WEDNESDAY OF HOLY WEEK: HOW MUCH CAN I GET FOR JESUS?

Amazing God of the fullness of life, bring such a gift and blessing to the life and needs of this dear reader; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Here is our text for this day, Wednesday of Holy Week: Luke22: 1 Now the festival of Unleavened Bread, which is called the Passover, was near. 2 The chief priests and the scribes were looking for a way to put Jesus to death, for they were afraid of the people. 3 Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was one of the twelve; 4 he went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers of the temple police about how he might betray him to them. 5 They were greatly pleased and agreed to give him money.

If you're active in the life beyond Sunday morning at your church and you serve on a committee or board at your church you're no stranger to the term "parking lot meeting." Those are the meetings that happen either before or after, usually after a meeting. While the council or committee or board may have made a tremendous decision, some folks either a) aren't happy and want to keep discussing or b) want to know what else they can do. This is the worst "parking lot meeting" in history. Judas Iscariot, called by Jesus to serve as one of His disciples and even as treasurer of this group, meets with the other side of this important ministry of Jesus. Luke shares in that first verse that as this high holy day for the Jews is approaching the chief priest and scribes are looking for a way to put Jesus to death because they feared the people and what the teachings and preachings of this intinerant rabbi could cause them to do. They might even force these religious folks to lose their jobs or influence!

Luke give Judas an out, he says Satan entered him and thus this action. Whatever the motive, the result was the same: Judas betrayed Jesus for money. Matthew says it was for thirty pieces of silver (Mt. 26:15). It's not recorded directly but we know that the sign or signal to the arresting party would be that Judas would kiss (listen to U2' "Until The End of The World" song and hear the lyrics about the kiss) Jesus, which is what he did.

Every year I am reminded that all during the year I sell Jesus out, sometimes not even for 30 pieces of silver. It's a laugh at someone's expense, a thought that I shouldn't have, a word that I speak that I can't take back, or a doubt that questions the power and majesty of God; I find I am no better than Judas. But, every year I hear the same message from all that Holy Week offers: I am forgiven! Friday will remind me again, that Jesus took my place and took my sin and nailed it to the cross and there made me right with God!

Think about it: You may have a once-in-lifetime chance to do something today that will bring you happiness, joy, money or satisfaction, but you will also realize that to achieve or receive that, you are selling Jesus for that money, joy, etc. Is it worth it?

PRAYER: Father, forgive me for those times that I have taken something in place of you. Forgive me those times that I should have known better, and walked away and realized that I have sold you. Thank you for your forgiveness. Let me bless someone today with that which glorifies You! I pray this in Jesus' name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

TUESDAY OF HOLY WEEK

Blessed Lord of all days, visit the needs and challenges of this dear reader today and all days; in Christ Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Tuesday of Holy Week: Here is our passage for today: "Tell us, by what authority are you doing these things? Who is it who gave you this authority?" 3 He answered them, "I will also ask you a question, and you tell me: 4 Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin?" 5 They discussed it with one another, saying, "If we say, "From heaven,' he will say, "Why did you not believe him?' 6 But if we say, "Of human origin,' all the people will stone us; for they are convinced that John was a prophet." 7 So they answered that they did not know where it came from. 8 Then Jesus said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things." 9 He began to tell the people this parable: "A man planted a vineyard, and leased it to tenants, and went to another country for a long time. 10 When the season came, he sent a slave to the tenants in order that they might give him his share of the produce of the vineyard; but the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed. 11 Next he sent another slave; that one also they beat and insulted and sent away empty-handed. 12 And he sent still a third; this one also they wounded and threw out. 13 Then the owner of the vineyard said, "What shall I do? I will send my beloved son; perhaps they will respect him.' 14 But when the tenants saw him, they discussed it among themselves and said, "This is the heir; let us kill him so that the inheritance may be ours.' 15 So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? 16 He will come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others." When they heard this, they said, "Heaven forbid!"

It is Tuesday of Holy Week and Jesus has returned to the Temple. The religious folk want to trap Jesus and so they ask him, "Who has given you the authority to do the things that you do?" They had heard and some of them had seen all that Jesus was doing and teaching. They were amazed and stunned and also insulted. So, a good starting point is to ask Jesus just who had given Him the right to do these things. Jesus answers their question with a good question. The question is based on John's act of baptizing people. "Who gave John that authority?" Jesus wants to know, knowing that however they answered that question would answer theirs as well. They discussed it among themselves and they knew the implications of any answer and so they say, "We don't know." Then Jesus says, "Then I won't tell you."

