Purpose and Power

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Hear devo here: https://bit.ly/44FEzfc

View devo: https://bit.ly/4l7eNGE

1 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. 2 He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. 3 Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. 4 Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road. 5 “When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ 6 If someone who promotes peace is there, your peace will rest on them; if not, it will return to you. 7 Stay there, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house. 8 “When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is offered to you. 9 Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ 10 But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, 11 ‘Even the dust of your town we wipe from our feet as a warning to you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God has come near.’ 16 “Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me; but whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me.” 17 The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” 18 He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. 20 However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” (Luke 10:1-11, 16-20 NIV)

If you are a baptized and confirmed member of a church, guess what? You have God's permission and power to go forth and do the work of Jesus! I know this excites you. Okay, I know it doesn't, but think about it after hearing what Jesus did. Two thousand years ago, Jesus felt the pressure and urgency to save the world by starting with twelve men. I should add common men. No professor among them. No medically trained personnel among them. No theologically prepared and licensed or certified person among them. And not a rich man among them. We're talking fishermen, a tax collector, a religious zealot (I don't know how much that pays!), a tradesman or two, a treasurer and traitor, and two unknown backgrounds. And then, Jesus adds to that number an additional seventy-two "others," and sends them! Two by two ahead of Him and the Twelve into every town and place where He was about to go. Why? "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few." So, Jesus sends workers, meaning those self-starters made bold by the Spirit to do the work needed to be done. We used to sing in Spanish a corito or chorus that says, "Only the power of God can transform your life; the proof I offer you is that God changed me." Trust me it sounds better sung in español. And I'd be the first to raise my hand if asked, "Who here is the least qualified but God's transformation allowed you to go and do what God asked?" Meeeee!! I tried getting out of it, folks. I knew I was shy and I was told I was boring, but I was willing. Ready? Not so much, but God send me, as Isaiah said, when I realized God would not let me go. And I used every excuse I could think of; God would not have it. Would I have laughed if the girl who told me I was boring would also say one day I would preach to a stadium-filled crowd? Yes. Or, that I would be asked to preach at a university (twice?) which led to an event that over two weekends allowed me to preach to 13,000 youth? Again, yes, and friends I brag not on myself, but the God who can take all of us and use us all to reach the world! How humbling but exciting have been the words of gratitude on many a death bed of those who have come to faith and assurance through Jesus and His ministry in our churches. The harvest is truly plentiful and we are just the laborers that Jesus talked about!

The mission of the Seventy Two gives away key points for our deployment. The harvest field is ready, but it won't all be easy pickings! We go, as Jesus said, "like lambs among wolves." Jesus gave us the example that even among people being healed, made whole, made to walk and see, and even raised from the dead, the cries were for it to stop and to stop the man who was doing it. To me, it makes no sense! The urgency to get to the harvest is such that Jesus said for them (and us) not not worry about taking a purse (wallet), bag or sandals and even lolly-gagging to greet others on the road.. As we get to a home, and I would remind us that Wesley asked, and we were asked at our ordination, if we would visit from house to house; rare is the pastor who takes that seriously. Could we learn from the Jehovah's Witnesses or LDS (Mormons) who do take very seriously the calling on all houses? I have to ask how many people do open their doors when the doorbell rings or someone knocks? Gone are the days when the afternoons found most families in their front yards! We've gone from being porch people to deck people in the back yard behind high wooden privacy fences. Can we blame the invention of the air conditioner? Back to the home that does welcome you, Jesus says, first say a blessing of peace upon the house; if the residents there promote peace that greeting of peace will truly stay with them; it not, the blessing returns to you. If their hospitality is extended for a long stay, enjoy whatever they offer in the way of food and drinks. If you enter a town and they offer you food, eat the food offered. Then the ministry of healing; pray for the sick and share with them the message Jesus and John the Baptist offered as their first sermons, "The Kingdom of God has come near to you." If you are ever not welcomed, in public view declare, "Even the dust of your town we wipe from our feet as a warning to you and again, the sermon of Jesus and John regarding the Kingdom. Jesus said that whoever listens to us is listening to God; those who reject us are really rejecting Jesus.

