THANKSGIVING THOUGHTS FROM GENESIS

Gracious God, as the stresses of this holiday week fall upon this dear reader, grant him/her Your peace. Bless those of their loved ones traveling to be with them or with him/her as they travel this week. In Jesus' Name, amen.

Our theme this week in our sermons was VOTE FOR JESUS: The Hope of The World. Its message is simple, yet powerful. In Jesus we have that hope that defeats sin, worry, sickness, and even death. Our text for Sunday was John 11, the story of Lazarus and his sisters. It was a resurrection story right before this Sunday's start of the glorious Advent season.
We find death first mentioned in Genesis 3:3 and Eve understands just a part of it; the frightening part. Some of us may still have only that view. In John 11, Jesus relates death to being "asleep," and He tells his disciples He is going to "wake (Lazarus) up." The disciples didn't fully understand until Jesus stood triumphantly with the dead man outside of the tomb. If our hope is in Jesus, we live fuller lives and when our time comes to pass from this life to the next, we can die in Jesus as well. That was yesterday's message.

Today we are still in Genesis, this time chapter 4 where we find the very tragic tale of Cain killing Abel. This was the first human death, sadly, a fraticide; brother killing brother. This might not be a bad message for our Thanksgiving table and visits. David Letterman once said, "If I wanted to negociate with terrorists, I would have gone home for Thanksgiving." He meant it as a joke but someone wrote it with truth in mind. We sometimes find it very difficult to get along with our "loved" ones during the holidays. Our attitude should be that what happened yesterday should stay there and we should enjoy the time we have left with one another. The Cain story simply tells our story carried out to the extreme: We may not get along with even our siblings, but we still should love them, even from a distance, but never resort to physical violence or harm.

PRAYER: Loving God, grant me Your peace as I begin to receive or see loved ones. May the memories of yesterday's harms stay where they are and not come out of my mouth or worse, out of my hands. Lord, help me to put those memories of insults, wrong decisions, hurtful words or actions to eternal rest. Let me simply enjoy being alive and being able to be with all of my family. Again, I pray for safe travel for loved ones coming or for my going to wherever it is I may need to go. May we truly pause as a nation and as those who make up this nation, to truly give You thanks. I pray this in Jesus' Name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde
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Genesis 3:3 but God said, "You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden, nor shall you touch it, or you shall die.' "
Genesis 4: 1-11 Now the man knew his wife Eve, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, "I have produced a man with the help of the Lord." 2 Next she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a tiller of the ground. 3 In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, 4 and Abel for his part brought of the firstlings of his flock, their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, 5 but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell. 6 The Lord said to Cain, "Why are you angry, and why has your countenance fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is lurking at the door; its desire is for you, but you must master it." 8 Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let us go out to the field." And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel, and killed him. 9 Then the Lord said to Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?" He said, "I do not know; am I my brother's keeper?" 10 And the Lord said, "What have you done? Listen; your brother's blood is crying out to me from the ground! 11 And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand.

THE GATE TO YOUR LIFE

God of all people, smile down upon the needs of this dear reader right now. I ask this in Jesus' Name, amen.

My first Bible was a King James Bible, which I still have. It was given to me in 1961 when I was confirmed as a member in The Methodist Church in Kingsville, Texas, at El Buen Pastor (The Good Shepherd) Methodist Church. My pastor was The Rev. Refugio Castro. One of the first verses I remember wanting to learn was the one from Revelation, chapter three, verse twenty: Jesus speaking saying, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock; if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him and will sup with him, and he with me. Following our theme of Jesus being the gate, we control the gate into our heart and thus into our lives. While Jesus offers to lead us out of our corrals or prisons, we'll stay out only as long as we follow Him and as long as we allow Him in.

I remember thinking this was an awesome verse and I could see that famous Warner Sallman painting that hung somewhere in our little church. You will remember that Sallman also painted one of the most famous of the Jesus pictures where Jesus seems to be posing for his picture to be painted.

With Jesus at the door seeking us, how can we feel if not wanted and loved? Imagine how we would feel with Jesus inside? "Supping" with us? The fullness of friendship is allowing someone in to our homes and inviting them to eat and be our guests. Jesus desires more than being our guest; He desires to be our friend, Lord, and Savior.

Won't you invite Him in to your life through your "gate?"

PRAYER: Loving Shepherd, enter my life today. I know You have stood outside long enough and I open the door to my heart and my life so that You might come in and have fellowship and friendship with me. Let my life radiate Your presence with me! I ask this in Jesus' precious name, amen!

