GREAT SHOES!

Gracious Lord, bestow your blessings of grace and peace upon this dear reader and all that they may face today. In Jesus' Name, amen.

We find these words for today and our Journey through Lent, towards the Cross: As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace. (Eph 6:15).

A good journey is traveled best with the right shoes. We all have or should have, what we consider our favorite shoes. These aren't always our most comfortable shoes, but we wear them nonetheless. Nellie and I delight in our granddaughter and her maturing ability to select her own shoes. She prefers Crocs, usually the ones grandma and grandpa bought, but when given a gift of those plastic Disney Princess high heels, she'll wear those for a bit. Are we supposed to be comfortable or look good?

Paul knew that for a good journey we need the right shoes. No better shoes said he, than "whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace." If we are ready to share with our lives that which has brought peace to us, that is the good news of Jesus Christ with others, then we're ready for our journey.

How will you give witness today of the peace in your heart? Let your "shoes" do the talking.

PRAYER: Loving God, we thank You again for the good news that someone once shared with us about peace that comes from knowing Your love through Jesus Christ. May I too, have the opportunity to share with others that which brings them the same peace. Give me the words or the story or the prayer that I need to share with that person today and all days. And I ask this in Jesus' Name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

WHO DO WE BELONG TO?

God of all journeys, as this dear reader begins his/her Lenten Journey, journey with them. In Christ Jesus' precious name, amen.

You and I belong to God. We find this in 2 Timothy 2:19; But God's firm foundation stands, bearing this inscription: "The Lord knows those who are his," and, "Let everyone who calls on the name of the Lord turn away from wickedness." The second part of that is the command for those of us who belong to God to "turn away from wickedness."

As we start a Lenten Journey it helps to know where we're from and whose we are. I'll never forget one Saturday morning my best friend, who was not even a Scout, joined me in a five-mile hike for a merit badge. I asked my Mom, who seemed to be a driver's ed teacher for women her age, and our chauffeur, to plot out a good, safe five-mile route. She drove us towards Texas A&I, we turned north, headed almost right to Celanese Chemical plant and the road right beside it lead to highway 77. We turned south on 77 and back towards my home. I don't remember my age, but I knew my way. I had water, my best friend, my uniform; off we went. As we talked, laughed and joked, the journey did not seem at all long or difficult. I knew where I was from, and I knew that God was with me as was my friend. I also knew that if I didn't make it home in a set time my mother would come find me. I think most moms back there were braver and more trusting than today. If our children had wanted to take a five-mile hike for a merit badge, we'd hire a police escort AND we would follow behind.

Our 40 days into our Lenten Journey will be made easier with the realization that we belong to God. God will also help us as we fast and pray and seek to truly turn towards God and away from wickedness.
Journey well, dear friend. Journey with the Lord, for you and I are His!

PRAYER: Lord, as we take these first steps of our Lenten Journey, we journey with You. Guide, bless, and protect us is our prayer. Keep Your hands on our shoulders and help us to know we can and will, turn away from wickedness. I pray this prayer in Jesus Christ's precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

ASH WEDNESDAY

Loving God bless this dear reader; in Jesus' Name, amen.

Today is Ash Wednesday. Several brave souls joined Pastor Aaron Saenz and myself (Nellie as well, as today is our 31st Anniversary) for an early morning headstart on our 40-Day journey of Lent. Pastor Aaron read from Joel and Matthew and I shared the meditation of what today symbolizes for the believer.

We count about six weeks towards Easter/Resurrection Sunday; 40 days of spiritual preparation. The question I asked those who gathered was, "How do you journey?" I gave the example of those lines that form outside Southwest Airlines as you line up based on the section issued you, A, B, or C. Then you look at your number and line up more or less in numerical order. As you do, you can't help but notice expressions on each face as to how they approach their journeying to their destination. The same applies to how we see our 40 days. The prophet Joel shares God's invitation to return back to Him. God says "a great and powerful army approaching," and that can mean the sin in us and the temptations we face each day. The first hymn sang, "God of Grace and God of Glory" prepared us "for the living of these days," speaking of the battles we face. The truth is that we journey spiritually towards the Cross. In 40 days we will remember Good Friday and Christ's death on that Cross for you and me. On Easter morning we will celebrate the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ from the dead. What a journey we're on.

Joel and Matthew both speak about fasting. Fasting is an ancient practice we call a spiritual discipline. One replaces physical nourishment with spiritual ones. One can skip a day or a meal without eating, but replaces that mealtime with prayer and scripture reading. Like we see in the book of Daniel, and as Jesus said years later, "one does not live by bread alone." So, whether it is a meal, two meals, a day or candy or sodas or tv viewing, whatever you "give up for Lent," be sure to "take up" something spiritual in its place. Let the time be a God time when we are open to God's leading and speaking.

PRAYER: Loving God we journey towards You during this time of preparation. Guide me to faithful living. As I give up something to help me realize the things in me that should die, let me also take up something that tells me of the things You have placed in me that brings me to the fullness of life. I pray this in Jesus' Name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

KINGDOM BUILDERS

God of love and mercy, shower Your blessings upon this reader in all they may face today. In Jesus' Name, amen.

One of many favorite hymns of mine is "Blessed Assurance." It speaks of the basic underlying foundation of our faith as Christians, yet I find, as pastor, so many folks at critical times find themselve doubting the reality of faith. The letter to the Hebrews says, So let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. Surely we don't need to start again with the fundamental importance of repenting from evil deeds and placing our faith in God. 2 You don't need further instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. God calls us to be kingdom builders. That means, lay a foundation, let it be strong, then build! In no place in the Bible does it say Christians should stop growing and building. Even in the first pages it speaks of being fruitful and multiplying. There should come a point where we put down the security blanket, the pacifier, the teething ring, and yes, the bottle, and move on. Our grandson is at the point where he finally mastered grabbing things. It only took him four months! He was close enough yesterday to a glass of water that Mom had poured for herself and Liam grabbed it. Mom reacted fast enough to keep him from baptizing himself and poured a little bit of water in a sippy cup. Liam was able to grab it and enjoy the taste of water on his own for the first time! Ahh, what a taste and what a point of maturing that boy is reaching.

If we are to build God a wonderful kingdom, we too, must grab for that which shows our willingness to grow and mature in the faith and to begin doing the things that show we are kingdom builders.

PRAYER: Father, You know all too well that for different reasons we sometimes want to stop and be content with what we've done or who we think we are and not move on in our faith or faith development. Forgive us those times and allow us to move on, grow up, and build up. We can't do it alone, we need You, thus we pray; in Jesus' Name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

JESUS OUR CORNERSTONE

Gracious and loving God, pour out your blessings upon this dear reader as only You know their greatest needs. I ask this in Jesus' Name, amen.
Text in Ephesians 2: 20 :Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. 21 We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord.

We concluded the Nehemiah story yesterday in a sermon entitled, "Celebrate Kingdom Building." Using the text from Nehi 12:27-30 and Matthew 6: 19-34 we talked about how when we know, love, trust, walk and obey God, we will never be left in ruin. In fact, the Lord let me see the word RUIN as Rising Up, Inspired, and New. That's what happened to Judah as they dedicated the wall and Temple and Jesus' word reminded us that if we put our hearts in the wrong treasures we may find ourselves like the people of Judah, almost to the point of ruin. The Lord never forsakes us and we are His for all eternity. As we face the uncertainty of these times, there is no better place to invest our hope, faith, time, money, etc. than in Jesus Christ.

Pauls writes later in the text above, Ephesians 2:20-21, that spiritually we need to have Jesus Christ as our cornerstone in all our dealings with God and others. We are part of a great body when we take Jesus at His word. We are "a holy Temple for the Lord." Compare that with the ruined temple of Nehemiah's story. That great temple came to ruin because God's people no longer wanted to be God's. They thought they knew more. They thought they knew better, and off they went down a road chosen by themselves that led them to destruction and for many, death. Temptations come that show us what we believe is a better road, but only by trusting and involving God can we know what is best, what is God's, for our lives.

PRAYER: Loving God, stay with me. Embrace me, hold me, love me, and guide me. Let me truly be representative of being Your holy Temple in all things. I seek to help others to "rise up, inspired, and new." I ask the same for me, in Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

YOU'VE BEEN BLESSED!

