them back!" Instruction from maybe 98% of the dads when my generation was growing up. "If someone calls you this, you call them that." Instruction from a significant portion of moms when my generation was growing up as well. And, bullying continues, as does name-calling, as does racism, and crimes of violent nature towards those who are different from us. And we may have been guilty of some, if not a majority of the things listed above. Jesus came with a different message and one that should have taken hold of society by now. Hate those who hate you only serves to keep hate alive. Jesus' message? "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you." It's been refreshing to see messages on social media mimick that in a different way. One showed this very manly man, identified as an officer in the Navy Seals, whose message was if someone is wanting to hit me, I'm going to run away. "The strongest weapon in a fight are my legs," he said, "That I will use to get as far away as I can from any fight." Another showed a man who teaches the best self-defence is humor, sharing how an innocent man charged by another, struck a man who fell and hit his head and died, and the hitter was charged and convicted of murder, now he's serving thirteen years in prison for that crime. I have a grandson who was being bullied at school and then he got the worst haircut of his life and worried about going to school. On Monday, before the bullies could say anything, he had made a joke about being put into a dumpster where the barber did his haircut. Instead of laughing, they all sympathized with him and felt sorry for him.

Jesus' way is not the way of the world. It's a divine way of living. "If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them... Do to others as you would have them do to you." Sound golden, doesn't it? We always have options of how we will live and respond to attacks and abuse, and Jesus' way is the one that is the higher road. It makes people talk and think differently about you, and it may also help you live longer, and you may be blessing others in having them see there are options, and better ones than the ones the world, i.e. well-meaning parents, may have tried to instill in us. Jesus continued, "Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you." What more can we say? Jesus has pretty well covered the basics of a live rooted in the divine realm of God's love and compassion. The world needs this, and who better to take it to them, than those, like you and me, who know God through Jesus? Let's get busy!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, bless us this day to live as people of true love. Today is a special day of showing love, instead of just flowers and candy. May our acts of love bless those who have yet to experience true love. May love also be about forgiveness to those who ask it of us. We pray in Christ Jesus, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Show true love today to all people. Smile, wave, bless and forgive!

Receive my love for this special day,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Jesus, First Fruits of the Resurrected

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12 Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised; 14 and if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation has been in vain and your faith has been in vain. 15 We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified of God that he raised Christ—whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised. 17 If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have died in Christ have perished. 19 If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. 20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died. (1 Corinthians 15:12-20 New Revised Standard Version)

Happy Tuesday, ConCafe Family! Be a blessing to the unblessed today, Dear Friend. I heard that Baby Hudson has moved to Houston for care there, and so far, no change. We call on the Lord Almighty to rain down grace upon that baby boy and bring him to full health, in the Name of Jesus. Who's with me? Join me in praying for that precious blessing. Pray for one another. Pray for your needs. Pray for the world.

There's always at least one. I've been that one. Maybe you have as well. You sit in the lecture, take notes, and you find yourself not quite either understanding or accepting of the material. And you also have them in church. Maybe sitting right next to you! Or, behind you; or the last one in the last row. The sermon is preached, and it's on life after death, and that one person doesn't quite buy it. And she tells her best friend, and he agrees. "The idea of living on just doesn't make sense! How could that be scientifically possible?" Such was the problem with Pastor Paul and his congregation in Corinth. His main message and now a group of "believers" was questioning the resurrection of Jesus and everyone else. Paul states plainly, "If we can't believe in the resurrection of the dead, then we can't believe that Jesus was Himself raised from the dead, and that makes our message a vain message, and then our faith has been in vain as well." And Paul stresses that that even makes the entire faith in vain. The resurrection of Jesus is the foundation of the Church. And further, it is the foundation of those whose loved ones who have died, that they are still alive in Jesus and in Heaven with them.