The Seventy-Two returned with great joy and reported victory, claiming victory over the demons who submitted to the name of Jesus, to which Jesus said, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven," meaning a great defeat of the Enemy. Jesus also reminds them that they had received from Him the authority and power to trample on snakes and scorpions and overcome all the power of the enemy; "Nothing will harm you." Yet, His greatest statement was that they/we should not rejoice that we have power over the spirits submitting to us, but our joy should be that our names are written in Heaven.

This passage reminds us that we are also sent—not necessarily to distant places, but into our neighborhoods, workplaces, and families. We are sent with purpose: to bring peace, to care for others, and to proclaim the nearness of God. And like the seventy-two, our confidence lies not in what we have, but in the One who has written our names in heaven. I can think of no greater comfort than knowing God has written our names in the book of life meaniung that we bleong to Him not only now, but forever!

PRAYER: Gracious Lord, thank You for calling and sending me, not because of who I am, but because of who You are. Help me to walk in obedience, not fearing rejection or relying on my own strength. Let me be a bearer of peace and a witness to Your kingdom. And in all things, may my joy be rooted in knowing that I belong to You. Amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: Go into your day with purpose. Wherever you are sent, speak peace, show love, and remember—you carry the presence of the Kingdom with you.

I love you and I thank God for you!

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

http://paypal.me/eradiovalverde

God in the Dark with Us

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View devo: https://bit.ly/4nlBNmz

1 I cried out to God for help; I cried out to God to hear me. 2 When I was in distress, I sought the Lord; at night I stretched out untiring hands, and I would not be comforted. 11 I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. 12 I will consider all your works and meditate on all your mighty deeds.” 13 Your ways, God, are holy. What god is as great as our God? 14 You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples. 15 With your mighty arm you redeemed your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph. 16 The waters saw you, God, the waters saw you and writhed; the very depths were convulsed. 17 The clouds poured down water, the heavens resounded with thunder; your arrows flashed back and forth. 18 Your thunder was heard in the whirlwind, your lightning lit up the world; the earth trembled and quaked. 19 Your path led through the sea, your way through the mighty waters, though your footprints were not seen. 20 You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron. (Psalm 77:1-2, 11-20 NiV)

Happy Thursday of the tremendous kind, dear Friend! May this be a day someone remembers forever because you reached out in love and caring and you made a positive difference in their life. Go and do so!

There have been those moments for many of us when it seemed like our prayers were not getting through; parents praying for their child who was losing a battle to cancer; spouses praying for their spouse to get sober; employees getting fired on a whim by a bad employer, and oh the list goes on so long. Our prayers are like shouting into the wind -- sorrows clings tightly and sleep won't come. Such leads the psalmist to sit down and write these words. He has been in a spot of anguish and he knows to reach for God even though it seems like God is not listening, but still he reaches. This is a powerful portrait of honest faith: not pretending to feel better, but choosing to seek God anyway.

We see a turn in his attitude as verses 11–20 begin. Not because the pain has vanished, but because the psalmist remembers. He remembers God’s mighty deeds, His wonders of old, His power over the sea, and His faithful leading of His people through Moses and Aaron. The turning point is not the change in circumstance—but the choice to reflect on who God has been. In the same way we should turn to the mighty acts of God in our lives when though still painful, God was with us and helped us move forward.

When our present feels unbearable, memory can become a lifeline. Remembering God’s past faithfulness can renew hope in the present. The same God who made a path through the sea is with us still—though, as the psalm says, “Your footprints were unseen” (v. 19). Even when we cannot see Him, He leads. This is a marvelous byproduct of a strong faith. Though outwardly it may seem like darkness has enshrouded us, but the light is still within the presence of God when we invite Him in. If you fast forward to Romans 8, we will see the Apostle Paul went through the same thing, but he realized that our prayers continue even when words can't seem to come forth, but our sighs, our moans, our cries; these are turned into prayers by the Holy Spirit, our Comforter and Advocate. Thanks be to God.

PRAYER: Faithful God, when we are overwhelmed and our hearts are heavy, help us remember who You are. Remind us of Your power, Your mercy, and Your past faithfulness. Lead us through the deep waters and into peace, even when Your footprints are hidden. Strengthen us to trust You in the dark. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: Take time today to remember a moment when God came through for you. Write it down, give thanks, and let it anchor your hope as you walk through whatever waters lie ahead.

I love you and I thank God for you!

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

You can support this ministry by making a donation to paypal.me/eradiovalverde

The Difficult Goodbye

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Hear the devo: https://bit.ly/44m2Khz

View devo here: https://bit.ly/4li3NGB

1 When the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. 2 Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here; the LORD has sent me to Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel. 3 The company of the prophets at Bethel came out to Elisha and asked, “Do you know that the LORD is going to take your master from you today?” “Yes, I know,” Elisha replied, “so be quiet.” 4 Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here, Elisha; the LORD has sent me to Jericho.” And he replied, “As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went to Jericho. 5 The company of the prophets at Jericho went up to Elisha and asked him, “Do you know that the LORD is going to take your master from you today?” “Yes, I know,” he replied, “so be quiet.” 6 Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here; the LORD has sent me to the Jordan.” And he replied, “As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them walked on. 7 Fifty men from the company of the prophets went and stood at a distance, facing the place where Elijah and Elisha had stopped at the Jordan. 8 Elijah took his cloak, rolled it up and struck the water with it. The water divided to the right and to the left, and the two of them crossed over on dry ground. 9 When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?” “Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied. 10 “You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah said, “yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours—otherwise, it will not.” 11 As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. 12 Elisha saw this and cried out, “My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!” And Elisha saw him no more. Then he took hold of his garment and tore it in two. (2 Kings 2:1-12 NIV)

Good day dear Friend! Welcome Wednesday to your life and mission! May the Lord bless you and guide you in all that you will face and overcome with His grace and peace!

The Reverend José Galindo was my mentor and father in ministry. It was his faith and grace that helped a questioning seminarian intern realize that perhaps I could "make it" in ministry. I learned many wonderful things about ministry and about myself through his tutelage. His love and focus was on Jesus and His ministry. It was he who showed me that when working on a church budget we be honest and bold about the ministerial line item. Instead of salary he would put Ministry of Christ which helped remind the church that the person serving as pastor was also there representing Jesus. He also taught me the greatest lesson about preaching; that people hear better when they know you love them and care for them. Not all of them respond in kind, but because of them you preach even more loving and kinder. He helped introduce me to Nellie and he married us, and he was our oldest daughter's godfather; such was his impact on my life. He also knew how to put things into perspective and how to balance things; and all things he did blessed me.

I can only imagine the impact that Elijah had on Elisha. This passage says a lot about the younger one's devotion to the ministry of Elijah. We just studied that moment of fear and uncertainty that Elijah had on Mount Horeb and how he asked God to take him home, but it was not yet time. And after his moment of doubting, he anointed a new king and anointed Elisha as his successor and it is believed he spent about 6-10 years under his supervision. I spent an academic year with Rev. Galindo, but stayed close to him during my early ministry both personally and geographically. Rev. Galindo asked me to bury him whenever he died, a sad thing that I was out ot state doing a wedding when Rev. Galindo died and could not get home in time to do his funeral, a sorrow I still carry to this day. Elisha had a special blessing, albeit a tough one, in being by the side of the old prophet when it came time for Elijah to return home. The goodbye was difficult for Elisha for Elijah wanted, I believe, some time to himself, but the younger prophet would not have it. "Stay here.." "No way!" And what makes it more interesting and a bit humorous is that Elisha kept getting reminded by several of the impending departure. "Do you know that the Lord is going to take your master from you today?" Yes and shut up! The older prophet kept saying just stay here, and Elisha would say, "Ain't no way!" Another group again asks, You know your losing your master today, don't you? Yes, shut up!

More travel and a miracle of crossing the Jordan River with Elijah's cloak serving to divide the water. And that famous exchange where the older asks the younger, "What would you have me do for you before I go?" And the ever famous, "Give me a double portion of your spirit." Elisha was well aware of the power of the Spirit at work in Elijah's ministry; he had heard the stories both from the old man himself and from those who were witnesses; yes, give me double what he has! God honors those who follow Him with steadfast hearts. Like Elisha, we may not always know what lies ahead, but when we stay close, remain faithful, and ask boldly, God equips us for the next chapter. The mantle of purpose may fall at our feet when we least expect it—but only those who are watching, waiting, and walking in step with God will recognize it and pick it up.

PRAYER: Lord God, give us hearts like Elisha—steadfast, courageous, and hungry for more of You. Help us to remain faithful when the journey is hard and the future uncertain. Teach us to stay close to You and to the people You’ve placed in our lives to guide us. When the time comes, give us the strength to pick up the mantle and walk boldly in Your calling. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: Stay close to God today and be ready. Watch with expectation and follow with faith—He may be preparing you for something greater than you imagined.

I love you and I thank God for you!

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Thirsty for God

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Hear the devo: https://bit.ly/4e5KRHY

View devo: https://bit.ly/3I3sYh1

1 As a deer longs for flowing streams, so my soul longs for you, O God. 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and behold the face of God? 3 My tears have been my food day and night, while people say to me continually, "Where is your God?" 4 These things I remember, as I pour out my soul: how I went with the throng, and led them in procession to the house of God, with glad shouts and songs of thanksgiving, a multitude keeping festival. 5 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my help 6 and my God. My soul is cast down within me; therefore I remember you from the land of Jordan and of Hermon, from Mount Mizar. 7 Deep calls to deep at the thunder of your cataracts; all your waves and your billows have gone over me. 8 By day the Lord commands his steadfast love, and at night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life. 9 I say to God, my rock, "Why have you forgotten me? Why must I walk about mournfully because the enemy oppresses me?" 10 As with a deadly wound in my body, my adversaries taunt me, while they say to me continually, "Where is your God?" 11 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my help and my God. (Psalm 42 NRSV)

This is a psalm that has always drawn me in; the image of a thirsty deer longing for water just hit me as a wow, God understands and God relates to us! And more so as we have been blessed with rain lately but we are still very much in drought conditions in our state, driven home as we traveled this weekend home through a longer route from Mission to Laredo and up to San Antonio and home. The once majestic and always wonderful Falcon Lake is gone! The lake is more a garden and grave of trees, and we live close to the Guadalupe River and that is unusually low and recent rain has made it a muddy mess. You might be in a spiritual drought my friend, and thank God you're in the right place studying the right passage! I pray this bring your the quenching you need in your soul. We are reading the actual words of David, who, being human, experienced both mountain top and valley experiences; moments when he sensed God "right there," and others when he asked, "Where are. you, God?" So, one day God led him to sit down and write down these very honest and searching words. He confesses that he is thirsty; going through a spiritual drought, and confesses that he as been crying such is his pain. He remembers the days when he was part of a happy throng processing to the House of the Lord, shouting and singing praises to God; now he is alienated from God, and he is asking the question, "Why have your forgotten me?"

And yet, this psalm is not one of hopelessness. It’s a cry of longing—a deep, soul-thirst for the living God.

The image of the deer searching for water is tender and telling. The deer doesn’t just want water; it needs it to survive. Likewise, the psalmist doesn’t merely want a religious experience—he needs God’s presence to live. This isn’t a casual devotion; it’s a desperate one.

In the middle of sorrow, the psalmist talks to himself: "Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God..." (v. 5) This is faith in real life. He doesn’t deny his pain. He doesn’t pretend things are fine. He acknowledges the hurt and still dares to hope. Twice he repeats this refrain—a reminder that feelings are real, but they are not the final word.

God hasn’t changed. Even in exile, even in silence, He is still the God of steadfast love (v. 8), still the Rock, still worthy of our trust.

Psalm 42 gives us permission to be honest about our spiritual thirst—and it also gently turns our face toward the One who alone can quench it.

PRAYER: God of mercy, we come to You thirsty, weary, and longing. Meet us in our dry seasons with the refreshment only You can give. Teach us to hope in You even when we feel far away. Help us remember who You are—faithful, near, and full of love. Satisfy our souls with Your presence. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: If your soul feels dry, don't hide it -- bring it to God. Let your thirst lead you back to the Source.

I love you and I thank God for you!

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Sometimes God Whispers

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Hear the devo: https://bit.ly/4eiiPcv

View devo: https://bit.ly/4l9yJbl

1 Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 2 So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.” 3 Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, 4 while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, LORD,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” 5 Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep. All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” 6 He looked around, and there by his head was some bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again. 7 The angel of the LORD came back a second time and touched him and said, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.” 8 So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. There he went into a cave and spent the night. 9 And the word of the LORD came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 10 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.” 11 The LORD said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 14 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.” 15 The LORD said to him, “Go back the way you came, (I Kings 19:1-15 NIV)

I've shared my horror stories of churches who a) wanted to place a Complaint Box on the altar table so church members could share their complaints against their pastor. b) Announce loudly during worship that if anyone had a complaint against their pastor to them. This passage would please these folks. Ahab was the president of the church council, and his wife Jezebel, was the chair of the pulpit committee. They had no love loss for their pastor, The Rev. Elijah Truthteller. Old Elijah did not put up with any stuff and even stood up against false prophets that the two chairpersons wanted to hire after they fired Rev. Elijah. They put their 400 pastors up against one, and they cried and yelled to their flase gods and Elijah calmly defeated them and after that showdown, unalived all 400. Yes, this was a brutal church! Jezebel did not hide her anger and threatens Elijah with death, and so the old man starts to run for his life, as would you and me! What follows next is pure human drama.

Elijah has reached the boiling point and confesses to God; "I have had enough , Lord, take my life; I am no better than my ancestors." And Elijah lays down and falls asleep; expecting God to take him in his sleep. But God had no such plans; an angel immediately awakens him and orders Elijah to get up and eat some of the hot bread that was fresh baked, and to drink from a jar of fresh water. Elijah eats and drank and went back to sleep again. A second time this is repeated with Elijah eating and drinking again. He then starts a 40-day journey which led him to Mount Horeb, where he goes into a cave and spends the night there. In the cave the Lord asks Elijah what he was doing there? Elijah reports he has been very zealous for God and God's people have revolted against God and against Elijah's ministry. They tore down the altars, rejected the covenant, put other prophets to death, and I'm the only one left and now, they're out to put me to death. God says and stand out on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by. And then the great drama occurs: A great and powerful wind comes by, destroying the mountain, but God was not in the wind. Then an earthquake comes, again, the Lord was not in the earthquake. Then a fire, God was not in the fire, but then a gentle whisper and God asks again of Elijah what he was doing where he stood. Elijah repeats his speech and God simply says for him to return the same way he had come.

God’s response to Elijah’s exhaustion was not a rebuke, but rest. He gave him food, allowed him sleep, and sent him on a journey—not to punish him, but to meet him.

And when God does meet him, it’s not in the windstorm, the earthquake, or the fire—all things that had previously represented God's power. This time, it’s in a gentle whisper, or as the text says, “a sound of sheer silence.”

The presence of God met Elijah not in spectacle, but in stillness.

Sometimes, we look for God in the loud, the grand, or the dramatic. But God often meets us most powerfully in the quiet—through solitude, rest, or a soft word spoken in prayer. He listens when we cry out. He speaks when we feel empty. And just like Elijah, He reminds us that we are not alone.

God doesn’t just restore Elijah; He re-commissions him. There is still work to do, and God still trusts him to do it.

PRAYER: Lord, You are not only the God of fire and thunder, but also the God of silence and stillness. Thank You for meeting us in our weariness and reminding us that we are not alone. Speak to us in the quiet moments, restore our hearts, and help us trust Your voice even when it whispers. Strengthen us to rise again and walk in the calling You have given us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: Make time for silence today—God may be closer than the noise is letting you hear.

I love you and I thank God for you!

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Clothed with Christ

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Hear the devo: https://bit.ly/4l8cYsv

View devo: https://bit.ly/4lddeqg

23 Before the coming of this faith, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed. 24 So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. 25 Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian. 26 So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. (Galatians 3:23-29 NIV)

Happy Tuesday, dear Friend! I pray your day is going favorably and that you are influencing your world in a favorable manner. Smile more! Laugh often! Pray without ceasing. Love without wincing.. And as we pray, pray for this old man as I prepare to preach in First Methodist Gonzales, Texas the first Sunday of July. May the Lord give me the Word for that day!

For those of you who now consider yourself fully adult, do you remember the day when you realized, "Gulp. This is it. I'm the adult now. I'm on my own; win or lose, gain or fail, it's on me now."? Paul the Apostle is saying the same thing in the opening part of this passage; we're no longer under the guardianship of the law; we live in Christ Jesus now, and He has justified us by faith. No longer are we looking in; we're in! I've shared how in seminary they showed up an old 16mm film that had to be thread just right into the old projector and it showed a black and white movie of a small boy who had been orphaned in a fire, and not only having lost his family, he lost most of his looks in the flames of the fire, and now he has been accepted into a new family, the family that the orphanage will become to him as the priest opened the door and urged the other kids to welcome him, which they do with wide grins and much hugging. Justified by grace. Nothing required, just his willingness to become a part of this new family. Paul knows all about this for he was adopted, just as he was and had been, and made new as the newest member of this family called the Body of Christ. At his baptism, Paul put on Christ, as did we, as our outer covering was Christ Jesus.

This passage is a radical declaration of unity and identity. We are no longer defined by who we were or what we’ve done. We are defined by who we belong to. Through baptism, we have been “clothed with Christ,” wrapped in His righteousness, covered in His grace. Like a new garment, Christ becomes the way we present ourselves to the world—not in pride, but in freedom, love, and belonging.

Paul’s words dismantle hierarchy and elevate our shared identity: “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” This is not a denial of our uniqueness, but a celebration of our unity in Him. We belong to God’s family, and as heirs of the promise, we are called to live like it—with humility, justice, and grace toward all.

In a world that still builds walls, the gospel calls us to tear them down.

PRAYER: Gracious God, thank You for making us Your children through faith. Thank You for clothing us in Christ, for covering us in His righteousness and calling us Your own. Help us live out this identity with confidence and compassion. Tear down any walls we’ve built in our hearts, and let us walk as one family, united in Your love. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: Live like one who’s clothed in Christ—let your life reflect His love, His grace, and His unity.

I love you and I thank God for you!

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

From the Margins to the Mission Field

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26 Then they arrived at the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. 27 As he stepped out on land, a man of the city who had demons met him. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he did not live in a house but in the tombs. 28 When he saw Jesus, he fell down before him and shouted at the top of his voice, "What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me"— 29 for Jesus had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many times it had seized him; he was kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles, but he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into the wilds.) 30 Jesus then asked him, "What is your name?" He said, "Legion"; for many demons had entered him. 31 They begged him not to order them to go back into the abyss. 32 Now there on the hillside a large herd of swine was feeding; and the demons begged Jesus to let them enter these. So he gave them permission. 33 Then the demons came out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned. 34 When the swineherds saw what had happened, they ran off and told it in the city and in the country. 35 Then people came out to see what had happened, and when they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. 36 Those who had seen it told them how the one who had been possessed by demons had been healed. 37 Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them; for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and returned. 38 The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him; but Jesus sent him away, saying, 39 "Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you." So he went away, proclaiming throughout the city how much Jesus had done for him. (Luke 8:26-39 NRSV Bible)

Happy and Holy Monday to you, dear Friend! May the grace and peace of the Lord fall upon you with a double portion of power to make you the greatest blessing someone will receive from you! Okay, confession time: I so wanted to name this devotional GO HOGS in honor of my hometown university's team, the Javelinas of Texas A&I (now A&M) where for years they had a sign that read: Jesus said, Go Hogs! Luke 8:33. It was funny and appropriate, don't you think? My childhood weekend ritual in Kingsville was Friday night, go see the Brahmas play in A&I Stadium. Saturday go see whatever movie (and it really didn't matter, usually!), then Saturday night back to A&I Stadium to see the Hogs play, and play they did! It seemed they never lost a game! And every time they scored a TD they fired a super loud cannon! BOOM! It was a nice and blessed childhood, thanks to God!

What wasn't nice was the life this poor soul lived. It happened one day, when he made a mistake in his spiritual life and let enter into him a legion of demons. No one, I would hope, sets out to invite demons into their life, but it happens. In the 1980s I was campus minister and Bible professor at Pan American University, no UT-RGV in Edinburg, Texas. In one of my clases, Intro to the New Testament, I assigned each student a short passage for them to write a simple reflective page on what that text means to them. In the class was a student who appeared to be troubled; many of his remarks were off-base and far from reality. On the day he was to present, I called on him and he snapped. "Why are you always picking on me!!?? You're picking on me because I am _______________ (his denomination), and I resent that!" And he packed up his things and stormed out and as he's leaving, his voice dropped and instead of English he started speaking in an unknown language and it sounded evil. He left the building yelling and the front metals doors which were very heavy, slammed shut and open with the force that he used to close the door. The class ended and as I'm going up the stairs two young ladies came in and they were crying. I asked what was wrong and one said, "A Bible professor cussed at us in some Bible language and scared us!" I said, "That was not a Bible professor, and that was not a Biblical language; just a troubled young man who is a student." I then went to my office and soon he was back in my office and still yelling and this time he said he was going to destroy me. He also said, "You think I'm demon possessed, but I'm not, you are, and your name is Legion!" He finally felt he had said enough and left. I perceived his destruction remark to be a threat and I called the Assistant Police Chief of Edinburg, who was from our church and a friend of mine. The chief asked if I had his SSN, of course, he was a student and he said he would call me back. He agreed his remarks were to be taken seriously. When he called back he asked, "Reverend, why is he a student at Pan Am? He has a rap sheet a mile long!" Gulp.

Demons serve one purpose, like their boss, to kill, steal and destroy as Jesus warned in John 10:10. Jesus, on the other hand, came to restore, heal, and make whole, which he does in this story. Jesus took this man from a living death among the dead, to a full life among the living. Demons are no match for Jesus' power. Jesus took the legion of demons living in that man and sent them, at their request, into the swine from the nearby hillside, and, yes, "Go hogs," but they decided to drown themselves as they rushed off the hillside into the lake. This entire event rocked the village and they were further rocked by the testimony of this new believer and now preacher of the Gospel! No better witness than to share what Jesus has done for you.

This once-bound man becomes the first missionary to the Gentile region. His testimony is simple but profound—look what Jesus did for me. He doesn’t need a seminary degree or a long resume. He just needs his story.

No one is too broken for Jesus. No place is too far gone. And no story is too simple to be used by God.

PRAYER: Jesus, You are the restorer of broken lives. Thank You for seeing us when others overlook us, for healing what we cannot fix, and for calling us to be witnesses of Your grace. Help us to share what You’ve done in our lives with courage and compassion. May our story lead others to Your saving love. Amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: Don’t underestimate your testimony—someone needs to hear what Jesus has done for you. Tell it boldly.

I love you and I thank God for you!

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.