Living Waters for Thirsty Souls

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View and Hear devo: https://bit.ly/4lheXMn

5 So he came to a Samaritan city called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob's well was there, and Jesus, tired out by his journey, was sitting by the well. It was about noon. 7 A Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, "Give me a drink." 8 (His disciples had gone to the city to buy food.) 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, "How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?" (Jews do not share things in common with Samaritans.) 10 Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, "Give me a drink,' you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water." 11 The woman said to him, "Sir, you have no bucket, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? 12 Are you greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us the well, and with his sons and his flocks drank from it?" 13 Jesus said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, 14 but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life." 15 The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water, so that I may never be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water." 16 Jesus said to her, "Go, call your husband, and come back."17 The woman answered him, "I have no husband." Jesus said to her, "You are right in saying, "I have no husband'; 18 for you have had five husbands, and the one you have now is not your husband. What you have said is true!" 19 The woman said to him, "Sir, I see that you are a prophet. 20 Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you say that the place where people must worship is in Jerusalem." 21 Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth." 25 The woman said to him, "I know that Messiah is coming" (who is called Christ). "When he comes, he will proclaim all things to us." 26 Jesus said to her, "I am he, the one who is speaking to you."27 Just then his disciples came. They were astonished that he was speaking with a woman, but no one said, "What do you want?" or, "Why are you speaking with her?" 28 Then the woman left her water jar and went back to the city. She said to the people, 29 "Come and see a man who told me everything I have ever done! He cannot be the Messiah, can he?" 30 They left the city and were on their way to him. 31 Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, "Rabbi, eat something." 32 But he said to them, "I have food to eat that you do not know about." 33 So the disciples said to one another, "Surely no one has brought him something to eat?" 34 Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to complete his work. 35 Do you not say, "Four months more, then comes the harvest'? But I tell you, look around you, and see how the fields are ripe for harvesting. 36 The reaper is already receiving wages and is gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together .37 For here the saying holds true, "One sows and another reaps.' 38 I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor." 39 Many Samaritans from that city believed in him because of the woman's testimony, "He told me everything I have ever done." 40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them; and he stayed there two days. 41 And many more believed because of his word. 42 They said to the woman, "It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is truly the Savior of the world." (John 4:5-42 NRSV)

A blessed and wonderful Wednesday to you, dear Friend! Welcome back to ConCafe! I always say that and wonder how you read that? I'm the one who has been away, but I did miss you! And I missed doing these devotionals. I confess I did enjoy the time off and time away with my bride. God has blessed us with 48 years of wedded bliss. Time is relative. My beloved laptop computer on which I write these devotionals was turned off on Tuesday morning last week as Nellie and I drove off to New Mexico and on Sunday when I tried to start it, it would not. The two power cords I have for it would not indicate it was receiving a charge and so my IT guy said it might be something other than a battery because even a computer without a battery would turn on if plugged in. When he asked how old my laptop was I said it couldn't be more than two years old. Today as I logged into the Apple website, it informed me that the laptop is five years old! I couldn't believe that it was that old! Reading the email report and description of of my "baby" laptop, it read like the thing had barely survived furious battles in the Pacific! So, 48 and 5 years just seem to run together! The damage is my laptop needs a new logic board (I may need two myself, but they don't make them that old!) and that will cost me $800 to fix. Gulp. And Ouch! But onward and upward! It will be ready in about 12 days and I use a desk top to write this.

I write this devotional in the state of Texas known for being hot and dry on most days. It's the heat that has driven some newcomers to head back home mighty quick. And the drought that has plagued our state is still with us. I drive over the Guadalupe River daily and as I glance at it from the bridge we're not too far away from the days when most of us can walk across what was once a mighty and beautiful river. One of my old parishioners replied once when talking about the drought that his doorbell rang and it was a catfish from the river asking for a glass of water. Jesus finds Himself thirsty, dry and dusty, and worn out from the walk He and his crew has undertaken to get to this touchy spot of Samaritan land. John puts it nicely when he says that "Jews do not share things in common with Samaritans." It went deeper than that, but there are children present! Jesus asks a Samaritan woman for a drink of water. And she nicely replies, "How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?" We should also note that the time of day is noon. High noon. Not normally the time most women would come to draw water from this well, but the belief is that given this woman's sinful past, she was not likely welcomed as a sister by other women at normal water-drawing times. The cool of the morning, the company and fellowship of neighbors, the daily rhythm of community were no longer hers to enjoy! She's alone in the heat because the weight of her past has pushed her to the margins.

And there Jesus waits — not to condemn her, but to offer her something she has never been given: the chance to be fully known and fully loved at the same time. “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband.’” He names her reality without shaming her. He sees all of it — and stays.

Lent asks us the same question Jesus asked the woman: “What are you thirsty for?” Not the polished, acceptable answer — but the true one. Have we been drawing water from wells that leave us empty? The well of achievement, of approval, of control, of comfort? Every one of those wells runs dry.

What makes this story remarkable is not only what Jesus offers, but what the woman does with it. She leaves her water jar — the very thing she came for — and runs back to her community. “Come and see a man who told me everything I have ever done!” The one who came to the well in shame departs as an evangelist. She becomes the first missionary in John’s Gospel, and her testimony brings an entire village to faith.

This is the pattern of grace: we come burdened, we are seen and loved, and we go transformed — carrying the news. The water we receive is never only for us.

PRAYER: Loving Lord, how awesome if Your love for all, even me! You came not to condemn the world, but to save it; so count me in with those who need to be saved from the empty wells and even from ourselves. Revive me and renew me and make me worthy of the living waters You so lovingly share with all who ask. I ask now, fill me til I want no more; fill me up and make me whole. Thank You! In Your name, I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: This week, identify one person in your life who, like the woman at the well, may feel unseen, marginalized, or shut out. Reach out to them — not with answers or advice — but with the simple gift of your presence and attention. Listen to their story. Let your encounter with living water overflow into their life.

I love you and I thank God for you! You matter to God, and you matter to me!

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Even at Night, God is There

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View devo: https://bit.ly/3ZM0PAZ

Hear devo: https://bit.ly/4rxnCwE

1 Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.” 3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again. ” 4 “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!” 5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” 9 “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked. 10 “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? 11 Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. 14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.” 16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. (John 3:1-17 NIV)

Prayers for my nephew Alex Valverde and his familly as they are in preparation for ministry in Mexico. For now, they are safe in a southern state away from the violence but the days are drawing near for them to move to where the violence is taking place. May the Lord cover Alex, wife Mykelia, children: David, Ezra and Natalia with His preicous blood and keep them safe as well as those on their ministry team who are already in the state where harm is present and threatening. Prayers also for Ms. Donna Dobbs, who undergoes cataract surgery today in Houston. Donna is the sister of a dear colleague and friend, Rev. Michael Dobbs, and a former classmate of mine from Lon Morris College.

Great joy was ours as we watched the confirmands at First Methodist Church and we saw the joy on each and especially on our pastor as he welcomed them into full membership of the Church. He also expressed great faith in the future of the Church as seen in these young people's faith. And in today's passage we see hope, albeit expressed in fear, about what God was about do do among and through, and yes, very much in spite of some, like the Pharisees, with God's Church. One of the leaders, a Pharisee himself, Nicodemus, believed that maybe, just maybe, Jesus was who He said He was. He wants to ask Him, but fears doing it during business hours. Imagine the impact such a daylight meeting might have on his career and life? The Pharisees were a rabid bunch; they would not suffer fools, such as Nic might be seen for asking Jesus who He was. But notice again what Nic said to Jesus, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God." Stop. Imagine being fully a company man who hears a co-worker doubt the company? Nic was smart enough to know that sharing such a statement to Jesus might end his career and his life, like immediately! We wonder, who did Nic include in the "we" part of his statement? Were there other Pharisees who might have thought Jesus was on the level? His second part says a lot as well; "For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with Him." We do know that Jesus was a daily topic of discussion among the Pharisees, and Scribes, Herodians, Sadducees, and others. Jesus had done and said so much that He had many thinking and talking about Who He really was. Can we truly say that Nic was a believer? Maybe not at the point, but we know that after Jesus' death and resurrection, Nic is shown as being among those who were believers in the Lord and His ministry.