Friends, it is normal to have doubts, but doubts should be only stops on our journey of faith, not the final destination. For our faith, as that of the Apostle Paul, speaks of a life beyond life in Christ Jesus. Paul had a face-to-faith encounter with Jesus and found In Him the faith and power he needed to live out his life's mission as the first world evangelist. We stand on the faith that says that there is life beyond death. We affirm every Sunday and even every time we think of any of the creeds of the Church that Jesus rose from the dead, ascended to Heaven and sitteth at the right hand of God. Paul could not wait to die. He knew he loved life and the work to which he was called, but he said, To live is Christ, to die is gain; meaning that he longed to be with Jesus, but while alive it meant more opportunities to share Him and His message; and when he died it would gain the life where he would live eternally with Jesus. Where do you stand, dear one?

PRAYER: Loving Author of Life, grant to us the faith of Paul. As we journey throough peaks and valleys, lift us when we need, and guide us to stronger faith. Bless those who mourn during these days, and help them be lifted in the faith that says that those who die in You never truly die. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Bless those who need to hear about your faith in Jesus today!

Receive my blessings of joy and faith,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Blessed to Be Hated? Rejected?

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Hear the podcast here: https://bit.ly/3uvLHJn

17 He came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea, Jerusalem, and the coast of Tyre and Sidon. 18 They had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. 19 And all in the crowd were trying to touch him, for power came out from him and healed all of them. 20 Then he looked up at his disciples and said: "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. 21 "Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled. "Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. 22 "Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man. 23 Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets. 24 "But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. 25 "Woe to you who are full now, for you will be hungry. "Woe to you who are laughing now, for you will mourn and weep. 26 "Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is what their ancestors did to the false prophets. (Luke 6:17-26 NRSV)

Happy and Marvelous Monday, dear ConCafe Familia! I am trying out a sample webpage for the podcast part of ConCafe. Click this link to get to it. From there you can easily share invitations to friends and family that might want to subscribe and listen to our daily devotional. This is the part of ConCafe that goes to 26 nations! https://www.podpage.com/concafe-con-eradio-valverde/ Dear friend, please continue to pray for Ms. Allison Davis, our staff member of FUMC-Gonzales. Prayers for my brother-in-law, Mr. Hector Rosales, who's in a medically induced coma. Pray for his recovery and his wife, Anna and his family. Prayers also for the family of Mrs. Aurora "Yoyi" De Leon, who passed away after battling a long battle with Alzheimers. Yoyi was our longtime youth sponsor at El Mesias UMC in Mission. Prayers for her family who mourn her passing. Pray for one another. Pray for your needs, and for those who have asked prayers from us. Why do we pray? Because God answers prayers!

Jesus will draw crowds, so said a now deceased pastor of what was once the world's largest United Methodist Church. The late Rev. Dr. Bill Hinson, used to say that often, and more importantly he preached Jesus always. Here is where we see what Dr. Hinson said. Jesus, preaching God's truth and power, would always draw crowds. The regions listed show the widespread influence of God's truth. Verse 18 answers the why, "They had come to hear Him and to be healed of their diseases; and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured." And even in those crowds some just wanted to touch Jesus, because just in that touch would come the power from within Him to heal them. Then we get Luke's condensed version of the Sermon on the Mount; Jesus' blessings on the needy of the world, and those who are willing to take God's side in the world. The warnings of the Lord are for those who do not take God's side, choosing instead personal needs such as wealth, enjoyment of self satisfaction; and those who care more about what people say about them than what God does.

As we start this week can we resolve to examine ourselves and where we stand with God? Can we resolve to seek Him more than anyone or anything else? Can we fully put God first in our hearts, minds, and spirits? Can we seek to be truly better in how we interact with others and seek to be more like Jesus in how we love and serve others? I believe we can if we ask God to strengthen us and walk with us.

PRAYER: Loving God of miracles, create in me the miracle of loving like never before. May the love of Jesus shine brightly as I interact with others on behalf of God; this I pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Be a mriacle of love today in someone else's life!

Receive my blessings of love and joy,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

paypal.me/eradiovalverde

Finish What You Started, Lord!

