Thanksgiving: Giving and Receiving with a Thankful Heart

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Remember: A stingy planter gets a stingy crop; a lavish planter gets a lavish crop. I want each of you to take plenty of time to think it over, and make up your own mind what you will give. That will protect you against sob stories and arm-twisting. God loves it when the giver delights in the giving. God can pour on the blessings in astonishing ways so that you're ready for anything and everything, more than just ready to do what needs to be done.  As one psalmist puts it, He throws caution to the winds, giving to the needy in reckless abandon. His right-living, right-giving ways never run out, never wear out.  This most generous God who gives seed to the farmer that becomes bread for your meals is more than extravagant with you. He gives you something you can then give away, which grows into full-formed lives, robust in God,  wealthy in every way, so that you can be generous in every way, producing with us great praise to God.  Carrying out this social relief work involves far more than helping meet the bare needs of poor Christians. It also produces abundant and bountiful thanksgivings to God.  This relief offering is a prod to live at your very best, showing your gratitude to God by being openly obedient to the plain meaning of the Message of Christ. You show your gratitude through your generous offerings to your needy brothers and sisters, and really toward everyone.  Meanwhile, moved by the extravagance of God in your lives, they'll respond by praying for you in passionate intercession for whatever you need. Thank God for this gift, his gift. No language can praise it enough! (2 Corinthians 9:6-15 The Message Bible)

As we sit down this coming week to give thanks, be mindful of all God has shared with us.  If we're honest, it would take a long time to record all things that we have because of God's lovingkindness.  But, we should also know that in giving, we are being blessed. The version of the passage above in more recognizable versions has that phrase we hear often:  "Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."  But, we need to hear what comes after it:  "And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work. As it is written,‘He scatters abroad, he gives to the poor; his righteousness endures for ever.’ He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way for your great generosity, which will produce thanksgiving to God through us," and it follows the graphic I shared with you this morning, The Cycle of Grace Giving, which proves what I have said also, "We can never outgive God!"  The more we give, the more it seems we receive, and praise God for that!

That first meal that brought about images of natives and pilgrims sharing together, was precisely of what God shared with each and how each was able to share with one another, and once seated, they were able to return thanks to God; He is the source of all of our blessings.

PRAYER:  Loving God, thank You!  As I prepare and join those preparing meals and times with family and loved ones, let me not forget You are the Source, the provider of all good things, and to You we should return our thanks and praise.  Keep us mindful of those who do not have those with whom they can sup, or not have anything to eat; give us generous and thankful hearts to share with them.  In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Share your attitude of gratitude today!  Use money or food to do it if necessary.

Eradio Valverde 

God Deserves our Thanks!

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For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, a land with flowing streams, with springs and underground waters welling up in valleys and hills, a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and honey, a land where you may eat bread without scarcity, where you will lack nothing, a land whose stones are iron and from whose hills you may mine copper. You shall eat your fill and bless the Lord your God for the good land that he has given you. Take care that you do not forget the Lord your God, by failing to keep his commandments, his ordinances, and his statutes, which I am commanding you today. When you have eaten your fill and have built fine houses and live in them, and when your herds and flocks have multiplied, and your silver and gold is multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied,then do not exalt yourself, forgetting the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, who led you through the great and terrible wilderness, an arid waste-land with poisonous snakes and scorpions. He made water flow for you from flint rock, and fed you in the wilderness with manna that your ancestors did not know, to humble you and to test you, and in the end to do you good. Do not say to yourself, ‘My power and the might of my own hand have gained me this wealth.’ But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, so that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your ancestors, as he is doing today. (Deuteronomy 8:7-18)

This nation is gearing up to have a big holiday on Thursday.  It is a day to give thanks.  And it is to God to Whom we give those thanks.  It becomes easy to get caught up on the food; some even jokingly call Thursday, "Turkey day," because that is what is on most menus, and I would be the first to confess that if a big dead bird isn't on the platter on our table, I may feel a little cheated.  I've shared how in 1963, the death of President Kennedy triggered, I believe, the death of my great-aunt, Paulina Martinez. She was my grandma sister, but we loved and adored her.  She lived in McAllen, and once a year would make a trip to visit my grandma and us, and we knew her as the Frito lady, who would sit right behind the bus driver and eat a huge bag of Fritos, which she secretly brought for us kids to finish.  She was buried almost immediately in McAllen and by Thanksgiving Day we were back on the road to Kingsville.  At about noon time, we pulled over to the road side park one gets to after the Border Checkpoint and there my mom pulled out a loaf of white bread, bologna, cheese, mayonnaise, chips and soft drinks, and announced that was our Thanksgiving meal.  What?!  I asked, as most ten year olds would, "This can't be our Thanksgiving meal, there's no turkey!"  She laughed and said we would have it the next day, and that calmed me down.  

I had not yet read nor understood the above passage, the recommended Old Testament passage for Thanksgiving Day.  It is a call to remembrance of all the good God has done in our lives and the way we are to be thankful for that.  I love the verse that says, "Take care that you do not forget the Lord your God, by failing to keep His commandments, his ordinances, and His statutes, which I am commanding you today.  When you have eaten your fill (and who among us is not set to do just that in a couple of days?)...then do not exalt yourself, forgetting the Lord your God..." who has provided all that we have.  Our remembrance extends to the days yet to come, for the Lord our God has been, is, and will be, good.

PRAYER:  Loving God, as I meditate on this passage, I am thankful for all You have provided.  Forgive me of those times I have focused more on things than on You.  May we prepare to celebrate our meal with grateful hearts and joyous spirits.  This we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Share your attitude of gratitude with others!

Eradio Valverde

From "Once Upon a Time" to "Kingdom Come"

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God, it seems you've been our home forever;  long before the mountains were born, Long before you brought earth itself to birth, from "once upon a time" to "kingdom come" - you are God. So don't return us to mud, saying, "Back to where you came from!"  Patience! You've got all the time in the world - whether a thousand years or a day, it's all the same to you. Are we no more to you than a wispy dream, no more than a blade of grass  That springs up gloriously with the rising sun and is cut down without a second thought? Your anger is far and away too much for us; we're at the end of our rope. You keep track of all our sins; every misdeed since we were children is entered in your books.  All we can remember is that frown on your face. Is that all we're ever going to get?  We live for seventy years or so (with luck we might make it to eighty), And what do we have to show for it? Trouble. Toil and trouble and a marker in the graveyard.  Who can make sense of such rage, such anger against the very ones who fear you? Oh! Teach us to live well! Teach us to live wisely and well! Come back, God - how long do we have to wait? - and treat your servants with kindness for a change.Surprise us with love at daybreak; then we'll skip and dance all the day long. Make up for the bad times with some good times; we've seen enough evil to last a lifetime. Let your servants see what you're best at - the ways you rule and bless your children. And let the loveliness of our Lord, our God, rest on us, confirming the work that we do. Oh, yes. Affirm the work that we do! (Psalm 90:1-17)

This has been a very special week for me, and for my wife, Nellie.  We have been on a renewal retreat with Rev. & Mrs. Bill (Jody) Henderson on Galveston Island.  Bill invited me to join him on a birding photography shoot.  It was educational, relaxing, and work!  Had someone told the young Eradio back in the days of Kingsville that at my age now I would be shooting birds I might have replied, "What kind of gun will I be using?"  I was a bird shooter one I knew how to use weapons.  My grandfather Carlos taught me how to make my own slingshots, and that was it for many birds.  Then one Christmas, like the boy in Christmas Story, I got my own BB gun, and more birds hit the dust.  Not a very pleasant "once upon a time" part of my life.  I did have that moment when standing on my street, Avenue A in Kingsville, I saw something hopping in the alley and I shot at it.  I saw that I hit it, and I ran over to see what it was that I had killed.  It was a bird.  I threw down my gun and swore that would be the last thing I ever killed.  I was convicted of my actions and I asked for forgiveness.  This week showed me how beautiful God has made so many different birds.  Leaving our hotel at 7 we would drive to spots where people had reported different birds, and we would drive or walk towards those places.  If you are on FaceBook, you may have seen some of the shots I took this week, and if you are not part of my group, Morning Walk, please email me and I will add you to that Facebook group to see some of the pictures I was able to take.  Bill was most patient in lending me a lens and helping me learn settings for taking these pictures.  From lunch time on, we were tourists on this historic and interesting island, and we ate at some of the best places in the state.  (Pray for me as I have a doctor's appointment on Monday and I may have to account for my wellbeing!)