Gracious God, though they perhaps didn't ask for it, richly bless this dear reader with an unexpected blessing today. Lord, You better than anyone else know what this person needs and so, if it be Thy will, grant it unto them. Lord, I know a blessing to be an enhancement of life, a breath of a fullness of life that comes right when it is needed or wanted, so bring the fullness of life as Your Son, Jesus said in John 10:10. I know Jesus to have come so that we might have life. Though we are all alive in some sense, some are not alive in the way they should be, so bring us that fullness of life. I pray that in every area of their life, they might know You and Your goodness. For those reading this who need Your comfort, breath on them a breath of healing as only You can. Father, You know that some have lost loved ones recently and need Your presence. In their tears and sobs, hold them and comfort them. Some reading this, dear God are needing to be healed from an illness or disease, so dear Father, grant Your healing touch upon them. I ask that You confound the doctors by ways that only You can explain, if it be Thy will. Some need to know they are not alone, so bring them a sense of belonging. Others during this rush of Valentine's Day may feel unloved, so show them as only You can, they Your love is the unconditional, unending love not matched here on earth. Many are the ones dear God who feel a sense of insecurity given the state of the world's economy, help us to realize the economy of humans is not Your economy, but we also ask that no one go hungry, homeless, haunted by fear or insecurity. Keep in us the knowledge that You are always with us. I pray these things in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Dear friends, you have been blessed! Whether you asked for it or not. I can't say I'm sorry for blessing you. If you know someone who needs a blessing, please feel free to forward this to them.

ConCafe will be on hiatus this next week as I attend a meeting out-of-state. I will pray for you and ask you pray for Nellie and me as we travel today and return home on Wednesday.

Thank you for reading ConCafe, this marks our tenth anniversary of being online!

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

OUR DAY OF PRAYER

Morning by morning, may this dear reader see Your mercies O God. In Christ Name I pray, amen.

Our theme has been on trusting God in and for all things. May we pray together today for our faith to be strengthened, our doubts quieted, and our vision filled with hope. Pray as you like or you can use this sample prayer:

God of all hope and love, come into my heart today. Fill me with Your love, Your peace, and your joy. Let me truly be Yours in all things. Lord, as I have been studying this week, may I and those who pray with me this prayer, have our faith made stronger. Like Nehemiah, may I see that I can be a builder even when there seems to be little with which to build. May those times when I feel doubt coming into my life, let me push it aside and grow from those moments and as I seek to know about what may lie ahead, fill me with Your vision, a vision filled with hope.

In all ways, let me be all about You. I ask this in Christ Jesus' precious Name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day!

Eradio Valverde

LISTENING TO GOD

Merciful God, shine down Your gracious love on this dear reader. In Christ Jesus' Name, amen.

We find in the Prophet Isaiah's words as found in the 26th chapter: Trust in the Lord forever, for in the Lord God you have an everlasting rock, the promise to all who would undertake anything to which God called them, the person in whom to place our trust and it is God himself. A lot of times we know we're called by God to undertake something as God has led us, but we fail to pray and listen for God's guidance. That is when "the taunters" can creep into our thinking and spirit and ask us again and again, "Who do you think you are, trying or doing this?" The answer comes from God is we allow, "I am called by God to do this and I am trusting and waiting for God to guide me in just the right way to accomplish God's purpose for my life and the good of His Kingdom."

All of us have those moments when we listen "back" to things we may have heard as children; a taunting aunt or uncle, a silly friend or even a well-meaning parent. Listen closely and see if you can hear God in what you hear. Chances are, you're not listening to God, you're listening to an ancient fear placed there by someone other than God. Ask God for clarity, and God will grant it.

PRAYER: Loving God, as I attempt what I need for today, let me be guided only by You. If I should hear the voices of old taunting me, let me instead listen for Your crystal clear voice of faith and reassurance. I seek to glorify You and You only. Accept this prayer that I lift up in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

IN GOD WE TRUST

Gracious and loving God, in Your loving hands is this your child as she or he reads this; bless and protect them is my prayer. In Jesus' precious Name, amen.
Okay, this is a little later than usual (or is your clock set wrong?). No, it comes from Kerrville as we prepare for the heaviest work meeting of the year for the Board of Ordained Ministry.

Tomorrow we start with the interviews of those who would join our ranks as fully ordained ministers and as fully connected to our annual conference. Please be in prayer for those dear canidates as well as for us who sit and listen and interview. May the Holy Spirit guide all of us in our work.

Our theme this week is on the importance of being a builder for the kingdom of God. Our two texts emphasized different aspects of that. Nehemiah 4, selected verses took us to the story of those who taunted the Jews in their efforts to rebuild as well as the prayer said in anger against those taunting them. Nehi shared his words of faith when in verse 20 he said, "Our God will fight for us." In Mark 12 we found that awesome story of faith of the widow sharing her last money with God in faith that God would indeed "fight" for her. Yes, it is a stewardship sermon and our theme is a stewardship theme: God is with us. We should turn over all our challenges and rebuilding goals to God in prayer; and we should have faith that no one or no thing can taunt us to quitting or into not being the person God would have us be.

In the book of Psalms, the 65th Psalm in verse 5 we find this song of trust: "You faithfully answer our prayers with awesome deeds, O God our savior. You are the hope of everyone on earth, even those who sail on distant seas." (NLT). Such should be our trust: remembering the awesome things that God has done for us before and how God will still answer us in the same way; God is indeed the hope of those who sail on distant seas." I shared a story on Sunday that Laurie Beth Jones shared in one of her books about the woman who at her lowest point asked God to send her sign that she was going the right direction in her life and that she still mattered to God, and she tells of finding a penny as soon as she finished praying and on the penny were the words, "In God We Trust." She knew that she was to trust God and she did. Every time she needed a reminder from God, there would be a penny for her. The day came for this woman to have surgery and she searched and searched but could not find that penny. Even as she was wheeled in on that gurney to the holding area before surgery she fretted about not having a penny, and just then an orderly came in with a penny and asked her, "Ma'am, I found this penny right outside and wondered if it was yours?" It was. It was more than a penny, it was that simple yet powerful message that in God we trust.

What are you facing that you've yet to direct back to God? May this be the day you say, "God, I can't face this alone, I need You and so I turn over to You all these things."

PRAYER: God, that's my prayer. I can't face what I'm facing alone. I need You and I turn over to You all that has been keeping me up at night. I need not worry to the extreme where my health is suffering. I turn it over in full faith that You will fight for me. In Jesus' Name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

CELEBRATE LIFE!

May Your eye, O loving God, be upon this dear reader today; provide blessing and protection on their lives. In Christ Jesus' Name, amen.

Giving to God is a spiritual matter. Yet many dislike talking about it, and just as many don't like doing it. Some "tip" God and a recent Internet cartoon shows a son asking the dad, "How come the waitress gets 15% and God gets only 10%. Many would say at least that man is tithing!
Giving is also an honest endeavor. In Acts 5:1-11 is a frightening story of Anaias and his wife Sapphira, who sold some property as were the other early Christians of their church. But unlike the other members, these two did not give all to the ministry, they decided they would lie about the amount of the sale so that they could keep some of the money for themselves. The Holy Spirit revealed this to Peter and he confronted Anaias about it. When told he had lied to God, Anaias fell dead. Scary, right? Peter told him that he could have kept it all if he had wanted, but to give out of dishonesty was a serious thing and so he died. The same thing happened to his wife; she died and was buried immediately as had been her husband. No funeral. No memorial service. No celebration of life.

However you choose to interpret and apply this story to your life, keep in mind that giving is a spiritual matter done best when we're honest to God. God understands when we cannot tithe as we know we should, but if we do it simply because we do not WANT to tithe and hide it behind some excuse (read lie), we are not celebrating life nor are we giving God much to celebrate on either.

Celebrate the gifts of God by giving as you should. Be thankful to have a job and thankful for the privilege of being a part of a world-wide ministry through giving to your church. And you do it simply because you love God!

PRAYER: Loving God, I thank you for what You have provided. Lord, I pray for my needs, and You know them well. I pray for the needs of brothers and sisters in my church who may not be receiving as they need. Bless and provide for them, loving God. Let me celebrate life by giving. Let me be honest with You as I give. May my soul be blessed today. I ask this in Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Acts 5: 1 But a man named Ananias, with the consent of his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property; 2 with his wife's knowledge, he kept back some of the proceeds, and brought only a part and laid it at the apostles' feet. 3 "Ananias," Peter asked, "why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back part of the proceeds of the land? 4 While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, were not the proceeds at your disposal? How is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You did not lie to us but to God!" 5 Now when Ananias heard these words, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard of it. 6 The young men came and wrapped up his body, then carried him out and buried him. 7 After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 Peter said to her, "Tell me whether you and your husband sold the land for such and such a price." And she said, "Yes, that was the price." 9 Then Peter said to her, "How is it that you have agreed together to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out." 10 Immediately she fell down at his feet and died. When the young men came in they found her dead, so they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 And great fear seized the whole church and all who heard of these things.

SATURDAY NIGHT KITCHEN TABLE

"Morning by morning, new mercies I see..." May it be so in the life of this dear reader. In thy Name, amen.

Sunday I made mention of the story that Mr. Red McCombs tells of his boyhood when on Saturday nights, he would sit at the kitchen table with his momma and watch her as she sorted out the meager earnings of his dad from his work as a shade tree mechanic. Momma would always set aside ten percent "for the Lord" (their tithe) and on Sunday Red would see Momma offer it to God. Red was blessed beyond most people's wildest dreams and I don't think Red ever had a chance to sit at his kitchen table to divide up money "for the Lord" and it may not have been a lesson learned by his children. My lesson in tithing was when I was 9 years old as I was being driven home by my Mom who told me that 10% was for the Lord. I thank God for her gentleness and love - for I never threw a fit nor got mad at this obligation. I saw it "neat" that I could do that for God. She asked me how much I made on that Saturday that I worked and I told her a dollar-fifty. "Set aside 15-cents for God, that is your diezmo for tomorrow in church." (If you know Spanish, diez is ten, so diezmo is tithe).

What do you do at your kitchen table on Saturday nights? Have you shared with God and more importantly have you taught the lesson on tithing to those who might sit with you? If you don't teach your children about tithing when they grow older and start making lots of money, giving anything away is difficult. The old story says that a man went to see his pastor and said, "Reverend, when I first started working, I made $120 a week, so giving $12 was nothing. Now that I make in the six figures it seems like too much money! Would you pray for me?" Sure, replied the pastor, "Lord, take away this six-figure job from this man and allow him to return back to his $120 a week..." The man interrupted, "Wait! I get it now!"

PRAYER: Loving God of all things, I am blessed. And from my blessings, let me return to You that which is Yours. In Jesus' Name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

For more in-depth Bible study, use the study guide for today: Exodus 34:26 finds the mandate for giving unto the Lord. Please find that passage and see what it says there about giving to God from our "first fruits."

OUR STORY

Be gracious, loving God, unto this dear reader; make bright the path they seek. In Christ Jesus' Name, amen.

"Our Story" is the title of our new sermon series. It is based on the book of Nehemiah and other scriptures from the New Testament. It is to help tell our story compared with Nehemiah's, as well as to begin our stewardship season. Our goal is to see what it is that God would have be and do as we plan for our financial New Year. Our sermon yesterday was on Nehemiah 1:1-4 on the importance of beginning anything with prayer and fasting. We shared four things that happen when we pray, along with whatever else God does with our prayers: 1) prayer gives us ownership in whatever it is we are praying for/about; 2) It allows our heart to join with the heart of God; 3) Our heart joins with the hearts of others praying with us for the same thing; 4) We are blessed for just being in prayer.

The NT passage was the incredible passage about the spirit of generosity in the Macedonian churches (2 Cor. 8:1-5) and we learned from them the Macedonian Model for Giving: 1) Give from what you have; no promises of shared lottery winnings! 2) Give generously, surprise yourself! 3) Even when facing troubles, give! 4) Show your "true color" as being that of a giver! 5) Be happy though poor or rich! The people of Macedonia were facing economic times worse than ours and yet even Paul could not understand why they were so generous and giving and why they would plead for the privilege of helping out fellow Christians. The church laughed when I asked if they had ever heard a preacher say, "Please stop giving, you've given enough! We don't know what to do with the money we have!"

What is your story? Are you a person of prayer and generosity? Do you find yourself happy for what you have and out of that you give to God? Or are you one awaiting a big windfall, the death of a loved one who's named you in their will? Guess what? God has already put your name in the "will" that counts and we call that the Book of Life, anything else pales in comparison; so give out of the riches you presently have.

PRAYER: Open my heart and eyes to see, dear God, of all that I have already received. I am so blessed to be a part of a praying community, and I am blessed to be named among those who have life in abundance now and look forward to life eternal. Let me be a blessing to You and Yours today. I ask this in Christ Jesus' precious name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

For further study, read Genesis 28:22 and see there what was considered a proper relationship in giving between oneself and God.