Jesus' response to Nicodemus sets in motion much for Jesus says that "no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again." Being born again since that first time it was uttered has meant a lot to some and seen as being necessary as Jesus said, for to fully understand the spiritual aspects of faith, we must be born again or anew, in a spiritual sense. Nic is dumbfounded by such a declaration, but Jesus says all should be born of water and the spirit. And caps off this discussion with the sharing of what may be the most recognized verse of all time, the 16th verse, "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life."

Lent is our season of coming to Jesus at night. It is the time when we set aside our pretenses and our public faces and sit, honestly, with the questions we haven't dared to ask out loud. Where am I still clinging to the darkness? What old self do I need to release so that something new can be born?

PRAYER: Loving God, during this time of Lent many of us may feel we are walking in the dark, but we see this is perfect to be honest as we talk with You. Speak to our doubts and fears, and remind us of what we may gain as we complete the 40 days of prayer and fasting. Bring us the fullness of life we need; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: Take time as you awaken each morning to share with the Lord something that is troubling you. Speak honestly to Him and then listen. Write down what comes to mind as you earnestly pray and listen.

I love you and I thank God for you. You matter to God and you matter to me. Be the light to someone in the dark.

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

We Know More Than God?

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View devo: https://bit.ly/3OeeH4x

Hear devo: https://bit.ly/46aQB0x

15 The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. 16 And the LORD God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.” 1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” 2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3 but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’ ” 4 “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. 5 “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. (Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7 NIV)

I was the smartest person in the world. There, I said it. I knew more than anyone. Of course I was going through my teenaged years and that was the common litmus test. I even better than my Dad! I didn't need a curfew and many times I thought I did not need permission for anything! I was my own man; though legally I was not of age. What a painful memory now. How I miss my Dad and having my regular talks with him. But at the time I remember disagreeing strongly with him about things that I know now he was right. I was wrong.

Today's passage is all about that. God is Creator. God is Father. We are not. We are introduced to how things came to be according to this story. These things are important to know and to follow. The first part, from chapter two, God is shown as taking the first man, Adam was his name, and placing him in a garden. It is a paradise setting. What I came to realize in my later years is that paradise was not so much the foliage or setting, as it is the RELATIONSHIP. God created the man and placed in where He needed to be and began a RELATIONSHIP with the man. The basis of that relationship was love. And a foundational tenet of love is trust. In all relationships there are guidelines and expectations. The first thing God expects from this relationship is that the man will "work and take care of it." Stewardship is introduced. The man would be the one responsbile for the upkeep and care of the garden.

The second is also important, and here we see that God tells the man that he is free to eat from any tree in the garden. It is a positive command; it begins with permission from God to eat from ANY TREE. Except one. There was a certain tree which was off-limits. Its name gives it away; THE TREE OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL. Bam! If you eat from this tree, you will have the ability to know the difference between the good and evil. God does not have to say that, but what God does say impliles the seriousness of this act. God says, "For when you eat from it you will certainly die." I've always found it interesting that the man would know what "die" means; there is no record of such a conversation with God and the man in the previous pages. To die is meant, again, to stress the seriousness of the consequences of doing what you should not be doing.

As the chapter ends and the new one begins, we see the presence of a second creature, the woman, whom we know later as Eve. This chapter begins with a talking snake. We also konw it was a walking snake, but we find that out later. I laugh everytime I read this passage because in my household growing up when age was referenced to an old person, it was said, "But she's from the era when snakes walked upright!" This snake was also "more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made." And we see how crafty when we hear its first question: "Did God really say, 'You mjst not eat from any tree in the garden'?" See? God didn't say that. God had given the man the freedom to eat from any tree in the garden. The woman replies with the right answer but adds that the restriction was on one tree, with an added but revealing condition, "And you must not touch it, or you will die." Where did God add the no-touch restriction? He didn't. But it says a lot. Adam and Eve had explored the garden and like little children, gone directly to where they shouldn't; the tree. And it could have been that one of the two of them may have stretched out their hand and the other may have said, "Don't touch it!" But the serpent is aware of all that and so it goes right to the temptation. "You will not certainly die. God knows that when you eat from that tree your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.

The serpent's strategy in Genesis 3 is worth studying carefully, because it hasn't changed in thousands of years. He didn't approach Eve with an outright lie at first. He began with a question designed to plant doubt: "Did God really say...?" Four words that have echoed through every human temptation since. He subtly twisted God's generous command—God had said they could eat from any tree except one—into something that sounded restrictive and suspicious. Before Eve took a single bite, the serpent had already gotten her to question God's character.

Then came the direct contradiction: "You will not certainly die." God's clear warning was reframed as fear-mongering, as if God were keeping something good from them rather than protecting them from something devastating. The fruit was recast not as forbidden danger but as desirable wisdom—something that would make them like God. The temptation wasn't merely about fruit. It was about autonomy. About being their own authority. About deciding for themselves what is good and what is evil.

And they ate.

Notice what followed immediately. Not the godlike wisdom they were promised, but shame. Their eyes were opened, yes—but what they saw was their own nakedness and vulnerability. The intimacy they once enjoyed without self-consciousness suddenly felt exposed and unsafe. So they covered themselves with fig leaves—history's first attempt to manage the consequences of sin through human effort. It didn't work then, and it doesn't work now. Sandpaper underwear is never comfortable.

This is the Lenten reality we must sit with. The fig leaves we sew today look different—busyness, achievement, perfectionism, people-pleasing, religious performance—but the impulse is identical. We sense our brokenness and reach for something to cover it rather than turning to the only One who can actually heal it.

Lent calls us to stop. To put down the fig leaves. To stand honestly before God in our need and remember why Jesus had to come. The garden of Eden was lost through one act of disobedience rooted in pride and distrust. The road back runs through a different garden—Gethsemane—where another man knelt in the dirt and said not "I will decide for myself," but "Not my will, but yours be done." C. S. Lewis wrote that hell was filled with those who said, "My will be done," while Heave is filled with those who prayed, "Thy will be done."

What Adam and Eve grasped for, Jesus willingly surrendered. Where they chose autonomy, He chose obedience. Where they hid, He was exposed on a cross—naked, shamed, bearing every consequence of that first bite and every sin that followed. The fig leaves were never enough. But His sacrifice is.

PRAYER: Loving Father, forgive us for the ways we have echoed Adam and Eve—doubting Your goodness, trusting our own judgment over Yours, and reaching for fig leaves to hide what only You can heal. This Lenten season, give us the courage to stop hiding and to stand before You honestly, trusting that the cross of Christ is sufficient to cover us completely. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: This week, identify one "fig leaf" in your life — a habit, achievement, or distraction you use to avoid facing your need for God. Set it aside intentionally, even for a day, and bring that vulnerable place honestly before Him in prayer.

I love you and I thank God for you! You matter to God and you matter to me! Share love and wisdom today!

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Holy Hunger

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View devo: https://bit.ly/4kE1CgV

Hear devo: https://bit.ly/4ayQ7CS

1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished. 3 The tempter came and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread." 4 But he answered, "It is written, "One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.' " 5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 saying to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written, "He will command his angels concerning you,' and "On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.' " 7 Jesus said to him, "Again it is written, "Do not put the Lord your God to the test.' " 8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor; 9 and he said to him, "All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me." 10 Jesus said to him, "Away with you, Satan! for it is written, "Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.' " 11 Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him. (Matthew 4:1-11 NRSV)

Most of us have had jobs we did not like nor did we look forward to. Some of us maybe more than one. We more than likely had no choice; we needed the money and once we were told "You're hired," decided we'd best start. My least favorite job was a summer job in college, in Houston at a manufacturing plant where we made huge industrial fan covers out of fiberglass. And that was the cause of my not liking that job. The job paid well, but not enough to prepare me for the incredible itching all over my body that no shower could cure the entire time I worked there. I have conveniently forgotten how long I worked there and I believe it was not the entire summer as I had planned. I worked with a good boss and he warned me that working with fiberglass would be difficult, and it was. Tiny, airborne shards of microscopic glass would find their way through my shirts and pants. I wore protective gear to protect my breathing any of those shards in, but no such protection was offered for my skin. Needless to say I did not sleep that first night after spending all day allowing fiberglass to find its way into my shoulders, arms, and back. If you can imagine an army of microscopic soldiers wearing cleats of steel making its way around your shoulders, legs, arms and back. Yes, the back. You dare not lay on your back because it aggravates the army and its parade intensifies. Your mind screams all kinds of insults at you for having made such a bad decision for even considering this choice of employment. You wonder how the other guys at work, who have been there for years have coped with this? My hat's off to the men and women who may still work in fiberglass to this day.

The second temptation was about testing God: "Throw yourself down and force God to rescue you." It's the temptation to manufacture a crisis to prove God cares, to demand he show up on our terms. But Jesus understood that faith isn't forcing God's hand—it's trusting his heart.

The third temptation was about shortcuts to purpose: "Worship me, and I'll give you all the kingdoms without the cross." It's the offer of achieving God's purposes through ungodly means. The right destination through the wrong road. But Jesus knew that how we get somewhere matters as much as where we end up.

In each temptation, Jesus responded with Scripture. Not his own wisdom. Not clever arguments. Just "It is written." He fought spiritual battles with spiritual weapons—the Word of God he had hidden in his heart.

Here's what we need to understand today: You will face wilderness seasons. You will experience times when you're depleted, vulnerable, and the temptations feel overwhelming. Times when taking shortcuts seems wise. Times when immediate relief feels more important than long-term faithfulness.

But Jesus has been there first. He knows what it's like to be famished and tempted. And he shows us how to stand: with the Word of God, with trust in the Father's provision, with commitment to the right path even when the wrong path looks easier.

The story ends beautifully: "Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him." After the test came the ministry. After the wilderness came the strengthening. God didn't abandon Jesus in his hunger—he sent angels when the battle was done.

The same is true for you. The wilderness is not forever. The testing has a purpose. And when you stand firm, when you choose faithfulness over shortcuts, God sees. He provides. He sends help.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, thank you for going into the wilderness before me. When I'm depleted and tempted, remind me of your Word. Help me trust your provision, resist the shortcuts, and stay faithful to your path. Give me strength for today's battle. In Your strong name I pray, Amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: This week, memorize one verse that speaks to your current struggle. Write it on a card. Put it where you'll see it daily. When temptation comes—and it will—speak God's Word aloud just as Jesus did. The same weapon that worked in his wilderness will work in yours.

I love you and I thank God for you! You matter to God, and you matter to me! We can and we will win the world for Jesus!

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Eyewitness to Majesty

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View devo: https://bit.ly/4raifD9

Hear devo: https://bit.ly/4qNIHln

17 For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” 18 We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain. 19 We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. 20 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. 21 For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. (2 Peter 1:16-21 NIV)

Of all the disciples, the original twelve that is, I have to say that I like Peter the best. Why? Because he reminds me of me. Many were the times he reacts without thinking as have I. He says what comes to his mind almost right away, and still given all his missteps and doubts, God still loved him and used him. The same is true for me. I wonder what it was like to have been him; from his call to ministry from Jesus, to making the move from fisherman to fisher of people, to announcing to his family that he had a higher calling and to all that ultimately became asked of him including the ultimate sacrifice of his life. Think of all Peter saw and experienced! The touch of Jesus on his life, especially his soul. The miracles he witnessed; Lazarus raising from the dead and others. The miraculous feeding of thousands boggles his mind; being the only man to walk on water, besides Jesus. In a movie used in the early days of the Walk to Emmaus, the twelve disciples are sitting around a table and talking among themselves and then one disciples says to Peter, "When I get home, I'm going to..." And Peter says, "We're not going home ever again! Don't you realize what we're in? We are not going home." And that was true. Their lives were never theirs again.

Among the things Peter saw that few others, if any, saw, was his being on that mountain with Jesus and James, and John. And of course, cameo appearances by Moses and Elijah. The transfiguration wasn't religious theater or spiritual hallucination. Peter, James, and John stood on that mountain and watched Jesus' appearance change before their eyes. They saw his face shine, his clothes become dazzling white. They heard the voice of God the Father break through the clouds: "This is my Son, my Beloved."

Peter calls it being "eyewitnesses of his majesty." He's using legal language—the testimony of those who saw with their own eyes what actually happened. The Christian faith isn't built on wishful thinking or clever philosophy. It's grounded in real events witnessed by real people in real history.

But notice where Peter goes next. He doesn't say, "So trust our experience above everything else." Instead, he says the transfiguration made "the prophetic message more fully confirmed." The mountain experience didn't replace Scripture—it validated Scripture. The glory Peter witnessed pointed him back to the Word.

This is crucial. Experiences fade. Memories dim. Even the most spectacular spiritual moments eventually become history. But "we have the prophetic message," Peter says, "as something completely reliable." The Word of God remains when feelings pass, when mountaintops become distant memories, when eyewitnesses die.

Peter describes Scripture as "a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts." We're living in the in-between time—after the resurrection but before Christ's return. The world is still dark. We need light to navigate. That light is God's Word, confirmed by prophets, validated by the transfiguration, and illuminated by the Holy Spirit.

The same Spirit who spoke through the prophets, the same Father who declared Jesus his Beloved Son, the same Christ who was transfigured in glory—this God speaks to us through Scripture. Not as ancient literature to dissect, but as living truth to obey. Not as human invention, but as divine revelation.

On Transfiguration Sunday, we remember that our faith rests on both: the testimony of eyewitnesses and the certainty of Scripture. Peter saw the glory and heard the voice. But he directs us to something even more reliable—the Word that endures, the lamp that keeps shining, the prophetic message that guides us until Christ returns.

We weren't on the mountain with Peter. We didn't see Jesus transfigured. But we have what Peter had: the Word of God, inspired by the Spirit, testifying to the majesty of Christ. And that, Peter insists, is enough. More than enough.

Pay attention to Scripture. It's not mythology. It's not human cleverness. It's the lamp lighting your path through the darkness until the morning star rises.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, thank You for eyewitnesses who saw Your glory and for the prophetic Word that confirms Your truth. Give us faith to trust Scripture as Your reliable lamp until Christ returns.This we pray in Christ Jesus' name, Amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: This week, read Scripture not as an academic exercise but as God's living Word to you. Ask the Spirit to illuminate one passage and show you how to live it out.

I love you and I thank God for you! You matter to God and you matter to me. Be the only sermon someone needs today.

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Retreat, then Advance!

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Hear devo: https://bit.ly/3O3jTrI

1 After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light.3 Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus. 4 Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” 5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” 6 When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. 7 But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.”8 When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus. 9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.” (Matthew 17:1-9 NIV)

Dear Friend, as we pray today, please lift up Mrs. Donna Hisey, who is undergoing her back surgery today, Monday, 2/9/26 at Seton Hospital in Austin. Pray for a successful surgery and for a rapid and pain free recovery. Also, prayers for Suzanne Zaitz. She has been battling pneumonia. Please pray for complete healing and a speedy recovery. Pray for one another; pray for our nation.

As a child that grew up on TV Westerns, the idea of a retreat was usually seen as a sign of defeat, much like "Circle the wagons." which meant let's await our death. Even a revered mentor asked, "When will the Church stop retreating and attack?" I knew exactly what he meant. My ideas changed when I attended my first Walk to Emmaus. It was a retreat unlike any other and such I did not want to leave the mountain when it was over. Okay it was technically a hill since the retreat was in the Texas Hill Country. And I came back determined that we needed to have the Walk to Emmaus in español. It was a very hard sell. The first brave soul was a man in my church, Mr. H. Paul Adams, who said yes. As I dropped him off to his Walk he was caught calling his son-in-law to come and pick him up. He was overheard saying, "I don't know where I am, nor could I tell you how we came." He was taken back to his table where he got into it. And he helped sell the event to others. A good friend and mentor, whom I had asked to study under during my internship year in seminary turned me and others down for nineteen years! You read that right; 19 years before he finally said yes. And he went to a walk in Boerne during a Super Bowl weekend and he blessed our household watching that SB with us.

Jesus holds His own retreat on a high mountain. The only invited pilgrims were Peter, James, and John. This was the inner circle or cabinet as it were, of the Lord Jesus. Jesus had a purpose behind this retreat. Peter became the one who did not want to come down off that mountain because his eyes saw what no one else had ever or since seen. In that retreat time, There before his mortal eyes were the figures of Moses and Elijah; two central heroes of the Old Testament. Moses, as the giver of the law, and Elijah, the great prophet whose life represented a bridge between God's past revelation and God's future renewal. In fact, the last book of the Old Testament, Malachi spoke in 4:4-6 of the importance of each and how God would send them before the renewal that God spoke. Add to this scene the voice of God announcing, "This is my Son, Whom I love; with Him I am well pleased. Listen to Him!" Boom! Peter says he'd rather set up camp with tents or shelters for Jesus, Moses and Elijah; he realized it was good that they were there. Jesus had other plans. This vision of glory was to prepare them for the coming sufferings of Jesus. This was a worship even meant to commission and preparation for the hard work ahead. We need our mountaintop moments—those worship services that move us to tears, those prayer retreats where God feels near, those experiences of God's presence that mark our souls. But we can't live there. The world that needs Christ is down in the valley: sick people who need healing, broken relationships that need reconciliation, hungry neighbors who need bread, lost souls who need hope.

The disciples came down that mountain different. They had seen something that would anchor them through confusion, persecution, and doubt. They had heard the Father's voice: "This is my Son... Listen to him!" That certainty would carry them when everything else fell apart.

Transfiguration Sunday sits on the edge of Lent. We're about to walk with Jesus toward Jerusalem, toward suffering, toward the cross. We need this glimpse of glory to remember who Jesus really is when the road gets dark. We need to hear the Father's voice before we enter the wilderness.

But we also need to remember: the point of seeing Jesus transfigured is so we can be transformed. The glory isn't for our comfort—it's for our commissioning. We come down the mountain with a clearer vision of Christ, ready to listen to him, ready to follow him, ready to reflect his light in a world that desperately needs it.

Don't try to build shelters on the mountain. Let the glory change you, then bring you back down to the people who need what you've seen.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, thank you for moments when you reveal your glory. Give us eyes to see you clearly and courage to follow you faithfully—not just on the mountain, but down in the valley where your people need us. Amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: Reflect on a time you experienced God's presence powerfully. How is God calling you to let that experience fuel your service to others this week?

I love you and I thank God for you! You matter to God and you matter to me! Make your life count!

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Power & Light Company?

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13 "You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot. 14 "You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. 15 No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven. 17 "Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. 18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. 19 Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:13-20 NRSV)

When Nellie and I went to the Holy Land, one of the things we were required to buy was a headlamp. We were supposed to go into the Hezekiah Tunnel and there is no light in there so the headlamps were required to keep us safe. Unfortunately, heavy rains prior to our arrival kept us out of the tunnel and we came home with unused headlamps. However, I have delightfully discovered that at my age, these babies are pretty for for men and women of a certain age. I've come to believe these should be required by law to anyone over 62 who does anything useful around the house. The brightness of the lamp conquers the things darkness hides!

I also once tried to make carne guisada prior to a trip we were taking with our youth group, believing that carne guisada tacos would be a hit among the youth. So chef here cuts the meat, adds the spices that I knew would give the carne a good taste and let it simmer. When I believed it was done I tasted it and it was the worst thing I had ever made. I had forgotten the salt!

Jesus speaks on two important things in life to better illustrate the importance and role of believers in the kingdom. But here's what's remarkable about today's passage: Jesus doesn't just say He is the light of the world (though He is). He says you are the light of the world. He takes the very identity that belongs to Him and gives it to us—His followers, His church, His disciples.

Salt preserves and flavors. In the ancient world, salt prevented decay and made food worth eating.Carne guisada without salt is no bueno. We are called to preserve what is good, to bring out the flavor of life, to make a difference in a decaying world. But Jesus warns: if salt loses its saltiness, it's worthless. A Christian who doesn't impact the world around them has lost their purpose.

Light reveals and guides. Light exposes what's hidden in darkness. It shows the way forward. It cannot be hidden—a city on a hill is visible for miles. We are meant to shine, to illuminate truth, to guide others toward God. But Jesus warns: don't hide your light under a bowl. Don't keep your faith private and invisible. When we live out these things we are the Power and LIght in company with those who are not yet salt and light themselves.

This isn't about being perfect or preachy. It's about living authentically as Christ's followers so that when people see our lives—our love, our integrity, our service, our joy even in suffering, our hope in the midst of chaos—they ask, "What makes you different?" And the answer points them to Jesus.

Notice what Jesus says: "Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."

This is the Methodist balance we've been learning about—faith that works through love. Our good deeds aren't to earn salvation or draw attention to ourselves. They're to point others to God. They're visible expressions of the invisible grace we've received.

When you:

Love someone difficult to love

Serve without expecting anything in return

Show kindness to a stranger

Stand for justice when it's costly

Forgive when you've been deeply hurt

Live with integrity when no one's watching

Give generously to those in need

Speak truth with grace

You're letting your light shine. And people notice. Not because you're trying to impress them, but because the light of Christ in you can't help but shine through. Jesus goes on to say He didn't come to abolish the Law but to fulfill it. He calls His followers to a righteousness that surpasses the external rule-keeping of the Pharisees. He's talking about heart transformation, not just behavior modification.

The light we shine isn't self-generated moralism. It's the reflected light of Christ living in us. We love because He first loved us. We serve because He served us. We give because He gave everything for us. We shine because He is the Light, and He lives in us.

The question for you today is simple: Is your light shining, or is it hidden?

Are people around you experiencing the saltiness of your faith—the preserving, flavoring, transforming presence of Christ in you?

Epiphany reminds us that Christ was revealed to the world. Now He wants to be revealed through you. Not to make you famous, but to make Him known. Not to build your reputation, but to bring glory to your Father in heaven.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, You are the Light of the world, and You have called me to shine Your light in the darkness. Forgive me for the times I've hidden my faith, played it safe, and kept my lamp under a bowl. Help me live so authentically, love so genuinely, and serve so sacrificially that people see You in me. Let my good deeds point others to You. Make me salt that preserves and flavors this world. Make me light that cannot be hidden. Shine through me today. In Your name, Amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: Today, do one visible act of kindness or service that will make someone ask, "Why did you do that?" When they ask, let your light shine—give God the glory.

I love you and I thank God for you! You matter to God and you matter to me. Be the Power and Light in the company of others!

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.