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

OUR GOING OUT AND OUR COMING IN

God of peace and blessings, pour out a generous gift of peace and blessing on this gracious reader. In Jesus' Name, amen.

As you arose this morning from bed, what were your thoughts? Did you think of the good awaited you? Did you smell the coffee or food being prepared and think, "I am so blessed to be enjoying a cup of coffee and my favorite cereal?" Or, did you awake and think of the mountain of paperwork on your desk that needed your attention? Worse, did you think, "I'm not looking forward to my 9 o'clock, because she has it out for me!"

David on his campaigns to protect Israel on some mornings awakened not to the smell of coffee or cooking food, but to the sound and sight of his enemey camped around him on the hillside near his camp. His beautiful Psalm of faith as found in Psalm 121 tells that story, "I lift up my eyes to the hills— from where will my help come? 2 My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. 3 He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. 4 He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. 5 The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade at your right hand. 6 The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. 7 The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. 8 The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time on and forevermore. "

David could see beyond the threat of an enemy ready to trounce him. He knew in Whose hands he found himself and he knew the power of God to protect him. And his closing verse should be our assurance as well, as we leave our home and enter the workplace or treatment center or fellowship area or wherever it may be, God keeps our going out and our coming in, not just this morning but "from this time on and forevermore."

PRAYER: God of watchful eyes and endless strength, bless my going out of my home today into the world. You know the places I need to go and the things I need to do, keep me from harm and danger. Let me be one whose life shows that I follow The Shepherd, the gate of my going out and my coming in. Let me glorify You, I ask in Jesus' Name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

---Please keep Alma Lightley in your prayers. She is in hospice care and has taken a turn for the worse. Alma is Darlene Topp's mom. Please keep Darlene and her sister and their families in your prayers as well.

JESUS IS THE GATE!

Loving God, at the start of this work week, send your blessings upon blessings on this gracious reader, amen.

Our sermon yesterday was on Jesus' "I Am" promise that He is "the gate." This was the third in our Vote for Jesus series which has blessed us more than I anticipated, and for that I praise the Lord!

As Abraham gets his second call from Heaven we find the angel’s words in Genesis 22: 17 that make a reference to a "gate." Please read the verses leading to verse 17 and try to understand what the Lord is saying to Abraham in that reference to a gate.

The text below shares that famous, but difficult story of Abraham's reluctant willingness to offer his son Isaac as a sacrifice to God. I say difficult because no parent can put themselves in Abraham's place and fully understand all that he was going through and many of us would quite honestly say, I don't know if I can do that. It was a very heavy heart that Abraham made that trek to the place where he thought that would be the end of his son. Thankfully, at the end of that journey, God provides and in that provision we find the promise "I will indeed bless you, and I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of their enemies." In this usage of "gate" we find that what God means is that God will allow the offspring of Abraham to control the cities of all their enemies." Yesterday I made reference to the gate being that which Christ offers to us if we find ourselves corraled or imprisoned by our own choosing and bad decisions. Today, God is saying you will be so blessed that you will control your enemies instead of being controled by them.

Jesus is the gate. Through Him, as we walk and talk and listen to Him we find the better way to live, the fullness way, the way to eternal life. Jesus offers our escape from sin and the consequences of sin if we would just call on Him.

PRAYER: Eternal Gate, fling open the doors of those corrals that imprison us and keep us from the fullness of life. May our faithfulness be such that You will allow us to control the gates of the same who sought to corral us. I pray this in Jesus' Name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Here is that text from Genesis 22::1 After these things God tested Abraham. He said to him, "Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am." 2 He said, "Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Mori'ah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I shall show you." 3 So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac; he cut the wood for the burnt offering, and set out and went to the place in the distance that God had shown him. 4 On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place far away. 5 Then Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here with the donkey; the boy and I will go over there; we will worship, and then we will come back to you." 6 Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked on together. 7 Isaac said to his father Abraham, "Father!" And he said, "Here I am, my son." He said, "The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?" 8 Abraham said, "God himself will provide the lamb for a burnt offering, my son." So the two of them walked on together. 9 When they came to the place that God had shown him, Abraham built an altar there and laid the wood in order. He bound his son Isaac, and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to kill {Or [to slaughter]} his son. 11 But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven, and said, "Abraham, Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am." 12 He said, "Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me." 13 And Abraham looked up and saw a ram, caught in a thicket by its horns. Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called that place "The LORD will provide"; as it is said to this day, "On the mount of the LORD it shall be provided." 15 The angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time from heaven, 16 and said, "By myself I have sworn, says the LORD: Because you have done this, and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will indeed bless you, and I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of their enemies, 18 and by your offspring shall all the nations of the earth gain blessing for themselves, because you have obeyed my voice." 19 So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Be'er-she'ba; and Abraham lived at Be'er-she'ba.