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Hear the devotional and podcast here: https://bit.ly/3IXhGGq

1 Thank you! Everything in me says "Thank you!" Angels listen as I sing my thanks. 2 I kneel in worship facing your holy temple and say it again: "Thank you!" Thank you for your love, thank you for your faithfulness; Most holy is your name, most holy is your Word. 3 The moment I called out, you stepped in; you made my life large with strength. 4 When they hear what you have to say, God, all earth's kings will say "Thank you." 5 They'll sing of what you've done: "How great the glory of God!" 6 And here's why: God, high above, sees far below; no matter the distance, he knows everything about us. 7 When I walk into the thick of trouble, keep me alive in the angry turmoil. With one hand strike my foes, With your other hand save me. 8 Finish what you started in me, God. Your love is eternal - don't quit on me now. (Psalm 138 The Message Bible)

A warm and safe Thursday for you all, ConCafe Family, especially if you're in the path of this winter storm that has come through Texas and other parts. Friend, Please take shelter and help those who do not have shelter or those places where people can take shelter. May we continue to pray for one another, pray for those who have asked or have needed prayer, and pray for your own needs.

A cute, chubby baby on social media had quite a following from many who found that her "Thank you," to every kindness shown her, especially when she was offered food or snack, as being something so cute and endearing. "Thank you, Mommy!" she would cutely say to her mom when she offered her a cookie or a plate of food. I counted myself among those who found her very charming and sincere in the way she readily and easily said, "Thank you."

The psalmist was taught, like this baby, to say thank you when shown a kindness. And he was also taught to say thank you to God. His was a life filled with blessings; from narrow escapes from predators on his flocks, from the king who wanted him dead so that the king's own son could be king, to the armies of enemies that camped against him. His being alive and well was the basis of this song of praise we call the 138th Psalm. He writes every aspect of his being was gratitude towards God, so much so, that even Angels listened as he sang his songs of thanks. His main desire and aim in worship was to thank God in temple. And he lists the reasons of his gratitude; God's love, God's faithfulness were worthy of his thankfulness. God's name was holy as was the Word of God. All of the psalmist's prayers were answered and he remembered the kindess and power of God to help him, and he knew he could always count on God no matter the challenge or difficulty. And, the psalmist knew that his life was a work in progress and would not be complete without the help of God. "Finish what you started in me, God. Your love is eternal - don't quit on me now."

The scriptures for the week have spoken of the might and majesty of God, and the response the humans showed when confronted with it. The first four disciples were disarmed by the supernatural power of God over nature, and the magnificent catch of fish; Paul saw more than his share of toil and trouble in his life after saying Yes to God and serving Him faithfully. The ancient prophet, also saw the power of God during a time of grief and responded positivly to serving God as a prophet; llving lives of Yes even when the challenges of the world screamed No!

Whatever God has started in you, He will finish because God's love is eternal, meaning it knows no bounds, and will have no end. We must respond with faith and gratitude and God will do the rest!

PRAYER: Loving God, bless us to be blessings. Fill our hearts with gratitude and praise; and let us move forward to where You have led us. We pray your continued guidance on that which You have started in us, and we thank You for Your love, in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord. Say thank you to God in ways that bless Him.

Receive my blessings of joy and love,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Here I Am. Send Me.

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1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty; and the hem of his robe filled the temple. 2 Seraphs were in attendance above him; each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, and with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. 3 And one called to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory." 4 The pivots on the thresholds shook at the voices of those who called, and the house filled with smoke. 5 And I said: "Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!" 6 Then one of the seraphs flew to me, holding a live coal that had been taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. 7 The seraph touched my mouth with it and said: "Now that this has touched your lips, your guilt has departed and your sin is blotted out." 8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I; send me!" (Isaiah 6:1-8 NRSV)

Happy and wondrous Wednesday to you all, ConCafe Family! Blessings abound in the strangest of places! Usually where one or more is trying to help others; could that be said of you, dear Friend? I pray so! Let us pray for one another; pray for your needs, and pray for those in need of a blessing. There could be someone at the point of losing her faith; and another at the point of losing their mind! Help them by praying! I also ask prayers for Mr. Daniel Soliz, a seminary student from Dallas, and longtime friend of mine is in the hospital for a collapsed lung and battling cancer. Please pray the Lord guide him through whatever is next for him. Daniel is married to Kim and the two have three small children.