This psalm continues the Lectionary readings for this week, all centered on our giving account to God of how we have lived our lives, what we have done, what we have given back, and how we have shared our faith. The time spent in silence among nature has reinforced my faith that says I  have lived in God as my home.  God's faithfulness has never diminished, and God's mercy is still the same when we ask for forgiveness. God does keep track of our sins, "every misdeed since we were children is entered in Your books," but those can be erased upon request.  We can, and should start and end each day with a clean slate as we begin and end our days in prayer.  God has taught us to live wisely and well and we should invite the Lord to be at our side at all times.  May we always affirm the work God is doing among us, so that God will affirm our work for Him.

PRAYER:  Awesome God, for all You have shared, we are thankful.  Your beauty, Your creation, all that we have seen and appreciated this week has blessed our lives.  We pray for Your continued presence and peace in our lives, so that we may bless others.  This we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Show your love for God to somebody today!

Eradio Valverde

PS:  My appreciation to Rev. Bill Henderson for this week.  He has been my partner in Christ for many years starting way back in our early days in ministry.  Bill served on my board of directors when I was a campus ministry and helped open doors for my ministry in Southwest Texas Conference.  Thanks for being patient and funny always.  Thanks to Jody for the time you spent with Nellie this week.  It was a relaxing week for us both, and we are blessed!  Thanks to Pastor Matt Pennington for his gracious spirit in understanding my needs and commitments; I am blessed to work alongside him at this stage of my ministry!  And thank you readers for your faithfulness and understanding.  Being in a hotel with a fickle internet resulted in a partial ConCafe yesterday,  which thankfully I caught and was able to send a complete second edition.  The same thing happened today, but I was aware today that "Oops something went wrong" means to check the internet connection and connect again.  Love to you all!

God's Judgment Day

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Be silent before the Lord God! For the day of the Lord is at hand;the Lord has prepared a sacrifice, he has consecrated his guests. At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and I will punish the people who rest complacently on their dregs, those who say in their hearts,‘The Lord will not do good, nor will he do harm.’ Their wealth shall be plundered, and their houses laid waste.Though they build houses,  they shall not inhabit them;though they plant vineyards, they shall not drink wine from them. The great day of the Lord is near, near and hastening fast;the sound of the day of the Lord is bitter,  the warrior cries aloud there.  That day will be a day of wrath, a day of distress and anguish,a day of ruin and devastation, a day of darkness and gloom,a day of clouds and thick darkness,  a day of trumpet blast and battle cry against the fortified cities and against the lofty battlements. I will bring such distress upon people that they shall walk like the blind; because they have sinned against the Lord, their blood shall be poured out like dust, and their flesh like dung. Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to save them  on the day of the Lord’s wrath; in the fire of his passion the whole earth shall be consumed; for a full, a terrible end he will make of all the inhabitants of the earth. (Zephaniah 1:7 12-18) 

Some parents say and raise their kids to be happy.  My dad said and raised us to be good.  And usually those who say as my Dad, really mean it and expect more from their children.  I am a graduate of Belt High and belt low.  Yes, my Dad spanked us.  His warning on the first day of school echoed what we already knew; "You misbehave in school and get a paddling, you'll get another one when you get home!"  Gulp.  And Dad would not tolerate misbehavior in church either.  It was bad enough we had been drug (my "drug" problem) to church, once there we had to behave.  And, you have to remember, for some kids, that's just impossible.  I had friends.  I liked to laugh.  Put the two together and you're talking about a spanking after church.  Oh, how I would pray!  "Dear Lord, let the blessings of the rest of this worship service to permeate the heart of my father that he will forget that I misbehaved during worship time! Amen."  And, on some very rare occasions, he forgot.

The passage above reminded me of that but makes clear that God is a serious God.  He's a loving God and provides for us, but demands from us that which lifts high His name throughout the earth.  In other words, the day is coming when we will be held accountable for all of our actions, especially those for which we have not asked forgiveness.  For the ancient Jew, this meant utter destruction of all they knew because of how we would be judged.  This image of God taking a lamp to search Jerusalem means we won't be able to hide, not conceal our sins from God.  And God's judgment will take place.  The Good News?  We will escape the judgment through Jesus Christ, Who will be our advocate.  If we have a relationship with Jesus as our Lord and Savior, it will be Jesus who will speak up on our behalf and declare us innocent.  You think getting a warning from a police officer instead of a ticket feels good?  Imagine hearing Jesus say, (your name) is innocent!"  And so it will be if we have invited Jesus into our lives and hearts and have made Him Lord and Savior of our lives.

What are you waiting for?  

PRAYER:  Loving God, this week has been a time of reminder about being ready, living right and in relationship with You; may it be so.  Come, Lord Jesus, into my heart and be my Lord and Savior.  This I ask in Thy name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Live a life that shows you belong to Jesus!

Eradio Valverde

Jesus is Coming! Be Ready!

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Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers and sisters, you do not need to have anything written to you. For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. When they say, ‘There is peace and security’, then sudden destruction will come upon them, as labour pains come upon a pregnant woman, and there will be no escape! But you, beloved, are not in darkness, for that day to surprise you like a thief; for you are all children of light and children of the day; we are not of the night or of darkness. So then, let us not fall asleep as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober; for those who sleep sleep at night, and those who are drunk get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, and put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. For God has destined us not for wrath but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep we may live with him.Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing. (1 Thessalonians 5:1-11)

Years ago, Nellie was teaching a Sunday school class with small children.  One of the boys in her class excitedly starting yelling,, "Jesus is coming!  Jesus is coming!  Get the classroom clean!"  My wife smiled and wondered what he was looking at, and so she also looked out the second floor window of the classroom and she saw that I was coming towards the building.  She relayed the story to me and we both laughed; one of the few times I have been mistaken for Jesus!  But we had already noted that a lot of the children did refer to me as Jesus since I was the one usually in the robe preaching up front.

The writer of the epistle is also excited about Jesus' return.  He is a firm believer in what we say every time we celebrate Holy Communion.  "Christ is dead.  Christ is risen.  Christ will come again."  And indeed, that is our faith.  The writer's reminder is for us to continue strong and active in our faith.  At no point can we comfortably say, "I"ve done all I can, this is as ready as I'm going to be."  The right statement even on our death bed should be, "Lord, what more can I do?"  The required dress for our work as believers?  He says the assurance of faith as our breastplate, for indeed most of our work is warfare against the devil, and the helmet of salvation.  Paul intended this to mean that our every thought should be protected by the assurance of our salvation before the Lord.  With a helmet of salvation, no evil thought or temptation should enter it.  We should never let our guard down, for our enemy is strong.

Notice how important encouragement is to the believer.  Most think that ministry or good works done for the Lord should go unnoticed or unthanked, but the opposite is true; share a word of thanks or encouragement for those who labor among us.  Have you thanked your Sunday school teacher?  Your choir director?  Organist/pianist?  Your pastor?  Your associate pastor?  Your ushers?  These merit a word of thanks for what they do, so they can continue doing more and doing it with joy.

PRAYER: Loving Father, for those who labor among us, thank You!  May I express my encouragement to them as soon as I can.  May I also be encouraged to stay strong in my battle against evil and temptation.  I want my faith made stronger, and the conviction of my right standing (salvation) with You to be ever in my mind.  This I pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Say thanks or good job to someone serving the Lord today!

Eradio Valverde

The Parable of the Talents

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 ‘For it is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them; to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.The one who had received the five talents went off at once and traded with them, and made five more talents. In the same way, the one who had the two talents made two more talents. But the one who had received the one talent went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. After a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. Then the one who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five more talents, saying, “Master, you handed over to me five talents; see, I have made five more talents.” His master said to him, “Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.” And the one with the two talents also came forward, saying, “Master, you handed over to me two talents; see, I have made two more talents.” His master said to him, “Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.” Then the one who had received the one talent also came forward, saying, “Master, I knew that you were a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed; so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.” But his master replied, “You wicked and lazy slave! You knew, did you, that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him, and give it to the one with the ten talents. For to all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. As for this worthless slave, throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 25:14-30)

The young pastor was asked by a group from the choir to please meet with one particular member because in their opinion, his singing ability was nonexistent.  This troubled the young pastor pastor much, and after much prayer and reflection, took the man to coffee.  "Bill, there's no easy way to say this, but there's a group in the choir that says you can't sing."  The man sipped his coffee and smiled, and then replied, ""Don't worry about it preacher, that's probably the same group that says you can't preach!"

God has given to all of us talents and abilities of many kinds.  The question in God's mind is are you using the talents to grow the kingdom?  The story as told by Jesus, concerns a man, wealthy obviously, who, as he prepares to journey, calls his slaves together and hands to each of them different sums of money (or talents).  To one he gives five talents, to another two, and to the last, one.  Notice that Jesus say these were given based on their ability.  The man goes on his journey, and the servants go and do their thing with what was given to them.  The one with five had the ability to make more and so ends up with five additional talents.  The one with two, made two more.  But the fellow with one goes and digs a hole in the ground and hides his master's money.  After a long while, the master returns and settles accounts with them.  The one with five comes and reports he has doubled his money and now has five talents.  The master is proud and easy, "All done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.  The same is repeated with the second slave, for he has doubled his money and again he hears, "Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.  Then the time comes for the one with one to come forward and says that he has not done a thing to earn more, rather out of fear for the master, hid the money.  He hears these words, "You wicked and lazy slave!  You know, did you, that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter?"  The least you could have done was to have invested with bankers and that way I would have what I left with you along with some interest.  So, the master orders, take this talent from him, and give it to the one who has ten talents.  "For to all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away."  And he orders the slave thrown into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

What Jesus is trying to teach us is that whatever God has given us that we count as an ability should be used to reach others.  It will involve risk and sacrifice, but it will be worth it as we see God's kingdom grow. God has given us all that we need, including the life of His only Son, Jesus, as an investment in our wellbeing both now and in the future; what have we done in return?  At the very least our gratitude towards God should have motivated us to do something for God's kingdom.  And as the saying goes, a talent is a worthless thing if not used.  Whatever God has invested in us should use it to glorify God and to grow the kingdom.  It may be making a joyful noise, or teaching a noisy class of junior high kids; it may be the discovery later in life that God wants you to preach; whatever it is, trust the Lord and hone your talent and help bring people to Jesus.

PRAYER:  Loving God, thank You for the investment You've made in my life.  Help me to discover, develop and deploy my talents to glorify You.  Let me be a blessing to You is my prayer, and I lift it up in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Make a joyful noise!

Eradio Valverde

Do the Little Ones Know About God?

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Give ear, O my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old, things that we have heard and known, that our ancestors have told us. We will not hide them from their children; we will tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders that he has done. In the sight of their ancestors he worked marvels in the land of Egypt, in the fields of Zoan. He divided the sea and let them pass through it, and made the waters stand like a heap. In the daytime he led them with a cloud, and all night long with a fiery light. He split rocks open in the wilderness,and gave them drink abundantly as from the deep. He made streams come out of the rock, and caused waters to flow down like rivers. (Psalm 78:1-4, 12-16)

We are, on paper, the most connected generation ever.  With what once was an awesome invention for talking and sharing with others far away, has now made us the most disconnected people ever.  The smart phone has made us dumb; dumb to each other that is.  Don't get me wrong, I'm not throwing away my phone nor should you, but think about what we are missing out on.  I've seen it in restaurants, cafes, even my home, people seated next to each other, not looking at one another, but staring at a tiny screen, some typing on it, some reading from it, some laughing at silly pictures someone has sent them.  There are some living even now that can remember a day without telephones.  For the first six or so years of my life, we had no phone.  My best friend and I could shriek a sound that was as close as we could come at that age to whistling "Come over!"  And when I went over, or he came over, we would talk.  Mostly nonsense, sometimes serious stuff about life, but we were connected in that way.  At supper time, my mother's voice could carry throughout the neighborhood and most knew when it was time for Junior to come and eat.  At meal time we had to share about our day, especially school, who are friends were, what they were like, and we were connected in that way.  We prayed before we ate, not a long theological treatise on thanksgiving, but a prayer of gratitude. And we would go to Sunday school; there was no option.  We learned from our teachers things about God, and later at home if questions about God came up, we could ask our parents.  

The psalmist is saying we need to continue that.  The things of God should never die in our hearts nor lives.  The things God has done for us we should tell our children.  Honest recounts of struggles and conflicts that God helped us through, and how those make up the fabric of who we are, why we are, and Whose we are. It will bless their lives and keep the faith alive.  And to add to the story, as the psalmist did, tell the stories found in the Bible about how God acted on our behalf in the Exodus, the birth of Jesus, His life, death, and resurrection.  And we can still enlist the help of the church through Sunday school, small groups, youth group, Bible studies, etc.  As God gave the Israelites abundant drink, so can God give us and ours, that drink from the deep waters of abundant life.

PRAYER:  Loving God, bless *|FNAME|* with rich blessings today.  May *|FNAME|* and those around know of how much You love us.  This I pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Tell Someone about God's great love!

Eradio Valverde

As For Me and My House, We Will Serve the Lord!

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Then Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and summoned the elders, the heads, the judges, and the officers of Israel; and they presented themselves before God. And Joshua said to all the people, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Long ago your ancestors—Terah and his sons Abraham and Nahor—lived beyond the Euphrates and served other gods. Then I took your father Abraham from beyond the River and led him through all the land of Canaan and made his offspring many. I gave him Isaac; ‘Now therefore revere the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness; put away the gods that your ancestors served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. Now if you are unwilling to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served in the region beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.’ Then the people answered, ‘Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods; for it is the Lord our God who brought us and our ancestors up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, and who did those great signs in our sight. He protected us along all the way that we went, and among all the peoples through whom we passed; and the Lord drove out before us all the peoples, the Amorites who lived in the land. Therefore we also will serve the Lord, for he is our God.’ But Joshua said to the people, ‘You cannot serve the Lord, for he is a holy God. He is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions or your sins. If you forsake the Lord and serve foreign gods, then he will turn and do you harm, and consume you, after having done you good.’And the people said to Joshua, ‘No, we will serve the Lord!’ Then Joshua said to the people, ‘You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the Lord, to serve him.’ And they said, ‘We are witnesses.’ He said, ‘Then put away the foreign gods that are among you, and incline your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.’ The people said to Joshua, ‘The Lord our God we will serve, and him we will obey.’ So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and made statutes and ordinances for them at Shechem. (Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25)

Do you remember 40 years ago, if you're that old?  I do, very clearly, because I was about to marry the love of my life.  What about you?  Has a lot happened since that time?  Of course it has.  Imagine Joshua's words to a group that has been on the march for 40 years in the wilderness, being slowly formed into God's people, led on by the hope and vision of a Promised Land.  They encountered many people who joined them or who mocked and fought them; some even brought along their gods with them and even though the saw the hand and presence of God, believed in their gods.  So, this is a commitment day for God's people.  Joshua, heir to the leadership role of Moses puts it to them straight; We must decide today, who we belong to.  If it's God, then with all our sincerity and faithfulness we must serve Him.  We must also put aside all the trivial things that have tried to take God's place in our hearts and lives.  Put God first!  You're free to choose and you can decide to serve the god with the little g, your family, your passion, your spouse; whatever or whoever that may be, (Hear Joshua's words loud and clear said with full conviction) "But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord."  Boom.  The folks were stirred up and yelled, "Yes, yes, He is our God."  Then Joshua again says it straight:  "You cannot serve the Lord, for He is a holy God.  He is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions or your sin.  If you forsake the Lord and serve foreign gods, then He will turn and do you harm and consume you, after having done you good."  This was again, a reminder and call to remember all God had done for them, and to be sure, 100% sure that they wanted to follow and serve God.  The people said they were sure, and Joshua made a covenant with them that very day and set up statutes and ordinances for them at the site where they were, Shechem.

During the last forty years in our lives, much has happened.  Most have been awesome and unexpected, undeserved blessings.  Family members left this world to be with the Lord, and others have come to bless us richly.  In all of these experiences and events, God has been with us, just as God has been with you.  And guess what, it's not too late, if you've not yet said and lived this:  As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.  But mean it and live it.  God has brought you through a lot and there's a lot more to go; and we pray that it's even more awesome than you can even imagine.

PRAYER:  Loving God, thank You for the years we have lived.  For the good and the bad, through it all, you have been with us, loved and blessed us.  Help us to make today a renewed covenant with You that we will serve You in all ways.  It won't be easy, temptations will come to make us try to choose another way or another thing, but with Your help and strength, it will be You that we serve.  This we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Resolve to write it on a piece of paper, or the fogged mirror in your bathroom, and especially in your heart:  As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Prayer Update:  Thank you dear friends, for your prayers.  In what seems like a year in bed, I have been battling the flu.  Thankfully I saw our doctor early on and got on flu medication and my fever is gone and I'm feeling a lot better.  Still achy and weak, but overall stronger than two days ago.  I thank you for your patience in not getting a ConCafe yesterday, but onward and upward in Christ' name! 

The Dead in Christ Will Rise Again!

Image from youtube.com of a Dallas Holm song, Rise Again.

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who have died, so that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have died. For this we declare to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will by no means precede those who have died. For the Lord himself, with a cry of command, with the archangel’s call and with the sound of God’s trumpet, will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up in the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the air; and so we will be with the Lord for ever. Therefore encourage one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)

The Apostle Paul saw and heard things that he shared throughout his ministry here on the earth.  It was a needed message for many, especially those Christians who had lost loved ones to persecution and execution.  Their question was, "When is Jesus coming back?" Along with, "Why did my loved one have to die in this way?"  Paul shares the above passage so that believers would know in Whom they truly believe; Jesus the Christ, the author and perfecter of life, the giver of life eternal.  Paul knows that when the Lord returns, those who have died in Christ will accompany Him and we will see them, then we will be joined in the clouds with them, "and so we will be with the Lord for ever."  And the passage closes with, "Therefore encourage one another with these word."

With all the deaths we see on TV, or read about in news notices, there has to be an encouraging word.  The word is not easily accepted, especially by those parents who lost little children, or spouses, or parents; but the truth remains; we will see one another again.  Death is not the end.  Death is a part of life, and it is but a door that leads from this life to a better life.  

This past Sunday we remembered those who have died in the past year as part of our All Saints Day worship services; and the message is clear for those who have lost loved ones, the day will come when we will see our loved ones again.  For now, we have a story to share about Jesus, so that they may come to full knowledge of Him and His saving grace.  

PRAYER:  Loving Father, we pray again for those mourning and grieving.  Make clear the message from You that those who have died in You will rise again, and those of us alive in You will never die.  Bless me with encouragement and hope; and let it be something that we share with others.  We pray this in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Encourage one another about the promises of Jesus!

Eradio Valverde

Prayer Request:  I pray for yours truly as I'm fighting (again) a cold or allergies.  It's not fun, but your prayers will help.  May the Lord bless and keep you.

The Parable of the Foolish Five; Moral: Be Ready!

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‘Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a shout, “Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.”Then all those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish said to the wise, “Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.”But the wise replied, “No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.” And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut. Later the other bridesmaids came also, saying, “Lord, lord, open to us.” But he replied, “Truly I tell you, I do not know you.” Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour. (Matthew 25:1-13)

Jesus will come again.  It's something we read and declare every time we have Holy Communion.  If you were in church yesterday, you said it then.  "Christ will come again."  And so, as Jesus prepared His disciples for life without Him, He spoke about being ready for His second coming.  He used many stories and parables, and this one is in keeping with the Jewish traditions of marriage at that time.  The groom's ploy was to keep the guest and bridal party guessing as to his arrival.  The bridesmaid's job was to welcome him and light his way into the celebration hall.  Jesus' story tells of five of the bridesmaid's in His story as being wise, for they knew to have extra oil just in case the groom decided to delay his arrival.  The other five were so caught up with the excitement of being bridesmaids, they did not bring extra oil, and eventually fell asleep.  It was at midnight that the shout came that the bridegroom was coming and the bridesmaids needed to spring into action in welcoming the groom and lighting his way.  The foolish ones noticed their oil was low and their lamps would not last the night, and so they ran to buy some more.  While they were gone, the groom arrived, he and all enter the banquet room, and the doors to it are locked.  Later, the foolish five come and bang on the door asking to be let in.  The bridegroom replies he does not know them and does not let them in.  Jesus concludes the story with, "Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour."

In reading today's Upper Room, the writer shared how as a child, he had a lot of faith then, and as he grew older he sank into depression; but early one Monday morning he remembered a song sung in worship and that brought back memories of other songs and worship experiences that had blessed his life and had sustained him now that he needed faith more.  Jesus' point is not lost on us; we must stay ready and to do that we must stay connected with God.  Every moment spent in devotional reading, scripture reading, prayer, worship, communion, small groups; anything we do for the good of our souls, blesses us and keeps us ready.

Your heart and my heart are hurting from the news heard yesterday about the small church near us; First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs, Texas.  At 11:30, a gunman enters and kills 26, and wounds many more.  The thing we are called to do is to pray for those who survived, for those who lost loved ones, and for those working the scene to try to make sense of a senseless act of violence.  No explanation will make this any easier for those whose lives are forever changed.  Our prayers for the pastor and his wife, whom we understand were traveling, and they had left their 14 year old daughter behind, and she was one of the victims killed.  The days ahead will the most difficult in their lives for all concerned; prayer is the best resource we have to ask God's comfort and strength to be with them during these days.  

Live a life that is ready, and one that blesses others to be ready as well.  We trust in the Lord.

PRAYER:  Loving God, we lift our hearts to You.  We ask Your strength and comfort be with those hurting in all places, especially Sutherland Springs.  Guide those who are there helping the hurting, the doctors and surgeons working on the wounded, and especially those who are grieving and mourning, that they might be comforted.  May any distractions that come over debates about this or that, not stop the faithful from doing our job as believers; praying and offering comfort and support as You show us.  Bless our little ones, protect them and others.  We pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Our faith and trust are in the Lord Jesus.

Eradio Valverde

Prayer Update:  The Rev. Michael Dobbs, pastor of FUMC Mathis, underwent surgery to remove his dialysis port, which is a victory!  Please continue to pray for his cancer treatments that he defeat this disease!  We pray again for Mr. Doug Smith and his battle with cancer.  His radiation treatments are coming to an end soon, and we also pray for the victory over cancer.  Thank you for your faithfulness.

Lead a Life Worthy of God

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You remember our labor and toil, brothers and sisters; we worked night and day, so that we might not burden any of you while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. You are witnesses, and God also, how pure, upright, and blameless our conduct was towards you believers. As you know, we dealt with each one of you like a father with his children, urging and encouraging you and pleading that you should lead a life worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory. We also constantly give thanks to God for this, that when you received the word of God that you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word but as what it really is, God’s word, which is also at work in you believers. (1 Thessalonians 2:9-13)

Personal Privilege:  The Houston Astros are World Champs.  Have I, and most of you, been waiting a LONG time to say that!

At charge conferences we would read the names of those saints who had died since the last charge conference.  It was a very solemn moment and I would say that I knew of no other denomination that took time during a business session to remember with gratitude those who had died since the last meeting.  Then it occurred to me that I needed to ask the question:  Who is taking their place?  Not in the sense that our dear sisters and brothers could ever be replaced, but in the sense of whatever service they performed for the Lord, whatever task or office they held, were we finding those who could step in and continue the work of the Lord in our churches?  The answer was usually no one or not yet. This coming Sunday in our church we will be remembering the saints who have died the past year, and then later at our charge conference we will again read those names and Pastor Matt, our senior pastor, will say a prayer in remembrance of them.  And the question still stands:  Who will take their place?

A better question, based on today's passage from 1 Thessalonians is, "What am I doing, or what more could I do for the Lord Jesus Christ?"  Paul was a hardworking Christian person.  He says that he and those who accompanied him on his trips to share Jesus, "worked night and day, so that we might not burden any of you while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God."  It is known that Paul had acquired a skill at making tents and while in different cities, would work with tentmakers to support his work of sharing Jesus. He says that those who saw him and his companions knew them to be "pure, upright, and blameless" in their conduct towards others.  Paul encouraged them to be the same towards others.  The key verse for me is when Paul says, "You should lead a life worthy of God."  So, two questions for us today:  Are we doing something/enough for God's work; and are we leading a life worthy of God?

As you go about your day today, pause and pray, "Lord, am I doing all that I can for You?  And, have my words and actions today said that which bring You honor?"

PRAYER:  Loving God, we have much to be thankful for.  We again remember those who have died during this past year.  We pray Your continued comfort and peace to the loved ones and families of those who have died.  And, we pray that You would raise us and others we don't even know yet, to walk in the steps of service and support for Your work in Your church.  Make our lives worthy of the calling to be believers; this we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Remember:  Lord, am I doing all that I can for You?  have my words and actions today said that which bring honor to You?

Eradio Valverde

Prayer Request:  Today in Victoria, TX, The Rev. Dr. Ileen Foley, pastor of Fannin UMC of Fannin, TX, undergoes surgery; please keep her and her husband Roy, in your prayers.  You cannot find a more loving and joyous person than Ileen.

Love God. Be Yourself. Be Awesome!

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Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, ‘The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat; therefore, do whatever they teach you and follow it; but do not do as they do, for they do not practice what they teach. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on the shoulders of others; but they themselves are unwilling to lift a finger to move them. They do all their deeds to be seen by others; for they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long. They love to have the place of honor at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues, and to be greeted with respect in the market-places, and to have people call them rabbi. But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all students. And call no one your father on earth, for you have one Father—the one in heaven. Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Messiah. The greatest among you will be your servant. All who exalt themselves will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be exalted. (Matthew 23:1-12)

This passage is the one recommended for this coming Sunday by the Lectionary.  Jesus takes this opportunity to talk to believers and would-be believers about the religious of His day.  The Scribes and Pharisees had among their number, some who loved their position better than their passion they should have had for God. Jesus did say their authority was based on solid ground, the teachings of Moses, so they should follow them, but not to live their lives as they did, for their abuse of power and privilege blessed no one except themselves.  Those who would follow Jesus should devote their lives to loving and serving God and others, rather than to be worried about themselves.

Jesus is basically saying, It's not about titles, dress, and privilege; it's about love and service.  One of the greatest models of humility and service was the late Mother Theresa of Calcutta.  Her devotion to God and committed service to the sick and dying around the world elevated her recognition and status among many, but when asked about that, she said she was trying to be like the little donkey that carried Jesus into Jerusalem.  She understood Jesus when He talked about "The greatest among you will be your servant.  All who exalt themselves will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be exalted."

Saint Josemaria Escriva, who lived in the 1940s wrote in his prayer life:  "Jesus, since I am your donkey, give me the stubbornness and fortitude of a donkey, so that I can fulfill your lovable will."  Now since your prayer life is between you and God, I cannot tell you what you wish, but we can pray and say, "Lord, bless me in ways that I can bless You and bless those whom You send my way."

PRAYER:  Loving God, let me love You in ways that serve and bless You.  I thank You for Jesus and His teaching.  Make me desire ways to better serve You and empower me to be faithful and fruitful.  This I pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Donkey or Tiger, it's our choice, but choose which serves God best.

Eradio Valverde

God's Comfort is Eternal (All Saints Day)

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Tomorrow is All Saint's Day, and most churches will have a memorial or act of remembrance for those who have died since last All Saint's Day.  Today is the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation, so Happy Reformation Day to you all!  Here is the text for us as we prepare to remember those who have died:

After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands. They cried out in a loud voice, saying,‘Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!’ And all the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshipped God, singing,‘Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God for ever and ever! Amen.' Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, ‘Who are these, robed in white, and where have they come from?’ I said to him, ‘Sir, you are the one that knows.’ Then he said to me, ‘These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. For this reason they are before the throne of God, and worship him day and night within his temple, and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them. They will hunger no more, and thirst no more; the sun will not strike them, nor any scorching heat; for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’ (Revelation 7:9-17)

According to Paul, all who believe and serve the Lord Jesus Christ are saints.  This is a different understanding from our Catholic brothers and sisters, who believe that saints are those canonized by their Church and who have met the criteria, including two miracles.  We hold to the biblical definition, so if you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, you are a saint!  Congratulations!  And, get to work!

Most television programs and current movies when addressing death will inevitably have one character who will say, "I don't believe in God."  In a current tv show, "The Good Doctor" a boy who resembled the dead brother of the lead character said, "I don't believe in Heaven because then I would be admitting that I believe in God.  I don't believe in God because God wouldn't allow death."  Thankfully, the plot of that show helped the boy to realize he was dying and he later said he did believe in God and in Heaven.  And this is the work we have before us; to share the faith in a God of Life, who does not end His work in our lives when we die. The above passage comes from the hand of one of the disciples, who was allowed to preview Heaven and to write all that he saw.  This passage is sometimes read at funerals for it speaks of what John saw:  In Heaven there was a great multitude from every nation.  That means the Gospel is shared properly will reach every nation.  We're almost there from what we know of what missionaries and evangelists have done.  It also means that those who have died in the faith are still alive and standing before God's throne and are dressed in white, holding palm branches in their hands, symbols of victories and celebrations (remember Palm Sunday?).  They also cry out in a loud voice, "Salvation belong to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb."  Salvation is also ours to share:  God desires a right relationship with all people (that's salvation) God will remove our sins, make us worthy, and grant to us eternal life.  They are sheltered.  They no longer hunger nor thirst.  Many a bedside I have been at that turned into a death bed, the very ill have said they were thirsty or hungry, but illness would not allow for them to partake of food or water.  Now, in Glory, they have both.  The sun will not strike them nor will scorching heat.  The lamb at the center of the throne is their shepherd and He will guide them to springs of water of life; all tears have been wiped away from their eyes.

Dear *|FNAME|*, you may have a heavy heart as you remember a loved one who has died recently.  This is a time for grieving, and we do it with the joy of the promises of God.  We will never forget loved ones; our house is always talking about our parents and grandparents, and other loved ones, and we do it with the certainty that they died in the faith and have all of the blessings and benefits promised in the above passage.  God's comfort is with us.  It is okay to cry and it is good actually for our bodies to cry.  But we look forward to the day when God will wipe away even our tears.

PRAYER:  Loving God of Life, speak to the broken hearted.  Grant to us all, the joy of Your salvation that we may rejoice in the knowledge that Your love and comfort never end.  Bless those who believe themselves to be inconsolable.  Strengthen them and hold them.  I pray a special prayer for *|FNAME|* and whatever is before on this day.  And we all pray in the precious and powerful name of Jesus Christ our Lord, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Comfort one another today.

Eradio Valverde

The Truth Shall Make You Free!

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Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, ‘If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.’ They answered him, ‘We are descendants of Abraham and have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean by saying, “You will be made free”?’ Jesus answered them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not have a permanent place in the household; the son has a place there for ever. So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. (John 8:31-36)

Tomorrow, October 31, 2017, marks the 500th Anniversary of the Protestant Reformation.  The gospel passage to mark this anniversary is the one above.  It's about truth and it's about being free.  It started in Germany by a monk named Martin Luther, whose quest for truth and honesty came when he was assigned to a school to teach Bible.  This came about because as a monk he was required to confess his sins every day.  Martin took hours in the confessional trying to cover all his bases; what sin, where, why; and this drove his brother monks crazy and they had him reassigned.  Martin Luther had never owned his own Bible and had to confess to himself that he needed to read it in order to teach it.  It was in the reading of the Bible that he did come to truth, and the truth, as Jesus said in the passage, set him free.  The Catholic church had been in the business of selling forgiveness of sins, and a variety of other misguided practices, and the more Martin read, the more he learned about what God requires through His word.

Growing up in Kingsville, at an early age I came to appreciate and love God and God's word.  I owned my own Bible and I took great pleasure in attending Sunday school.  I clearly remember the Monday at school after a great Sunday in church and I went up to some friends and wanted to discuss the stories we had learned.  I was saddened to hear that none of my friends, who were all Roman Catholic, owned their own Bible.  "Why?" I wanted to know.  "Well, the priest has one and he read it to us, but it's in Latin." was the reply I heard.  "What?" was my second question.  Vatican II came along in the late 50s and early 60s, and the formal meetings began in 1962, and one of the changes the church adopted was permission for their members to own their own Bibles.  Notice what Jesus says, true disciples are those who "continue in My word," and as a result, believers "know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."  Most Protestant pastors would say, "Don't take my word for it, you have a Bible, look it up!"  Martin Luther did, and started this movement that led to the start of many of the denominations we call Protestants.  It was a Protest against ignorance and the slavery to practices that could not be questioned; the truth made us free.

PRAYER:  Loving God, in honor of this important day, may our commitment be to continue in Your Word like never before.  Help us all to set aside time to read and pray and understand Your teachings.  We want to know the truth about Your love and the salvation freedom that comes through Your Son, Jesus.  May it be son as we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Give a Bible to someone who doesn't have one.  Start with yourself.  

Eradio Valverde

Prayer Updates:  Pastor Matt Pennington is back from Korea and we could tell yesterday that he was richly and deeply blessed while there.  Larry Ehrig went home from the hospital on Saturday and is resting and recovering there.  We should continue to pray for Charlotte Wilson who is still at Nix Hospital in downtown San Antonio fighting infection on her wound from surgery.

Lord, Teach Us to Live Well!

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God, it seems you've been our home forever; long before the mountains were born, Long before you brought earth itself to birth, from "once upon a time" to "kingdom come" - you are God. So don't return us to mud, saying, "Back to where you came from!" Patience! You've got all the time in the world - whether a thousand years or a day, it's all the same to you.  Are we no more to you than a wispy dream, no more than a blade of grass That springs up gloriously with the rising sun and is cut down without a second thought?  Your anger is far and away too much for us; we're at the end of our rope.  You keep track of all our sins; every misdeed since we were children is entered in your books. All we can remember is that frown on your face. Is that all we're ever going to get? We live for seventy years or so (with luck we might make it to eighty), And what do we have to show for it? Trouble. Toil and trouble and a marker in the graveyard.  Who can make sense of such rage, such anger against the very ones who fear you?  Oh! Teach us to live well! Teach us to live wisely and well! Come back, God - how long do we have to wait? - and treat your servants with kindness for a change. Surprise us with love at daybreak; then we'll skip and dance all the day long.  Make up for the bad times with some good times; we've seen enough evil to last a lifetime. Let your servants see what you're best at - the ways you rule and bless your children. And let the loveliness of our Lord, our God, rest on us, confirming the work that we do. Oh, yes. Affirm the work that we do! (Psalm 90:1-17)

Every week when it comes to the psalm for the week as recommended by the Lectionary, I like to read it in New Revised Standard Version as well as in The Message Version.  One is more true to the original text in a modern form of English, while The Message is an easier to understand paraphrase of the text.  Today I am using The Message, but I recommend when you have time to pull out your favorite version and read the first 17 verses of Psalm 90.  The Message flows and uses phrases and images that bring the text to life.  Of course, there are some passages that, in my opinion, miss the mark of the original, and so I stay away from them.  This psalm compliments the text from yesterday, where at age 120, Moses sees the Promised Land and then dies.  Some wonder about God's anger at that decision, and this psalm does the same thing, and calls out to God, beginning with a praise of thankfulness for all God is and provides, as well as the question about God's anger.  And some scholars believe that Moses wrote the psalm himself.  That would explain the questions and the viewpoint.

What it also says is that we won't always understand what God is up to in our lives.  For the ancient human, it was believed that every action here brought a response from God, and while committing all kinds of sins that would anger God, they might not understand why God was so angry.  It's like the small child.  One of our granddaughters can sense when Grandma is either sad or angry.  She will come up to her and ask, "Grandma, are you sad or mad?"  That breaks any anger that Grandma might have and she'll smile and say, "I'm not mad or sad."  Usually, our baby girl will say, "Okay."  Or, she might say, not believing the response, "Why are you mad?"  

The psalmist has the better approach, "Lord, Teach us to live well!"  If we set our very being in focus with God through prayer, worship, reading, studying, and listening to God, we learn the ways of God, and we can move forward without fear about the wrath of God.  It was John Wesley's standard entrance question to membership in the small groups that met around in England that ultimately became the United Methodist Church:  Are you willing to flee the coming wrath of God?  And another related question would be:  How is it with your soul?  One asks, "Do you think God's angry with you?"  and "What have you done to cause such anger?"  If we are in tune with God, we can as the writer says, "We'll skip and dance all the day long."

Take a moment of reflection in your life right now.  Are we where we know God would have us be?  Or, do we have some confessing and repenting to do?

PRAYER:  Awesome God.  our prayer is that You would teach us how to live.  Let this prayer, today's scripture, my personal reflection and daily tasks work together to teach me how to better please You.  Our goal is faithfulness and fruitfulness; and that will be our cause to skip and dance all day!  In Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Skip and dance a bit today because God loves you! Or, if you're like a long-time friend, the Rev. Bill Henderson, you can prance away the day!  (Inside joke to one who has traveled many a mile with me in ministry and has blessed me much!)

Eradio Valverde

Prayer Updates:  Our sister Ann Keck was released from the hospital in Gonzales and went to The Heights facility where she will recover for a few days.  Our sister Charlotte Wilson is again in Nix Hospital in San Antonio.  She suffered a fall and was taken back for recovery.  Brother John Lucas underwent hip surgery in Gonzales and is recovering there.  And our brother Larry Ehrig underwent surgery in San Antonio for his broken femur and is at Central Baptist Hospital.  Pray for these our loved ones that God restore them to healing and health.  And thank you for taking time to pray for them and for each other.

Days of Wandering End for the Leader, Moses

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Then Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which is opposite Jericho, and the Lord showed him the whole land: Gilead as far as Dan, all Naphtali, the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the Western Sea, the Negeb, and the Plain—that is, the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees—as far as Zoar. The Lord said to him, ‘This is the land of which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, “I will give it to your descendants”; I have let you see it with your eyes, but you shall not cross over there.’ Then Moses, the servant of the Lord, died there in the land of Moab, at the Lord’s command. He was buried in a valley in the land of Moab, opposite Beth-peor, but no one knows his burial place to this day.Moses was one hundred and twenty years old when he died; his sight was unimpaired and his vigour had not abated. The Israelites wept for Moses in the plains of Moab for thirty days; then the period of mourning for Moses was ended. Joshua son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, because Moses had laid his hands on him; and the Israelites obeyed him, doing as the Lord had commanded Moses. Never since has there arisen a prophet in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face. He was unequalled for all the signs and wonders that the Lord sent him to perform in the land of Egypt, against Pharaoh and all his servants and his entire land, and for all the mighty deeds and all the terrifying displays of power that Moses performed in the sight of all Israel. (Deuteronomy 34:1-2)

Moses served, more or less faithfully, his appointment as pastor of First Church Gripers.  It was a difficult charge to be fair with Moses.  If you've read any of the Exodus story or heard sermons on it, it was a constant battle between these people, Moses, and God.  We cannot fault Moses' actions at times, but the time came when God acted and the above passage reflects that which took place.  There are many ways to assume the one action that Moses was guilty of that brought about his being able to see but not enter the Promised Land.  Many point to Moses' striking the rock for water, when God simply said to speak to it.  Many a person has been frustrated with people who should be cooperating, only to have them question or doubt decisions made by leadership; hitting rocks as a result seems innocent enough, but faithfulness and obedience was demanded by God.

One source I read this morning about this passage said several things that can be applied to this, starting with "no one is irreplaceable."  The writer believed Moses got too comfy in his leadership and started to lean more on himself than on God.  This is a foolish thing to do when working for God.  The writer also said "there is no freelancing when in a position of authority."  One must adhere to the scope and vision of the organization, and in this case, towards the end God was leading Israel.  As we read above, Joshua had been groomed by Moses and the leadership, as well as his involvement in the community, to become the leader needed to carry forward that which God wanted.  The people mourned Moses' death, but this is not the last appearance of this man in the Bible; at Jesus' transfiguration, Moses and Elijah make their appearance and are seen by Peter, James, and John.  And, in a real sense, Moses went on to his reward.  Though he may not have stepped foot on the promised land, Moses enters the heavenly realm.

As we reflect on our lives and where we find ourselves today; this much is true; we must stay connected with God.  Through our spiritual disciplines, especially prayer and worship, we still have much to do.  For those who have joined the church, vows of obedience were taken, and in the case of United Methodists, we have promised to serve the Lord  and His church through our prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness.  Our faithfulness in trying to live out all five blesses God and God's work.  Our Promised Land is a better situation in which God is made real to all; life becomes more than existence, a life of abundance.

PRAYER:  Loving God, may I be more faithful in serving You.  Grant to me the strength, courage, and boldness to help bring about Your kingdom here on the earth.  Thank You for the witness of Moses and others who have served to inspire us to be more like You. It is in Christ Jesus that we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Be someone's special blessing today!

Eradio Valverde

People Pleaser, or God Pleaser?

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You yourselves know, brothers and sisters, that our coming to you was not in vain, but though we had already suffered and been shamefully maltreated at Philippi, as you know, we had courage in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in spite of great opposition. For our appeal does not spring from deceit or impure motives or trickery, but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the message of the gospel, even so we speak, not to please mortals, but to please God who tests our hearts. As you know and as God is our witness, we never came with words of flattery or with a pretext for greed; nor did we seek praise from mortals, whether from you or from others, though we might have made demands as apostles of Christ. But we were gentle among you, like a nurse tenderly caring for her own children. So deeply do we care for you that we are determined to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you have become very dear to us. (1 Thessalonians 2:1-8)

Imagine being in a building that is on fire and hearing someone say, "I don't mean to hurt your feelings, or inconvenience you, but though you are busy in conversation or other matters, I thought you might like to know that our building is on fire, and if it isn't too much to ask, please leave the building."  You're right, you won't hear that.  You'll hear a loud, sharp buzzer or someone yelling, "Fire!"  I remember one night staying in a hotel when the buzzer and red lights on each floor started flashing, and doors opening.  We didn't see smoke, and most very zombie-like filed out of their rooms, away from the elevators to the exit doors.  And we were on the sixth floor, the top floor of that particular hotel; it was a cold night, and off we followed the crowd to the outside until we got the all clear sign and we were able to return to our rooms.  Paul's message was more like, "Fire!"  He was spiritually on fire for Jesus, and wanted everyone to be.  In this passage he reminded the people in the church of Thessalonica that all he and his companions did was out of love for God, with the courage of God to share the Good News of God in spite of those who opposed them.  Paul wanted people to be right with God and urged all to convert.  Paul says, our ministry was in pleasing God not pleasing people.  You never heard a message of flattery or greed on our part, we came to save you.  In no way did we seek to please you in such a way that you would praise us.

Paul's ministry through urgent, was caring, thoughtful, and loving.  I love the image of a nurse that he uses, as an example of the care he wanted to share with each soul.  And that's the type of ministry you and I have been called to; sharing the urgency of getting right with God but in a manner that cares for one and other.  At no point can our decisions and actions be done only to please our audience, but to please and serve God who has sent us.  We give of God's love, but we also give of ourselves, so that others may see the power of God working to get us where we are; in a right relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

PRAYER:  Loving God, grant us the courage and boldness of Paul to share the urgent message of salvation. Help us to lovingly care for those who have not yet heard nor received the Good News.  Give us the words and opportunities to share and care.  This we pray in Christ Jesus' precious name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Get people ready for living a life of faith.

Eradio Valverde

Prayer Update:  Yesterday, our brother Larry Ehrig was awaiting a time for surgery.  I visited him early morning and by late afternoon we had not heard of a time set  yet.  I visited our sister, Ann Keck, who was in good spirits and according to her, better than she had been in some days.  So, please continue to pray for them and all on our prayer lists so that God may be gloried.

Passion, Prayer, & Intelligence

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When the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, and one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. ‘Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?’ He said to him, ‘ “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.’  Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them this question: ‘What do you think of the Messiah? Whose son is he?’ They said to him, ‘The son of David.’ He said to them, ‘How is it then that David by the Spirit calls him Lord, saying, “The Lord said to my Lord,‘Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet’ ”? If David thus calls him Lord, how can he be his son?’ No one was able to give him an answer, nor from that day did anyone dare to ask him any more questions. (Matthew 22:34-46)

There is nothing quite like spending an hour with junior high students who want to be confirmed as members of the church.  I praise and thank God for those who are called to teach this age group as a profession.  It's an interesting age, and best I can remember, I went through it as well.  I do question, was I that way?  (Notice please that I did not use the word bad!).  I may have been, I just don't remember.  And then we have the model of Jesus as a 12 year old, sitting with the teachers and asking questions.  Now, not all the confirmands are alike.  They are all sweet in their own way, and they do want to learn about God and get closer to God, but they possess an energy that if harnessed, could power the South Texas energy grid.  But, the challenges of learning the faith and all that comes with it, would be difficult for anyone of any age.  In this passage, these men, for they were mostly men, were adolescents once.  They may have fidgeted a bit, they may have posed and postured, some may have never grown out of it, thus their position as Pharisees and Sadducees; but they, like Jesus, learned the commandments and the law as children, and youth.  The ones with the religious titles asked the first question to Jesus:  "Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?"  It was a Sunday school type question, meaning, if you attended SS on a regular basis, paid a little attention, and passed the quiz, you would know this.  Jesus knew it.  "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.  The Message version says, "Jesus said, "'Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence.'"

Passion.  Prayer.  Intelligence. These explain a bit more what the above version says of heart, soul, and mind.  If you have love and passion in your heart, the love that comes out is different from just loving or saying you love someone or something.  Recently, those in this area who love the Astros know all about passion.  Friday and Saturday nights were awesome nights for the fans of baseball in this area.  Some would have added prayer to the passion for the Astros, and that is acceptable, but Jesus is talking about being strongly connected to God through prayer.  It is the fuel of your soul to love God and to stay in touch with God.  And intelligence is that which fuels your mind's activity; if you love God, you will think about God often and in ways that boost your life.  Many are the ones who simply think or say, "God's got this," as they think and reflect and pray about challenges or obstacles that come their way.  Jesus knew the commandment, but more importantly, Jesus knew God.

The final question was put to the Pharisees and Sadducees by Jesus.  "What do you think of the Messiah?  Whose son is He?"  This was a question that they first answered with the name, "David."  Yet, Jesus asks a tougher question, How can David, who for many, was the greatest king and ruler, and out of whose house the  Messiah was expected, call a son of his, "Lord?"  No one could answer that question, and you will note that from that day on, no one dared asked Jesus any more questions.  Jesus bested them at their own game.  For the one who knows God, knows the best answer to most questions. 

PRAYER:  Loving God, I want  to know you with passion, prayer, and intelligence.  I seek to know You as I go through life.  Help me to share what I know with those who seek.  Bless those in need, and help us respond with whatever we can to those.  This we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Ask questions that may bring the Answer to those still seeking.

Eradio Valverde

Prayers for Mr. Larry Ehrig of Gonzales, in San Antonio, facing surgery today.  Prayers for Ms. Ann Keck as well.

On Your Toes Everyone! God is Holy!

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God rules. On your toes, everybody! He rules from his angel throne - take notice! God looms majestic in Zion, He towers in splendor over all the big names.  Great and terrible your beauty: let everyone praise you! Holy. Yes, holy.  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.  Honor God, our God; worship his rule! Holy. Yes, holy.  Moses and Aaron were his priests, Samuel among those who prayed to him. They prayed to God and he answered them; He spoke from the pillar of cloud. And they did what he said; they kept the law he gave them.  And then God, our God, answered them (But you were never soft on their sins).  Lift high God, our God; worship at his holy mountain. Holy. Yes, holy is God our God. (Psalm 99)

This October 31st, besides being Halloween, is the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation.  It was the day that a priest by the name of Martin Luther nailed to the door of the Wittenburg Church, his 95 Theses.  It was a "God-thing," led by the Holy Spirit for this monk to be assigned to teach Bible when he himself admitted he did not know the Bible.  That led him to study scripture and to become transformed by what he read.  He compared what the Bible said to what the Church was doing, and summed up his findings in those 95 theses.  Part of what he read has led many a person to revival and that is that God calls us to be holy.  Not holier than thou, that attitude that turns people off, but a call to live a life that blesses others because of the presence of Jesus' love and compassion in us that brings about thinking in others to change their lives as well.  

This morning I listened to a 7 minute presentation on the Reformation based on King Josiah.  I will add the link at the bottom so that when you have seven minutes to spare you might listen to Dr. Sandra Richter present a wonderful talk on what could happen today in your life and in the life of the church.  It goes back to what the psalmist is saying:  On your toes, everybody!  God rules, God is majestic, towers in splendor, God is beautiful, and God is worthy of everyone's praise!  We're called to honor God and to worship Him.  Lift God high because holy, yes holy is God our God.

Maybe I'm reading too much into "on your toes" but to me it says take action, and the best action is to be like God.

PRAYER:  Loving God, bring holiness to my life.  Let me seek to be salt and light, positive influence in the lives of my family, friends, co-workers, fellow Christians, so that true reformation and revival may happen in me.  This I pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Give up that which has given up on you long ago!

Eradio Valverde

God Knows Us by Name & Goes With Us

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Moses said to the Lord, ‘See, you have said to me, “Bring up this people”; but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. Yet you have said, “I know you by name, and you have also found favor in my sight.” Now if I have found favor in your sight, show me your ways, so that I may know you and find favor in your sight. Consider too that this nation is your people.’ He said, ‘My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.’ And he said to him, ‘If your presence will not go, do not carry us up from here. For how shall it be known that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people, unless you go with us? In this way, we shall be distinct, I and your people, from every people on the face of the earth.’  The Lord said to Moses, ‘I will do the very thing that you have asked; for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name.’ Moses said, ‘Show me your glory, I pray.’ And he said, ‘I will make all my goodness pass before you, and will proclaim before you the name, “The Lord”; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. But’, he said, ‘you cannot see my face; for no one shall see me and live.’ And the Lord continued, ‘See, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock; and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by; then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back; but my face shall not be seen.’ (Exodus 33:12-23)

There are times we don't want to be known or seen.  Nellie and I went to a megachurch in Corpus Christi some years ago and after parking in a huge lot, walking a long way, entered into a dark worship space that was like walking in late to a movie.  We slipped in and just as easily slipped out.  There was no greeting of our neighbor or passing the peace.  And, there are times we do want to be known and seen, especially when we feel we need God's blessing or help.  In a highly visible position such as Moses held, he wanted God to know him and be with him daily.  The stress and pressure of that awesome job of leading God's people away from slavery and into a new country, and a new relationship with God was at times more than he could stand.  Moses could, as can we, cry out to the Lord.  We can petition the Lord to be with us and help us with what we're facing, as did Moses.  It's clear that God cared for God had said to Moses and Moses repeats it here, "I know you by name, and you have also found favor in my sight."  And Moses asks that God go with them or else leave them right where they were.

In the same way, God knows us by name and by need.  We can talk with God and seek to listen to Him.  We can be honest with God and share with God our worries and troubles; God will respond and God will guide us.  As you go about your day today be honest with God and ask what it is you've been wanting to ask.  Ask to know not only God's favor, but God's glory as you seek answers to questions, and solutions to challenges. God is faithful and just.  You may just be totally amazed.

PRAYER:  Loving God, bless me with Your favor.  Bless me with signs of Your glory was I seek answers to what I need to do.  Guide me deeper into faithfulness.  This I ask in Christ Jesus my Lord, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Take the step towards trusting God more to help you today!

Eradio Valverde