HEARING THE SHEPHERD'S VOICE

Lord of power and life, grant Your blessings on this dear reader for this day and all days. In Jesus' Name, amen.

The love of our Heavenly Father Jesus compared to that of a true, loving Shepherd. We find that in Matthew 18:12 and 13 which reads as follows:

12 What do you think? If a shepherd has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? 13 And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray.

We can never wander away from the Shepherd without Him looking for us. We may try to hide or run away, but we won't be successful. God never gives up on us and always desires to be in relationship with us. In speaking with someone recently who felt they had let God down, they were verbally beating themselves up for what they perceived to be something they had done. "God must hate me and must think I am a loser, He's probably saying, 'You're no good and I give up on you!"" I replied, God would never say that, what God may say is, "You can do better and you will, if you trust me and allow me to be in your life."

If you know the Shepherd you will know His voice. And His voice will always be one of love, hope, and encouragement.

PRAYER: Loving Shepherd, let me hear Your voice today. I know so many voices throughout the course of my day; family, co-workers, friends, co-students, myself. Let me hear what You have to tell me even in the midst of what others may think is best for me, You dear God need to speak words of love, hope and encouragement to me. I ask this in Jesus' precious Name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

OUR DAY OF PRAYER

Gracious God of all life, we celebrate this day as a day of prayer; yet my soul would be even more blessed if I made it a full-blown day of prayer and praise! Lord, this week I have been reminded of You being my Shepherd and my heart is glad because of that. In the midst of economic worries and troubles in the world I find hope in You and Your word: You do indeed lead those who would follow to the still waters and green pastures. Lead me, O Lord. As I may face aches and pains of a body that is not quite as young as yesterday, remind me Lord that You anoint my head with healing and I know that all will be well.

Lord, help me take the message of Your love to someone today. Show me who it is and what I should say and I will do it.

Bless and protect my family, my church, my pastors, my mentors and guides; for I glorify Your name through this prayer and I trust through my life today, in Jesus Christ's precious and powerful name, amen!

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

THE 23RD PSALM

Good day dear friend, my prayer for you this morning is for God to share the fullness of life with you as you go about your daily chores and tasks. I ask this in Jesus' Name, amen.

Our sermon yesterday was entitled, "It's a Matter of Spiritual Security," and we talked about national security, personal security and spiritual security. We used Jesus' I Am claim of being "The Good Shepherd" from John 10. That leads us to today and our study of a well-known beloved Psalm, the 23rd Psalm. I will paste it here in the version most of us learned growing up, The King James Version (KJV): The LORD [is] my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. 3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou [art] with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. 5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

Read it out loud now. It doesn't matter who's listening, right where you are, right now, read it out loud as an affirmation of your faith. Didn't that feel good? Now read it quietly as a prayer, adjusting it to fit your needs. You could pray, "Loving God, you are my shepherd and because of that I need nothing. You provide all I need if I just make time to listen and follow. You supply nourishment for my body and rest for my soul, and if I listen even harder, You guide me in the path that leads to life and life in abundance. Yes, there are days I walk where I don't want or should walk, but You are with me, so how can I be afraid? You are mighty and You protect me. Even in the presence of those people or things that might want to claim my very life, be it an illness or a real political enemy, they will not triumph, because You are with me. Where You lead I will follow and there will I find goodness and mercy. May Your house be my house, whether I am at home, traveling, or in church. And I want that forever. Amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

GOD TAKES CARE OF US

God of mercy and provision, bring that which this dear reader needs, I ask in Jesus' Name. Amen.

The idea of eating poses for most of us only the question of what to eat? In Jesus' day it was a bit different and much harder for the common person. Here and now sadly, there are places not too far from where you are reading this to know there are folks who rely on dumpsters, handouts, charity, etc. to be fed. Jesus knew that for the majority of those following Him that finding food was a challenge. In Matthew 14:13-21 we find the story of how Jesus fed the multitude.

Matthew 14:13 Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a deserted place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. 14 When he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them and cured their sick. 15 When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, "This is a deserted place, and the hour is now late; send the crowds away so that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves." 16 Jesus said to them, "They need not go away; you give them something to eat." 17 They replied, "We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish." 18 And he said, "Bring them here to me." 19 Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. 20 And all ate and were filled; and they took up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full. 21 And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.

This version omits the part about this being a boy's sack lunch. His mom cared enough for the boy's daily activities that she made him that lunch of five loaves and two fish. "Go out and play!" "Yes, Mom, but I think I'm going to go see this man Jesus today!" "Be careful!" It's quite a testament to that young man that he was willing to share his lunch with Jesus. And the stories he shared the rest of his life after seeing what Jesus did with that small sack lunch: He fed five thousand men, not counting women and children and he had twelve baskets full of leftovers.

The point of the story is that God takes care of you and me. If we seek to be God's person and if we seek to please God and serve God, God provides in wonderful, unexplainable ways. What do you do in return? Are you willing to share your sack lunch?

PRAYER: Help me Lord God to share what I have with those who don't have. Let my blessings from you bless others. I ask this in Jesus' Name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

OUR DAY OF PRAYER

Gracious God pour out Your blessings upon this dear reader. In Jesus'Name, amen.

As we live out the first day after the national elections let us jointogether in this prayer and your prayers:

Loving God, We awake not in a new United States of America but in onewhere we have brought to fullness of life the fundamentals of our greatnation, where our founders declared, "We hold these truths to beself-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed bytheir Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these areLife, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness." Lord, You know that notall are rejoicing this election of our new president, but remind us thatwe are united in all things as one nation. Ours are still the strugglesboth at home and abroad. Ours is still to be able to provide for ourfamilies and as Your Son taught us, our neighbors as well; and ourneighbors are those who are in need. We continue to affirm our need toprovide for one another for in the Day of Judgment, the nations, and we as individualswill be judged as to how we shared the basics: food, water, clothing,hospitality, care, compassion, and love.

Bless the United States of America as You have always done, not forprivilege but for the responsibility we hold before You. Bless ourcurrent president and his family, bless our president-elect and his family, bless those who sought to serve.

We pray for the end of conflict and bloodshed, truly bring peace on theface of the earth. While we await that day, bless and protect those whoserve in the keeping of the peace. Bring an end to the war in Iraq butwhile our men and women are there bless and protect them and we pray ablessing to those who find themselves involved as both innocentbystanders and those who fight against us. Bless and protect thespouses, children, parents, loved ones of those who serve.

May this day bring peace and comfort to those who need them. We ask forhealing of those reading this and for their loved ones as well.

Forgive us our sins. Free us for that obedience that bring honor andglory to you. Open our eyes to see one another as brothers and sisters,seeing beyond our bodily differences to see that which is Yours within.

We pray this in Jesus' Name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

VOTING FOR JESUS BRING GREAT BLESSINGS!

Great God in Heaven, pour down your blessings upon this dear reader. May that which she or he faces today be done in the strength of Your presence with them. I ask this in Jesus' Name, amen.

The state of a widow in most societies even today, is a lowly one. For the Jews to be one who had lost her husband was to be without means of support. A woman could not go outside the home to work and if she was young with a young family without close relatives nearby, life would be difficult if not outright impossible. Such is the case the prophet Elijah as he himself is being cared for by God. God provided a location where he could have water and even had ravens come and feed him with bread and meat. Then the drought claimed even the wadi where he had been drinking water. God then sends him to the home of a widow.

The prophet asks the widow for a small cake of bread and this from a woman who thought she was preparing her last meal for herself and her son. She tells Elijah so; this is our last meal, for I have nothing left. Elijah then shares God's promise to provide for her if she will have faith to share with this man of God and then to provide for her son and herself. It took great faith on the part of that woman to go and prepare a small cake of bread for this stranger knowing that she might not have enough to feed her son and herself, but she had heard the promise from God and out of her faith does as she was told. God had promised she would never run out of oil and that was what happened.

As we elect Jesus as our Lord and Savior and make Him King of our lives, we too are blessed in incredible, unexplainable ways. It requires us taking bold first steps towards that faith and we are never disappointed. God blesses us.

What's keeping you from taking that first step of electing Jesus as Lord of your life?

PRAYER: Lord, our nation awaits the election of our new president today. May he be the one blessed by You to lead us in the ways that we should go. Forgive us our sins as a nation and make us again aware of our responsibility to the world. Like Israel we can and should be a nation of priests, of "bridge-builders" to You. Our wealth and propserity are meant for example not privilege, so let it be. And help me today take my first step towards that faith that shows the world that we have voted for You and have made You our Lord and Savior. King Jesus, I pray this in Your precious and powerful name, amen!

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

e.v.

1 Now Elijah the Tishbite, of Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, "As the Lord the God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word." 2 The word of the Lord came to him, saying, 3 "Go from here and turn eastward, and hide yourself by the Wadi Cherith, which is east of the Jordan. 4 You shall drink from the wadi, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there." 5 So he went and did according to the word of the Lord; he went and lived by the Wadi Cherith, which is east of the Jordan. 6 The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening; and he drank from the wadi. 7 But after a while the wadi dried up, because there was no rain in the land. 8 Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, 9 "Go now to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and live there; for I have commanded a widow there to feed you." 10 So he set out and went to Zarephath. When he came to the gate of the town, a widow was there gathering sticks; he called to her and said, "Bring me a little water in a vessel, so that I may drink." 11 As she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, "Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand." 12 But she said, "As the Lord your God lives, I have nothing baked, only a handful of meal in a jar, and a little oil in a jug; I am now gathering a couple of sticks, so that I may go home and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it, and die." 13 Elijah said to her, "Do not be afraid; go and do as you have said; but first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterwards make something for yourself and your son. 14 For thus says the Lord the God of Israel: The jar of meal will not be emptied and the jug of oil will not fail until the day that the Lord sends rain on the earth." 15 She went and did as Elijah said, so that she as well as he and her household ate for many days. 16 The jar of meal was not emptied, neither did the jug of oil fail, according to the word of the Lord that he spoke by Elijah.

1 Kings 17:1-16 tells a wonderful story of God providing more than enough for a person who normally would not have had a thing because of her social state. Please read the story and see how this applies to you.

I'M VOTING TODAY!

Gracious God bring blessing upon blessing on this person reading this devotional today. I ask it in Christ Jesus' precious name, amen.

Our nation awaits tomorrow night. Tomorrow those who have not voted in early voting will line up at the polls to cast their vote for our next president. I voted yesterday and I'm voting again today. Yes, you read right. And no, I do not live in Duvall County. Close, but not quite. You see, I'm joining others in our church who are voting for Jesus. That's a daily vote and it simply means that I choose to live my life in a way that honors Him. Our new sermon series is called "Vote for Jesus" and yesterday's message was called "What If?" based on the fears that come with election years. Campaigns are great at making us fear so many things. (For those at 10:45 that did not get to see the ad, please see the link at the bottom of this message). Our text for the message was from John 6 where Jesus talked about His being the Bread of Life. The crowd had reminded Jesus of the "bread from heaven" that Moses provided for them during the Exodus.

Exodus 16:1-26 is that story and here it is:
1 The whole congregation of the Israelites set out from Elim; and Israel came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had departed from the land of Egypt. 2 The whole congregation of the Israelites complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. 3 The Israelites said to them, "If only we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots and ate our fill of bread; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger." 4 Then the Lord said to Moses, "I am going to rain bread from heaven for you, and each day the people shall go out and gather enough for that day. In that way I will test them, whether they will follow my instruction or not. 5 On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather on other days." 6 So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, "In the evening you shall know that it was the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, 7 and in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your complaining against the Lord. For what are we, that you complain against us?" 8 And Moses said, "When the Lord gives you meat to eat in the evening and your fill of bread in the morning, because the Lord has heard the complaining that you utter against him—what are we? Your complaining is not against us but against the Lord." 9 Then Moses said to Aaron, "Say to the whole congregation of the Israelites, "Draw near to the Lord, for he has heard your complaining.' " 10 And as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the Israelites, they looked toward the wilderness, and the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud. 11 The Lord spoke to Moses and said, 12 "I have heard the complaining of the Israelites; say to them, "At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread; then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.' " 13 In the evening quails came up and covered the camp; and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. 14 When the layer of dew lifted, there on the surface of the wilderness was a fine flaky substance, as fine as frost on the ground. 15 When the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, "What is it?" For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, "It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat. 16 This is what the Lord has commanded: "Gather as much of it as each of you needs, an omer to a person according to the number of persons, all providing for those in their own tents.' "

Jesus knew of God's faithfulness to all of us and so should we. Through Jesus we have received victory over fear. The economy might be in trouble, our jobs may seem shaky, our relationships may not be as strong as they once were, etc., etc., but one thing we do have is the hope that we receive from Jesus. I don't know about you, but I'm voting again today. I'm voting for Jesus!

PRAYER: Lord, I cast my vote for You. Let my life show that I have victory over fear and that in Christ I am more than a conquerer in all things. Help me to get others to vote for You. I ask this in Jesus' Name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Link to Daisy ad: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVakvimpjRo