SUPER SUNDAY, SUPER SWORD!

God of all life, bring the fullness of life with joy, calm, joy and peace to this dear reader, in Jesus' Name, amen.

This Sunday is known as Super Sunday. The reason? Super Bowl. That makes it for many households here in this country, it is a big deal. I'm looking forward to it for the hot wings that my wife will make. Hot wings are on the menu on those nights such as this; add to that list The Oscars, The Emmys, The Grammys, well, you get the picture. Suffice it to say you have to sign a waiver to enjoy these delicacies. I also look forward to the ads. Thanks to the Internet some ads get leaked and that ruins the much awaited day. For most Texans the absence of a Texas team makes it just another football contest. Yes, I do know the teams, Arizona Cardinals and that other team from Pittsburgh (being a former Oiler fan, that's a name that is not spoken in this household...). It's still a big night.

During that contest, twenty-two men are on the field, equipped with the latest gear that is supposed to protect them from hard hits, bone-crushing tackles, etc. In spite of that equipment, players still get hurt. Well, we've been talking about the great resource we have in our spiritual battles that are found in The Holy Bible. Our theme this week has been about bringing the Word of God to life, and as Paul mentions in Ephesians 6:17 "Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." If we face life knowing in our minds that we are saved and in a loving relationship with God, we are protected. And like the Roman guard that Paul faced each day, Paul knew that the power of that guard to protect Paul and himself, he had a sword. Our sword "is the word of God," meaning our Bible. The more we read and learn The Bible, the stronger we are in facing all that we face. Don't let your sword get dusty, use it!

PRAYER: God of power and might, I thank You for the gift of spiritual protection that You offer to us. Let me claim the knowledge of my relationship with You as my helmet and let me use Your Word as my sword in fighting off temptation, injustice, oppression, and evil. I ask this in Christ Jesus' Name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

THE IMPLANTED WORD

Merciful God, shower mercy and blessings to this your child today. In Jesus' Name, amen.

It is said that some music has the power to take you immediately back to where you were when you first heard a particular song; you find yourself surrounded by the sights, sounds, smells, and people who were right there just as that song is playing. I have many of those but "Last Train to London" brings me always back to Highway 83 from Rio Grande City to Penitas, TX, on the night my wife went into labor with our first child, Nellie. It's funny because the chorus says, "I really want this night to last forever," and I know that was the last thing my wife wanted! It turned out it almost did - twenty-two hours of labor and a decision to deliver our baby through C-section.

The letter of James in chapter one, verses 21-24, the author speaks of "the implanted word" and the power that word has to "save our souls." That begs the question, does The Bible play a part of our life's "soundtrack?" Have we allowed sermons, or books on the Bible have a place in our lives. Have we allowed God's Word to play a part in helping us make the right choices and live in the right way as the first part of that verse says? Is the Word of God truly "implanted" in us? Is it at least like a contact lense that helps us better see life?

We are a blessed people to have ready and easy access to God's Holy Word. We can walk into any bookstore, at any time, and buy a new Bible. Not all people on the face of this earth do. Some are hungry for the Word and cannot obtain a copy for themselves. We leave ours unattended and unread, and we panic as we face some of life's hard challenges because we have not rooted and grounded ourselves in the Word, in other words, we have not allowed the word to be implanted in our souls. And that puts our very soul in peril of being lost.

Below this devotion appears the text for today. Your reading that will allow you to have at least a few verses to fuel up for this day. And on days this devotion doesn't appear, use your own Bible. Let the Word truly be implanted in you today.

PRAYER: Loving God of the Word, implant Your love in my heart today. Let me love myself in the right way and let me love others in the same way. Above all, let me love You as I should. May Your Word be implanted in my soul so that as I face today and the surprises, blessings, and challenges come, I will know just what to say. I ask this in Jesus' Name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Here is that text: "Therefore rid yourselves of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls. 22 But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves. 23 For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those who look at themselves in a mirror; 24 for they look at themselves and, on going away, immediately forget what they were like. 25 But those who look into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and persevere, being not hearers who forget but doers who act—they will be blessed in their doing .

STUDY GUIDE: James 1:21-23 speaks of what should happen as we hear the Word of God. Please find, read, and allow that passage to sink into your heart.

LIFEBOOK

God of the universe and of the individual, bless and protect this dear reader in all that is coming before them today. In Jesus' Name, amen.

We concluded our sermon series on "Let's Go To The Movies" by looking at the premise behind "InkHeart." From what my daughter Nellie Garcia says, it's a great book. The movie was okay, slow at the beginning and ends really well. The thing I liked most about it was the ad above the box office window, "Every story ever written is just waiting to come to life" or something along those lines. We applied that yesterday to the stories found in The Holy Bible.

From page one to the maps, we can find God speaking to us about our worth in His eyes, the power of faith and prayer, the awesomeness of God's abilities to see us through any and all circumstances of life; and it all boils down to a simple fact: We must read The Bible. I showed or tried to show a video about Bible facts and the reality is that most people on the street know little to nothing about the Bible. Could someone name the disciples of Jesus? No, but he could name the 7 Dwarfs! Could someone name four books of the Bible? No, but knew five or six different coffee drinks. And on and on. In sharing with some I made the comment that we are so biblically illiterate that our children, and in some cases, adults, might not know if something is a "Goliath task" or we feel like we're in the "belly of a fish." Eden as paradise place might not be known by folks just by the mention of the word. Being in the lion's den also might not register. And on and on.

God knows all our excuses; we must commit ourselves to overcoming them and just making time to read as we should.

PRAYER: Loving Father, thank You for your Word. Forgive me the times I prefer to read something other than The Bible. Today let me begin to make The Bible my lifebook. I can only do it with Your help and presence in my life. I ask this in Jesus' Name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

OUR UNWILLINGNESS

Loving God, shine upon this dear reader and his/her day! In Jesus' Name, amen.

This morning I read from a poster in my home office. It is written by a famous man and in it he describes an event where he "went very unwillingly." I smiled as I read that because of the number of things that I have had to attend or do "very unwillingly." The person in question is none other than The Rev. John Wesley and the account to which he refers was his attendance to a lay-led Bible study. His words say, "In the evening I went very unwillingly to a society in Aldersgate Street, where one was reading Luther's Preface to the Epistle to the Romans. About a quarter before nine, while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ. I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt that I did trust in Christ, Christ alone for salvation; and an assurance was given me, that he had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death."

My most unwilling participation was my Walk to Emmaus in May of 1985. It was Walk #22 held in Kerrville, TX, at Mount Wesley, long a bastion of spiritual awakening and stengthening of faith. I had cancelled once or twice, but was strongly convinced by two dear friends and colleagues that I should attend; after all, they were attending. I did attend. But like Wesley, I went "very unwillingly." And to add insult to injury, we FLEW to Kerrville! One of the lay directors was in the process of getting his pilot's license and he needed the hours, and so four pastors were scheduled to fly with him and his instructor in a tiny plane. You that have heard this story know that two of the four pastors, myself included, were extra large. The lay person was too. Half of the human cargo would, in my opinion, be testing the limits of the single engine plane. The other XL pastor cancelled out, leaving the five of us to attend. Long story short, I was blessed beyond my expectations. What I entered into very unwillingly, blessed me, like Wesley.

I believe God uses our unwilling events to surprise us and strengthen us. I believe God knows our heart and needs and with His sense of humor sends the most unbelieveable blessing in the midst of that which we think will bore us or waste our time. Where are you going today unwillingly? Are you ready to be blessed?

PRAYER: Loving God, bless me even when I think I will be bored or wasting my time. Forgive me for my unwillingness in some things. I know that even there, I am not far from You. Let me be a blessing to You, I ask in Jesus' Name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

GOD'S LOVE AND OUR FAITHFULNESS

Loving and eternal God, shower this dear reader with that which s/he needs, in Jesus' Name, amen.