I have long shared how my Old Testament professor lamented the fact that we as citizens of the USA do not truly understand any monarchy protocols and the feelings and thoughts of most subjects. In this passage, a beloved king, Uzziah, had died, and the entire nation plunged into mourning. My professor said that the closest we have ever, in the modern era, and yes my seminary years were in the 1970s, so close enough; was the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, in Dallas, Texas on November 22, 1963. Yes, I was alive then and I still remember where I was and what I was doing, such was the impact of this death. I could, because of that, begin to understand the death of a beloved king in a tiny way. In the midst of that national grief, comes a vision to this prophet. Lifted up from the funeral trappings of the king, Isaiah is lifted up to the realms of Heaven where he sees the Lord sitting on a throne, and describes the glory and majesty of such a sight. The prophet sees angels called Seraphs who fill the halls of this Heavenly palace with their cries of "Holy, holy, holly is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory." Such were the voices that the foundational struictures of the palace shook with those voices, and this frightened the prophet, who declares, "Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!" His belief that his lips are unclean were corrected by an act by one of the seraphs who with a live coal with a tong touched the prophet's mouth and declared him clean. Then the question from the Lord Himself, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" And the prophet said, "Here am I; send me!"

Does this passage remind you of another man who said something similar to what Isaiah said? If you answered Peter, you are correct. Mortals when confronted with the purity and sacredness of God, tend to get fearful to the point of auto-examination that almost immediately reveals one's impurity and need for all those impuries to be removed from us. Peter saw the power of Jesus and declared his need to flee from the Lord, but then accepted the invitation to fish for persons. Here, Isaiah declares the same, and he also affirmatively answers that he would go on behalf of God to whatever it was God needed done.

If you're old enough to remember the events of 9/11, the attack on New York City and the Pentagon, you will remember the first Sunday immediately following that tragic day. Most churches were full with people who were scared, some scarred, about knowing what evil was possible even in our front yard. People realized their need for God and many responded with significant changes in their personal lives. The military saw large numbers of gung ho recruits who were ready to fight "The enemy," at that point yet unknown. And, some even made deeper commitments to God that Sunday and in the days following.

We pray, of course, that we be safe from any future incidents on the national scale, but the message from this passage is that when times such as these, whether large scale or not, our immediate refuge is in God and many times that sheltering may mean our being called and equipped to being the shelter for others through acts such as preaching, teaching, reaching and helping others. The holiness of God when it touches us can also cleanse us and make us ready to be better in our service to others.

One of my favorite hymns is a relatively new song called, Whom Shall I Send? The last stanza is powerful and speaks to what needs to, and can happen, to the lives of those who dare say Yes to God:

I, the Lord of wind and flame I will tend the poor and lame I will set a feast for them My hand will save

Finest bread I will provide 'Til their hearts be satisfied I will give my life to them Whom shall I send?

Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord? I have heard you calling in the night I will go, Lord, if you lead me I will hold your people in my heart

May it be a song you sing, dear reader, as you come to realize the power of God present in your life, and as God leads you to see the needs around you, may you see what Peter, Paul, and Isaiah saw; a world in need, and their Yes, like yours, blessed many lives for the good of God's Kingdom.

PRAYER: Loving God on high, bless this dear reader as they hear Your voice. If it be a Yes, You're waiting to hear, dear Lord, grant to them all they need to say Yes to follow and serve You; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Bless the Lord today with a Yes!

Receive my blessings of hope and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.