We see and experience wonderous things in our lives. We see and hear about unexplainable healings, deliverances, transformations, doors opened that once seemed closed forever, and the list goes on and on and some of us get hung up with the authority question. Ultimately, it becomes a real case of our asking what gives God the right to do these things? Or worse, we declare, God could never really do that sort of thing! It's something that only happened in the Bible! Foolish us! God cares for us and does things we don't believe and most times, certainly don't deserve. God has that authority; in fact, God has complete authority to do as God would please.

Why don't we today not look for authority but seek opportunity for God to be at work. Set aside doubt and territories and let God has His way in our lives. This is after all, the last week of our Lenten Journey; no better time for God to show us and do with and for us something that would bless us beyond belief.

PRAYER: God, You have complete authority over my life. I surrender to You and turn over to You the needs in my life. Work in me and through me and even in spite of obstacles I may have placed between us, to show Your glory to all. I ask this in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

MONDAY OF HOLY WEEK

Amazing God of love, make evident Your love in the life and needs of this dear reader; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Our passage for this Monday of Holy Week comes from Luke 19:45-48: 45 Then he entered the temple and began to drive out those who were selling things there; 46 and he said, "It is written, "My house shall be a house of prayer'; but you have made it a den of robbers." 47 Every day he was teaching in the temple. The chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people kept looking for a way to kill him; 48 but they did not find anything they could do, for all the people were spellbound by what they heard.

How awesome it was to have a procession of children in our churches yesterday. I long have held that the entire church should process in celebration of what Palm Sunday represents to our spiritual lives. But we're blessed to have children in our churches to do the marching for us. Thank God for children!

It is now Monday of Holy Week. The crowds have not died down, many are in town for the celebration of Passover and many are awaiting to see what this Jesus will finally do. After three years of countryside preaching and doing a ministry of signs and wonders, could He indeed be the One? Luke has Jesus visit the Temple and as we read above He casts ou those who were selling. "The economy's bad, Jesus, we can no longer tithe, we must resort to doing something to pay the candle costs, the salaries of our priests, so we're selling things..." The response Jesus gave still stands, "The Bible says that God said, "My house shall be a house of prayer." Just prayer? What else? Shouldn't we be doing more than pray?

We can never underestimate the power of prayer. Even if it only changes us, we are still called to be people of prayer. And wait, that statement seems wrong, especially if it only changes us I should have said! Prayer is a mighty force of God to be reckoned with! Prayer is allowing God to move in and through and sometimes in spite of us in all situations, good or bad. And it seemed like folks had stopped praying during Jesus' day and Jesus had to remind them of their need to still pray in the Temple. Truth is there were people all over Israel and beyond praying, waiting, hoping for God to send He who was to change things. The church may have forgotten to pray, as we sometimes do. And in its place we have assigned more earthly things. When we do we find we are lacking in so many areas that we should naturally gravitate back to prayer.

Our time of Lent is almost over and we should be praying like never before. The needs are great in our churches and outside our churches. The needs are great inside our homes and outside our homes. The world needs to pray God's continued transformation of the world. Let this Monday of Holy Week kick that off like never before.

PRAYER: Loving God, on this Monday of this very special and sacred week, receive my prayers to move in my life. You know my needs, my doubts and my fears. Use me to help be a blessing to others. Let my life be a reminder of the need to be in prayer. I ask this in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

TWO OPTIONS

Amazing God, Worker of incredible things, work on the needs of this dear reader in all that they face today; in Christ Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Our text for this morning is Romans 8:28: We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.

We all have perfect days and we all have not-so-perfect days. We usually have at least two options on how we're going to face each new day and its challenges and blessings: We can rejoice and thank God or we can look for someone to blame (but try to avoid yourself - that would be too easy and obvious!). Paul understood that 1) Those who love the Lord are so blessed that they understand that in all things God is present and 2) that some good will come of that particular event or circumstance. The key is the love we have for God. There's always an ideal, a real, and unreal way to see love. The unreal is a passing, "Sure, I love you" sort of love or verbal (and I can't quite do justice to that with a word that might make it seem better than it is!) statement. The real is "Yes, I love you, but I'm going through some really tough times here and I haven't quite made time for You!" And the ideal which is "Yes, God, I love you and I know You love me. You better than me understand what I am going through and I'm trusting You for this and all things."

