Healed, Full, and Satisfied! God Provides!

Image from missionariesofprayer.org

Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a deserted place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. When he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them and cured their sick. When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, ‘This is a deserted place, and the hour is now late; send the crowds away so that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves.’ Jesus said to them, ‘They need not go away; you give them something to eat.’ They replied, ‘We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish.’ And he said, ‘Bring them here to me.’ Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And all ate and were filled; and they took up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full. And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children. (Matthew 14:13-21)

A miracle is an unexpected, unexplainable blessing from God; meant to be enjoyed rather than understood.  This is my definition of a miracle after 41 years of ministry.  People will always wonder and some ask, "What is a miracle?"  And today's passage deals with one of the most difficult to explain miracles of Jesus.  Late in the evening, in the middle of nowhere, Jesus' compassion worries the disciples, for He wants the crowds who have been following Him, who have been healed of their sicknesses, to be fed.  They shared with Jesus their desire:  "Send them away so that they can go buy food for themselves." Jesus says, "Nah, here's what's going to happen; you all feed them."  Apparently, the disciples had already thought about that and they had a complete count of what resources they had:  5 loaves of bread, 2 fish (see the image above).  Jesus says, "Bring those here."  Jesus had asked the disciples to make the people sit; He takes the food, looks up to heaven and blesses and breaks the loaves and gives them to the disciples and the disciples takes them to the crowd and five thousand men, not counting women and children, were fed.

You and I have had our share of unexplainable blessings.  But these stories, like this one, are meant to be shared, to encourage, and enable others to see faith is real and faith continues to happen all around us.  The sadness is that the Church is getting more silent by the day; miracles still happen, but we say very little, if anything about them.  What is encouraging is how churches during this time of year are gearing up to share blessings with others.  One church shared on FaceBook that the gathering of backpacks and school supplies blessed the custodian of that church, who took the idea back to her church and members of that church told their friends, who in turn told their church, and now a whole community of needy children may be receiving backpacks filled with school supplies.  Another church gives out backpacks with school supplies but asks the students bring their backpacks back so that they can be filled with food for the weekend, because many children do not have anything to eat on Saturdays and Sundays.  We, the Church are, and should be miracle-makers, bringing unexpected, unexplainable blessings to others.

PRAYER:  Loving God, thank You for providing just what we need, when we need it.  Thank You for the way some churches are "getting it" and sharing with others.  I pray that this story would be forwarded by this dear reader, so that others would hear, and "get it" and share with others; there is still so much to do.  Bless us to be blessings; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Be a blessing!  Share something unexplainable with someone!

Eradio Valverde

Smile on Your Servant, Dear God

Image from biblia.com

Every word you give me is a miracle word - how could I help but obey? Break open your words, let the light shine out, let ordinary people see the meaning. Mouth open and panting, I wanted your commands more than anything. Turn my way, look kindly on me, as you always do to those who personally love you. Steady my steps with your Word of promise so nothing malign gets the better of me. Rescue me from the grip of bad men and women so I can live life your way. Smile on me, your servant; teach me the right way to live. I cry rivers of tears because nobody's living by your book! (Psalm 119:129-136)

If you've ever noticed ancient pictures, most people were not smiling.  I saw once an explanation for that, but I've forgotten what they said.  I remember what some comedians have said about it; but I prefer to think that for many, it was their first time in front of a camera and they did not know what to expect.  And they may have been paying a steep price in that day for this photograph; they had to wear their best, have their hair perfected combed, watch as gunpowder was placed on an apparatus and then boom!  A flash of light and the picture was taken by a man who probably was hidden safely under a protective cover near his camera.  No smile.

Today, we must search for photographs that show some sincerity; most are now taken by our phones and we try to be as silly as we can; and so many photographs are taken, some of them do not get our full attention.  But how important is a smile to you?  Can you easily shop in a place where the clerk/owner do not smile?  Can you honestly say you want to return to a church where folks only smile at the ones they know?  

The psalmist loved God.  There is no question in most of the psalms we have read and studied and prayed with.  And in most of them, he wants to maintain a healthy amount of gratitude towards God for all that he has received while reading or writing most of the psalms.  His desire was to walk in God's way and do what God expected.  And one of the things in this psalm that jumps out at us is that he would like to see God smile on him.  I remember and wish I could still see my Dad and Mom smile at me.  Even though life had been hard for them, it never robbed them of the ability to smile.  Their smile meant a lot to me, and I love to smile at my children and now at my grandchildren.  Imagine the smile of God on you today, dear friend.  It's the smile that says, I love you and I appreciate you.  It's the smile that can call us to action to do something that blesses God in return for that smile.  

PRAYER:  Thank You, Living God, for Your Word and for the smiles we find in it.  Help me to be one who shares Your smile by the way I live.  Help me to be among those the psalmist wanted to see living by your precepts and make my life shine brightly for others.  This I pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Smile!

Eradio Valverde

"Let's See, I Want..."

Image from livingthelectionary.blogspot.com

At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, ‘Ask what I should give you.’ And Solomon said, ‘You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant my father David, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart towards you; and you have kept for him this great and steadfast love, and have given him a son to sit on his throne today. And now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David, although I am only a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. And your servant is in the midst of the people whom you have chosen, a great people, so numerous they cannot be numbered or counted. Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil; for who can govern this your great people?’ It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. God said to him, ‘Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches, or for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, I now do according to your word. Indeed I give you a wise and discerning mind; no one like you has been before you and no one like you shall arise after you. (1 Kings 3:5-12)

The temptation of the first humans to be know the difference between good and evil.  And one of the greatest kings that ever lived is asked by God for whatever he wanted; and the young king asks for an understanding mind to know the difference between good and evil as he governed God's people.  This always reminds me of the discussion I had with friends about finding that magical genie in a bottle; the understanding was that to free the genie, out of gratitude he would grant you three wishes, and so the game was "What would you ask for?"  Time after time, it was "I'd wish for a million dollars!"  And the others would be very materialistic just like the million dollars.  A wise person asks for wisdom on how to use that wisdom in a way that pleases God. And this pleased God, so much so, that God granted him that request and added to it.  The ending verse gives us a clue as to the reign of King Solomon, "Indeed I give you a wise and discerning mind; no one like you has been before you and no one like you shall arise after you."

We may not be asked to govern as kings or queens, but we do have a realm of influence in our lives.  If you are a parent, you have been asked numerous times to make decisions; not many of them easy nor popular among your kids.  The same as a spouse or employee or employer; the best decisions come from God's wisdom, love, and care.  The more we model our lives after Jesus and Jesus' heart for people, the better decisions we will make.  Ours is to please God, not humans.  And our decisions should reflect that commitment.  Rushed, rash decisions lead to terrible consequences and outcomes; we are called to bless God and others.

PRAYER:  Lord, grand to me the same kind of mind that Solomon asked; a wise mind knowing the difference between good and evil.  Guide me to bless You and yours.  This I pray in Christ Jesus, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Please God with a wise decision today!

Eradio Valverde

More Than Conquerors!

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Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn within a large family. And those whom he predestined he also called; and those whom he called he also justified; and those whom he justified he also glorified.What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else? Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written,‘For your sake we are being killed all day long;we are accounted as sheep to be slaughtered.’ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.  (Romans 8:26-39)

I pray a lot of sigh prayers.  The ones where words are not needed, we simply sigh and the Holy Spirit relays those to God; God and the Holy Spirit are one, so God knows what those sighs are about.  And the Holy Spirit helps us who love God, to understand all that is going on and through our lives.  And the Holy Spirit has given us that tremendous message:  IF God is for us, who is against us?  Likewise, a checklist of things that cannot, repeat, CANNOT, separate us from the Lord of God in Christ Jesus our Lord:  hardship, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, sword?  Nope.  Add to that list:  death, nope; life, nope; angels, nope; rulers, nope; present things, nope; coming things, nope; powers, nope, height, nope, depth, nope; nada nor nothing else in all creation, will separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen!

Dear friend, that's a long list and it covers a lot, if not all, things that you and I may be facing, so the good word is Winning!  We are winning!  

PRAYER:  Loving God, thank You for understanding and for making us more than conquerors in all things.  We can't do it or face it alone, it is only through Christ Jesus our Lord that we can do these things; and in HIs name we pray, amen.

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

Eradio Valverde

Prayer Update:  Rev. John Alsbrooks is now home and doing well after his knee surgery.  Praise God and thank you for your prayers!

The Kingdom of Heaven; You In or Out?

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He put before them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.’ He told them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened.’ ‘The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. ‘Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls;on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.‘Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and caught fish of every kind; when it was full, they drew it ashore, sat down, and put the good into baskets but threw out the bad. So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous and throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. ‘Have you understood all this?’ They answered, ‘Yes.’ And he said to them, ‘Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.’ (Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52)

I watch Texas Country Reporter.  I have watched it for many years and love hearing about people and places in the Lone Star State; and this week's episode was no exception.  He featured a woman of faith from Ft. Worth who makes very beautiful jewelry, by hand, in her own home based almost entirely on mustard seeds. The show showed her dining room table and it was covered by containers holding mustard seeds.  She tried for three years to come up with the perfect way to use the seed as part of pendants and symbols; when she finally got the right recipe, she started her business.  She loves the parable of the mustard seed and believes all of us should live with a reminder of that parable.  So much so, that with every order, she encloses two one-dollar bills as seed money for the recipient of the jewelry to use to show goodness and compassion.

Jesus wanted those who would follow Him to know what is involved in this Kingdom of Heaven that He was sharing.  It begins with faith and even the smallest faith is accepted, because like the mustard seed, it can grow and become something of useful purpose.  The kingdom requires growth, like yeast, that comes from sharing that faith in positive ways that impacts the lives and thinking and actions of others who will in turn tell others, who will tell others, until there is the growth needed for this to be a great kingdom among all people.  The kingdom is a treasure; for some it is hidden for many years and then a discovery of it makes a big impact on that one life who can in turn impact others.  In my case, I was one of those, who was forced to church until I discovered the hidden treasure, who is Jesus, and once I did, my life changed!  The kingdom is life a pearl of great worth; for those who find it will do anything to have and hold that faith.  The kingdom is like a net; many will be caught in it, but the day will come when the Fisherman will decide which "fish" are good, and which are bad; the good will be taken, and the bad thrown out.  Judgment is part of the kingdom and it will happen, Jesus teaches; blessed are those who learn these lessons and draw from them each day; the new lessons as well as the old bless the one who believes.

The question remains on our making a decision for Jesus.  We must choose to accept and serve Jesus as our Lord and Savior.  You done this already?

PRAYER:  Loving God, may blessings be Yours as we seek to be and share the kingdom.  Grant us faith; the kind that grows and goes.  Help us to share our faith in positive, inviting ways; let us live a life that in the end will be among those deemed good.  We can't do it alone and we need You; for we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Tell somebody about this great kingdom you're in!

Eradio Valverde

Prayers for Rev. John Alsbrooks who undergoes knee surgery today in Austin.  Also, for the Spiller Family, as Rev. Sid's wife, has entered hospice care.  May the Lord bless and keep all in need today is our prayer.

Don't Get Thrown Off-Track!

Image from magnifythelord.wordpress.com

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. I have sworn an oath and confirmed it, to observe your righteous ordinances. I am severely afflicted;give me life, O Lord, according to your word. Accept my offerings of praise, O Lord,and teach me your ordinances. I hold my life in my hand continually,but I do not forget your law. The wicked have laid a snare for me,but I do not stray from your precepts. Your decrees are my heritage for ever;they are the joy of my heart. I incline my heart to perform your statutes for ever, to the end. (Psalm 119:105-112)

Remember the days before GPSs?  In my case it seemed I never got lost because I relied more on my sense of direction, maps, directions given to me by those awaiting me.  Now, I punch in an address and let Waze, a free app, guide me.  Waze allows us to warn others about road construction, road hazards, and yes, even where we see police in speed traps.  The choice of guide voices makes it fun; usually a movie being promoted will be available to guide us if we so choose.  But after years of relying on this, if I don't have my phone, and I get distracted in conversation, I end up lost; or as I used to say to our girls, exploring new areas.  Life is that way, too.  Life is challenging enough and we need a good guide, a G.P.S., a God Provisional System, which is God's word, prayer, worship, and any of the spiritual disciplines.  This psalm affirms that.  The first verse is enough for a devotional and a reminder that in reading the Bible we find that map and light that we need for our daily lives.  David loved the word so much he had sworn an oath to reading it and doing what it said; when he was afflicted, he found life.  Whenever he was happy and blessed, he offered praise.  Whenever the temptations that came his way were too much, he sought the Lord; and at this writing, he had inclined his heart to do what God wanted for his life.

