Good day dear friends, my computer is almost back up to "normal." I've lost all my documents, photos, fonts, etc. The moral of the story? Backup! Backup! Backup!
For prayers, please add my dad, E. M. Valverde to your prayers. He suffered a stroke early today and is being admitted to Houston Memorial Southwest Hospital. Nellie and I will be leaving in a bit to visit with him.
We praise God for marked improvement with Robin Brown, though not where she needs or wants to be. Our prayers continue with her.
We ask the Lord to comfort and be with Bob Herring and Linda Ancira in their final stages of life. May the Lord comfort their loved ones during this time.
Here is Wednesday's study guide recommendation:
Whom have you judged lately? Were you fair with that person? Did this occur "our in the open" or was it something you held in your mind? Revisit that judgment and see if this week's word from God hasn't changed your opinion. Can you do something within to change your opinion/judgment of that person? Ask God for help in doing that.
For Thursday:
Though the New Testament teaches that we should not judge, it also teaches that we should be aware of those who will act like Christians, but who will in fact deceive others. Here we are called upon to practice discernment. Read Matthew 7:15-23. How do we discern false prophets? How do we avoid using this passage as another way of casting dispersion upon those with whom we diagree? Will any Christian, either lay person, pastor, or leader, ever be 100% correct in every statement they make, every opinion they offer, and every conclusion they draw from scriptures? What is the fruit we should be bearing if we are in Christ? Read Matthew 22:34-40.
And for today, Friday:
The Epistle of James, portions of which we read last week, speaks about how we use our tongues to either bless or destory others. Read James 3:1-18:
"Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, F14 for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. 2 For all of us make many mistakes. Anyone who makes no mistakes in speaking is perfect, able to keep the whole body in check with a bridle. 3 If we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we guide their whole bodies. 4 Or look at ships: though they are so large that it takes strong winds to drive them, yet they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. 5 So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great exploits. How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! 6 And the tongue is a fire. The tongue is placed among our members as a world of iniquity; it stains the whole body, sets on fire the cycle of nature, F15 and is itself set on fire by hell. 7For every species of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species, 8 but no one can tame the tongue—a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God. 10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and brackish water? 12 Can a fig tree, my brothers and sisters, F18 yield olives, or a grapevine figs? No more can salt water yield fresh. 13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not be boastful and false to the truth. 15 Such wisdom does not come down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, devilish. 16 For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy. 18 And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace for those who make peace.
Re-read Jesus' words in Matthew 7:1-15
1 "Do not judge, so that you may not be judged. 2For with the judgment you make you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get. 3 Why do you see the speck in your neighbor's eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your neighbor, "Let me take the speck out of your eye,' while the log is in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor's eye.
Let us pray that God might help you to use your tongue for blessing and not tearing down of others.
PRAYER: Loving God, for those mentioned above who need Your touch and healing, be with them. For us who need to be forgiven, forgive us. Let us continue this wonderful journey of Lent in Your steps. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