Think about it: Today can be one of the greatest days in our lives if we love God the way that God loves us. Put aside excuses and obstacles and hardships and open your heart to give back to God in the way God gives to you; and while you're at it love others the way that you love yourself. If that sounds familiar, thank Jesus!

PRAYER: Precious Lord, thank You for loving me. I ask that I might love You today like never before. Give me the love that changes my attitude and gives me peace. I ask this in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord.

Eradio Valverde

Prayer Request: Dear friends, as Nellie and I came in last night we got word that one of our faithful worship participants, a man named Gilbert was killed sometime this past weekend. Gilbert was always in church and many thought him to be homeless, though we believe he had a room somewhere, possibly in La Feria, TX, which is right next door. I saw him sleeping under one of our highway bridges and I always saw him on his bike in different parts of town. This weekend, somewhere between here and La Feria, a drunk driver killed him. I have no other details about his death or final wishes. We believe he may have had some family in McAllen. Pray for them and pray for those who come into our lives, different from us, but who seek to know God and seek to know us.

A CHECKLIST OF IMPORTANT THINGS FOR HEART, SPIRIT AND MIND

Mighty God of Healing and might, pour out a double portion of health and wellness on this dear reader; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Our text for today comes from Paul's first letter to the Corinthians, chapter 13: And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.

We've sometimes played the game, If you were stuck on a deserted island, what three books (or music or food or whatever, fill in the blank) would you take. If you're with a group of church-goers of course one will inevitably say, "The Bible!" and most everyone will nod politely and say, "Good one" and think, "Nah, too boring" or whatever else they might be really thinking.

How about this, and this is not a game: What three things can keep you going with all the challenges of life? What hardship or illness or anxiety or worry is keeping you up at night? St. Paul says that we have these three things that should keep us going if we let them live in us: Faith, hope, and love. Faith, the Bible says (remember the book you would take with you to that island?) is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1). In other words, faith is your spiritual fuel. It keeps you connected to the Lord and if you're connected with Him, what more do you need? Well, the second thing, if it "abides" in you is hope. Hope is the anti-venom to the bite of fear. Hope is what many Christians seem to be sadly lacking in today's world. More often than not, those who cry they are Christians the loudest are the ones letting fear run their lives. Hope is that which says, God is with me and I will see it through victoriously. Hope is that which some may ridicule, but others may re-fuel from if they hear it and let it live in them. And the last, is love. This completes the great checklist of things we need to face life and all that life throws at us. With love abiding, living and reigning as the chief motivator of our heart, we will be thankful and worshipful of God.

Think about it: Faith is your spirit's food. Hope is your mind's food. And love is your heart's food. Fuel up now and face the day. Be a blessing to others!

PRAYER: Gracious God of all things, I claim these three to live in my heart, mind, and spirit. Let me be a person who blesses others today because of the faith, hope, and love you have placed in my heart. Amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

WHO NEEDS REST??

Loving God of comfort and peace, share a rich blessing with this dear reader in all they may face today. In Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Our text is from Matthew 11: 28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

To a child, rest is something to be avoided at all costs. I chuckle when I see my grandchildren fight against the need for rest; they start to squirm, grimace, then cry and before too long they're asleep. I remember griping to my mom about having to take naps in the afternoon in my school. Now, those naps seem so delicious and too few and far between. Yes, rest is good (and the choir shouts: All the time!). What our Lord is saying here is that in Him we find the kind of rest that we need from the burdens we so often try to carry alone. The burden of guilt, sorrow, pain, sickness, regret, worry, anxiety, anger; on and on the list goes. The Lord knows we get nothing from carrying those, except our bodies do suffer the negative consequences. We become tired. Physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. That's the condition Jesus found in humans during His days on earth; human beings that had no remedy for the aches and pains they felt in their whole being, thus the words, "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." You see, carrying around those things that are not good for us involve our having to work extra hard at carrying them as well as carrying on with our lives. The load is burdensome and the time comes when we seek and need rest. The rest is found when we deposit at the feet of Jesus everything that is causing our unrest and our restlessness. It's a matter of just saying, "Lord, I can't carry this anymore, here are those things that You need to remove from me."

What are you carrying around? Do you think those burdens make you look good? Do you think others will think the better of you because of your willingness to singlehandedly carry those things? Think again. Let today be the day you turn over everything to Jesus and receive from Him the rest your body, your mind, your feelings, and your spirit needs.

PRAYER: Loving God of unmeasureable strength, take off the burdens I have been trying to carry on my own all these days. Let me find in You right now the rest that I need, so that I can begin to do the work that You need me to do. I ask this in Christ Jesus' precious name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord.

Eradio Valverde

---From Bill Mauck of San Antonio who needs our prayers:

Greetings Eradio and family, Mon., Mar. 22, 2010

I want to let you know that I received a call from my brother Ted that our mother, Aletha Mauck, passed away to her eternal reward earlier this afternoon. Our good Lord has blessed us with a wonderful mother who lived 100 years. I will be flying to Tulsa tomorrow and then travel to Wichita to prepare for the memorial service and burial on Friday morning. I covet your prayers for my family. My sister-in-law's mother also passed away a couple of weeks ago in Chandler, Tx. at the age of 85 and I was able to attend her funeral. My sister-in-law Eva Lee Mauck is also scheduled to have hip surgery on March 30th.
Blessings from your brother in Christ, Bill Mauck

THE PATTERN FOR PRAYER

Loving God of all people, today shine brightly the light of your love on the needs of this dear reader; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Our text for today comes from Matthew 6: 9 "Pray then in this way: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. 10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And do not bring us to the time of trial, but rescue us from the evil one.

Learning to pray is a great gift that we received from someone who cared enough to teach us. Who have you taught to pray? Jesus cared enough for His disciples that He shared the pattern for prayer as found in what we now call The Lord's Prayer. It's a simply yet powerful prayer of faith. It has all the key ingredients of faith and life. In God we have a special relationship. We know God to be holy and we treat God in that way. We know God to be truly the ruler of all things and we should live as king's kids. We know that God's will is the best for all who would look upon Him and we truly pray for the day that we might be subject to God's leading so that indeed God's will would be done here on the earth as we know it is in Heaven. In God we have one in whom we can depend for all things, especially the basic ones of life. And we also have in God the only One who can forgive us our sins. Jesus takes it farther and says we should also forgive the sins of those who have sinned against us. And if we take God by the hand, God will not lead us down a path of destruction; God's path is a path of life.

PRAYER: Lord, let me truly pray that which we studied today: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not bring us to the time of trial, but rescue us from the evil one. For Thine is the kingdom, and the glory and the power forever! Amen!

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

HEART TROUBLE?

God of light, break through any darkness this dear reader may be facing; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Psalm 51:10 has this beautiful words: 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.

It was several years ago, my favorite uncle died. And he really wasn't my uncle, he was my dad's uncle, but we saw and called him, "Tio." What made his death very touching was what he said to his wife right before he died, "My heart may not be working right, but it will always be yours." I know he died in M. D. Anderson Hospital for he was battling cancer but ultimately his heart gave out. Medically, it just stopped. But really, what can stop the heart from doing what it does best, pumping out love for God and for God's people? Ancient humans attributed the connection between love and thoughts to the heart. A racing heart during a sweet encounter with a loved one or the heartache of losing a loved one, all good reasons to believe that love comes from the heart. And a red heart works so much better on greeting cards than a gray brain!

David's heart had been in the wrong place. David had been in the wrong place. David was in the wrong. This Psalm is attributed to his confession and contrition before God after Nathan the prophet shared with him God's thoughts about where he had been and what he had done. David knew the only place he could get a "clean heart" was in God. God as creator can and would restore in David, like God can in us, to the place where our hearts should be. That was step one. The second step, David knows, is for our spirit to be made right and not only right, but new! As God only can, God can "put a new and right spirit within" us. David knew that his heart and spirit had to be made right before and by God. Once that was in place, David had his second chance at a life that pleases and serves God.

PRAYER: Loving God, I want what David got; a clean heart and a new and right spirit. Let me today use those for Your honor and glory. I ask this in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

OUR, OUR, US, WE

God of life and love, pour out a rich blessing of whatever this dear reader needs today in their life; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Our text today comes from Isaiah 53: 5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the punishment that made us whole, and by his bruises we are healed.

Wounded, crushed, punished, and bruised. Not on our "TO DO" list is it? Yet, the prophet Isaiah foretold of the coming of one who would have those things done to his body. Notice the to-do list has a second part: Our, our, us, we. The prophet knew it was coming to someone and the prophet knew the cause behind it and that cause was us.

We are fast approaching Holy Week and the images of that entire week blur by the time we get to Good Friday, for it was on Good Friday that we remember all that was done to Jesus on our behalf. Our sinfulness was the reason Jesus was wounded, crushed, punished, and bruised. Our, our, us, we. Our trangressions. Jesus didn't cross any lines of proper behavior, but I have and so have you. Our iniquities. While we don' t use that word much, it still means we mess up "big time!" I have and so have you. The punishment and the bruises serve to make us whole and to heal us. And I need it and so do you.

May the days between now and Good Friday strengthen our faith and hope in the Lord of life. After all, it's all about Him and what He did because of "our, our, us, we."

PRAYER: Loving God, I thank You for Jesus and all that He suffered for and because of my sake. Let me truly be aware of this in these days. Let that Friday that we call Good, serve to bring to me that wholeness and healing that I so desperately need. I ask this in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

HOW DOES FREEDOM TASTE?

God of mercy and joy, be merciful to the needs of this dear reader and grant them Your joy; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

How many of us know this verse? John 8:32: And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free .

It was early morning, Jesus was in Church teaching His disciples about God when He's interrupted by the Pharisees who come with a woman caught in adultery. You know the rest of the story; Jesus wrote on the ground and many believe He may have listed the sins of all who wanted this woman killed. He then shares what has made an impression on many a life: "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone." All dropped their stones and walked away. A teenager and I had a nice conversation and during it he said he had just read that for the first time in his life and said, "That's pretty cool." It is pretty cool. And what follows is even cooler; in His defense of His mission and purpose and the truth about His having to die, Jesus speaks of His being the light of the world and then makes the above verse about our knowing the truth and the truth making us free.

There's no greater taste in the whole world than the taste of freedom. Ask the smoker who has wanted and knows to quit and when she or he finally does, there is no better taste or freedom. Ask the alcoholic and the addict about taste after giving up deadly addictions. Ask the prisoner who is finally released from days, weeks months, years of being held a prisoner. Freedom. Ask the believer who has had his or her sins forgiven about that taste of freedom. I will tell you and you should tell someone else; nothing tastes as good as being alive in Jesus after living a lie or in bondage. Christ came to set me free.

Do you know the truth behind this? The truth is that God loves you and because of that love has given Jesus for you so that you might be free.

PRAYER: Loving God, as this dear reader reads and prays this prayer, set him or her free from whatever prison or addiction or captivity he or she is in. Make true and real the power behind the words of Your Son's words; He came so that we might know the truth and because of that truth we are made free. I pray this in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

DID I SAY THAT?

Amazing God of amazing grace, pour sweetly Your grace on the challenges and needs of this dear reader; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

The text for today, a favorite Bible verse for many: 14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer. Psalm 19

There are varying opinions on the daily word allowance between men and women. For argument's sake let's use this one: Men get 15,000 and women get 30,000. And we're talking words not what women want to spend in a shopping spree. Though some women, okay most women would say that's what a man would spend on a boat or a new rifle. Words. Some use more, some use less. And we're talking usually, not all. Some men use more words than women. And some women exceed the 30,000 imaginary, pretend, let's-have-fun-number for today. And yes, there's even a joke: A husband comes home excited to prove to his wife that women usually "outspend" men in their word uses per day and he points to an article he has found in the newspaper, "You see, honey, you women speak 30,000 words per day and us men only about, roughly 15,000! You DO talk too much!" She calmly replies, "That's because we usually have to repeat everything we say." He replies, "What?"

The Psalmist says his desire is to make his words count before the Lord. He is aware as we should be as well, that sometimes we misuse words. We tend to tear down instead of build up others, especially and sadly sometimes our children. This week I have been aware of how hungry some children are to hear words of love and encouragement from their parents. Some children are practically starving to hear their dad or mom say, "I love you" or something like "I'm proud of you." A television show we watched last night showed a dad trying to have a conversation and the ideal moment for the dad was when the son was looking for something to eat in the fridge and as the dad starts to talk the son tries to turn around to face the father and the dad says, "Don't look at me!" The conversation proceeded. But at least it happened. And think of the times we have not said words like that to God. I love you, God. Thank you, Lord.

Jesus said what is in our heart is what comes out of our mouth. It's hard to think of others if we are self-centered. It's difficult to think of God if we are me-centered and me-serving. The Psalmist says, "Let the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer." Do we seek to please God with our words? Have we tried to praise God in an effective way to others? Do people see in us a faith and a trust in God that says God is our rock and our redeemer?

PRAYER: Loving God, I ask that you forgive me for the misuse of my words. My heart hasn't always been right and I have hurt dear ones in my life. I ask that my heart be made right with You today so that my hearts would be pleasing to you and life-giving to others. I ask this in Christ Jesus' precious name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

3-D FEAR OF GOD?

God of the ages, bless the needs in the life of this dear reader today. Give them victory and healing in all aspects as Your will says; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Our text comes from another favorite Bible verse: Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

I'm not a fan of scary movies. I've tried through the years to make myself sit through them. A very long time ago in Kingsville, Disney had an early attempt at 3-D in a movie they called "Thirteen Ghosts." The movie was normal until that point when the screen would flash, "Put on Glasses Now!" And if you put on the glasses you could see the ghosts. I tried. But the screams of the girls in the theatre along with some of the guys were motivation enough not to try on the glasses! I saw the ghosts and then dreamed them for a week. Even now in their mature years, my girls are the same way. They, unlike Dad, love scary movies and have their own way of coping with the memories for days afterward.

To me that was fear and when I first heard we must "fear" the Lord I looked for the 3-D glasses. Was I supposed to be scared of God? I was when I did something wrong or bad. But it wasn't until years later someone explained "fear" in the right context. The fear of the Lord is that respect with honor that places God in the right place in our lives. I like that kind of fear better than the 3-D kind or the white-knuckled hold on a roller coaster car railing. The Bible says in today's verse that when we achieve that type of respect for God we stand on the threshold of a great journey of knowledge. God's presence will guide and bless us to deeper and more wonderful understandings of God's plan and purpose for our lives and those around us. Those who can't share the throne of their heart with God never leave the starting gate and sometimes can't even find that! But once they do and once we have, God takes our hearts, minds, and spirits to new, splendid places of love, hope, and faith. Those who cannot share their lives with God, well, the Bible calls them "fools" and we know what they're missing out on. Pray for them and for us. May we never leave that place.

PRAYER: Loving God, let me share my heart with You today. I honor You and place You in my heart and Lord and King. Bless me and guide me to deeper understandings of Who You are and who I need to be. Let me share in that wonderful journey of learning more and serving more. I ask this in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

GOD IS WITH YOU!

Blessed Lord, take the heart of this dear reader and pour into it Your love so that all during today she or he may know of Your love; in Christ Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Here is our text for today from Isaiah 43:1-3: 1 But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. 2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. 3 For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.

The passage today was given to me by a dear friend and longtime ConCafe reader. She has gone through a lot and when she read the Prayer Request from yesterday this verse was what helped her and her husband through some of those dark times. As we read and re-read the verses from Isaiah we cannot help but be blessed by the message from God to us: God made us, thus the eternal love attachment that God has for us; God has redeemed us, called us by name, God has called us His. No matter the situation or challenge through which we walk, we are never alone, God is with us. Remember God's other name? Emmanuel: God with us. Are the pressures of today overwhelming you as if you were walking through a river? You won't be overwhelmed. Are the stresses of today as hot as those of the flames of a fire? You will not be burned nor will you be consumed. God is our God. God is our savior.

PRAYER: Loving God, You know better even than me what I face today. But hearing Your word and making it mine I know that I will be all right. Help me to share that hope with others so that they too may know, we are Yours. In Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord.

Eradio Valverde

WAITING UPON THE LORD; RENEWED FOR GREAT THINGS

Loving God who moves mountains, move the one this dear reader may be facing; in Christ Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Here is today's verse from among so many that are our favorites:

Isaiah 40:31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

The key word is wait. The second one is Lord. Sometimes the distance between wait and Lord seems like an eternity why? Back to the first key word, wait. For those of you not yet following this, we're the cause! Our impatience gets in the way of some marvelous things that God is preparing for us and we get so excited that we cannot wait. For example, some years ago I went to a diet counselor and she was full of marvelous tips and sayings about what is wrong with us who love to eat. She said, "If you are the type who go to the grocery store and as you're putting the grocery bags in the trunk of the car and you can't wait to eat and you grab one of the items to eat on the way home - you have an eating problem!" Yikes! She was right. I am one of those types and I remembered back to when I was growing up, on grocery day (yes, we only had one every couple of weeks. Now it seems I should have at least a cot over at HEB), as soon as those bags hit the kitchen table three ravenous boys would tear open the package of franks and the celery and poof no hot dogs tonight! The same for celery in our salads! And the same can be applied to several other things in our lives that cause our renewal of strength to be delayed. If we can patiently wait upon the Lord, walk or even limp along with Him, our strength to face life and all of its adventures and challenges will be renewed. And not just renewed, the prophet knew that it comes in majestic ways like the "wings as eagles." He knew from watching the sky that this kings of the air soared and so do they that wait upon the Lord and are renewed by Him.