When I attended seminary I was in my twenties, as were most of my classmates. I lived in a dorm filled with 20 yr. olds. So, in Old Testament class as we were introduced to the story of Hosea I can still hear the snickers of the young as the story is told of a prophet ordered by God to marry a woman of ill repute. To make matters worse, this woman of the night was named Gomer. It hadn't been too many years before that the name Gomer brought to mind someone else. For those too young to remember, the show on television was Gomer Pyle USMC, and it was a spin-off from The Andy Griffith Show. (You might have to visit YouTube.com to search for clips of either show to remember). But God's point was this: Israel, the people of God, was living their life as a nation not unlike this woman. She, the nation, would go off with any other god. Israel was unfaithful and did not know how to live her life as faithful to God. Yet, God said, and this from verse 19 of chapter two: "And I will take you for my wife forever; I will take you for my wife in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love, and in mercy. 20 I will take you for my wife in faithfulness; and you shall know the Lord. "

Unfaithfulness in a marriage is perhaps one of the greatest, if not deadliest crises a couple can face. Most couples choose to separate and divorce after such an encounter, and bibilically, it is supported. But God tells the unfaithful nation that in spite of their ways, He is still their's. Their relationship would be built on righteousness and justice, "in steadfast love, and mercy." For us as individuals and couples, ours is to understand God's love and receive it, enjoy it and live it in all areas of our lives. "Not Easily Broken," the movie title and the theme for this week, is built on such love and mercy.

PRAYER: Loving God, grant me love and wisdom to faithfully live my life in all my relationships, especially my relationship with You. Grant to me a witness that I can share about You so that others may receive. I pray this in Jesus' Name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

-------------------------------PRAYER UPDATE AND REQUEST--------------------------------------------
Michael Callway, for whom we had been praying died Tuesday morning and his memorial service will be tomorrow at 10 a.m. in our church. Please hold Alice, his wife and their children and grandchildren in prayer. Also, please continue prayers for Peggy Underwood of Boulder, Colorado; she goes today to visit a radiologist for possible treatment of her cancer. Marcus Phipps our music director continues to recover at home and we continue to ask the Lord grant him full recovery from back surgery.

SACRIFICIAL LOVE

Gracious God, send your blessing on whatever this dear reader may be facing today; in Jesus' Name, amen.

Our story ends with what the book of Revelation shares; that Christ is the bridegroom of the church, and we, as His church, are His bride. Such is the love and relationship Christ desires with us, that we will be "wed" to Him in the End. The marriage ceremony in our church we mention the example that Christ gives to each couple, and that is the example of sacrificial love.

Most couples will experience that at sometime in their marriage. There's a commercial on by a major electronics store about the husband who in order to pay for his wedding, sold his season tickets to his favorite football team. Many men at this point would say, "Whoa? He did WHAT?" Fellas, it's a commercial, but it could happen. Sit down, sip some water, catch your breath! The ad continues with the sales person saying that that wife came in and to "make it up" to her husband, buys him a 60 inch flat screen TV so that it would be almost like being there. Okay, I know several "theological" discussions can follow about what it means to be there and "being there" via television. The point is that the man, because of his love for this woman, sold his season tickets to pay for a wedding.

Christ gave His life for you and me; such is His love for us. He withheld nothing in order to establish an eternal relationship with us. What are we doing for the love of our spouses or special people in our lives?

PRAYER: Thank you, Jesus, for loving me that much. Help me today love You more and to love my spouse, children, parents, friends, siblings in the same way. Make me a person of love that understands Your sacrifice and who is willing to make sacrifices for the ones I love. I ask this in Jesus' precious and powerful Name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

THREEFOLD CORD

Loving God, may Your gift of faith, hope, and love be with this dear reader. I ask this in Jesus' Name, amen.

We're into week three of the sermon series, "Let's Go to The Movies," and we looked at a limited release movie called, "Not Easily Broken." When we selected the movies we did it only by title and perceived theme. We were right with both in this case, but never considered it might not play here in Harlingen. The local theatre said to call them next week and ask again if they were going to show it. I highly doubt it. I wanted to see this but if I really want to see it I'll have to travel to San Antonio or Corpus Christi. The theme is about handling crisis in a marriage and that was the theme of my sermon. For the text I used an OT and NT text. Ecclesiastes 4:9, 12: "Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil... And though one might prevail against another, two will withstand one. A threefold cord is not quickly broken." 1 Corinthians 4-8b, 13: Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. 7 It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never ends...And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love."

