Stay with It!

Photograph by Eradio Valverde at the Temple, Jerusalem

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5 Some of his disciples were remarking about how the temple was adorned with beautiful stones and with gifts dedicated to God. But Jesus said, 6 “As for what you see here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down.” 7 “Teacher,” they asked, “when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?” 8 He replied: “Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them. 9 When you hear of wars and uprisings, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away.” 10 Then he said to them: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11 There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven. 12 “But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you. They will hand you over to synagogues and put you in prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. 13 And so you will bear testimony to me. 14 But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. 15 For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. 16 You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers and sisters, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. 17 Everyone will hate you because of me. 18 But not a hair of your head will perish. 19 Stand firm, and you will win life. (Luke 21:5-19 NRSV)

CORRECTION! Dear friends, the old man has failing eyesight and no concept of days! Christ the King Sunday is not this coming Sunday but the Sunday after this one. I apologize, but you have an advance edition of Monday-next. At no charge! Here this is the correct passage for this coming Sunday. My thanks to Jody Bagley, the choir director at one of my former churches, who caught the error. Happens to those not actively running a church!

Good day dear Friend! I pray God's blessings are upon you and that you are staying warm as we welcome this cold front. I confess this is being written on Monday night and it's 39 degrees here in Seguin. Nellie and I went to San Marcos to shop at Sam's Club and I checked my weather app on my phone and it said we were fine going in short sleeves and shorts. We shopped at Sam's, and had lunch. Then home to HEB and by the time we came out, it was raining and the breeze was freezing! And it was only 1:30 or so! Please stay warm. Prayers please for our brother from Gonzales, Mr. Bob Clark who is hospitalized with some cardiac concerns, but his wife Evelyn reports he may go home tomorrow. Please keep Evelyn's daughter, Vicki in your prayers as she undergoes a biopsy tomorrow. Pray for her results and for her healing. Pray for one another. Pray for yourselves.

The photograph is one I took back in April, 2018, at the Temple in Jerusalem. Those are precisely the stones mentioned by Jesus when He said, "the time will come when not one stone willl be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down." It was an emotional moment for me as Dr. Jack Beck explained the passage and the fulfillment that came when the Temple was destroyed again. Compare it to someone who is touring the United States Capitol and someone would say the day is coming when the stones that made up the capitol would be destroyed and not one stone would be left upon another. It was not what the disciples expected to hear, and it made them quite nervous. "When will this be?" they asked. Jesus answers that there is not a definitive answer; rumors and hearsay will be what you hear, and news since that time have included "nation rising against nation; kingdom against kingdom, earthquakes, famines and pestilences, fierce events and great signs from Heaven." And Jesus warns, "But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you." Arrests of believers would occur, and believers would be handed over to synagogues, some would be imprisoned, some brought before kings and governors - all because of Jesus' name.

The day of sightseeing ends with news that would ruin anyone's day, but Jesus speaks about their need to stay strong and in faith. Jesus would stand with them and provide the defense; the words and wisdom needed for those days, Jesus would provide. Yes, Jesus says, you will be betrayed by your own parents, your own brothers and sisters, and some would even be put to death. Jesus even adds, "Everyone will hate you because of me. But not a hair of your head will perish. Stand firm, and you will win life."

Yesterday I preached about the Sadducees and the sad viewpoint on life and life beyond life they had. Sadder still are those real.life contemporary Sadducees who still walk among us, hoping they will be good enough to live on in the minds and hearts of those that live on after they die. We believe differently. We believe in what Jesus said, even in this passage; that God is a God of the living, not of the dead; and all who believe in Him will not die, but have eternal life. So, as we live our life we do as the title of today's devotional says, "Stick With It!" And life will be ours, forever and ever.

PRAYER: Loving God, as I walk among modern Sadducees and Pharisees, please count me among the faithful. Grant me stronger faith to see beyond the here and now, to the truth of life that never ends. Bless those who are worried due to illness and sickness, and lift them to life. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Walk and talk as a believer today!

Blessings of love,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

The latest episode of my podcast is ready! The newest edition is called Handmade Gods and you can listen to it at www.pimplesandwrinkles.org under Media section, or on the Facebook page of Pimples and Wrinkles. May it bless you!

Christ is the King!

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33 When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. 34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. 35 The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.” 36 The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar 37 and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.” 38 There was a written notice above him, which read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. 39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” 40 But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? 41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. ” 43 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:33-43 NRSV)

One may not normally assign forgiveness as a trait for a king. In the stories our daughters heard and read, the king was usually an evil person. I will never forget one summer we were at annual conference at Southwestern University in Gerogetown, Texas. This was a session of the Rio Grande Conference, and the choir of La Trinidad UMC of San Antonio was singing at the opening worship service. They were singing in English, "The King is Coming." My little daughter's ears perked up and she loudly said to my Dad who was holding her, "Oh my God, Grandpa, get me out of here! The king is coming!" People around her chuckled but Nellie and I understood why our Nellie was scared. The king in most of her stories was an evil man, with forgiveness as a missing trait in his life. Yet, here we hear our King, Jesus, on the cross, painfully attached to the tree that would claim his life saying, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." Honestly, most of us would have to confess that given all that Jesus endured, forgiveness may not have been in our nature either. Jesus' clothing was being dividing up by the soldiers and the rulers, those near Jesus sneered at Him. They mockingly said, "He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is God's Messiah, the Chosen One." Jesus was thirsty, but He was given wine vinegar by the soldiers, and even more bitter, the taunts, "If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself." And even a sign was provided for the area above His head that read, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. A sign that goes back to the time of Samuel when God warned Israel about wanting a king. God outlined all the negative things that the king would do against the people; taxes, conscription of young men and women into service of the nation, eminent domain, and on and on. The roll call of all of Israel's kings includes three, maybe one or two more, that we can truly say were good kings of the Jews.

At this point Jesus hears from one of the two criminals who asks Jesus to save Himself and them from the coming death. The other criminal rebuked the other by saying, "Don't you fear God? We're under the same sentence of death and we deserve it. But this man does not deserve to die in this way, for He has done nothing wrong. Then, turning to Jesus, he says, "Jesus, remember me when you come into Your Kingdom." A statement of profound faith, and quite a request that Jesus answers by saying, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise."

Jesus is your king. Jesus is my king. Jesus is the King of Kings; one not limited to just the Jews; Jesus is the King of the Universe, and in the way He offered life to the condemned criminal, He offers it to us. What better gifts could a king give? Jesus, our King offers us life. This coming Sunday, most Christian churches will proclaim in worship, that Jesus is King as Sunday is, in the Lectionary, Christ the King Sunday. But instead of just being a one Sunday deal, where we say, "Christ is the King," we should view it seriously, as a way to live. We have a King and we are His subjects and His teachings as found in scripture teach us how to live, how to love, how to interact with one another, and how to be the people that our King would have us be. At least imagine the less political fights and arguments we'd have if we acknowledge that Christ's Kingdom matters more than any early Realm or Reign. Christ as King leads us to paradise.

PRAYER: Loving King, we humble ourselves as Your subjects. As we pray in the prayer You taught us, "Yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory." Make that more real for us in our hearts and minds. Guide us to glorify You in every aspect of our lives. This we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day n the Lord! Be a loyal subject of King Jesus today!

Blessings of love,

Pastor Eradio Valverde Our sincere thanks to our veterans who read ConCafe! Thank you all for your service. May you be blessed this day and all days!

God is Good!

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1 I will extol you, my God and King, and bless your name forever and ever. 2 Every day I will bless you, and praise your name forever and ever. 3 Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; his greatness is unsearchable. 4 One generation shall laud your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts. 5 On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate. 6 The might of your awesome deeds shall be proclaimed, and I will declare your greatness. 7 They shall celebrate the fame of your abundant goodness, and shall sing aloud of your righteousness. 8 The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. 9 The Lord is good to all, and his compassion is over all that he has made. 10 All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord, and all your faithful shall bless you. 11 They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom, and tell of your power, 12 to make known to all people your mighty deeds, and the glorious splendor of your kingdom. 13 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. 14 The Lord upholds all who are falling, and raises up all who are bowed down. 15 The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season. 16 You open your hand, satisfying the desire of every living thing. 17 The Lord is just in all his ways, and kind in all his doings. 18 The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. 19 He fulfills the desire of all who fear him; he also hears their cry, and saves them. 20 The Lord watches over all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy. 21 My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord, and all flesh will bless his holy name forever and ever. (Psalm 145 NRSV)

In some of his psalms, you can almost tell that David is feeling good. This is one of those psalms. It's as if David jumped out of bed with a huge smile, enjoyed his shower, and ate the greatest breakfast he ever had! And he went straight to his office, turned on his laptop and tapped out the words of this psalm. David was filled with joy and the word of choice that he uses over and over, is blessed. Have you ever had one of those days? Today? Never? Come on now! David's heart set his mind to Praise and the spirit did the rest. If we could just say to ourselves the moment our eyes opened in the morning, "God is good!" I believe the rest would fall into place. Now, I do realize there are some days when you're reluctant to face all that is before you, but even in the midst of challenges and trouble; God is always good, even when we're not, or the day is not so good either. Remember, David had good days and bad days. He saw all that life has to offer, good and bad, and he was hit in all areas; he saw love in his spouses, love outside of his marriage; lost loved ones. He won major military and political victories; he saw his reign as king challenged even from his own household. Through all he suffered and endured, he declares, God is good.

To say God is good is a form of worship and praise. As you say it, you're saying it to God. God is listening and being blessed by our ability and our willingness to say God is good. The psalmist said more than those words of "God is good", he said that in God we find all that we need. He is a faithful God, a gracious God, an upholding God, a God who raises up, and a God who provides all that we need.

Dear one, listen to the closing words of this soothing psalm: "The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth. He fulfills the desire of all who fear Him; He also hears their cry, and saves them. The Lord watches over all who love Him, but all the wicked He will destroy. My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord, and all flesh will bless His holy name forever and ever."

Hear again: God is near to all who call on Him, but who call on Him in truth (Don't lie to God - you can't!). If you fear God, God will fulfill your desires and hear your cries, and God will save you. That part of the wicked, well, unless you're wicked and happy with that, it doesn't pertain to you, but I caution us to stay away from the side of wickedness. Use your strength to bless and praise God.

PRAYER: God be glorified in my life. Let the words of this psalm inspire me to live with a heart, mind, and spirit that says in all ways and in all days; God is good. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Tell someone today that God is good!

Blessings of love,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

I Know My Redeemer Lives!

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23 "O that my words were written down! O that they were inscribed in a book! 24 O that with an iron pen and with lead they were engraved on a rock forever! 25 For I know that my Redeemer lives, and that at the last he will stand upon the earth; 26 and after my skin has been thus destroyed, then in my flesh I shall see God, 27 whom I shall see on my side, (Job 19:23-27a NRSV)

When a child connects in his or her mind that there is something or someone out there, greater, stronger, wiser, and more loving, that's a precious and powerful moment. One of our nephews when he was just about 5 or 6 years old, called me to ask me for five Bibles. I asked him why he needed so many, and he said he needed God's power in his room to keep him from being afraid at night. When I met with him I gave him only one Bible along with a talk and a prayer. It made him calmer and allowed him to sleep in a more peaceful way. I also said he should read the Bible as best he could and weeks later when I saw him again, I asked how he's reading was going. "I read up to the book called Job. I couldn't understand it. I don't know if he needed a job or hated his job, but that's as far as I have gotten!" Indeed, Job, the man for today.

Job's problems arose because he was too connected to God. Job knew God and loved and trusted Him. He knew that all he had, had come from God; and when he lost all things, he knew that God was aware of it as well. Job is known as the man of great patience because of what he endured. Even with his wife's frantic advice to curse God and die, he didn't give in and held firm to his faith.

It is in today's passage that he exclaims out loud that what he has been saying should be written down; for he holds on to hope and believes that his words would one day bless those who have suffered or struggled in like manner. And even in the midst of loss and pain, Job stresses, "For I know that my Redeemer lives, and that at the last He will stand upon the earth; and after my skin has been thus destoryed, then in my flesh I shall see God, who I shall see on my side." (vvs 25-27a).

Dear Friend, read those words as if you had yourself written them. You're writing as if you have reached the point where you can point away from the pain and loss, and affirm what Job affirms. Make it your Affirmation of Faith for your right now and for the days and years ahead. God's got this!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, lift us beyond the pain and loss that we may have experienced. Help us declare Job's words as ours; You live, and You live as our Redeemer, He who takes our place when it gets almost impossible to move forward. And we long for the day when we shall see You face-to-face! In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Shine a ray of hope into someone's day!

Blessings of love,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

The Lord Will Come Again...

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1 As to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we beg you, brothers and sisters, 2 not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as though from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord is already here. 3 Let no one deceive you in any way; for that day will not come unless the rebellion comes first and the lawless one is revealed, the one destined for destruction. 4 He opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, declaring himself to be God. 5 Do you not remember that I told you these things when I was still with you? 13 But we must always give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the first fruits for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and through belief in the truth. 14 For this purpose he called you through our proclamation of the good news, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15 So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by our letter. 16 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and through grace gave us eternal comfort and good hope, 17 comfort your hearts and strengthen them in every good work and word. (2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17 NRSV)

May this find you enjoying a great day, dear Friend! May the blessing of the Lord be rich and wonderful in your life is my prayer. As we pray, please celebrate the arrival of baby Adena Walden, born last night close to 8 p.m. to Ioana Walden and her Daddy, The Rev. Clay Walden. She weighed in at 7 lb 4 oz. We celebrate her arrival! Thank you to all who prayed for her arrival! On the flip side, The Rev. Ellen Ely, senior pastor at Marble Falls UMC, and colleague of Rev. Walden, tonight announced on Facebook that her cancer may have returned. We ask prayers for Ellen's healing and peace. Please keep Wade, her husband, in prayers too. Pray for one another. Pray for yourselves.

One can only imagine the urgency that a face-to-face encounter with the Risen Lord would place on your heart and life, as it did the Apostle Paul. In his earliest writings, you can read the sense of joy and expectancy about Jesus coming again soon. And for years he preached and wrote with that excitement even in the face of strong persecution against him and other believers. The persecution raged on to the point where many believers began to lose loved ones and ask, "Where is Jesus and what's taking so long?" This passage is part of his response to those growing impatient and fearful, and also to us. What was happening to Paul's crowd was that false teachers and preachers began to spout things to, in their opinion, calm nerves and give hope, however false those things were. Paul boldly responds with his words in this letter. Hear his hope. Don't be quickly shaken or alarmed; for there is much to happen according to the biblical prophecy. God would send Jesus to the earth to gather all who believe in Him!

Paul also reminds them that through their faith they are being molded and shaped in the process called "sanctification." Our theology says that God operates in this way: Prevenient Grace comes when we are in the searching phase, seeking to know God. All that God shared while we are there is helping us come to a saving knowledge of Jesus. When we decide to accept God's invitation and make the confession of our sins and surrender our hearts to God, that is Justifying Grace. And from that instant of acceptance, we begin the final and ever-shaping process of becoming just the people God wants us to be. That is Sanctifying Grace. As the name implies, it is a holy process, as the root word sanctus makes up the word sanctification. Paul's instructions to the believers, and to us, "Stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by word or mouth or by our letter." The urgency is still there as Paul encourages the work to continue, for this would comfort and strengthen their hearts.

We affirmed in worship before our Communion sacrament, that Christ will come again. I believe that, and until He returns for you and me, we have a lot to do. Onward and upward. Marching, loving, helping, and bringing others to faith. As Paul closed his letters, Maranantha, Come, Lord Jesus!*

PRAYER: Eternal God, come now into my heart again, and again. Make my heart stronger and bolder for You. I pray that when the challenges of today seem more than I can face, remind me that You are coming again. And when that happens we will see things like we've never seen before. Until then, keep us in love with You and with each other. This I pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Blessings of love,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

* Maranatha is an Aramaic word that means “the Lord is coming” or “come, O Lord.” The early church faced much persecution, and life for a Christian under Roman rule was not easy. The Romans required everyone to declare that Caesar was god. The early Christians knew that there is only one God and one Lord—Jesus Christ—and in all good conscience they could not call Caesar “Lord,” so the Romans looked upon them as traitors, persecuted them, and put them to death. Living under those adverse conditions, the believers’ morale was lifted by the hope of the coming of the Lord. “Maranatha!” became the common greeting of the oppressed believers, replacing the Jewish greeting shalom (“peace”). The followers of Jesus knew there would be no peace because Jesus had told them so (Matthew 10:34; Luke 12:51). But they also knew the Lord would be returning to set up His kingdom, and from that truth they drew great comfort. They were constantly reminding and being reminded that the Lord is coming (Luke 21:28; Revelation 22:12). Jesus taught several parables on this same theme of watching and waiting and being prepared for His return (Matthew 25:1-13; Luke 12:35-40).

To Be or Not To Be (In the End...)

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27 Some Sadducees, those who say there is no resurrection, came to him 28 and asked him a question, "Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man's brother dies, leaving a wife but no children, the man shall marry the widow and raise up children for his brother. 29 Now there were seven brothers; the first married, and died childless; 30 then the second 31 and the third married her, and so in the same way all seven died childless. 32 Finally the woman also died. 33 In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be? For the seven had married her." 34 Jesus said to them, "Those who belong to this age marry and are given in marriage; 35 but those who are considered worthy of a place in that age and in the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. 36 Indeed they cannot die anymore, because they are like angels and are children of God, being children of the resurrection. 37 And the fact that the dead are raised Moses himself showed, in the story about the bush, where he speaks of the Lord as the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. 38 Now he is God not of the dead, but of the living; for to him all of them are alive."(Luke 20:27-38 NRSV)

Jesus' ministry was a difficult one. The religious leaders of His day and of His Father's House, were all out to trap him and silence Him. Jesus knew this and still loved them. As a prominent minister once told a group of us who thought because he had a large church that everyone loved him, he said his biggest detractors sat on the front row Sunday after Sunday looking for things they could use against him. His prayer every Sunday, he said, was "Lord, give me a heart to love these people." A prayer that i have used more than once; and since you know it now, you may use more than once too.

The two biggest groups within the Temple were the Pharisees and the Sadducees. The latter ran the church because they held the leadership positions since the time of King David. The former were almost as bad, but at least taught some things that Jesus believed. The hangup for the Sadducees was they did not believe in another realm nor in a resurrection. So, on this occasion they seek to trap Jesus on their pet peeve, resurrection and Heaven. So, they had a plan which they had worked on for hours I bet. "Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man's brother dies, leaving a wife but no children, the man shall marry the widow and raise up children for his brother." They had worked out that this was a family of seven brothers, with a common death thread; the first through seven died, and all had taken the first wife of the first brother, and none left a child for the other. Therefore, Teacher, "whose wife will the woman be?" Ouch. In truth, this was a good question for discussion; if you didn't believe in resurrection. Jesus then explains, "Those who belong to this age marry and are given in marriage; but those who are considered worthy of a place in that age and in the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage." Jesus explains the question poses an earthly question and cannot be answered because it is from another realm; the realm the Sadducees do not believe in, and the answer might not be one they could understand. The children of the resurrection have entered a spiritual realm and the concerns of the spiritual world are not the concerns of the earthly world. The concerns of Heaven are on a level we, who are still on earth cannot begin to understand.

The images and language of Jesus address the limited vision of the afterlife by this sect of Judaism. Sadly, while the sect died out after the destruction of the Temple, the ideas about a limited afterlife live on in many people, not only Jews. I served a semester internship for a religion class at Southwestern at the Taylor, Texas, Community Center, where I served with two Master of Social Work students, one of whom was of the Jewish faith. She clearly said the only way anyone lived on, in her opinion, was in the memory of loved ones. Once everyone who knew you died, you were dead too. A very limited viewpoint, one with no hope.

Jesus is the Lord of Resurrection. When He spoke, he spoke truth. He knew that God when He revealed Himself to Moses spoke of those who still lived, but in Heaven, when He said He was the God of Abraham, Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Jesus declared, "Now He is God not of the dead, but of the living; for to Him all of them are alive." That's hope. That's truth. That's another passage written for us to encourage us, especially in the midst of troubling news and comments by those who don't believe as we do. It is His word of "Don't doubt, my child; I am with you - keep going!"

PRAYER: Loving God, we ask that this word bless all hearts who read and accept the words of Your Son, Jesus. May His hope be our hope, and may we share that hope with others today and all days; in Jesus Christ's powerful name we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Be a person of blazing hope today!

Blessings of love,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

It's the Size of Faith in You That Matters!

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137 You are righteous, O Lord, and your judgments are right. 138 You have appointed your decrees in righteousness and in all faithfulness. 139 My zeal consumes me because my foes forget your words. 140 Your promise is well tried, and your servant loves it.141 I am small and despised, yet I do not forget your precepts. 142 Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and your law is the truth. 143 Trouble and anguish have come upon me, but your commandments are my delight. 144 Your decrees are righteous forever; give me understanding that I may live. (Psalm 119: 137-144 NRSV)

The Lectionary has a way of bringing scripture full circle and in this case, the gospel lesson of Zacchaesus comes back to this psalm where the psalmist writes in verse 141, "I am small and despised, yet I do not forget your precepts." That verse written so many years before the Lord visited Jericho and the tree where the small man climbed to see Jesus and that entire story is fulfilled in this one verse.

In my Confirmation Bible that I received in 1961, I remember underlining Ecclesiastes12:1, "1 Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;" never realizing in that day that one day those years would have been long gone. I know that youth and smallness are not always related, but it does speak to the feelings one can have either as a youth or a small child. We may think like the psalmist, that we are small and despised, but the "precepts" of God speak another word; we matter to God.

The story of David and Goliath, Zacchaeus and Jesus, the unnamed girl and Naaman, all tell the story of the huge faith in their small bodies. When given a chance they were able to show just how strong and big the faith was and what they were capable of. And so it is with you and me. When given a chance, and sometimes those "chances" look like problems or worries or obstacles, let the faith be bigger than the fight it appears to be, in order to allow God to bless you and me right through it. Yes, we are children of God and God will be glorified in us.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, shine in and through me, especially when everything around me seems dark and scary. Guide me to bless You and Yours. This I pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Dear one, have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Be a giant of faith especially around those whom you think think you're small in faith!

Blessings of love,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Faith During Troubled Times

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1 The problem as God gave Habakkuk to see it: 2 God, how long do I have to cry out for help before you listen? How many times do I have to yell, "Help! Murder! Police!" before you come to the rescue? 3 Why do you force me to look at evil, stare trouble in the face day after day? Anarchy and violence break out, quarrels and fights all over the place.4 Law and order fall to pieces. Justice is a joke. The wicked have the righteous hamstrung and stand justice on its head. God Says, "Look!" 1 What's God going to say to my questions? I'm braced for the worst. I'll climb to the lookout tower and scan the horizon. I'll wait to see what God says, how he'll answer my complaint. 2 And then God answered: "Write this. Write what you see. Write it out in big block letters so that it can be read on the run. 3 This vision-message is a witness pointing to what's coming. It aches for the coming - it can hardly wait! And it doesn't lie. If it seems slow in coming, wait. It's on its way. It will come right on time. 4 "Look at that man, bloated by self-importance - full of himself but soul-empty. But the person in right standing before God through loyal and steady believing is fully alive, really alive. (Habakkuk 1:1-4, 2:1-4 The Message)

Me: Forgive me Father, for I have sinned. I tried writing a devotional while watching the last game of the World Series, fully aware that my team would lose. I could not concentrate on either, and the thoughts in my head and heart did not correspond to my calling to be a Christian and a pastor. It's like I am the ancient prophet Habakkuk! I want to do right, but I keep seeing wrong, at least in my opinion. I'm not at the point of shouting, "Help! Murder! Police!" but I did want to yell out the names of those who could have done a better job pitching than the ones A. J. was putting in.

Me: Forgive me Readers, for I have sinned against you. It's quiet now. I reviewed my calendar for tomorrow and realized a free breakfast I was to have here in Seguin isn't until next week. I have prayed and asked God to forgive me and for Him to give me the words I need to share with you all about what I believe this passage means. In a way I already have. The mind of a preacher and a prophet, being human minds, do get distracted by earthly things. And yes, it is difficult at times to pray and listen when one wants to scream and shout. The old prophet stood on his tower and saw all that was going on around him by his own people; people called to be priests acting like punks. It felt like his prayers hit a ceiling that didn't allow them to get to Heaven. The more he prayed, the worse it got. It was every one for their own wants and desires. And still the prophet walked the tower, praying, waiting, looking, and asking, "How can we have faith during troubled times?"

And he wasn't upset over a baseball game, as I'm struggling to do as well. I thank God I have a wife who knows better and speaks to me about it. And like the prophet I have the same God who speaks to our minds, hearts, and spirits the words that transcend time; write the words of faith in letters big enough that those walking by you and your phone can see what you are reading; that God's answer is coming, and in our case, has come in Jesus. Yes, not all things are as we would like them to be, but our hope continues to be in God. Wait. It's on its way. It will come in God's time. Those who think they are self-important, but in truth, who are "soul-empty" will not find what they truly need. Yet the ones who stand right before God will realize they are fully alive, truly alive because they are right with God.

Our faith stands with us in troubled and good times. Our faith does not depend on what our neighbor is doing or not doing; our faith depends on our standing right and living right before God. The world around us may be shaken and moved, but we will not. God always sees us through.

Dear Friend, thank you for being a faithful reader of ConCafe. Thank you for your prayers for me, and for those who ask prayers from us. I saw my ophthalmologist yesterday morning, and as a birthday gift, the cataract in my left eye decided to grow a bit since last year and in six months he will check me again to see if I need to have it removed. Once it is out of the way, he may get a clearer look at the macular puckering going on behind it. Please pray for me. I also request you pray a prayer of thanksgiving for Mrs. Laurel Bradford, wife of The Rev. Scott Bradford of FUMC-San Angelo, who underwent successful surgery. Pray for her recovery. Pray for one another. Pray for yourselves.

PRAYER: Loving God, as we pray, speak to our listening hearts about our condition and need. Bring us light and direction. We pray for our sister Laurel as she recovers, thanking You that the surgery went well and she is home now. Bless Scott as he cares for her. We pray for anyone, anywhere who is hurting or ill. We pray for those places around us where we sense what the prophet from today's reading saw, heard, and experienced. We pray we might speak a word of peace to all; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Be prophetic in your words to those who have yet to hear any.

Blessings of love,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Thanking God is a Must!

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1 I, Paul, together with Silas and Timothy, greet the church of the Thessalonian Christians in the name of God our Father and our Master, Jesus Christ. 2 Our God gives you everything you need, makes you everything you're to be. 3 You need to know, friends, that thanking God over and over for you is not only a pleasure; it's a must. We have to do it. Your faith is growing phenomenally; your love for each other is developing wonderfully. Why, it's only right that we give thanks. 4 We're so proud of you; you're so steady and determined in your faith despite all the hard times that have come down on you. We tell everyone we meet in the churches all about you.11 Because we know that this extraordinary day is just ahead, we pray for you all the time - pray that our God will make you fit for what he's called you to be, pray that he'll fill your good ideas and acts of faith with his own energy so that it all amounts to something. 12 If your life honors the name of Jesus, he will honor you. Grace is behind and through all of this, our God giving himself freely, the Master, Jesus Christ, giving himself freely. (2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 11-12 The Message)

There is power in words. You know this, and I know this. Words, when put together nicely and lovingly, can bring such life to someone we call that a blessing. When words are thrown together in haste and anger, well they do the opposite and we call those curses. We should especially be careful with the words we share with little ones, the children in our midst. It is so wonderful when we hear a small child say, on his/her own, "Thank you!" That child learned that from someone. When a child says something we don't expect that makes us cringe; they learned that too. To hear a child volunteer a prayer is a special blessing; to hear a child say they don't know/want to pray, that's sad.

Paul was successful in his ministry because he was thoughtful. God had granted him that special ability to say thanks and words of encouragement to those around him. He also knew when to share words of correction to the same people. And Paul knew how to pray. His model of prayer is shared here in today's passage. Paul knew that God provides all things and knows how to make us who we were meant to be, and for that we are to say, thanks. In fact, above in verse 3 we read, "You need to know, friends, that thanking God over and over for you is not only a pleasure; it's a must. We have to do it." And we realize that thankfulness is driven by love. And faith drives thankfulness especially in hard times.

So, dear one, reflect on your attitude about gratitude. Are you a praying person that always gives thanks in love to God for those with whom you live and work? Good news! You can start right now! Are you going through a rough spell and find it hard to give thanks? That's okay, God understands, but you can see whatever it is as a learning opportunity that can bless you in the days to come. Thank God for that. And you'll find that blessings are right behind it!

PRAYER: Awesome Father, thank You for the lessons shared by Paul. Help us to learn and to put into our lives the blessings that he has shared. And God, I pray for this dear reader; whatever they may be experiencing, we know it is something that will pass soon. Grant them peace and joy. In Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Be a person of positive prayers today!

Blessings of love,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

A Giant of a Sinner?

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1 He entered Jericho and was passing through it. 2 A man was there named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was rich. 3 He was trying to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was short in stature. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see him, because he was going to pass that way. 5 When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today." 6 So he hurried down and was happy to welcome him. 7 All who saw it began to grumble and said, "He has gone to be the guest of one who is a sinner." 8 Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, "Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much." 9 Then Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost." (Luke 19:1-10 NRSV)

May this be a tremendously blessed Tuesday for you, dear Friend! I pray the blessings of joy, health and peace be with you and yours.

Jesus enters the oldest city in the world, and the one we know from Old Testament days as the fortified city which lost its walls to the people of God as they marched around it and sounded trumpets as prescribed by God. And Jesus was about to encounter a man whose life had been walled up nice and tight. And what made the man even more significant was the meaning of his name, "Clean, pure" is what Zacchaeus means. His parents, upon being blessed by this child, gave him a name that they hoped would mark his life. As we will find out, the opposite meanings of the name marked the life of this man. He had grown up to be a chief tax collector and was a very rich man. As a Jew, he was guilty of interacting with those who had conquered Israel and whose money was now the currency of the day, both of which marked Zac's hands as unclean. And as was widely known, tax collectors skimmed money off the top at whatever rate they deemed right, usually making them very rich men. Not driven by purity now, was he? Yet, he was a human and had desires of seeing who this Jesus was, and finding out what He was about. And as happens usually to those who arrive a tad late to a parade, the best viewing spots were gone. Usually not a problem for tall people, but Zac was a short man. Yet Zac was a clever man and knew to climb a sycamore tree to have a good look at Jesus.

Zac's desire was to see Jesus, but gets a shock when Jesus calls this man by his proper name, and informs him that He would be staying at Zac's home. This sort of thing seldom happens. The "star" attraction of the day does not usually call people on the street by their name and inform them of their plans to stay the night! While this made Zac very happy, those around him, who knew him and his reputation, get riled up and begin to gripe, "This prophet/rabbi is going to the home of a terrible sinner! How dare he!" The reality should be that the clergy of the day would be known as those who associated with all people, not just their parishioners, but those whom nobody else wanted or could see. The true men of God for their day would be those whose daily life was all about being with all people especially those in most need. The presence and power of Jesus, and the comments of his neighbors brought about a change of heart in Zac. Zacchaeus undergoes a change of heart to the extent that He blurts out, "Look. half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much." This is a moment of salvation. The man confesses his sin and offers to make right all the wrongs he has committed in his life. And not just a take out a check and pay something; this man was willing to give up half of ALL he owned and pay restitution of four times what he had defrauded people out of. The idea of repentance became the action of not only repentance but of love. The short man who was a giant of a sinner became a true giant of faith. He rid himself of all that he had sought while not a believer. He believed more in money and possessions, and acquired them in all the wrong ways, but came to faith in Christ Jesus and discovered a new life.

Dear friend, this message was for me, and I believe for you as well. We can so easily be mislead down the wrong paths, but when we hear the voice of Jesus calling us from death to life, we need to heed that call and come to life. The false life we need to leave behind and follow our Shepherd. I guarantee that He will lead us as David wrote, "He guides me along the right paths for His name's sake." And, we know that His "goodness and love will follow (us) all the days of (our) life." Amen.

PRAYER: Gracious Lord, smile down upon me as I renounce the things that seek to separate me from You. Grant to me the vision and courage to leave behind the things that serve no good purpose, and to seek You and Your paths. This I pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Get small in sin and big in faith! And tell someone!

Blessings of love, Pastor Eradio Valverde

The Truth Shall Set You Free!

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31 Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." 33 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'?" 34 Jesus answered them, "Very truly, I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. 35 The slave does not have a permanent place in the household; the son has a place there forever. 36 So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. (John 8:31-36 NRSV)

May this be a wonderful and marvelous Monday for you and yours, dear Friend! I pray you had time to rest, reflect, and renew yourself. Nellie and I were blessed in spending my birthday with our granddaughter, Eliana Beth Garcia, and her siblings and our daughter and son-in-law, in Mission, Texas. Prayers for Iona and Clay Walden as they await the arrival of their daughter, who as of Friday had not yet made her appearance, as much as I wanted her to share her birthday with me, she has not yet decided. Prayers for all to be well with all. Pray for one another. Pray for yourselves.

In today's passage, Jesus' audience was made up of "Jews who had believed in Him," and Jesus is advising them of how to remain as His disciples, and that was through His word. Jesus had been preaching and teaching that which He knew, which was the teaching of the Law and the whole of the Hebrew Bible we call our Old Testament, as well as sharing His insights and truths behind the Law that the religious people of the day had misunderstood or erroneously taught. His teachings showed that there was freedom from sin, and so in this passage, Jesus clearly instructs the listeners that truth indeed can set you free. They misunderstand and then claim that as children of Abraham they had never been slaves to anyone. They were forgetting their history in Egypt. Some Jews begin counting their religious journey with Abraham rather than Moses. Jesus then explains what you and I know as true; "Everyone who sins is a slave to sin." That is truth. If we learn the truth of what Jesus offers, then we are free from sin, or can be. Jesus further explains, "The slave does not have a permanent place in the household; the son has a place there forever." Slaves to sin will not have a permanent or eternal place in the Kingdom, but a child, son or daughter, will. Thus, Jesus' next words, "So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed."

Wow! There is the Good News! We do not have to live out our lives as slaves to sin. The truth Jesus shared then is still true today: Jesus defeated sin on the cross. We who ask forgiveness of our sins are affirming our belief in Jesus' victory over sin AND death. We need no longer stay as slaves to sin, but can enjoy our freedom from it. What is it that we say every first Sunday when we celebrate Communion? Our Prayer of Confession and Pardon says, "Forgive us, we pray. Free us for joyful obedience, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen." We also affirm what Jesus read in His Bible, and that He Himself fulfilled,"Your Spirit anointed Him to preach good news to the poor, to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, and to set at liberty those who are oppressed..." Amen. Yes, indeed.

Dear one, receive the Good News of Jesus for yourself. If you are enslaved by a sinful behavior, or addiction, or ritual or habit; Jesus died for you and has come to set you free. Believe and receive that and become the person Jesus wants.

PRAYER: Loving Father, we accept Jesus as Lord and Savior and Deliverer, who came to set me free. I repent of my sins and ask that You lead me forward towards complete victory. I no longer want to be a slave to sin; I want to be Your child, with a rightful and blessed place at Your table. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen!

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Share a freedom word with someone today, maybe even yourself!

Blessings of love,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

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O God of Our Salvation!

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1 Silence is praise to you, Zion-dwelling God, And also obedience. 2 You hear the prayer in it all. We all arrive at your doorstep sooner or later, loaded with guilt, 3 Our sins too much for us - but you get rid of them once and for all. 4 Blessed are the chosen! Blessed the guest at home in your place! We expect our fill of good things in your house, your heavenly manse. 5 All your salvation wonders are on display in your trophy room. Earth-Tamer, Ocean-Pourer, 6 Mountain-Maker, Hill-Dresser, 7 Muzzler of sea storm and wave crash, of mobs in noisy riot - 8 Far and wide they'll come to a stop, they'll stare in awe, in wonder. Dawn and dusk take turns calling, "Come and worship." 9 Oh, visit the earth, ask her to join the dance! Deck her out in spring showers, fill the God-River with living water. Paint the wheat fields golden. Creation was made for this! 10 Drench the plowed fields, soak the dirt clods With rainfall as harrow and rake bring her to blossom and fruit. 11 Snow-crown the peaks with splendor, scatter rose petals down your paths, 12 All through the wild meadows, rose petals. Set the hills to dancing, 13 Dress the canyon walls with live sheep, a drape of flax across the valleys. Let them shout, and shout, and shout! Oh, oh, let them sing! (Psalm 65 The Message)

A very blessed Thursday to you, dear Friend! May the tremendous blessings of God be with you as you go about your day today and all days.

If you set up a trophy room for God in your home, what would be on the walls, in the trophy cases, the tables, and book shelves? It's an image that the translator of this version had fun with as he describes what should be on display in God's trophy room. We can find those in verse 5 and 6, and he lists them as "salvation wonders," and then in the rest of the verse, Earth-Tamer, Ocean-Pourer, Mountain-Maker, Hill-Dresser, Muzzler of sea storm and wave crash, of mobs in noisy riots." Wow. Quite a list and I suppose that photos of those would suffice. But "salvation wonders" tops the list. I would imagine a before and after picture of our spiritual being would tell the tale. Our heart, mind and spirit before we met Jesus and then what it looked like after we surrendered our life to Him. I would be shy to look at the before picture of my sinful heart, mind, and spirit. Sins, thoughts, deeds that had run freely without the restraint of a loving Savior make for quite an ugly picture. What a dreary picture that would be. But the after pictures would be bright, cheery, loving pictures of blessings and joys that have come our way after we entrusted our lives to Jesus. The trophy would be a crown that Jesus could wear for giving His all for you and me.

PRAYER: Awesome, Loving God, thank You. Make the recent sins and recent thoughts leave this realm and free us for joyful living. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen!

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Shine for Jesus the picture of the tremendous change that has come to your life. Make new pictures of God's victory in your life!

Blessings of love,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Outpouring!

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23 O children of Zion, be glad and rejoice in the Lord your God; for he has given the early rain for your vindication, he has poured down for you abundant rain, the early and the later rain, as before. 24 The threshing floors shall be full of grain, the vats shall overflow with wine and oil. 25 I will repay you for the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter, my great army, which I sent against you. 26 You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, who has dealt wondrously with you. And my people shall never again be put to shame. 27 You shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I, the Lord, am your God and there is no other. And my people shall never again be put to shame. 28 Then afterward I will pour out my spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. 29 Even on the male and female slaves, in those days, I will pour out my spirit. 30 I will show portents in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke. 31 The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes. 32 Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved; for in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those who escape, as the Lord has said, and among the survivors shall be those whom the Lord calls. (Joel 2:23-32 NRSV)

A wonderful and blessed Wednesday to you and yours, dear Friend! Our prayers for Iona and Rev. Clay Walden as they still await the arrival of their daughter, Adena. Last we heard they were in Labor and Delivery as the doctors were running more tests. We pray for them and for a safe and healthy delivery. Prayers for those in Dallas who two nights ago had that terrible storm come through. A co-worker of our daughter who lives in Dallas lost her home, and this a week after being informed she had been laid off by her company. Pray for her and for all who have lost much, if not everything. Pray for one another. Pray for yourselves.

This passage appears in Acts, chapter 2, when Peter preaches the sermon that converted three thousand new believers to the faith. The prophetic passage as we find it here addresses a powerful hope that God promises to His children in Zion after they had suffered drought, pestilence, and famine. God sent them early rain, which was a necessary rain after their drought, and He promises a great harvest of wheat and wine. The ravages of the locust are gone and the newness of God's gifts will be a blessing to them. God's promise is that now the children of Zion will "eat in plenty and be satisfied"; His most important gift is His presence in the midst of them as their God.

The next promise is the passage that we find in Acts 2, a promise that the day would come when God's Spirit would be poured out on them and their sons and daughters would prophesy, and their old men would dream dreams, and their young men would see visions; even male and female slaves would receive God's Spirit. God's signs would be in the sky and on the earth, and what Jesus told His disciples that the sun would turn dark and the moon would turn blood red, right before the coming day of the Lord. And when that day arrived, all who called upon the Lord would be saved.

This passage could be about you and me and our life's history. We have seen the good and the bad; we have experienced the best and the worst that life can throw our way, but in Christ Jesus we finally find the hope of life that no one else can offer to us. That is salvation, the being pulled out of that which seeks to kill, steal and destroy us, to the life, and that in abundance that Jesus came to offer us (John 10:10). The Holy Spirit has been poured out on those who are open to His leading and to His speaking. It is through prayer and scripture study that we can hear that which God wants us to hear. And it is the message of salvation that the Church should be proclaiming.There is no greater joy, no greater nourishment to our souls than the message of God's Good News in Jesus Christ. And that is a message that is too good to keep to ourselves.

PRAYER: Awesome God, pour our Your Holy Spirit on us again and again. Fill us with what You would so that we might be the people who make a difference in the world for You. This we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

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

Blessings of love,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Holier than Thou?

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9 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt: 10 "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, "God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.' 13 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, "God, be merciful to me, a sinner!' 14 I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other; for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted." (Luke 18:9-14 NRSV)

A wonderful Monday greeting to you and yours, dear Friend! I pray the blessings of a restful weekend were yours and that time spent with the Lord through this devotional bless you for the week ahead. From your bulletins in church you have an idea of the prayer needs from the prayer list inside it. So, please lift those up and pray for one another, and pray for yourselves.

Prayer was something that Jesus did, and it was something that He taught with every opportunity that came to him. And as this chapter began, He was teaching prayer and then gives this example of prayer to those in His audience who "trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt." Two men, Jesus said, went up to the temple to pray. Remember that the temple was the place where heaven and earth met; the connecting place for God. A place where most would humble themselves for prayer and praise. The steps leading up to the entrance of the temple were made in a way to force people to look down and walk up with care and humility. Yet, as even happens in churches today, nothing means as much as what some bring or feel about themselves. The Pharisee begins his prayer with a thanksgiving about himself. "God, I thank You that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector." Ouch. You can bet this prayer was within earshot of this tax collector. Yet he continued, "I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income." Ouch again. Chances are the tax collector did none of these things.

The tax man then prayed from his heart, "God, be merciful to me, a sinner!" The prayer of a contrite heart. The prayer that we should all pray from time to time. During times that I run I pray this breath prayer. We all stand in need of God's grace and nothing better than to ask for His mercy on us, always.

Jesus then states that this man went home as the only justified person of the two. Further, Jesus adds, "All who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted."

Prayer is a time for honesty, not trying to impress others. The old story of a man called on to pray at a presidential cabinet meeting, rumored to have been in the cabinet of Lyndon B. Johnson; the man hardly spoke above a whisper and the President said, "I can't hear you!" The man without hesitating said, "I wasn't praying to you!" Or, the comedic routine of Anjelah Johnson who calls her squad together to pray, "For Karen, because she's pregnant." Gossip, not gospel. Prayer is about admitting to the One who knows how we are, how we are.

PRAYER: Loving God, You know who I am, and what's in my heart; forgive me and change me. Let me be the person You want me to be. In Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Bless someone with a prayer today. Pray for your pastor!

Blessings of love, Pastor Eradio Valverde

Better Than Home Cooking!

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97 Oh, how I love all you've revealed; I reverently ponder it all the day long. 98 Your commands give me an edge on my enemies; they never become obsolete. 99 I've even become smarter than my teachers since I've pondered and absorbed your counsel. 100 I've become wiser than the wise old sages simply by doing what you tell me. 101 I watch my step, avoiding the ditches and ruts of evil so I can spend all my time keeping your Word. 102 I never make detours from the route you laid out; you gave me such good directions. 103 Your words are so choice, so tasty; I prefer them to the best home cooking. 104 With your instruction, I understand life; that's why I hate false propaganda. (Psalm 119: 97-104 The Message)

Some years ago, one of our nephews was getting ready to leave home for college. Nellie and I went to see him and asked if he was going to miss home and home cooking. He laughed and said, "Mom doesn't cook; I thought you knew that!" We acted like we didn't. "Well, I guess I'm going to miss Luby's, Whataburger, El Pato..." and he listed a bunch of fast food places in the area. We laughed. Those of us blessed with home cooking know there is no substitute for such a blessing. I was away from home in college and looked forward to every other weekend when I could return home to enjoy my mother's home cooking. The year I spent in Denver, Colorado, was an experience I will never forget. I had learned how to cook at the age of 9 and having an apartment there in Denver, I was able to improve my skills. But nothing matched what I got at home. I would call and ask Mom for suggestions on recipes, even venturing into making menudo once I found a meat market that would sell me tripe.

Can you imagine anything better than home cooking? David came to love God's law (scriptures) and the connection he got from reading it. Notice again what he lists as the blessings he got from reading it: An edge over his enemies. The law was always fresh and relevant. He even knew he was now smarter than his teachers; such was the time he spent in study and devotion. He believes he had even gotten to the point of knowing more than the wisest sages he had known. It had become a guide for his very steps; and here's the title; he loved that God's word was tasty, preferred even to "best home cooking." With God's word, he understood life.

When was the last time you "tasted and proved" the Lord's word? I mean, that you took time to truly enjoy and devour every word as morsels of nourishment and blessings. Guess what? it's not too late to start again. Pick the Bible up, and let the Bible pick you up!

PRAYER: Loving God, I want what David had; I want the joy, peace, strength, guidance, power, and comfort that he found the more he spent in time with You. Help me to be blessed and to share it with others. In Christ Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Show your appreciation to those who teach Bible in your midst.

Blessings of love,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

The Parents Ate the Green Apples; the Kids Got the Stomachache.

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27 The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of humans and the seed of animals. 28 And just as I have watched over them to pluck up and break down, to overthrow, destroy, and bring evil, so I will watch over them to build and to plant, says the Lord. 29 In those days they shall no longer say: "The parents have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge." 30 But all shall die for their own sins; the teeth of everyone who eats sour grapes shall be set on edge. 31 The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. 32 It will not be like the covenant that I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt—a covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, says the Lord. 33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 No longer shall they teach one another, or say to each other, "Know the Lord," for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the Lord; for I will forgive their iniquity, and remember their sin no more. (Jeremiah 31:27-34 NRSV)

Happy Thursday, dear Friend! I pray that the weather in the area where you live has been pleasant. We prayed on Tuesday night for rain and most of that night, we got rain. We also got some cooler weather. My prayers are that we all stay safe and that we are aware of the needs of those who have no homes. Pray for one another. Pray for yourselves. Find a way to get involved in helping others.

We come to the Weeping Prophet again. As we're in the midst of the month set aside to show our appreciation for our pastors, his words and situations work well to help us all understand some of the pressures and challenges of pastoral ministry. I received this quote from a colleague, written by Frederick Buechner, a noted author and pastor:

"I HEAR YOU ARE entering the ministry," the woman said down the long table, meaning no real harm. "Was it your own idea or were you poorly advised?" And the answer that she could not have heard even if I had given it was that it was not an idea at all, neither my own nor anyone else's. It was a lump in the throat. It was an itching in the feet. It was a stirring in the blood at the sound of rain. It was a sickening of the heart at the sight of misery. It was a clamoring of ghosts. It was a name which, when I wrote it out in a dream, I knew was a name worth dying for even if I was not brave enough to do the dying myself and could not even name the name for sure. Come unto me, all ye who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you a high and driving peace. I will condemn you to death."

That statement is both powerful and true. It is difficult for most pastors to fully and satisfactorily answer the question of Why we were called into ministry. Those truly called were called by the Author of Life. The call was mysterious as was the road ahead. None that I know had the special privilege that Paul had to have the Lord reveal to us what we were to suffer; we have been surprised, both pleasantly and not so pleasantly. We have seen the absolute best and the worst in people. We have been blessed, and some of us have been cursed, cussed, and discussed. Some of us were even disgusted. Some us even have been in situations like Jeremiah saw and wept over. People doing the most incredible and unexpected things; and all like as if nothing bad or evil had even been done. As the Message version says, and it's today's theme, "parents have eaten the green apples and the kids have gotten the stomachache." The actions of parents leaving consequences for their children; yet the truth follows in the 30th verse, "But all shall die for their own sins." Yet, the coming of the new covenant in the Messiah is written in that passage; God still wants us, and God is willing to pay the ultimate price of losing His only Son for us. And the day is coming, God says through the prophet, "I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people." The day is coming, God says, when teaching others about God will no longer be necessary because all will know, and all will follow and all will obey. And all will have their sins forgiven.

PRAYER: Gracious God, we long for that day but for now we celebrate Jesus and all He has done. For now we also must continue to teach one another about You and all You do. Grant us wisdom, grant us courage, for the living of these days. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Tell someone about God's love for them today! AND show some appreciation for your pastor(s) before this month is up!

Blessings of love and strength,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Keep On Keepin' On!

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14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it, 15 and how from childhood you have known the sacred writings that are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work. 1 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I solemnly urge you: 2 proclaim the message; be persistent whether the time is favorable or unfavorable; convince, rebuke, and encourage, with the utmost patience in teaching. 3 For the time is coming when people will not put up with sound doctrine, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own desires, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander away to myths. 5 As for you, always be sober, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, carry out your ministry fully. (2 Timothy 3:14-4:5 NRSV)

May this Wednesday bless you beyond belief! That's my prayer for you, dear Friend! Pray for one another. Pray for yourselves.

I may date myself in the title of this devotional, but it's what I thought about when I read the first verse of the veteran believer to the young protegé, Timothy. The phrase has an interesting history if you can believe the Internet; some say the phrase comes from the 1910s as used by the Salvation Army, or comes later like in the 1960s with Bob Dylan and others who changed the closely related "Keep on Truckin'" saying. Paul is telling Timothy to keep the faith going. Paul delights in reminding Timothy of his long history of faith from his mother's side to the point where he is now, and reminds him of the scriptures that helped his faith including the powerful "All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work."

Paul's urging for Timothy is also for us: "Proclaim the message; be persistent whether the time is favorable or unfavorable; convince, rebuke, and encourage, with the utmost patience in teaching." And a prophetic word come true so many times since he originally wrote these words, "For the time is coming when people will not put up with sound doctrine, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own desires, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander away to myths." Need I say more? Does the church resemble this statement today?

Many say the church is dying because she has failed to relate to the issues of the day; and some churches bring in their so-called prophets to preach a more "acceptable" word and have the results been what was desired? Even in Paul's day, challenges from other theologies and beliefs threatened the established church, thus this letter to Timothy, and to us: Keep on keepin' on with what is true and right and affirming and life-giving - the scriptures that show us what Jesus can do for us. Dust off your Bibles, read 'em and share what you read!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, speak Your word loudly and clearly, for we need it more than ever before. Speak to our hearts and needs; challenge us, correct us and use us. This we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Share a Bible verse with someone at random!

Blessings of love,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Persistent Faith!

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1 Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart. 2 He said, "In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor had respect for people. 3 In that city there was a widow who kept coming to him and saying, "Grant me justice against my opponent.' 4 For a while he refused; but later he said to himself, "Though I have no fear of God and no respect for anyone, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice, so that she may not wear me out by continually coming.' " 6 And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them? 8 I tell you, he will quickly grant justice to them. And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?" (Luke 18:1-8 NRSV)

The founder of the movement that ultimately became the denomination in which we belong, The Reverend John Wesley, towards the end of his life reflected on the revival that God sent through his efforts in sharing Jesus, wrote, "I am not afraid that the people called Methodists should ever cease to exist either in Europe or America. But I am afraid lest they should only exist as a dead sect, having the form of religion without the power. And this undoubtedly will be the case unless they hold fast both the doctrine, spirit, and discipline with which they first set out." It is as though Wesley sensed the people called Methodists would reach a point where complacency and secularity would have a negative impact on our soul. Some say that now, right now, we are a dead sect. We do have the "form of religion," but do we have "the power?" And in an even more serious note, Jesus asks, "When the Son of Man (that's Jesus!) comes, will He find faith on earth?" The Message Version has Jesus posing it as "But how much of that kind of persistent faith will the Son of Man find on the earth when He returns?"

The passage, dear Friend asks the question about our prayer life. The parable of the persistent widow sets the example for the way we should pray. Jesus sets it in a context that all could identify with; a judge whom people probably thought of judges in their day, did not fear God nor respected people, and were not surprised that he didn't do right by the widow. Until Jesus said, the judge admits that he does not fear God, and did not respect people, but because of her persistence, he would grant to her her request and grant her justice. Jesus then says, "Imagine what God will do for His people "who cry to Him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them? I tell you, He will quickly grant justice to them." Then the question.

Sunday during my sermon in Marble Falls I shared again that when I received the call from the bishop about my being a district superintendent, Nellie and I went to God in prayer to ask what I could needed to do for the good of His kingdom and the first was for the people called Methodists needed to recapture the power of prayer. I still believe and stress that. Real spiritual power comes through the spiritual exercise of praying. We can ask for the power to come again, to truly fill out the form that we have. I truly don't believe God has given up on us, but we are too dangerously close to giving up on God. We should not take anything for granted. We need God more now than any other time in history. But God is still as close to us as ever. We have to but ask, and God will grant those things that we need to do God's work.

PRAYER: Loving God, as we pray, we pray for our prayer lives. We don't want to be stale and certainly not dead in our spirits. We have to ask for new life in our prayers, new power in our witness, and new light as we share. This we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Pray today like never before!

Blessings of love,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Jesus is The Bread of Life!

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25 When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, "Rabbi, when did you come here?" 26 Jesus answered them, "Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. 27 Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal." 28 Then they said to him, "What must we do to perform the works of God?" 29 Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent." 30 So they said to him, "What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing? 31 Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, "He gave them bread from heaven to eat.' " 32 Then Jesus said to them, "Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." 34 They said to him, "Sir, give us this bread always." 35 Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. (John 6:25-35 NRSV)

A marvelous Monday be yours, dear Friend, and for those whom you love. I trust your weekend was a refreshing and renewing one. As we pray this day, please lift up Mrs. Elisa Gaytan, of Edinburg, wife of The Rev. Francisco Gaytan, who will undergo knee surgery today. Pray all goes well. Please pray for Iona Walden, wife of The Rev. Clay Walden of Marble Falls, whose baby Adena, is due any day now! The Waldens are excitedly nervous about the arrival of their first baby! We ask continued prayers for Sammie Gibson as he recovers from outpatient surgery at home in Gonzales. Pray for one another. Pray for yourselves.

A young man with a son was at the head of a long line at the Dollar Tree in Marble Falls on Saturday. His son wanted a soft drink and had a Pepsi in his hands. I don't know what else the boy had, but the father's total for the purchase was $3.25. I believe the child had candy. The clerk working the register had a very slow internet connection and the machine was not reading the man's card. The clerk called for the manager to come and help. The man said he had already swiped his card twice and was reluctant to swipe it again. The manager asked if it was a food stamps card? The man shyly said yes. He then started to leave the store. "You haven't paid your bill yet!" The manager said, "Your card only has twenty-five cents on it." The man was getting impatient and angry. "I've already swiped it twice, and I'm nervous about it being swiped too many times. I'm going to check this as soon as I get home. The woman behind the man graciously offered to pay the three dollars. The man angrily said, "I've already paid it! How can they be charging me?" As the line grew longer, the man grew more nervous and irate. Finally, the manager said, "Go on. We'll take care of it." The man just walked out. A woman behind me yelled angrily, because the man left by sharing some bad words, "You should be grateful!" I knew the tone and it was about not having anything with which to buy food for his son. It's a helpless feeling no one wants to feel.

The people who wanted to see Jesus knew that feeling and perhaps more, because they themselves may have been hungry and had been present at the miraculous feeding of the multitudes. Free food, even if it's just loaves and fishes, works to cure hunger. And it would motivate more than one to seek out the man who can provide that; and that is what Jesus knew about this crowd. And it is not that Jesus didn't want to feed the crowd, He wanted to stress that they, and us, should work "for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you." The crowd declares they will do whatever it takes to get this bread. Jesus replies the only thing they need to do is to believe in Him. Belief, they believe, would require yet another miracle or act on the part of Jesus, referring to the manna in the wilderness that the Jews ate while in the wilderness. Jesus responds with the truth, that it was not Moses that provided that bread, it was God, and further, that "the bread of God is that which comes down from Heaven and gives life to the world." This got their attention and they ask for Jesus to give them this "bread always." Jesus makes one of His "I am" declarations, as He said to them, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty."

These men and women were on the ground floor of some incredible revelations that no one had heard before, that God provides the bread of life that satisfies for all eternity. The hunger that so many people suffer and can't seem to satisfy with earthly bread or anything else that humans seem to try. Jesus is inviting people to go beyond the everyday realm of the physical to the supernatural realm; the only realm that truly satisfies for all things eternal. It us completely up to us to decide whether to believe or not. And whether we will serve God or not.

PRAYER: Loving God, help me take steps towards You and away from the mundane. Grant to my soul the bread that fully satisfies. In Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Show others the satisfaction that is yours through Jesus Christ!

Blessings of love,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Applause for God!

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1 All together now - applause for God! 2 Sing songs to the tune of his glory, set glory to the rhythms of his praise. 3 Say of God, "We've never seen anything like him!" When your enemies see you in action, they slink off like scolded dogs. 4 The whole earth falls to its knees - it worships you, sings to you, can't stop enjoying your name and fame. 5 Take a good look at God's wonders - they'll take your breath away. 6 He converted sea to dry land; travelers crossed the river on foot. Now isn't that cause for a song? 7 Ever sovereign in his high tower, he keeps his eye on the godless nations. Rebels don't dare raise a finger against him. 8 Bless our God, O peoples! Give him a thunderous welcome! 9 Didn't he set us on the road to life? Didn't he keep us out of the ditch? 10 He trained us first, passed us like silver through refining fires, 11 Brought us into hardscrabble country, pushed us to our very limit, 12 Road-tested us inside and out, took us to hell and back; Finally he brought us to this well-watered place. (Psalm 66:1-12 The Message)

A tremendous and terrific Thursday be yours as you study the scripture for today, spend time in prayer, and think about how God is speaking to you. I urge you pray for one another and pray for yourselves. Whatever your needs, worries, etc., turn them over to God.

Do you ever stop to think about what we humans do from time to time? As humans we sometimes "put our hands together" as some emcees ask, meaning we clap either for someone or for something. When was the last time you clapped for something God has done for you? Why, Reverend, I'm a Methodist and we Methodists are experts in restraint! (onlly a joke dear friends!). And I believe some years ago I shared how the Dean of a seminary lectured a congregation on why we shouldn't applaud during worship after someone sings a song; looks from the congregations showed some agreed, some did not. Take the same group and put them in a stadium on a Friday night or Sunday afternoon?! There will be applause. And screaming. And yelling. And cheering! What about in our churches? Honestly, nothing can ever stop us from applauding in our hearts for the things that God does for us. The psalm for today shows a psalmist who knows the good that God has done. And something else that no one can stop is the way we can sing our praises to God. God is unmatched in His goodness for and to us, and our tongues should employ for praising the works of God.

God is on your side. In the game of life, God is on your team; and guess Who wins? The psalmist describes God's enemies as "scolded dogs," and the entire earth falling to its knees; all have joined together to worship God, sing God's praises, and enjoying God's name and fame. And then a recap of all God has and is doing. The trip may be long and dusty, but it ends well.

I'd say clap for God!

PRAYER: LORD, let me not hold back from applauding all you have done for me. Guide me to sincere, unrestrained praising of Your name! Help me to share that hope with others. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Bless God in all you do today! Show some applause.

Blessings of love,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Thank you for blessing this ministry with your prayers and your forwards of each devotion to others. Your support at paypal.me/eradiovalverde also blesses this work!