It gets better. Our renewal also involves our being able to run and not grow weary and to walk and not faint. You know the prophet had been there. He had lived this and he had felt weariness and fainting, but God made it all better.

What's your story? What has affected your ability to wait upon the Lord. Make it a part of your prayer life today to ask God to bless you as you await your renewal.

PRAYER: Loving God of eagles and humans, bless me in my waiting upon You. You know that sometimes I get anxious and want immediate response to my needs and fears and worries. Help me to wait on You and as I do I pray again for the renewal I need in my life. I want to be strong, I want to soar for You. I want to run for You and not grow weary and I want to walk wherever it is that You need and not faint. I ask this in Christ Jesus' precious Name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

THE BEAUTY OF PRAYER AND A PRAYERFUL LIFE

Gracious God, awaken us to the beauty of Your presence all around us; may this dear reader see what is needed in their life. In Christ Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Our text for today comes from Matthew 7:7: "Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you.

And in King James: Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

We have all seen the magical little dance done by children, usually boys, at the toy department of say, a Wal-Mart or Target. The lad will be prancing down the aisle in his own world and then aha! The holy grail or Excalibur! The child will delightfully pick up the item, swirl around in glee, and then completely transfixed upon this that he must have, begin the slow dance of delight towards his parent. He's not watching the aisle traffic, he's keeping his eye on the toy; someone, anyone, another boy, might dart out and grab this, the only toy in the world for him! So, upon reaching his mother he makes sure that mom or dad knows the importance and necessity of this toy. Then the words, "Ma! Look at this! I need this!" Ah, need for a child. Of course he needs it. He will need it from the dance from the point of mom's approval, to the checkout stand, to the car, to the home, to his room. Until the next trip to the store. Jesus in this passage is talking about our need to pray to God. That mother that may or usually will not, buy that toy, would rather have a great conversation about school, new friends, challenges or interests awakening in the life of her son/daughter. Not a one-sided demand of self-diagnosed and self-imposed need. So does God. God is so interested in our lives, we do better in our prayer talking with God about our lives and how we might improve and better serve. If we limit our prayers to the Gimme ones, we're limiting the fullness of life that can be ours. Yes, God does care and does answer our gimme prayers, but we should desire the communion and fellowship of the Lord in our lives.

PRAYER: Loving God, thank You for caring so much about me. As I pray right now and later today, let me be more involved in You. Let me hear from You and let me be guided and protected by You. I ask for Your presence and blessing; I seek Your hand in my life and I knock on the door of new opportunities and service. In Christ Jesus' precious name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

IS THERE ANYTHING TOO HARD FOR GOD?

Loving God of all mercy, look down with mercy upon this dear reader's life and needs; in Christ Jesus' name I pray, amen.

One favorite Bible verse for many is found in Jeremiah 32:27 See, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh; is anything too hard for me?"

Nellie and I enjoyed a nice, long conversation last night after our worship council met at our church and as we drove to San Antonio. On the way we covered all sorts of topics but we were discussing some of the miracles in the Bible and what a preacher might say about Jesus and the unexplainable yet wonderful miracles, such as using mud to cure a blind man. My mind was tired, it had been a long day and I knew the drive was going to take all of my concentration, but I prayed that God might give me a word or two to discuss with this my loving wife, just what He has shared in His word, and I said, well, we first take it a face value: God did something awesome and something quite unexplainable. To the sophisticated mind it can't be done. And to the scientific mind it can't be explained. But for those who trust God and believe that nothing is impossible or difficult for God the Creator, who used mud to create us, a miracle that restores sight is awesome and quite welcome to the one receiving it. I reminded her of a dear Sunday school student in our class that was a Messianic Jew, well versed in Jewish scripture and other writings who has told our class several times that for the Jews awaiting the arrival of the Messiah, the miracle that would convince them He was the anointed one, he would restore sight to a man born blind.

So here is this verse that speaks to that and to the things we face: "Is anything too hard for (God)?" The answer is no, nothing is too hard or difficult for God. We're the ones saddled with the hard things, like impatience. "When, Lord will I get the job I've been looking for?" Or "When will my loved one be healed?" And several times this week I have either read or heard about how more patient humanity has to be as we face what we face during these days. May this verse serve as a reminder of just who God is and just who we are. May we say as we start this day that with God with us, we will discover that nothing is too hard for God.