For the illustration I bought three different colored cords and had my daughters weave them into a threefold cord. Each color represented what Paul mentions in verse 13, and I made the point that all marriages, families, and relationships are blessed when they place their faith, hope, and love in God. With such a foundation, nothing can tear those marriages, families or relationships apart.

Jesus mentions something in Matthew 19:6 that begs our attention: "So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate." During the first part of the sermon I called up those who had married in January and presented them with Bible markers made with smaller versions of the threefold cord, but I also asked them about their vows and whether they were more in love today than the day they married. I'll just say interesting answers. But as the couples are declared "husband and wife" in today's wedding ceremony, what Jesus says in the above passage is declared: "Those whom God has joined together, let no one tear asunder" or the modern equivalent. Marriages are meant to be strong. It is in the marriage that society either teaches each other how to be a better person and citizen, or it fails and helps society become weaker. The message for the Christian church is to strengthen marriages and to help families instill those values and beliefs that can make each person a true believer and follower of Christ Jesus.

What's in your marriage?

PRAYER: Loving God of love and marriage, bring your blessings upon my marriage, family, or relationships. I stand in need of being a more loving person, a person of more faith, and one who can share a message of hope in all situations. I ask this in Christ Jesus' precious Name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Study Guide for today: Matthew 19:6 mentions the solid bonds of marriage. Please find that passage and see what it says to you about your marriage or the marriage of close loved ones. Pray for them this day.

DOING THE UNEXPECTED!

God of all places, grant the safety and blessing of this dear reader wherever You lead them today. In Jesus' Name, amen.

Jesus had a way to turning life upside down. I also say that Jesus called us to do the unexpected. Society almost expects some reactions from us when someone does something to anger us, and for us to do the opposite makes society wonder what's going on. To know and love and follow Jesus means that life in the fullest is going on. In Matthew 5, in that awesome sermon called The Sermon on the Mount we find Jesus teaching these words:

44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Society would have us hate our enemies, though everybody that doesn't know Jesus does that. To curse our enemies is another "natural" response. But Jesus says for us to love our enemies! How is that possible. I remember my very first Bible class in college and the dumbstruck feeling I had when I heard The Rev. Virgil Matthews, Dean of the college and the man in charge of the preministerial program say that the opposite of love was not hate, but indifference. I think you could have heard a pin drop in that room of 18 and 19 year olds. We had learned to think that hating someone was the opposite of loving someone. But as Dean Matthews explained to hate someone still means we hold some sort of feeling for them; to be indifferent means you have no feeling; in fact to feel indifferent may even suggest that that person is dead to you. Yet, to hate is not the response, natural or otherwise, that is expected of us - we are called to love even those who hate us. (We're not called to be indifferent either, just in case you're wondering!) Jesus emphasizes we are to "be perfect, ...as (our) heavenly Father is perfect."

To live and do the unexpected is possible only if we allow Jesus to live in us. More of Jesus, less of me.

PRAYER: Come, Lord Jesus, and live in me. Drain me of what I have considered to be natural for all these years, and place in my heart and mind, that which truly astounds the world. Let me live as one who loves and one who cares for others. I pray this in Jesus' Name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Prayer Updates: Marcus Phipps returned home yesterday afternoon and is recovering slowly. Isis Hernandez is also on her way to recovery as well. Thank you for your prayers.

OUR DAY OF PRAYER

Gracious Father, open the windows of Heaven with rich and unexpected blessings upon this dear reader. Amen!

Today is our Day of Prayer. Our focus has been on forgiveness, especially among friends. It was heartwarming to hear from our daughter who was relating our granddaughter's first day of the spring semester in her day care. Sarai Evangelina is learning to talk and she's a quick learner but is at that stage where she will learn one's name and no one else can share it. For example, Nellie is or would like to be known as "Grandma." But she hears our daughter calling her, "Mom." And one day while visiting in San Marcos a church member from there addressed her as "Nellie." Little Sarai heard that and before going to bed, came to her grandma, handed her something and said, "Here, Nellie," laughed and ran away. Her mom heard her and said, "Don't call her Nellie! She's Grandma!" Well, she still does not call her Grandma, she now calls her "Mom-mom." For the record I have been and will always be, "Daddy." Well, yesterday in class she met a new assistant teacher named Carli. The main teacher told Sarai's mom, "Sarai had no trouble repeating new names and words, except for Teacher Carli. She said, "No," when asked to repeat her laugh and thereafter laughed whenever we would say that the teacher's name was Carli. My daughter replied, "Carli is the name of my sister, Sarai's aunt and best friend." What a joy to hear that and to know it is true; among the other relationship titles we may have in life with others, isn't it special to be called and known as "friend."

May we pray that today we would be a friend to those we know as "Honey," "Dear," "Darling," "Dad," "Mom," "Child," "Son," "Daughter," etc. It's so easy to just be "husband" or "wife." Can't we add the specialness of "friend" to all relationships? And if friends, especially "BFFs," can we not learn to forgive one another? Make that your prayer today. Or, if you wish, you can pray this sample prayer:

PRAYER: God of love and God whose Son wanted to call us all "friends," may I truly be a friend to those special people in my life. I'm thankful to be a spouse, but let me make my spouse thankful as I make him/her my friend today and all days. May I be a friend to my parents, to my children, to my employees or employers; may I be a friend to Jesus in all that I say, think, or do. And as friends, let me learn how to forgive when necessary. May my heart be filled not only with love, but also the spirit of compassion and understanding when it comes time to forgive. I ask this in Jesus' precious Name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Prayer Request Updates: Isis Hernandez' surgery went well and she was able to go home a couple of hours after it. Marcus is excited because his surgery went so well that a big toe that had been numb because of his back problems has feeling in it and he may be going home today. I have not heard about the procedure for Mrs. Heard, but I trust that no news is good news.

Please continue to hold Michael Callaway in your prayers. A tumor was discovered on his spine on top of the other areas where he is battling cancer. We know God will have the last word. Thank you and blessings unto you for your taking time to pray for one another.

LOVING ENEMIES

Gracious Lord shine down Your strength on this dear reader; may this day be a day of great blessing. In Jesus' Name, amen.

Good day dear friends.

As we pray for each other today, please lift up two persons as they face surgerical procedures this morning: Isis Hernandez, our church secretary/receptionist, is undergoing surgery here at Harlingen Medical Center; and Susan Heard from Houston, is undering a procedure to remove fluid from her lungs. These sisters need our prayers. Also, a prayer of recovery for Marcus Phipps, our music director, as he recovers from back surgery at Valley Baptist Hospital.

The theme for this week is forgiveness and the Apostle Paul had a 'word' on that: Romans 12:20-21 finds him saying, "20 No, "if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads." 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

How difficult it is to forgive those who trespass against us. Those who usually do we move from the Friend category to the Enemy category. And as sad as it is to think there are those who do consider us their "enemy," it is doubly sad when we consider someone an "enemy." The word "enemy" comes from the word "enmity" which means to hold deep-seated hatred. Wow, that's pretty serious, to hold one so hateful that we place them in that category. It was one thing to be ignored by some as I grew up, but when I went away to college and encountered those who hated me because of the color of my skin, that was another thing. Two of my classmates, and I use the word loosely, for these boys dropped out; but their joy and pleasure in life was to hate me for my having been born different from them. I considered them not as enemies, but as those that I avoided but prayed for. I was sad that they didn't come to know the real me nor I the real them or the persons they could have been.

But Paul says for those who hold deep-seated hatred for you, if they're hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink. Imagine that! The person our "enemy" would least expect assistance giving them aid and keeping them alive. Paul adds that by our doing so we are "heaping burning coals on their heads." That may be true, but our motive and purpose in helping is because though someone may hate us, we are called to love everyone. It's not easy, for some people are just plain unloveable, but it is the calling we have from God. As Paul concludes, "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."

PRAYER: God of eternal forgiveness, forgive me for having thoughts against others. Let me truly be a person who loves even those who could care less for me. Let me be a servant of Yours motivated by only love. When I see someone in need, let me give of myself and what I have because I love. I thank You for the model of Jesus who loved even those who killed Him. And it is in His Name that I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Study Guide:Leave it to Paul to have at least one "word" about this topic. If you find Romans 12:20-21 you’ll find that word. What does it say to your life?

FRIENDS AND FORGIVENESS