I love the graphic for today.  Rays of light coming forth from the pages of the Bible; a true picture of what can happen when we open the pages of God's word for our lives and needs.  There is no need to walk in darkness when the brightest Light the world has ever know is right there in the pages of God's book.  If you want to get or stay lost, keep the book closed; if you want to live the life God has for you, open the book, let it read you and guide you.

PRAYER:  Awesome God of Light and Love, speak to our hearts now and when we feel lost.  Guide us back to the pages of Your love letter; help us find the way and not get lost.  This we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Hairy and Heel; Double Trouble. Mama's Boy Wins

Image from wwyeshua.wordpress.com

These are the descendants of Isaac, Abraham’s son: Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah, daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of Paddan-aram, sister of Laban the Aramean. Isaac prayed to the Lord for his wife, because she was barren; and the Lord granted his prayer, and his wife Rebekah conceived. The children struggled together within her; and she said, ‘If it is to be this way, why do I live?’ So she went to inquire of the Lord. And the Lord said to her,‘Two nations are in your womb,and two peoples born of you shall be divided; one shall be stronger than the other,the elder shall serve the younger.’ When her time to give birth was at hand, there were twins in her womb.The first came out red, all his body like a hairy mantle; so they named him Esau. Afterwards his brother came out, with his hand gripping Esau’s heel; so he was named Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.When the boys grew up, Esau was a skilful hunter, a man of the field, while Jacob was a quiet man, living in tents. Isaac loved Esau, because he was fond of game; but Rebekah loved Jacob. Once when Jacob was cooking a stew, Esau came in from the field, and he was famished. Esau said to Jacob, ‘Let me eat some of that red stuff, for I am famished!’ (Therefore he was called Edom.) Jacob said, ‘First sell me your birthright.’ Esau said, ‘I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?’ Jacob said, ‘Swear to me first.’ So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank, and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright. (Genesis 25:19-34)

Last week we read the story of how God delivered to Isaac his dream girl.  This week, the dream girl finds herself pregnant with twins and having the most agonizing pregnancy you can imagine.  And, dear friends, this was an answered prayer!  Rebekah was barren and her husband prayed for her, and now she's about to deliver twins!  That in itself would make a great sermon, and it does; but hear the human side of it too; Rebekah, like most women at some stage of their pregnancy says, "If it it to be this way, why do I live?"  Some don't say it quite that nicely...

The struggle within her as God revealed would be a lifelong one between her sons.  "Two nations are within you and they will be divided," God said.  "One stronger than the other, and the big brother will serve the younger."  And so she delivered two sons.  The first born was a very hairy baby with red hair and she named him Esau, which means "Hairy."  The second, or younger, brother was born quickly because he was holding on to his brother's heel, thus she named him Jacob, which means "Heel."  The two were as different as night and day, as God had said.  Esau was a Daddy's boy who loved hunting; Jacob was more a Momma's boy, quiet staying indoors, learning how to cook.  One day when Esau came home from hunting he was famished.  Jacob just happened to be cooking a nice stew, so he asked for a bowl of stew from his younger brother.  Jacob said, "I'll give you a bowl of red is you give me your birth right."  The hunger was more than he could stand, so Esau says, "I'm about to die, what good is a birthright, you can have it!"  And thus, the two nations were born.  From the same family.

The Bible is a very honest book.  As much as we'd love to read about the perfect family, we just can't find any.  The Adam's Family had the first murderer; the household with two sisters, Martha and Mary, had them fighting about housework and Sunday school; and the others we find aren't much better.  We can sigh and blame it to the human condition; but God sent Jesus to show us to rise above the excuse, "I'm only human," to the one we've studied about this week:  Where God's Holy Spirit is present, there is power to rise above the humanness that serves to bring us down and away from God.  God wants us near to Him, and so provided the Holy Spirit to guide us.  It may not be easy in some cases, but we still ask for love to share, and patience to endure; and God provides.

PRAYER:  Loving Heavenly Father, I pray for this dear reader and his/her family.  You know better than any what these dear souls face and fear; I pray for the presence and power of Your Holy Spirit to be within each of us to rise above what we can easily use as an excuse, that we are only human.  You want us to be divine, and so that is our prayer, in Christ Jesus' precious name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord.  Seek to be a great member of God's family by rising above!

Eradio Valverde

Has God Taken Up Residence in You?

Image from mybigsis.net

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do: by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and to deal with sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, so that the just requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For this reason the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law—indeed it cannot, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you. (Romans 8:1-11)

How does your body react when you hear the opening notes of the Chicken Dance?  The song popular some years ago, YMCA?  Or, the Latin-themed, Macarena?  If you're honest and like most, a part of you gets motivated to dance or laugh.  Several years ago while preaching on the Holy Spirit I asked those of our Winter Texan guests who liked to dance, to come forward and volunteer their expertise.  It was classic.  I had our sound guy play a CD that I had recorded with those songs, and the results were just as I had hoped.  And it was easier to make the point that when the Spirit moves us, it should do so with more power than any song.  Paul is making the case for this very thing without the aid of any music.  Paul knew the power of the Holy Spirit, and He knew the person of Jesus.  His first declaration is one we should recite every day:  "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.  Which means if we have asked Christ Jesus into our lives, the condemnation of sin has been removed.  The presence and power of the Holy Spirit allows us to live lives that bring honor and glory to God.  Our minds are set on the things of God and away from the former things that served only to bring us down into sin.  God has taken up residence in us and we should live lives that give proof of that. Our very actions should all give witness to life and away from the things of death.  Minds set on the earthy things are enemies of God; with God living in us we belong to God and act accordingly.  Resurrection power lives in us, and that same power give us life and the things we need to face life.

PRAYER:  Loving God, help me to move my life according to the prompting of Your Spirit.  I invite You in again this day into my heart, mind, and spirit.  Let the Resurrection power be mine as I face life and life's challenges.  This I pray in Christ Jesus' powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Move as the Spirit prompts you!

Eradio Valverde

If you haven't yet checked out my new blog on Questions Jesus Asked, here's that link:  

It's Harvest; Which Soil are You?

Image from agnusday.org

At about that same time Jesus left the house and sat on the beach.  In no time at all a crowd gathered along the shoreline, forcing him to get into a boat.  Using the boat as a pulpit, he addressed his congregation, telling stories.  As he scattered the seed, some of it fell on the road, and birds ate it.  Some fell in the gravel; it sprouted quickly but didn't put down roots,  so when the sun came up it withered just as quickly. Some fell in the weeds; as it came up, it was strangled by the weeds.  Some fell on good earth, and produced a harvest beyond his wildest dreams.  "Are you listening to this? Really listening?" "Study this story of the farmer planting seed. When anyone hears news of the kingdom and doesn't take it in, it just remains on the surface, and so the Evil One comes along and plucks it right out of that person's heart. This is the seed the farmer scatters on the road.  "The seed cast in the gravel - this is the person who hears and instantly responds with enthusiasm.  But there is no soil of character, and so when the emotions wear off and some difficulty arrives, there is nothing to show for it.  "The seed cast in the weeds is the person who hears the kingdom news, but weeds of worry and illusions about getting more and wanting everything under the sun strangle what was heard, and nothing comes of it.  "The seed cast on good earth is the person who hears and takes in the News, and then produces a harvest beyond his wildest dreams." (Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23)

Great preachers, inspired by Jesus, will share great stories and then leave them with us and it will strike us, "He/She was talking about me!"  Good, prayerful and reflective people may even say, "Ah, the problem is me!  What can I do about my situation so that I am no longer a part of the problem, but part of the power?"  Jesus is, in my opinion, the greatest preachers and teachers we can ever hope to study and emulate.  He was well aware of the spiritual problems in His days, and the main cause was that people did not believe themselves to be part of the problem; many had given up with the restrictive dos and don'ts of the day.  Worship attendance was not important for those who had given up, and now with so many listening, Jesus shares this powerful story of God's "Careless Extravagance" of grace.  Jesus knew God wants a relationship with all of us, and will go to all places and in many ways, share that invitation with us.  Many will hear it, but few will accept it or do anything about it.  Many will say, "He's not talking about me."

Where do we fall in the categories Jesus used?  Are you enthusiastic immediately, and then do nothing or abandon your enthusiasm when worries and challenges come?  Or are you one who hear and then worry and grand thoughts come about other physical things, and you do nothing?  Or, are you the one who hears and takes in that gracious invitation and then you go about doing what you know you should, and you bless God's work with a harvest greater than your wildest dreams?  Which do you think God wants?

If you're still thinking about that, stop and be honest.  What excuse do you know is just lame and serving nothing but to be a roadblock in your life for doing what God called you to do?  Throw that excuse away and receive God's love for you.  Let it soak into your very being, and then do something positive about it!

PRAYER:  Loving God, I want to be part of the power at work for good in the world.  I'm tired of doing nothing and letting others do what I should be doing.  Re-ignite in my the joy and passion that will produce.  This I pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord.  Do something for God today!

Eradio Valverde

The Lord is Gracious and Merciful

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The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. The Lord is good to all, and his compassion is over all that he has made. All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord, and all your faithful shall bless you. They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom, and tell of your power, to make known to all people your mighty deeds, and the glorious splendour of your kingdom. Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures throughout all generations. The Lord is faithful in all his words, and gracious in all his deeds. The Lord upholds all who are falling, and raises up all who are bowed down. (Psalm 145:8-14)

How I wish to say, "The Lord has never driven a car in Corpus/San Antonio/Austin/Houston/LA traffic; that's why He's gracious and merciful, and slow to anger!" But I won't. It's a reflection on my impatience in driving in those cities (and people wonder why we retired in Seguin!) And it also wouldn't be true; the Lord has driven my car many times and pulled me from situations that could have had some dangerous consequences. I honestly believe that, and I'm sticking to my story. The Lord provides a role model, albeit perfect and holy, that we should emulate; and He's a person whose story we should share both in our living and our telling. I thank God for being slow to anger and yet abounding in steadfast love. I want to be the same way. I want to be good to all, and to have a compassion that has no end. For now, as I walk with Him, I want to be part of the "works" that give thanks to God and those who bless Him. I do want God's story and love to be made known to all. And best of all, I want to be a part of those who through God, "raise up all who are bowed down." The Message version says it this way: "God gives a hand to those down on their luck, gives a fresh start to those ready to quit."

Dear friend, we cannot give up nor quit; God is too loving and powerful to let us fail in any aspect of our lives. One thing I have learned in my life and in my ministry is truly that God has the last word in all things. The giant Goliath went down by the hand of a little boy. Jonah should have died in the belly of that great fish. The little unnamed servant girl sent Naaman to the person who could heal him; and the seemingly filthy waters of that river healed him because of God's intervention. What script can we write for our lives that leaves God out? What bedtime reflection can be more honest if we don't mention what God did for us that day? God is not through in your life.

PRAYER: Loving God, keep writing on the pages of my life. What I do I consider a sure thing when I leave You out? I want You in my life and in my needs. Help me to be part of the chorus that praises You and gives honor and glory to Your name. This I pray in Christ Jesus' powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Tell somebody what God has done in your life!

Eradio Valverde

God Delivers!

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So he said, ‘I am Abraham’s servant. The Lord has greatly blessed my master, and he has become wealthy; he has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male and female slaves, camels and donkeys. And Sarah my master’s wife bore a son to my master when she was old; and he has given him all that he has. My master made me swear, saying, “You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I live; but you shall go to my father’s house, to my kindred, and get a wife for my son.”‘I came today to the spring, and said, “O Lord, the God of my master Abraham, if now you will only make successful the way I am going! I am standing here by the spring of water; let the young woman who comes out to draw, to whom I shall say, ‘Please give me a little water from your jar to drink,’ and who will say to me, ‘Drink, and I will draw for your camels also’—let her be the woman whom the Lord has appointed for my master’s son.”‘Before I had finished speaking in my heart, there was Rebekah coming out with her water-jar on her shoulder; and she went down to the spring, and drew. I said to her, “Please let me drink.” She quickly let down her jar from her shoulder, and said, “Drink, and I will also water your camels.” So I drank, and she also watered the camels. Then I asked her, “Whose daughter are you?” She said, “The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor’s son, whom Milcah bore to him.” So I put the ring on her nose, and the bracelets on her arms. Then I bowed my head and worshipped the Lord, and blessed the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me by the right way to obtain the daughter of my master’s kinsman for his son.Now then, if you will deal loyally and truly with my master, tell me; and if not, tell me, so that I may turn either to the right hand or to the left.’ And they called Rebekah, and said to her, ‘Will you go with this man?’ She said, ‘I will.’ So they sent away their sister Rebekah and her nurse along with Abraham’s servant and his men. And they blessed Rebekah and said to her,‘May you, our sister, become thousands of myriads; may your offspring gain possession of the gates of their foes.’ Then Rebekah and her maids rose up, mounted the camels, and followed the man; thus the servant took Rebekah, and went his way.Now Isaac had come from Beer-lahai-roi, and was settled in the Negeb.Isaac went out in the evening to walk in the field; and looking up, he saw camels coming. And Rebekah looked up, and when she saw Isaac, she slipped quickly from the camel, and said to the servant, ‘Who is the man over there, walking in the field to meet us?’ The servant said, ‘It is my master.’ So she took her veil and covered herself. And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done. Then Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent. He took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death. (Genesis 24:34-38, 42-49, 58-67)

We live about 14 miles from a huge Amazon.com Fulfillment Center.  Amazon.com, in case you're not familiar with them, are a huge online operation that sells everything.  I just read that Amazon.com sells 55% of the books bought in this country.  And living so close to the fulfillment center since we've moved here to Seguin, I've ordered stuff and it arrives the next day.  This is the company that is experimenting with drone delivery, and in some places there is same-day delivery.  The story for today reminded me of Amazon.com because of how God provided a wife for Isaac.  No, Amazon.com, as far as I now does not deliver brides nor grooms.  But, God delivers!  Sarah's death was a huge blow to Isaac, and to provide for his comfort and healing, God provided just the perfect mate for him.  Prayer, obedience, trust, and work were all involved in the working of God's plan for this young man.  The servant knew God and how God works and so his prayer at the beginning spells out what he was looking for in the finding of the right bride for his master.  Rebekah, in coming out to draw water for her family, responded with the right response of not only providing water for this servant, but the offer to water his camels as well.  "We have a winner!" thought the servant, and knew this was the woman of God's choosing for Isaac.

You and I have certainly had those sorts of answers to prayers, have we not?  God provides, and God delivers!  I love the many stories I have heard or read about, where at the last minute, God steps in with just what was needed in the life of those who have shared those with us.  And God has done the same for me, and I know for you as well.  Whatever need you may be facing today, it is in God's hands and God will provide.  We have but to ask.  We have to obey, and sometimes, we have to do our part and so some work as well, but God will provide, and God will deliver.

PRAYER:  Loving God, whatever may be in this dear reader's heart is before You, and we trust You will provide and You will deliver.  Help us to obey, to trust, and to do that which blesses You.  Thank You in advance for You great work in our lives; we pray this in Christ Jesus our Lord, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Perhaps, you have something to deliver for God?

Eradio Valverde

Who Will Rescue Us?

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I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree that the law is good. But in fact it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot do it. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me.So I find it to be a law that when I want to do what is good, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God in my inmost self, but I see in my members another law at war with the law of my mind, making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with my mind I am a slave to the law of God, but with my flesh I am a slave to the law of sin. (Romans 7:15-25a)

They say that one of the best tools to use in preaching, or sharing the Word of God, is to be honest and transparent in letting others know that which struggles one has in obeying and following the Lord.  And here, Paul is doing that in front of perhaps, his biggest audience, the Roman church.  He confesses that confusion is his when it comes to knowing and doing what is right in God's eyes.  The law defines the sin, and though he know in his mind what the sin is, his body does it anyway.  He's to the point of hating his own actions.  Sin is to blame, he says.  And in his honesty, he says "that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh."  Again, he knows what is right and can "will" himself to knowing what is right, but cannot do it.  It seems that his body continues to do the evil he does not want.  If we're honest, we should be identifying with that.  Paul doesn't name his sin, nor should we; God knows our sin and the evil we do/think/say in our lives.  We're at the point to ask, "Who will rescue us from this body of death?"  Jesus.  That's our answer.  It is only Jesus and our surrendering to Him that will allow us to be the persons we need to be.

Again, dear friend, we do not need to name our sin to anyone else, except Jesus.  Jesus knows us, cares for us, and loves us.  Jesus took our sin to the cross and there paid the price for it.  Ours is to receive God's grace to live the lives that Jesus wants us to live.  Through confession and surrender, we come to sanctification; that journey from where we used to live (sin, certain eternal death), to the road that leads to life in the fullest, and ultimately, to eternal life.  Isn't this a much better road on which to walk?

PRAYER:  Loving Father, we confess, like Paul, that we know what is right and what we should do, but many times we do not do it.  We confess further that like never before we need Jesus.  May Jesus take our sin and grant us the power of His Holy Spirit to do and live the things that please and bless You.  This we pray in HIs precious name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Walk with Jesus today as a surrendered soul to His love.

Eradio Valverde

Keeping Company with Jesus

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‘But to what will I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the market-places and calling to one another, “We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we wailed, and you did not mourn.” For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, “He has a demon”; the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, “Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax-collectors and sinners!” Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.’ At that time Jesus said, ‘I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.‘Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’ (Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30)

"Dime con quien andas, y te diré quien eres."  My mom used to say that often; "Tell me who your friends are, and I'll tell you who you are."  Sometime this past week, I hooked up the old VHS player and I found the Disney movie Pinocchio and watched it with Nellie and our granddaughter.  I had not seen it in years, but remembered its message almost immediately; Who you keep company with will determine who you are.  

Jesus, in the above passage, is a bit irked at the condition of humanity as He saw children at play.  Kids will often miss a lot of things about life because they're too busy playing or preoccupied with what pleases them. And this generation may be just as bad if not worse.  Can we not lift our heads up from our phones long enough to see what is going on around us?  The invitation from Jesus still holds, "Keep company with me, learn from me, and become the person the world needs to learn from and be blessed by.  The heaviness of life and expectations I can lift from you, and give you rest for your spirit; with me, life becomes a blessing."  

We do have a choice.  We can keep company with Jesus, or we can stay company with ourselves in ways that please only us.  We can learn from Jesus new and wonderful perspectives on life, or we will lose our way following what the world offers.

PRAYER:  Loving Father, bless us to be a blessing.  Help us to learn to keep company with You through Your Son, Jesus Christ, so that we can become like Him.  This we pray in Christ Jesus our Lord, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord.  Keep company with Jesus today, and all days.

Eradio Valverde

The Passwords of Praise!

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Your love, God, is my song, and I'll sing it! I'm forever telling everyone how faithful you are.  I'll never quit telling the story of your love - how you built the cosmos and guaranteed everything in it. Your love has always been our lives' foundation, your fidelity has been the roof over our world. You once said, "I joined forces with my chosen leader, I pledged my word to my servant, David, saying,  'Everyone descending from you is guaranteed life; I'll make your rule as solid and lasting as rock.'" Blessed are the people who know the passwords of praise, who shout on parade in the bright presence of God.  Delighted, they dance all day long; they know who you are, what you do - they can't keep it quiet! Your vibrant beauty has gotten inside us - you've been so good to us! We're walking on air! All we are and have we owe to God, Holy God of Israel, our King! (Psalm 89:1-4, 15-18)

I love passwords.  Only trouble is that I can't remember half of them!  I have most trouble with the most used ones, and I take for granted that my personal computer usually remembers them for me.  When I go to use one on a hotel computer, nada.  I can't remember it.  The psalmist is excited about God and God's love.  He's so excited, he's singing about God's love and telling whoever will listen, that God rocks!  God's faithfulness is worth singing about.  And it's a story we should never tire of telling.  God's love, as the psalmist sees it, is the foundation of our lives; God's fidelity is the roof over our world.  Quite an image, no?  And then, he uses the word passwords of praise to describe how those who are tuned into God already have access to God and because of that access are blessed and sing of that blessing.  

Remember the old game Password with Gene Rayburn?  The password guessed would lead to money,  but only the winner would get to keep the money won.  Passwords became popular with computers and having access to the computer itself or to programs, or to online services and apps; those who don't know the password can't get in.  And in the military, the password was the code that would mean life or death.  The great news is, again, that those who are tuned into God know the passwords of praise, and should be singing and telling about them to all who will listen.  They should join or form parades to declare the goodness of God.  It's so good, you can't help but dance with joy, and they surely cannot keep it quiet. God has been good to us and we should share with the world.

PRAYER:  Loving God, thank You for allowing all who seek You to have access to You.  Thank You also for allowing us to be in tune with You and to sing your praises.  Let us no longer keep quiet.  Let us sing with joy of Your love forever!  In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord.  Move around in praise and celebration; tell somebody of the goodness of God!

Eradio Valverde

God Sees To It!

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After these things God tested Abraham. He said to him, ‘Abraham!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’ He said, ‘Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt-offering on one of the mountains that I shall show you.’ So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac; he cut the wood for the burnt-offering, and set out and went to the place in the distance that God had shown him. On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place far away. Then Abraham said to his young men, ‘Stay here with the donkey; the boy and I will go over there; we will worship, and then we will come back to you.’Abraham took the wood of the burnt-offering and laid it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked on together. Isaac said to his father Abraham, ‘Father!’ And he said, ‘Here I am, my son.’ He said, ‘The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for a burnt-offering?’ Abraham said, ‘God himself will provide the lamb for a burnt-offering, my son.’ So the two of them walked on together. When they came to the place that God had shown him, Abraham built an altar there and laid the wood in order. He bound his son Isaac, and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to kill his son. But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, and said, ‘Abraham, Abraham!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’ He said, ‘Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.’ And Abraham looked up and saw a ram, caught in a thicket by its horns. Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt-offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place ‘The Lord will provide’; as it is said to this day, ‘On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.’ (Genesis 22:1-14)

This is a well known passage in the Bible.  But it troubles a lot of people to read or hear about it.  We have to realize that this passage from the first book of the Bible sets the stage for the greater thing God did in the New Testament.  It is a precursor to the story of Jesus.  Here's the story:  God loves Abraham and provided for he and Sarah in their old age the son God had promised to them.  And, then to prove Abraham's love, God asks Abraham to take his only son Isaac, whom God knew Abraham loved very much, and to offer him as a burnt-offering.  Remember the wages of sin is death, and the Old Testament people believed in offering up the lives of animals in their place; for it would be the life of the lamb that would take the sin away from its owner.  And here, in a land where child sacrifice was prevalent, God asks Abraham to do the same as his neighbors.  There is not written mention of what Abe thought about all of this.  You can probably provide your dialog; I know I can!  But overall, Abe is obedient to God.  Abe trusts God, and knows that God has always provided in the ways God had promised.  Though his pain was severe, he makes his way towards obedience and faithfulness.  One can only imagine every step was a slow, painful one.  It only got worse once he and the boy reached the place where God expected this sacrifice to take place.  To make matters worse, the boy asks, "Where's the lamb, dad?  I see the wood and the fire, but where the lamb who will die for this sacrifice?"  Ouch.  Abe responds, "God Himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son."  I would have probably muttered, "He better!"  But, Abe is obedient and reaches the place, builds the altar and sets the wood in place, then ties up his son and lays him on the wood and reaches up with his knife to sacrifice him.    It was then, at the last possible second, that God speaks through an angel and calls off Isaac's death. The message was received and God says, "now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me."  And there was the ram, caught in the thicket by the horns, and this was offered up as the sacrifice. And then Abe names that place, "God Sees to It" or "The Lord will provide."

God does provide.  Always.  Perhaps not in ways that we or the world would dictate, but we get what we need.  And not only according to our timing and our desires.  After all, it is God in charge, not us.  Alfred Lord Tennyson would write in "The Charge of the Light Brigade" a quote that someone twisted a bit, "Ours is not to reason why; ours is but to do and die," speaking of the soldier's charge to obey even unto death.  And though God has not taken away our reasoning abilities, some situations require obedience and trust more than knowing the why and when.  Answers will come later; but action must be taken to serve God.  We could sit for days and days after knowing what we are to do, and nothing would happen; answers come after actions are taken in trust and obedience to God.

What's God asked of you?  Where are you in completing that task?  What are you facing?  Have you stopped moving because you're not sure you should move?  You'll get more done, and you'll get your answer as you take action and do what is expected.

PRAYER:  Loving God, speak to our hearts.  Bless those who are in the midst of doubt or who have paused a little too long and now do not want to move forward.  Help us take action on that which blesses You and Yours.  This we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Keep moving!

Eradio Valverde

On the Journey Towards Sanctification?

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I am speaking in human terms because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to greater and greater iniquity, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness for sanctification.When you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.So what advantage did you then get from the things of which you now are ashamed? The end of those things is death. But now that you have been freed from sin and enslaved to God, the advantage you get is sanctification. The end is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:19-23)

As a boy I loved the journey from our home in Kingsville to our church, El Buen Pastor UMC.  We were a one-car family, dad used the car, so Mom and my grandmother would walk us wherever we needed to go.  The mid-point of the journey was to reach the railroad tracks and walk along them until we reached the street of the church, and then we would use the street to reach the church.  The tracks were the most exciting part of the trip.  I had played on the tracks since I had permission to leave the house.  I had placed pennies on the track or small nails, waited for the next train and then there was a squashed penny or smashed nail.  My mother warned me of me being on the track when a train came by.  Paul speaks to us about the journey of faith.  Until we met Christ, we were pretty much led by our natural desires and passions.  We gave no serious thought to consequences, and as Paul describes it, it's pretty much true, we were "slaves to impurity."  But that part of the journey ended when Christ changed our lives, entered our hearts and became our Lord and King.  Now, Paul says, we should be "slaves to righteousness for sanctification."  Sanctification should be the name of our journey.  Wesley says while we were lost, God's previenent grace was wooing us, seeking that right relationship with us; when we accepted God's offer through Christ, we were participants in justification, being made acceptable while unacceptable through Jesus.  And from that moment on, we walked with Christ on the sanctification journey; each day seeking to be closer to God than the day before, our goal being to be made perfect in love in this life through the help of our Lord, Jesus Christ.  We should know better than to play on the tracks when the train is coming; in the same way, Christ helps us stay away from that which can bring us shame and death; that's our advantage, we get sanctification.  With it, "the end is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is enteral life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

So, journey well my friend, holding on to Christ for He knows the way and we know Him.

PRAYER:  Loving God, thank You for all You have done for and through us, in Jesus Christ.  We want to journey with You on this path of sanctification. Let us be a blessing to You and Yours.  This we pray in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Stay off the "tracks!"

Eradio Valverde

And Sometimes We Laugh

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Then little children were being brought to him in order that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples spoke sternly to those who brought them; but Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.’ And he laid his hands on them and went on his way. (Matthew 19:13-15)

How I wish there was a simple verse that said, "Jesus laughed."  I've looked and looked.  There isn't one.  But as I thought about what could make Jesus laugh, I thought about the above passage.  After speaking on a subject that moved His emotions (read the entire chapter on your own), children are brought to Jesus for a blessing and His ever protective disciples want the children sent away.  Thankfully, Jesus overhears this exchange and says for the children to be brought to Him.  I thought about the number of children sermons I've done, and seen; not once have I seen the person sharing God's word with kids frown or do it angrily.  And, that's my prayer, Lord, I don't want to see that or be that person!  You always see them smile.  Some even laugh knowing that if a question is asked, no telling what sort of answer one will receive.  One child, during one of my children's sermon, before I even started said, "My daddy spanked me this morning!"  The church laughed, well, except for the Dad.  

Laughter has been called "The best medicine," and its special place in life is worth noting.  Laughter reminds us that even to the sometimes overly seriousness of life, we counter it with this expression of joy.  And those of us who have seen or experienced some difficult things, do find healing in laughter.  Laughter sometimes disarms those who mean us harm.  Laughter sometimes expresses the gratitude for an unexpected blessing.  Laughter connects us with children.  And, I believe laughter connects us with God.  It is easier to share God with those who have laughed and have been put at ease.  The late Zig Ziglar, noted speaker and author, used to tell his students that the best message would have humor every seven minutes.  

Dear one, as you reflect on your life and what may be ahead for you this week, think on Jesus and His love for life and His love for us.  Think of yourself as one of the children blessed by Him on that day.  Look at His face and try to imagine the huge smile or laugh as He picks you up and says things of God to you.  Yes, Jesus loves us that much.

PRAYER:  Lord, even in the darkest moments of life, shine Your smile on us and grant to us the calm and peace that is ours because of You.  Bless this dear reader in whatever she or he may be facing, and let the gift and healing of laughter come to them at the appropriate time.  Bless us especially when we think we cannot or should not, laugh.  This I pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day.  And laugh more today than ever!

Eradio Valverde

Sometimes We Cry

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Jesus wept.  (John 11:35)

This verse is perhaps the most famous and chosen back in the days of Sunday school and Bible memorization.  Usually our teacher would ask us to choose a verse from the Bible, memorize it and share it the next Sunday.  Some of the smarter kids would choose longer verses; the boys (usually) would giggle and shoot glances at one another and say almost laughingly, "Jesus wept."  And what does a kind, loving Sunday school teacher say or do?  "That's fine.  Thank you."  I now wondered how she felt about hearing that verse about four or five times in the same class?

Crying is the one emotion most of us try to hide.  It's the one addressed by some cultures as not being a part of true manhood, as in "Los hombres no lloran."  (Men don't cry); yet, as I have shared, I saw my dad cry and cry hard; sob might be a better word.  Crying is an expression of an emotion that cannot be held inside, and spiritually, I believe if sighing, as Romans says, is a form of prayer, crying is a sung expression of deep feelings that say to God, "I cannot handle this, I don't know what to do, but I know Who I can turn to, and that is You.  Take my hand, my heart, and just hold me."  And crying is usually the first step towards healing and coping.  Notice that the shortest verse in the Bible, according to King James' bible, contains two words; Jesus and wept.  Jesus, the symbol of salvation, hope, and all that could be good and strong in the world; and wept, which some take as a form of surrender or weakness.  Some have questioned why the Man who can restore life, cried at the end of the life of someone.  Remember, that Jesus was fully human as well as fully God, and few other verses show the connection that God has with our situation than to express His emotions because He knows how we feel.  Lazarus had died.  Jesus knew that, but as He is surrounded by people whom He loved and they are crying, Jesus cried too.  What a connection God desires to have with you and me!

I will always remember a young man with political ambitions at my university.  I would see him every morning and he would always ask, "How are you?"  He was known by almost all students as the guy who asked that question.  And what would everyone say to him?  "I'm fine."  Most were not.  The stress of college life, finances, food, friends, the big life-decisions were looming; and as fast as this guy walked and as soon as he asked the question, he would respond, "That's great!"  Many were the times my friends would say, "We can't tell him, 'Oh, man, I can't face this any longer!'" He would be almost of range and we'd hear, "That's great!"  God is not like that and though our prayers may say, "God, I'm fine," God knows better.  Look at the graphic for today.  The word says FINE, but it is made up of the truth we hold inside:  Notice the first word is "crying," followed by a list of things that can make us cry:  depressed, hurt, frustrated, disgusted, disheartened, rejected, misunderstood, bitter, and broken.  What a list, but what a life that sometimes brings these to us.  We have Jesus.  Jesus understands and He wept.  Sometimes we have to as well.  Read the words of the psalmist who wrote, "You (God) have collected all my tears in Your bottle.  You have recorded each one in your book."

PRAYER:  Loving Father, you know best what we hold inside and why sometimes we cry.  We surrender to You in hope of being held, loved, and comforted.  We know You will sustain us and guide us to a deeper life as we move forward with You.  I pray an extra special blessing on those reading this who have been crying; especially those who have hidden it from others.  Comfort them in a mighty way; in Jesus' name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord.  Cry if you need to.  But cry with hope.

Eradio Valverde

Sometimes We Are Afraid

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For this reason I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands; for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline. (2 Timothy 1: 6-7)

Our oldest granddaughter, Saraí Evangelina, 10, is staying with us.  Last night Nellie went in and prayed with her, and I went in after.  I like to share a story with her from the Bible and she is a brilliant girl with a great grasp of all that we have shared with her.  Last week I started to share the story of David and Goliath, but grandpa had to go back to Samuel and his call.  I tried to catch up last night and I think I did too good a job of making Goliath scarier than I should have.  "If Goliath would try to get into this room, he'd have to kneel down and crawl in; and once he stood up he would hit his head on the ceiling!"  Great, grandpa.  I spoke of the power of God and how David knew how to access it and overcome all enemies that he encountered.  I prayed, turned out the light, went to bed.  This morning as I'm making my way through the mountain of boxes to my home study, I see that Saraí slept with the light on.  I felt bad.  But, you know, sometimes we are afraid. Some things scare us and make us wonder of possible outcomes.  And it is okay to tell God, "God, I'm afraid!"  And sometimes we can call on someone we trust and share with them our feelings of fear.  I have shared how two dear colleagues in ministry facing early death from cancer, both called, and both said in the same words, "I'm afraid."  

Paul knew fear, but he also knew Christ.  His life story was one death scare after another, and his end here on earth would have frightened any one.  But listen to the words he shares with young Timothy.  And I encourage you to read the entire first chapter, for in it he reminds Timothy of his family member Eunice and her faith.  The Message version for verse six says, "Keep that fire of faith ablaze" meaning remember what you received from Jesus and still claim it and use it.  At your baptism, someone laid hands on you and you were blessed by God Himself.  And when you do remember that, know this:  God does not give out the spirit of fear (cowardice); God gives out these three things; 1) A spirit of power. What words come to mind when you think of power?  Strength.  Victory.  Overcoming.2) A spirit of love. It's hard to go up against love.  Love conquers all is the saying we've heard, also, "And the greatest of these is love."  3)  Self-discipline.  The power of self-control; other versions say "a sound mind," meaning that along with power and love, it helps to keep all in perspective.

In other words, dear friend, what can possibly come against that would defeat us?  If we believe God as Paul did, the answer is nothing.

PRAYER:  Loving God, bless this dear reader in the struggles of today.  Yes, we sometimes get afraid and wonder about our finances, our health, our family, our friends; but Lord we ask that we keep burning brightly and strongly, the fire of faith that You have given us along with those three special gifts of power, love, and self-discipline.  May those bless us in ways that glorify You.  I also ask a special prayer for Rev. Bill Henderson as he recovered from unexpected surgery last night.  We pray that full strength be his and You bring him back to wholeness.  This we pray in Christ Jesus' awesome name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord.  Live an undefeated life today.  Tackle your problems head on!

Eradio Valverde

Prayer Update:  Rev. Bill Henderson had an appendectomy last night close to 11 p.m.  He knew from early morning this was coming and he had to wait until that hour for it to be removed.  The surgery took longer than expected, but he is out and resting in his room.  Please continue to pray for Bill throughout the day.

The Hard Part of the Passage

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‘Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father,and a daughter against her mother,and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and one’s foes will be members of one’s own household. Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me.Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. (Matthew 10:34-39)

A dear reader of this devotional pointed out that most preachers ignore this part of the larger passage for this coming Sunday.  Another dear reader pointed out that I was ahead; he was right.  I don't know how that happened; goes to show what happens when humans try to share God's word.  So, I will address the "hard part of the passage."  It is confusing at first reading.  How can the Prince of Peace say He did not bring peace, but a sword?  What I believe Jesus is saying is what we should already know; it is not easy bring a disciple.  And Jesus is bring honest that sometimes we will find that in our homes there will be those opposed to a full commitment to Jesus Christ.  While a campus minister, a young man came to Jesus through our ministry.  He got excited about Jesus and went home and tried to tell his mother.  She was furious!  This young man had his own church and how could he say he now had faith?!  She forbid him to continue attending our Bible studies and events.  So, the young man would tell his mother he was going to a dance, and she okayed that.  In truth, he was coming to our events.  There have been others that have told their parents they felt a calling into ministry only to have one of them say, "Lord, forbid!"  (You can't make this stuff up!).  But, these two, of many, illustrations show exactly what Jesus was talking about.  Some people are okay with wearing the label of being a Christian, but to say that one will abandon plans for a secular career for a spiritual one, will cause some division in their home.  A dear friend, successful in law, had his wife leave him when he said God called him into ministry.  She said she was called to marry a lawyer and left him for a lawyer.  You may have your own story of how your inner peace came with a price of discomfort or worse within your own family.

Jesus says to be worthy of Him means to love Him above anyone or anything else.  And that includes fathers and mothers, sons and daughters.  And that also includes taking up the cross and following Him.  The cross will mean the insults, the criticisms, the setbacks, the denials, the rejections that come to those who follow Jesus more than they follow the world.  And is it worth it?  You know it is!  So much so, that Jesus says, "Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it."  Is it worth it?  Is it worth dying and spending eternity separated from God simply because you wanted a few years of peace here?  It's a decision we all have to make.

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, we trust in You and we want to follow and serve You.  Guide me to a discipleship that puts You above all else.  Help me to share Your love in a way that convinces the world that fleeting things don't last, but Your love does.  This I pray in Christ Jesus' name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Love Jesus today in a way that shows where He stands in your life!

Eradio Valverde