PRAYER: Loving God may I find in this verse that which I need for today. May my outlook and perspective be a positive, energetic one. I ask this in Christ Jesus' precious name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT/PRAYER REQUEST AND A LOOK AT PSALM 23

Gracious God of new opportunities, as this dear reader face a new day may it be filled with new opportunities to shine brightly the light of Christ; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
Dear friends,
I ask that you join Nellie and me in prayer over a very humbling and honored opportunity given to me by our bishop, Bishop James Dorff of the Southwest Texas Conference. He has appointed me, effective June 1, 2010, to be the district superintendent of the Corpus Christi District. It was an appointment that I did not expect and with God's help I have accepted, hoping to do the best that I can for the Lord and His Church. I am saddened by the thought of having to leave dear friends here in my present appointment, but thankful for the opportunity to have served with them and you in this setting. I have announced to the SPRC (Staff-Parish Relations Committee) that I will continue to work as hard if not harder during the time I have left here with them, asking their prayers and understanding that starting Wednesday I must also attend Cabinet meeting as an observer. A formal announcement will be made by our SPRC Chair, Mrs. Carol Hale Traylor this Sunday in all our worship services. I ask prayers for her and the committee as they will work with our DS, Rev. Larry Howard in the setting of a new appointment for senior pastor here at First UMC-Harlingen. This is a great church, one in which I was honored to serve as senior pastor during their Centennial Celebration. May God continue to bless this wonderful church, leading her faithfully to the new 100 years of her life. Please also be in prayer for the people and pastors that make up the Corpus Christi District. They have been shepherded faithfully by my dear colleague in ministry, The Rev. Barbara Ruth. She leaves the district to return to the local church as Co-Pastor with her husband, The Rev. John Wright, of First UMC-Austin. My thanks to you in advance for your prayers.
This morning I think we should look at a Psalm we think we know so well that we forget some of the wonder found within its verses: Psalm 23:
This is NRSV: 1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters; 3 he restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for his name's sake. 4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff— they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long.
This is King James, the one many of us learned as children:
1 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 .
And this is The Message, the sometimes radically different new version:
1 God, my shepherd! I don't need a thing. 2 You have bedded me down in lush meadows, you find me quiet pools to drink from. 3 True to your word, you let me catch my breath and send me in the right direction. 4 Even when the way goes through Death Valley, I'm not afraid when you walk at my side. Your trusty shepherd's crook makes me feel secure. 5 You serve me a six-course dinner right in front of my enemies. You revive my drooping head; my cup brims with blessing. 6 Your beauty and love chase after me every day of my life. I'm back home in the house of God for the rest of my life.
What do you think? Did you read all three slowly and carefully? The first two are almost identical, both powerful and comforting. There are promises and peace in each verse; there are affirmations of deep faith that we should possess and there is a calm about the day, each day, knowing that God is with us. There is an awareness of God's creation all around us and the blessed purpose that it serves for us. There is the reality of life with its starts and ends, the highs and the lows; the conviction that God is certainly with us even as we face some of the toughest things we never dreamed we would. And then there is the warm feeling of home and rest in the eternal presence, available now, of our Lord.
PRAYER: Loving God for Your precious words we are indebted. May the words of this well-known Psalm be even more well known as we move forward with the challenges of today. May I claim each word for my life and the needs I may face today. May I have peace and comfort, and may I rejoice in Your promises. I pray this, praising You and thanking You, in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord.
Eradio Valverde

THE LORD IS MY HELPER

Loving God bless the life of this dear reader and all they may face today; in Christ Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

We'll look at Psalm 121 today: 1 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.

What do you see when you first step out of your house? Would your day's outlook changed if you looked at an army surrounding your home and preparing to attack you and yours? Some scholars believe that is what this Psalm is all about. In the spring when kings went to war, David found himself at times surrounded by the armies of his enemies. It was an appropriate question to ask "From where will my help come?" You may not be seeing soldiers and you might not even be seeing hills, but you still may "see" in your mind the challenges of today and you may be asking like David, where will my help come from? David knew for he had experienced it time and again: My help comes from the Lord. What credentials or authority or power does the Lord have? He made heaven and earth. How caring and involved is the Lord? He will not let my foot be moved and He's always vigiliant over my needs so much so that He doesn't slumber or sleep. Does the Lord care for me? Yes, so much so, The Lord is my keeper and he's so nearby that He even provides my shade and protection against sunstroke and moonstroke. The Lord will also keep me safe from all evil and He will guard my life. God is so caring, He knows my going out and my coming in; not just today but for all time. Amen.

PRAYER: Lord, the Psalm said it all, let it be my prayer of faith for today. In Christ Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde