Are You Looking for Nickels?

Loving God of all days; may this be a day in which You are glorified in the life and needs of this dear reader; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Our text for today comes from Colossians 3:1 So if you're serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides. 2 Don't shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ - that's where the action is. See things from his perspective. 3 Your old life is dead. Your new life, which is your real life - even though invisible to spectators - is with Christ in God. He is your life. 4 When Christ (your real life, remember) shows up again on this earth, you'll show up, too - the real you, the glorious you. Meanwhile, be content with obscurity, like Christ. (The Message).

This particular version of the Bible reminds me of a conversation I once had with my mother. She was concerned about how I was adapting to life in the big city. We had moved from the comfort and safety, or so I thought, of Kingsville, to the unknown and somewhat fearful city of Houston. I had gone from walking to school with my friends, to walking alone two city blocks to a major street to await a city bus on which I would ride to Lanier Junior High. That first morning, Mom walked me to the bus stop, handed me twenty cents, for each way would cost me a dime. And waited with me until the bus came and saw me get on. In the afternoon I arrived to the stop alone, walked the two blocks home. The whole way I walked head down just dreading this new life of mine. I was missing my friends, missing Kingsville, wondering what in the world God had in my mind for us by having us in this God-forsaken place. This went on for some days and I was now developing a sense of myself and I was not liking what I was seeing. I struggled with who I was and what I looked like so I walked with my head down. My mom asked, "Are you looking for nickles?" I laughed and replied that would be nice to find some. And she said, "You're missing a lot by just looking down, why don't you look up and enjoy what is all around you?" I knew what she was saying and I was having a difficult time buying it. After some days and especially after that first Sunday in our new church where a lot of my old friends from Kingsville now attended, my attitude changed. The same is possible for all of us especially after hearing Paul say, "This stuff about Jesus being raised from the dead is real! Look around and see where Christ can be seen and make Christ real for others!" That's true stuff. Our attitude about life should be shaped by our faith in Christ Jesus who is still with us; and our living in that manner will bless others to life.

As I write this I am honored and humbled by the reality that in the next room here where we are staying for our first Corpus Christi Clergy Retreat on the Island, is a dear friend who also sends out an e-devotional to his readers. He's one of ConCafe's longtime readers as I am of his. Last night he reminded me that we've been friends for 13 years and in that time we've developed this ministry of sharing with others our faith in Jesus Christ. Rev. Tommy Hays of Messiah Ministries is our guest speaker for this event and he always blesses me with his good nature, gentle spirit and might committment to Jesus Christ. He is one who live s with his head looking up and being aware of all Christ is doing for us.

PRAYER: Loving God, make me more aware of what You are doing right around me. Lift my head during those times I feel down or bewildered about life. Open my eyes to the beauty of Christ alive and in my midst working for good in so many ways. I ask this in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Please keep the clergy and families of the district in your prayers today. Pray for Rev. Hays as he shares with us about The Prayer Life of a Minister.

I also share some exciting news, at least for me; Amazon.com has published "The Prayer of Jesus: Reclaiming the Power of Prayer" in Kindle format and you can access this at http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004XZWIU8. If you don't have a Kindle, you can download a Kindle free for your computer or your smart phone. After your purchase my book it will sent to your Kindle app or program instantly. I'm praying this will be a blessing for those who need to discover what power is ours through prayer. It's a 14-Day study of The Lord's Prayer based on what I shared recently through ConCafe.

Eradio Valverde

How Do You Sleep?

God of love and peace, bestow upon the life of this dear reader exactly what it is they need; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Our text for today comes from Psalm 16: 1 Keep me safe, O God, I've run for dear life to you. 2 I say to God, "Be my Lord!" Without you, nothing makes sense. 3 And these God-chosen lives all around - what splendid friends they make! 4 Don't just go shopping for a god. Gods are not for sale. I swear I'll never treat god-names like brand-names. 5 My choice is you, God, first and only. And now I find I'm your choice! 6 You set me up with a house and yard. And then you made me your heir! 7 The wise counsel God gives when I'm awake is confirmed by my sleeping heart. 8 Day and night I'll stick with God; I've got a good thing going and I'm not letting go. 9 I'm happy from the inside out, and from the outside in, I'm firmly formed. 10 You canceled my ticket to hell - that's not my destination! 11 Now you've got my feet on the life path, all radiant from the shining of your face. Ever since you took my hand, I'm on the right way. (The Message).

Last evening my bride and I walked for almost an hour along the T-heads and sea wall that is part of beautiful Corpus Christi. Due to illness, trips, and other interruptions, it had been some time since we had walked or run for exercise so I told her, "We will sleep really well tonight!" And so it was. I usually awaken without an alarm at sometime around 5 or 5:30 a.m. This morning it was a little after 6 and it was due to my morning call from one of my daughters who chats with me while she drives to work. This Psalm is about the peace and confidence we can have in God to the point, and I love this verse, "The wise counsel God gives when I'm awake is confirmed by my sleeping heart." The opposite side of what I just shared above is that when we're troubled or anxious about something or someone, we toss and turn and don't sleep as we should. Recent studies have shown that the better one sleeps the better it is for our health and lives. The Psalmist knew that in knowing and walking with God he slept well. As one takes one's walk with God, God blesses us with "counsel" in many ways. If we accept that counsel we are accepting peace and that peace carries over into our sleep and thus into the fullness of our lives.

Easter is a time of rediscovering that peace that passes all understanding. It is to claim for our lives the joy and calm that should be ours about all life and the life that comes after. Walk with God and you walk in pure light and you won't stumble nor fall.

PRAYER: Loving God, lead me in that path where I receive again that peace that is Yours for me. Let that peace bless me while awake and also while asleep. Let me help others by my living have that same peace. In Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

PS Please be in prayer for the needs of our world, especially those families who have lost 175 loved ones during the recent storms in the South of the USA. May God comfort them and bless those who have been injured by these storms.

And the Winner Is...

Loving God of peace, pour out Your peace and presence in the life and challenges of this dear reader; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Our text for today comes from 1 Peter 1: 3 What a God we have! And how fortunate we are to have him, this Father of our Master Jesus! Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we've been given a brand-new life and have everything to live for, 4 including a future in heaven - and the future starts now! 5 God is keeping careful watch over us and the future. The Day is coming when you'll have it all - life healed and whole. 6 I know how great this makes you feel, even though you have to put up with every kind of aggravation in the meantime. 7 Pure gold put in the fire comes out of it proved pure; genuine faith put through this suffering comes out proved genuine. When Jesus wraps this all up, it's your faith, not your gold, that God will have on display as evidence of his victory. 8 You never saw him, yet you love him. You still don't see him, yet you trust him - with laughter and singing. 9 Because you kept on believing, you'll get what you're looking forward to: total salvation. (The Message)

It's like being in Oprah's audience on the day she shares her favorite things with everyone there. It's like being in Regis and Kelly's audience when the caller not only picks your number but gets the answer right and wins for themselves and you the grand prize of the day! No. It's better than that, hard as that may be for some to believe. "Because Jesus was raised from the dead, (you and I) have been given a brand-new life and have everything to live for, including a future in heaven - and the future starts now!" Let that sink in. Now, hear this part, "The Day is coming when you'll have it all - life healed and whole. I know how great this makes you feel, even though you have to put up with every kind of aggravation in the meantime." Let that sink in. Easter did not end with the tail lights of your children's car driving off back to their home. Easter, in fact, does not end at all. Easter was but the start of great things for those who believe. And as Peter has shared in this first letter of his, you and I have it all, and we're talking the stuff that counts forever.

After your devotional time you'll have to answer the phone or the door and reality will walk in, again. But as Peter also said our faith is a faith that endures trials and testing, just like gold comes out pure from the fire, so do we. Live a brand-new life and with an attitude that says, I have everything to live for!

PRAYER: Loving God,thank You again for Easter and for the gifts of Easter that never end. I thank You for the new perspective on life and how I will make it through whatever may be trying to get me down right now. I thank You for the victory that is mine in all of life in Jesus Christ's precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

P.S. Please be in prayer for my cousin, Bobbie Garibaldo, who is undergoing gall bladder surgery this morning. Also, for the daughter of Rev. Steve Purdy, Alicia Purdy Carrizales, who had a rough delivery of a new son yesterday. Pray for Dylan Mark Carrizales, who is Rev. Purdy's new grandson. Thank you for your prayers!

The Fullness of Life is Ours!

God of life, bless, protect, and enrich the life of this dear reader; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Our text for today comes from Acts 2: 14 That's when Peter stood up and, backed by the other eleven, spoke out with bold urgency: "Fellow Jews, all of you who are visiting Jerusalem, listen carefully and get this story straight. 22 "Fellow Israelites, listen carefully to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man thoroughly accredited by God to you - the miracles and wonders and signs that God did through him are common knowledge - 23 this Jesus, following the deliberate and well-thought-out plan of God, was betrayed by men who took the law into their own hands, and was handed over to you. And you pinned him to a cross and killed him. 24 But God untied the death ropes and raised him up. Death was no match for him. 25 David said it all: I saw God before me for all time. Nothing can shake me; he's right by my side. 26 I'm glad from the inside out, ecstatic; I've pitched my tent in the land of hope. 27 I know you'll never dump me in Hades; I'll never even smell the stench of death. 28 You've got my feet on the life-path, with your face shining sun-joy all around. 29 "Dear friends, let me be completely frank with you. Our ancestor David is dead and buried - his tomb is in plain sight today. 30 But being also a prophet and knowing that God had solemnly sworn that a descendant of his would rule his kingdom, 31 seeing far ahead, he talked of the resurrection of the Messiah - 'no trip to Hades, no stench of death.' 32 This Jesus, God raised up. And every one of us here is a witness to it. (The Message)

A recent newsweekly magazine had as its cover these words: "What if Hell Doesn't Exist?" This is the same magazine that in 1966 proclaimed, "God is Dead." That cover sent reverberations I felt ten years later in seminary. The controversy on the current cover is all about a current best-selling book, "Love Wins: A Book About Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived," a book by a popular pastor who asks the questions about life and life after death. I've not yet read the book so I cannot comment on it, but will on the passage as shared today in this version. Peter as he addresses the Jews on Pentecost quotes King David from Psalm 16:8ff, where David's declaration about God is that God is a God of life, not death. And Peter makes the same declaration with the note that of course, David died and is buried, but that David spoke a prophetic word about one who would come some time later, who would not die because He was the Messiah, and Peter declares, "This is Jesus, whom God raised up. I saw it and everyone here saw it too."

Our faith says we believe that Jesus rose from the dead. This season of the Christian year is the season of resurrection, Easter, where we declare to the world that our God raised His Son from the dead and this Son lives forever more. Everything about our lives, our families, our churches, should declare that we are a people of life without end and a fullness of life here on the earth because and through Jesus Christ. Anything less is not what God would want for us.

PRAYER: Loving God, speak to my heart again and again the message of life through Jesus Christ. May my life reflect the fullness of life in Christ that is mine and that is available to all who would listen and receive. I pray this in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

I Serve a Risen Savior!

Lord of the Resurrection and New Life, bring the same to the life and needs of this dear reader; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Our text for today comes from John 20: 18 Mary Magdalene went, telling the news to the disciples: "I saw the Master!" And she told them everything he said to her. 19 Later on that day, the disciples had gathered together, but, fearful of the Jews, had locked all the doors in the house. Jesus entered, stood among them, and said, "Peace to you." 20 Then he showed them his hands and side. 21 Jesus repeated his greeting: "Peace to you. Just as the Father sent me, I send you." 22 Then he took a deep breath and breathed into them. "Receive the Holy Spirit," he said. 23 "If you forgive someone's sins, they're gone for good. If you don't forgive sins, what are you going to do with them?" 24 But Thomas, sometimes called the Twin, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 The other disciples told him, "We saw the Master." But he said, "Unless I see the nail holes in his hands, put my finger in the nail holes, and stick my hand in his side, I won't believe it." 26 Eight days later, his disciples were again in the room. This time Thomas was with them. Jesus came through the locked doors, stood among them, and said, "Peace to you." 27 Then he focused his attention on Thomas. "Take your finger and examine my hands. Take your hand and stick it in my side. Don't be unbelieving. Believe." 28 Thomas said, "My Master! My God!" 29 Jesus said, "So, you believe because you've seen with your own eyes. Even better blessings are in store for those who believe without seeing." 30 Jesus provided far more God-revealing signs than are written down in this book. (The Message).

It was a woman who went with faith to tell what she had experienced. It was the least she could do for the impact and difference Jesus had had on her life. "I saw the Master!" The disciples on the other hand after having scattered out of fear, again with fear, gather at what we now call The Upper Room. It was there behind locked doors they prayed, worried, and wondered what would be next for them after seeing the hatred and venom of the enemy. They were visited by Jesus who said to them, "Peace to you," and showed them His hands and sides. He then again said, "Peace to you, just as the Father sent me, I am sending you." These were instructions of what Jesus still expected from them and then He breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit." The empowerment to do what was still to be done is shared with them. Jesus then talked about their power to forgive or retain sins, then He left. And of course, Thomas who is sometimes called the Twin (many still call him the Doubter), was not there. When he returns the others tell him all they had experienced and seen. Thomas, like you and me, says, "Unless I see it for myself, I'm not believing anything!" One week later, Jesus returns and guess what? Thomas is there. And Jesus approached him and addresses the very doubts he had shared with the disciples. "Thomas, you mentioned the wounds in my hand? Here they are! You also said something about my wound in my side, here it is. Touch it as you wanted." Thomas does not need to, he believes and exclaims, "My Master! My God!" The question Jesus asks still holds true today, "Are you believing because of what you saw? Imagine the greater blessings for those who do not see but believe!" And John at this point writes that his book could not contain the other signs that Jesus showed while He was still among them.

What about you? What do you believe? And why? Ours is a greater blessing for believing without seeing. And even greater is our blessing for not only believing but doing and living all that Christ has asked of us.

PRAYER: Loving God, I believe. Help me to live and do what I believe. May I truly be counted among the faithful apostles that goes and does what the Master has taught. I ask this in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

He Is Risen!

He is risen indeed!

HAPPY EASTER!

Thursday, Friday, Saturday...

Thursday morning: Day Two of the Cabinet, final day of making appointments (where United Methodist pastors are assigned to either the same or new churches), I am in my seat awaiting the arrival of Bishop James Dorff. To my left sits The Rev. Terrence Hayes, of the Victoria District, and to my right sits The Rev. Carl Rohlfs, of the San Antonio District; and yes, we misbehave all during our time together. But as we're about to our starting time, Terrence hands me a grave marker for a United Methodist minister. This is a round, cast iron emblem that rests on all UM clergy who die with a relationship to the church, that is to say, a retired minister or one in active status, either Local, Associate, or Elder, all receive one. I hold it and immediately think of my mortality, of the day one of these will, if I choose a resting place as I'm leaning towards the scattering of ashes, rest on my grave and ask, "Who is this for?" Rev. Hayes replies he does not know, so I quickly hand it to Rev. Rohlfs who immediately asks what I asked and I reply that I do not know but then Terrence says it is for us to pray over, so Carl hands it on to The Rev. Virgilio Vasquez who sits to the Bishop's left. All through this interaction in my view either through glances or full view, is a beautiful loaf of bread and a cup of UM "wine." The bread looks perfect with a top crust that looks to be the result of the dough having been knotted and twisted with the end result being one of beauty. I know it is Maundy Thursday and that we will be celebrating Holy Communion once we start our devotional time.

Bishop Dorff comes in and soon leads us in worship and prayer. He reads from The Message the account of the Last Supper and Jesus' interaction with Judas. The disciples are all asking if it is them who will betray Jesus. Then Judas asks only to hear Jesus' reply, "Don't play games with me, Judas!" (Matthew 26:25). I feel a tinge of guilt about my faults, my failings and my sins; yes, I'm guilty of having played games with Jesus. Then the Bishop reads the part about those who would follow or say they wanted to follow Jesus, "There is a part of you that is eager, ready for anything in God. But there's another part that's as lazy as an old dog sleeping by the fire." (26:41b). Ouch! Then we celebrated Communion. Bishop Dorff caught The Rev. Laura Merrill off-guard as he asks her to hold the bread while he read the part about the importance and role of bread in this sacrament. Laura's eyes were, as were all of ours, wet with tears of all that was being read about Our Savior with a dimension added to her life by the death of her grandfather last week, who had just turned 100 years old. He was a much beloved retired UM pastor. She had earlier asked how she could get a UM grave marker for her grandpa. Then the bishop caught me off-guard in asking me to lift the cup during that part, and again, my pain in lifting a cup caused by me. The whole devotional was one of the most powerful I had been a part of.

Thursday afternoon, we're about to enter Corpus Christi my cell phone rings with the news that one of our pastors had suffered what the caller believed was a heart attack and details about where I could possibly find him. We drove straight to the hospital and I arrived at the elevators right behind his wife who told me about his condition and she took me to his room. No heart attack, but something was wrong with his heart. A time of prayer for his healing, for he was to undergo a stress test and possible heart procedure the next morning.

Friday morning early, I awoke to pray and to send an email request to the pastors of the CC District to pray for their brother. I try to return to sleep and do somewhat, I arrive early enough to get to the hospital room before anything is done with our brother. Again, a time of prayer and trusting God. I return home and a little later as I'm putting on my tie to be a part of a joint Seven Last Words Service at First UMC, our daughter, Carli, arrives with our oldest granddaughter, Sarai Evangelina. What joy, but brief as grandpa and grandma have to get to church. We enjoyed seven perspectives on the seven words by seven area UM clergy. It was a time of powerful messages, powerful and moving music and a time to reflect again on my sinfulness before God that made it necessary for Jesus to have to die for me. After one of the words, a moving rendition of "Via Dolorosa," the painful way, that marks the road believed to the one Jesus walked in Jerusalem to meet His death, made more emotional that this would be one of the years that my oldest daughter did not sing it in worship. She would not be able to join us for this weekend and that made it somewhat sadder. But God was truly glorified in all that was offered up.

A telephone message from the wife of our brother in the hospital: Three stents in two places, the pastor was resting comfortably. We drive to see him, some rejoicing and celebrating that God was with us and our pastor was still with us. What I had shared in the opening and closing of worship was something that Tony Campolo shared in a book by the same name, "It's Friday...but Sunday's coming!"

Yes, indeed!

PRAYER: Loving Father, how can I thank You enough for what You did for me through Your Son, Jesus? I confess that the nails were the result of my actions, thoughts, and words that have not only hurt You but others. Forgive me. Help me to truly enjoy what tomorrow brings, that lasting victory over sin and death, again, through Your Son, Jesus, my Lord and Savior, in Whose name I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day and a wonderful Easter/Resurrection Sunday!

Eradio Valverde

Thank You. Thank You. Thank You.

Lord of all days; this day is special, make it more so for the needs of this dear reader; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

It's almost like our day of Thanksgiving here in this country. You awaken early in the morning and in some homes you smell the roasting of the holiday bird, perhaps the smell of pies that are also being prepared. Your mind races to that time later when you will sit and feast with family and friends and enjoy conversation, some football games, maybe a parade or two. This day was a day of thanksgiving for Jesus and all of His faith. The Jews remembered the passing over of their homes by the angel of death. This was the last contest between God and Pharoah and God won. That night the firstborn of those whose homes did not have blood on the doorposts were killed. That was more than Pharoah could take and so he ordered the Jews to flee Egypt. The preparations for that night allowed the Jews to be ready and God ordered that every year after that they were to remember that once they had been held in bondage, now they were free. The Scriptures tell us that on that day of remembrance, Jesus added to the celebration with two different things; one was to wash the feet of the disciples, and then the additon to the remembrance meal that which established our Communion service.

The act of washing the disciples' feet was something that caught all of them off-guard, especially Peter, who protested such an act. In that culture for a man to wash another man's feet was too demeaning. Only those who were considered "beneath" you in class or standing in a society could do such a hideous thing. But Jesus wanted to demonstrate the power of humility and servanthood to them. This act was one that showed how much He loved them. The story is found in John 13:4-12. After the supper, Jesus taught them about what was to happen the next day saying, "This is my body and my blood, given for you out of love and for the forgiveness of sins." What a change for the better Jesus brought to the entire world by this simple but powerful act.

Tonight we have a chance to participate in a service to remember that. Many churches will call it Maundy Thursday, referring to the new commandment (Maundy=commandment) that Jesus also gave: That you love one another. The service focuses on the love that God has through Jesus in this sacrament of Holy Communion, and besides our receiving love, we must show love to everyone else.

PRAYER: Thank You. Thank You. Thank You. Amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Jesus Did It All for Me!

Loving God bless and protect this dear reader in all they may face today; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Our text for today comes from Matthew 21: 12 Jesus went straight to the Temple and threw out everyone who had set up shop, buying and selling. He kicked over the tables of loan sharks and the stalls of dove merchants. 13 He quoted this text: My house was designated a house of prayer; You have made it a hangout for thieves. 14 Now there was room for the blind and crippled to get in. They came to Jesus and he healed them. 15 When the religious leaders saw the outrageous things he was doing, and heard all the children running and shouting through the Temple, "Hosanna to David's Son!" they were up in arms and took him to task. 16 "Do you hear what these children are saying?" Jesus said, "Yes, I hear them. And haven't you read in God's Word, 'From the mouths of children and babies I'll furnish a place of praise'?" 17 Fed up, Jesus turned on his heel and left the city for Bethany, where he spent the night. (The Message)

Many identify with the anger that Jesus displays in this scene that happens, according to this version, immediately after the triumphant entry into Jerusalem. What we should really be seeing is that this was a demonstration of how low the established worship center of God had gotten. The original purpose of worshiping God and re-examining lives had been replaced by a profit minded group whose eyes were not on God but on the bottom line. Jesus overturned their tables and quoted Scripture about how the house of God was to be a house of prayer not a den of thieves. The place was so crowded that the physically challenged people could not even get into the Temple. Jesus made room for them and then healed them. And instead of joying the joy of those healed and the joy of their children, the religious leaders were angered at what happened to their bazaar. They confront Jesus only to have Jesus again quote the truth of Scripture that God would have a place of praise out of the mouths of children and babies.

There is still room in God's house for our healing. We can claim we stay away because there is no room or we don't "fit in," but the truth is that if we search from God Himself the healing, deliverance, forgiveness, and transformation that we lack, God will provide it. This is the perfect day to reflect on what we can receive from God right now. It is also the right time to prepare for what God did through His Son tomorrow night when Jesus established the celebration of what we now call Holy Communion. Don't stay away, come!

PRAYER: Loving God, Jesus' righteous anger was on my behalf. May nothing separate me from Your love. Let me find no excuse for staying away from Your presence and healing touch today and all days; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

P. S. Please be in prayer for Brittan Griffith, granddaughter of Rev. Carol Pifer. She is a luekemia survivor attending college in Colorado now seriously ill with a virus. Doctors are concerned as are all her family. Please pray for her healing and comfort as well as comfort and peace for Carol and all of her family. Thank you.

THE MOTHER HEN

Loving God, like a mother hen guard and protect this dear reader in all they face today; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Our texts for today come from Luke 13 & 19: 34 Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! 35 See, your house is left to you. And I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say, "Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.' " 41 As he came near and saw the city, he wept over it, 42 saying, "If you, even you, had only recognized on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. 43 Indeed, the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up ramparts around you and surround you, and hem you in on every side. 44 They will crush you to the ground, you and your children within you, and they will not leave within you one stone upon another; because you did not recognize the time of your visitation from God." (NRSV)

Sunday was a glorious day in the life of Jesus or so we have come to portray it. I was blessed to be part of a procession that gathered in the fellowship hall and then marched out with the children leading us. All of us were given palm prongs and we waved them as we entered the sanctuary. I started to sit as I suppose a visitor would do is he or she did not know, and then noticed that all were processing to the right side of the church and laying their prongs down in front of a cross. I joined the last man in line and said, "I was about to sit down and use this to fan myself during the service!" He chuckled and I seriously fell in behind him and placed the prong there. The two passages from Luke give a deep sense of what was on Jesus' heart and in His spirit on that day. The first passage comes from Luke 13 and Jesus says aloud that His desire was to gather the "children" of Jeruslem together as a "hen gathers her brood..." but the children were not willing. Then from Luke 19, Jesus weeps for the city knowing that the people did not understand the things of that Sunday were meant for peace not war, and speaks a prophetic word about coming violence even among children.

Yesterday was, here in the USA, tax day. Most people had until 12 midnight last night to file their taxes without fear of penalty, and those who did, and are owed a refund are a happy lot and today are calm and happy about life in general. Other face the stress of having had to pay Uncle Sam amounts they probably thought are not fair. And I share this as a reminder that we can too easily lose sight of the spiritual needs in our midst, usually ours. We are blinded, like the people of Jerusalem, to the things of God that are much more important and we can begin to fail our mission and purpose to make new disciples if we are not careful. Holy Week is all about making disciples and re-commiting our lives to the Savior who came to pay our price for our sinfulness. Every day offers us a new opportunity of recommitment to Jesus. Today's focus is on Jesus' love for us. Jesus includes us in that image of a mother hen gathering her brood. Imagine a safer place than under Jesus' arms? I can't. Imagine a greater love than the love of Jesus?

PRAYER: Loving Lord, embrace me and shield me under your protective love. Help me today regain my focus on You and Your love for me and for those who do not yet know of Your love. Help me today make a new disciple of myself and with Your help, someone else. I pray this in Jesus' name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

What Does It Cost to Betray Jesus?

Gracious God, be loving and gracious to this dear reader; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Our text for today comes from Matthew 26: 14 That is when one of the Twelve, the one named Judas Iscariot, went to the cabal of high priests 15 and said, "What will you give me if I hand him over to you?" They settled on thirty silver pieces. 16 He began looking for just the right moment to hand him over. 23 Jesus answered, "The one who hands me over is someone I eat with daily, one who passes me food at the table. 24 In one sense the Son of Man is entering into a way of treachery well-marked by the Scriptures - no surprises here. In another sense that man who turns him in, turns traitor to the Son of Man - better never to have been born than do this!" 25 Then Judas, already turned traitor, said, "It isn't me, is it, Rabbi?" Jesus said, "Don't play games with me, Judas." 45 When he came back the next time, he said, "Are you going to sleep on and make a night of it? My time is up, the Son of Man is about to be handed over to the hands of sinners. 46 Get up! Let's get going! My betrayer is here." 47 The words were barely out of his mouth when Judas (the one from the Twelve) showed up, and with him a gang from the high priests and religious leaders brandishing swords and clubs. 48 The betrayer had worked out a sign with them: "The one I kiss, that's the one - seize him." 49 He went straight to Jesus, greeted him, "How are you, Rabbi?" and kissed him. 50 Jesus said, "Friend, why this charade?" (The Message).

Of all the drama that occurred this week in the life of Jesus, one of the most heartbreaking is the betrayal of Jesus by Judas Iscariot. What makes it all the more terrible is that sometimes we too, are involved in such a betrayal of our Lord and/or His people. This particular version of the Bible uses the more common daily language of our day and we can see the treachery behind the fake sweetness of Judas. One has to wonder what made Judas agree to sell Jesus out for 30 pieces of silver? Some scholars have said that Judas, being a Zionist, wanted to "call Jesus' hand" and force Him to make a move such as the one many Zionists expected in that Jesus could begin the armed revolt against Rome. Interesting also, to think that Judas' cries during the triumphant entry into Jerusalem were truly ones of one who believed that this man could indeed be the real king of Israel in the political sense. By Thursday, Judas was convinced that Jesus would not act and someone had to force His hand, thus his betrayal. If that were the case then the money had no real significance other than for some things that Judas thought he could buy with it.

What does it cost us to betray Jesus? The right job? The right car? The right offer? The right person? What do we ultimately gain by selling out Jesus and all that He stands for, just for our pleasures and desires?

PRAYER: Loving God, it is me that sometimes betrays You, leaving behind the Truth of Your love to seek things that do not satisfy really. They are too numerous to list and too painful to recall. Forgive me for those times and let me know that I am forgiven and that I can move forward even with all that I should and do leave in the past. I pray this in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

God's Smile

God of mercy and forgiveness, forgive and bless the needs and shortcomings of this dear reader; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Our text for today comes from Psalm 31: 9 Be kind to me, God - I'm in deep, deep trouble again. I've cried my eyes out; I feel hollow inside. 10 My life leaks away, groan by groan; my years fade out in sighs. My troubles have worn me out, turned my bones to powder. 11 To my enemies I'm a monster; I'm ridiculed by the neighbors. My friends are horrified; they cross the street to avoid me. 12 They want to blot me from memory, forget me like a corpse in a grave, discard me like a broken dish in the trash. 13 The street-talk gossip has me "criminally insane"! Behind locked doors they plot how to ruin me for good. 14 Desperate, I throw myself on you: you are my God! 15 Hour by hour I place my days in your hand, safe from the hands out to get me. 16 Warm me, your servant, with a smile; save me because you love me. (The Message).

As David wrote, all of what he recorded was from his heart. I wonder if he realized that what he wrote in his day he realized that it was also prophetic word that would become scripture and scripture for our Lord? David must have known that his hand was being guided by God's Holy Spirit, but the pain was no less real, and the agony he felt was no less difficult. David, like us, knew what it felt like to be in trouble. David, like us, knew what it meant to cry. We've known the feeling of being hollow inside and we know what it feels like to grow older. David, like us, also knew what it meant to be rejected and despised by those who somehow have never liked us or indeed have become enemies to us. And on and on goes the list of pain, suffering and humiliation. But we also know, like David, what it means to trust in God who sees us through all the difficult and painful days. We know what it means to receive the "smile" of God on those days of darkness, when light breaks through and defeats the hopelessness we have been feeling.

Our journey through Lent has been a time to remember the goodness and grace of God. Our sacrifices and things shed to rely more fully on God should bring blessing upon blessing to us in these final days of preparation. May Sunday's celebration begin today!

PRAYER: Loving God, I thank You for being with me in the days of defeat. Your smile has made me victorious even in the face of those who wished me harm and destruction. You have the final say in all things and for that I glorify You. I pray this in celebration of the life of my Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

PS Seek a church home, if you don't have one, to celebration the procession that is Palm Sunday this Sunday!

THE NAME ABOVE ALL NAMES!! JESUS!!

God of power and light, brighten the path of this dear reader in all that they face and do; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Our text for today comes from Philippians 2: 5 Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. 6 He had equal status with God but didn't think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. 7 Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! 8 Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn't claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death - and the worst kind of death at that: a crucifixion. 9 Because of that obedience, God lifted him high and honored him far beyond anyone or anything, ever, 10 so that all created beings in heaven and on earth - even those long ago dead and buried - will bow in worship before this Jesus Christ, 11 and call out in praise that he is the Master of all, to the glorious honor of God the Father. (The Message).

This version is easier to understand, but it just doesn't have the power behind it that does a more recognizable version, especially the last verses: 9 Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Better? Yes! In a few days it will be that Friday that is set apart other Fridays. It was a day intended by His enemies to be a day of shame, pain and death. Yet for us, thanks to God, it became a day of exaltation. As His body was lifted high on that cross, so was the honor, praise and glory of God. The world saw then what the enemies of God wanted them to see; now the believers of Jesus see it as the greatest gift ever given. Every drop of blood shed by Christ was life for you and me. It should be that for the true believer right now, just the mention of the Name of Jesus, we should react. Paul says we should bend our knees and I say that the very least we can do is bend our hearts in worship and thankfulness for what Jesus did for us.

Lift up your hearts, we say in our ritual, yes, we lift them up to the Lord; as He was lifted up for us. May the glory of God's love shine brightly in You today and all days!

PRAYER: Loving God, may the mention of the name above all names bring honor and glory to You and may it bring back the recognition in us, in me, that I should be thankful for all You have done. I pray this in that precious name, Jesus, my Lord, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

LEARNING FROM JESUS

Loving God of the journey, walk gently with this dear reader in all they may face today; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

We will use this as our text for today: Isaiah 50: 4 The Lord God has given me the tongue of a teacher, that I may know how to sustain the weary with a word. Morning by morning he wakens— wakens my ear to listen as those who are taught. 5 The Lord God has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious, I did not turn backward. 6 I gave my back to those who struck me, and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard; I did not hide my face from insult and spitting. 7 The Lord God helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame; 8 he who vindicates me is near. Who will contend with me? Let us stand up together. Who are my adversaries? Let them confront me. 9 It is the Lord God who helps me. (NRSV)

Many of us if we knew how much suffering was awaiting us because we became Christians, might think twice about how public or boldly we would live our lives. I've shared how Paul, when in fasting and prayer for those days after his conversion saw the rest of his life, including his death, and yet he still said yes to the Lord. I wondered had the Lord revealed to me just difficult meetings I would sit in or remarks and criticisms about my ministry, would I still have said yes? Now put it in the perspective of the prophetic word about the sufferings Jesus would endure. Paul understood this and this helped his yes. Today's text is about the why and how of Jesus' final week on earth. Jesus came to teach and He taught hope and encouragement. Jesus taught how each day is a day with God and a day in which we can honestly say we are not alone. Jesus taught how to listen to God and how to learn to receive what comes our way with a hope that defies even the pain that is present in our situation. Jesus was struck many times and was spat upon. Jesus would show that His help came from God and even in the face of disgrace was not alone. There is no shame in suffering for the Lord. In fact, even our suffering may help those who also suffer if we remain strong in the Lord.

Let our declaration be, "It is the Lord God who helps me."

PRAYER: Loving God as we begin to enter the time of rembrance of all that Jesus suffered for us, let me be more like Jesus and let me be more thankful for all that was done on my behalf. Let me not put Jesus to shame in my thoughts, words, or deeds. I ask this in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Palm Sunday - A Day of Thanksgiving?

God of love and mercy; bless and watch over the life and needs of this dear reader; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Our text for today comes from Psalm 118: 1 O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his steadfast love endures forever! 2 Let Israel say, "His steadfast love endures forever." 19 Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the Lord. 20 This is the gate of the Lord; the righteous shall enter through it. 21 I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation. 22 The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. 23 This is the Lord's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. 24 This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. 25 Save us, we beseech you, O Lord! O Lord, we beseech you, give us success! 26 Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord. We bless you from the house of the Lord. 27 The Lord is God, and he has given us light. Bind the festal procession with branches, up to the horns of the altar. 28 You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God, I will extol you. 29 O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever. (New Revised Standard)

This coming Sunday is Palm Sunday. Almost every church in the world celebrates this day as the day Jesus entered Jerusalem and it is usually celebrated using children to march into the church while singing an appropriate hymn of praise and celebration. The children enter in waving palms and proud moms and dads take photos of this joyful procession. It's a great start to a time of thanksgiving for all that God has done, is doing, and will do, in our lives and in the life of our churches. It is, as the Psalmist said this morning a call for us to declare in worship - "God, your love never ends!" And after worship in any setting where we can - "God's love never ends!" The second part of the psalm is a remembrance of what God led David to write in this song of worship, that God invites us to walk in to the "gates of righteousness." We remember Jesus entering Jerusalem on the donkey and what a great day that was; but in the here and now, the call is for us to understand the meaning behind that entry. We too, need to enter into a right relationship with God because of what Jesus did. Righteousness is that which allows us in that relationship to leave outside those "gates" the things that don't belong in our lives. Entering into a relationship with Jesus is a fresh start, a new start for our lives.

As you watch or take part in Sunday's celebration, remember the meaning behind what happened almost two thousand years ago. It was done for your good. And also remember that it is an invitation for us to enter too, that which God offers to us, the right and perfect relationship with Him.

PRAYER: Loving God, enter into the gates of my heart. Let me truly have a relationship of trust and obedience with You. Let me truly be known as a person of righteousness. I ask this in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

INTO JERUSALEM, INTO OUR HEARTS?

Blessed God, bless and protect this dear reader in all they face or do; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Our text for today is from Matthew 21: 1 When they neared Jerusalem, having arrived at Bethphage on Mount Olives, Jesus sent two disciples 2 with these instructions: "Go over to the village across from you. You'll find a donkey tethered there, her colt with her. Untie her and bring them to me. 3 If anyone asks what you're doing, say, 'The Master needs them!' He will send them with you." 4 This is the full story of what was sketched earlier by the prophet: 5 Tell Zion's daughter, "Look, your king's on his way, poised and ready, mounted On a donkey, on a colt, foal of a pack animal." 6 The disciples went and did exactly what Jesus told them to do. 7 They led the donkey and colt out, laid some of their clothes on them, and Jesus mounted. 8 Nearly all the people in the crowd threw their garments down on the road, giving him a royal welcome. Others cut branches from the trees and threw them down as a welcome mat. 9 Crowds went ahead and crowds followed, all of them calling out, "Hosanna to David's son!" "Blessed is he who comes in God's name!" "Hosanna in highest heaven!" 10 As he made his entrance into Jerusalem, the whole city was shaken. Unnerved, people were asking, "What's going on here? Who is this?" 11 The parade crowd answered, "This is the prophet Jesus, the one from Nazareth in Galilee." (The Message)

The start of the final week of His ministry began with a triumphant parade and fulfillment of prophecy. The scriptures told of a king who would ride into Jerusalem on a donkey, a picture of humility and majesty at the same time. And this is the story of King Jesus who on that Sunday we now call Palm Sunday, He rode into Jerusalem to shouts of praise and thanksgiving. Many, if not all of the crowd believed that at long last the king of Israel was finally riding into the fabled city to rule over Israel, signaling the overthrow of the Romans. Many thought a battle would certainly break out and many believed that simply proclaiming a king was victory in and of itself. They did not suspect that here rode into town the King of kings and the Lord of lords, the one who would rule over hearts and spirits for the good of God and God's Kingdom.

These are the final days of that spiritual journey we call Lent. The forty days are counting down and soon it will be Easter, the day of Resurrection. The start of Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday and a remembrance of that triumphant entry into Jerusalmen that signals that the people of the city would know Jesus and then wonder at the things that would happen in His life and in theirs. Soon, those shouts of joy and gratitude would change to bitter, angry cries to kill the same king who rode in on a donkey.

The question then is, Who is Jesus in your life? Where does Jesus sit in your heart? Is He indeed the King of your life or have you simply assigned him a label of being special to you? May this be a day of reflection as to Who Jesus is and who you could be as You realize Jesus as Lord.

PRAYER: Loving God, I open the door of my heart to You and Your Son, Jesus. May He rule and reign as my King and Lord. May I seek to be a faithful servant to His leading is my prayer. In Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

IT'S FRIDAY, BUT SUNDAY'S COMING!

Loving God of all blessings, bless and protect the life and needs of this dear reader; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Our study of Jesus and the funeral that was revoked continues in John 11: 38 Then Jesus, the anger again welling up within him, arrived at the tomb. It was a simple cave in the hillside with a slab of stone laid against it. 39 Jesus said, "Remove the stone." The sister of the dead man, Martha, said, "Master, by this time there's a stench. He's been dead four days!" 40 Jesus looked her in the eye. "Didn't I tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?" 41 Then, to the others, "Go ahead, take away the stone." 42 I know you always do listen, but on account of this crowd standing here I've spoken so that they might believe that you sent me." 43 Then he shouted, "Lazarus, come out!" 44 And he came out, a cadaver, wrapped from head to toe, and with a kerchief over his face. Jesus told them, "Unwrap him and let him loose." 45 That was a turnaround for many of the Jews who were with Mary. They saw what Jesus did, and believed in him. (The Message version).

This whole passage for this week could have been titled, "A Funeral Without Jesus." In truth it was and looking at the events that unfolded, no pun intended, it was a funeral revoked. The grief, the mourning, the stages of death, all that goes into the hard reality of death was faced by this family. Their loved one died, and it was not the result of a lack of faith; they believed, they called Jesus, Jesus didn't respond immediately, and on they went with the funeral keeping with laws and customs of their faith. When Jesus arrives He comforts the sisters and shared with both hope and faith in our living God. Jesus shares the new reality of death and how it is not the end. Jesus re-defines the term resurrection from being something at the End Day to that which they experienced and witnessed right then and there. Jesus also showed His humanity and compassion as he wept for a dear friend.

This is an Easter story set in the journey of Lenten preparations for a resurrection or Easter Day. It tells us that during these days leading up to the glory of Resurrection, much has to be learned and believed, so that the power and sadness of a Good Friday does not dampen our spirits for the glory and majesty of an Easter Sunday. Many a pastor has proclaimed on that special Friday, "It's Friday! But Sunday's coming!" echoing the hope and faith we all should have about yes, even our own lives. If you're living a "Friday" experience, hold on, Sunday's coming!

PRAYER: God of Sunday and God of Friday, we thank You for being with us all the way! Hear me as I share what I have been experiencing in my soul and life, and grant me stronger faith to await the arrival of "Sunday!" I pray this in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen!

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

THE TRIPS JESUS MADE AND MAKES

As this dear reader journeys today in all that is before him/her, bless and guide them, dear Lord; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Our study of Jesus and His compassion for us continues with John 11: 27 "Yes, Master. All along I have believed that you are the Messiah, the Son of God who comes into the world." 28 After saying this, she went to her sister Mary and whispered in her ear, "The Teacher is here and is asking for you." 29 The moment she heard that, she jumped up and ran out to him. 30 Jesus had not yet entered the town but was still at the place where Martha had met him. 31 When her sympathizing Jewish friends saw Mary run off, they followed her, thinking she was on her way to the tomb to weep there. 32 Mary came to where Jesus was waiting and fell at his feet, saying, "Master, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died." 33 When Jesus saw her sobbing and the Jews with her sobbing, a deep anger welled up within him. 34 He said, "Where did you put him?" 35 Now Jesus wept. 36 The Jews said, "Look how deeply he loved him." 37 Others among them said, "Well, if he loved him so much, why didn't he do something to keep him from dying? After all, he opened the eyes of a blind man." (The Message)

Yesterday we studied Martha's question of Jesus and Jesus' question to her. Her reply was that yes, she believed that Jesus was "the Messiah, the Son of God who comes into the world." Today, it is Mary who comes after Martha tells her that Jesus was asking for her. This prompts her to run to the Lord, falls at His feet and repeats what surely the two sisters had been saying for four days now, "If only you had been here, my brother would not have died." The pain of the separation that death brings hits Jesus hard and He wept. This makes the on-lookers declare that Jesus truly and deeply loved Lazarus, but it makes us know how much Jesus loves and cares for us always. The question raised by some is the question we raise as well when our prayers do not go the way we'd like. The truth was then and is now, that Jesus was there with the hurting and the grieving as He is here with us now in whatever it is that we are facing. The power of Jesus' presence and love is that which we call grace and it is grace that sees us through our mourning, crying, and hurting. Jesus made the trip to be with His dear friends, later He made the trip to the cross. Today, He made the trip to be by your side.

PRAYER: Loving Lord, thank You for being with me and my life. Thank You for the trips You have made on my behalf and for knowing when I hurt and when I am in pain. Let me be there for You and Yours. I ask this in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

A Life that Says Yes, I Believe!

God of light, blaze brightly on the life and needs of this dear reader that they may not face nor walk in darkness; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Our study of Jesus and the power of death continues from John 11: 17 When Jesus finally got there, he found Lazarus already four days dead. 18 Bethany was near Jerusalem, only a couple of miles away, 19 and many of the Jews were visiting Martha and Mary, sympathizing with them over their brother. 20 Martha heard Jesus was coming and went out to meet him. Mary remained in the house. 21 Martha said, "Master, if you'd been here, my brother wouldn't have died. 22 Even now, I know that whatever you ask God he will give you." 23 Jesus said, "Your brother will be raised up." 24 Martha replied, "I know that he will be raised up in the resurrection at the end of time." 25 "You don't have to wait for the End. I am, right now, Resurrection and Life. The one who believes in me, even though he or she dies, will live. 26 And everyone who lives believing in me does not ultimately die at all. Do you believe this?" 27 "Yes, Master. All along I have believed that you are the Messiah, the Son of God who comes into the world." (The Message).

How many times have we not prayed, "Lord, where were you when this tragic thing happened to me or my loved one?" That's precisely what Martha asks Jesus. This is the sister of the dishes, worried about how she was stuck with doing all the housework while her sister Mary visited with Jesus (Luke 10:38-42); she's the outspoken one and wants to know why it took so long for Jesus to get there. Her question is like ours, "Lord, where were you? If you have been here, this would not have happened!" or "If you had only answered my prayer..." But Martha is a woman of faith equal to that of her sister's, for she knows that even at this point (four days later), Jesus could do something, anything, especially resurrection of her brother. And that gives Jesus an opportunity to speak about resurrection. His first comment is about being "raised up." She has heard this teaching in her synagogue and replies with the Sunday school answer. But Jesus counters that with the right here, right now strength: (And here's where I prefer the New Revised Standard version) "I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" This is a key teaching of our faith. Those who believe in Jesus never die, for ours is a resurrection faith. Jesus' key statement is followed by his key question, "Do you believe this?" I've asked that many times during funeral services, for those who mourn the loss of a loved one have to answer it; those for whom we gather to bid farewell have answered it in their own way. This question is a question calling us to life and that in the fullest; to live and serve without fear of death.

Our answer will come in how we live our lives and give witness to the One who gave His for ours. Our lives should reflect the love and purpose that is ours through faith in Christ Jesus, so that others will ask and ultimately come to believe as well. Our Christian life is not only behavior, it is being. It is living as one who is forgiven even behind the safety and security of our home. Many a child has had doubts instilled in them because of the way "Christian moms and dads" have behaved at home. Let your light shine as brightly at home as it does at church.

PRAYER: Loving God, may I be the witness to life that You have called me to be. May I be an example to those with whom I live as well as to those with whom I worship. I ask this in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord.

Eradio Valverde

Jesus Teaches About Death

God of power and might, show Your love to the needs of this dear reader today and all days; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

We continue our study of Jesus' amazing power in John 11: 11 He said these things, and then announced, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep. I'm going to wake him up." 12 The disciples said, "Master, if he's gone to sleep, he'll get a good rest and wake up feeling fine." 13 Jesus was talking about death, while his disciples thought he was talking about taking a nap. 14 Then Jesus became explicit: "Lazarus died. 15 And I am glad for your sakes that I wasn't there. You're about to be given new grounds for believing. Now let's go to him." 16 That's when Thomas, the one called the Twin, said to his companions, "Come along. We might as well die with him." (The Message).

What is your view about death? If you're like me and others, we wonder, what happens when we die? Do we immediately go to Heaven or do we sleep for a bit? And if we sleep, what happens to our soul? Jesus' view of death is clear: He does not consider death as final, notice His reference to Lazarus as having "fallen asleep." And Jesus also knows that death is not to be feared. In the verses that are coming tomorrow and the next, we'll see more of how Jesus viewed death. What Jesus shares today is that these disciples will receive "new grounds for believing." And Thomas then, shares with his friends, that they should go along with Jesus to die. Whether that was simply a resignation toward eventual death or a new view of death based on what Jesus was teaching and living, we don't know. But one thing we do know, the best is yet to come.

Death is a part of life when one trusts and believes in God. Through Jesus, as we will see in coming verses, we believers will share in resurrection. But don't miss the main point of what Jesus is trying to; Jesus wants us to realize that the Kingdom of Heaven is here and should be in us, rather than think that Jesus just wants people to get to Heaven. The more important thing is to let Heaven come into us.

PRAYER: Loving God, let Heaven come into me. Let me help others see the need of people around us, especially those living in a place that seems separated from God. May my days here on earth count as those given to me to serve You and Yours. I pray this in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord.

Eradio Valverde

ARE YOU WALKING IN THE LIGHT OF GOD?

God of all, bless and guide the path of this dear reader; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Our study about Jesus and His power to defeat sin and death continues with John 11: 7 After the two days, he said to his disciples, "Let's go back to Judea." 8 They said, "Rabbi, you can't do that. The Jews are out to kill you, and you're going back?" 9 Jesus replied, "Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Anyone who walks in daylight doesn't stumble because there's plenty of light from the sun. 10 Walking at night, he might very well stumble because he can't see where he's going." (The Message).

You and I have those whose doubt about what we can and should do. Sometimes their negativity does influence us and we shy away from what we know we've been called to do. The old adage is true, something about soaring with eagles while hanging out with turkeys... Jesus was with such a group. They believed, they saw, they witnessed, they doubted. Are they any different than us at times? No. What they had witnessed was another plot to try and kill Jesus in the area they had just gone through and now as Jesus is saying they should return they reply with, "Rabbit, you can't do that." How often have we thought that about something we know God can do, yet we limit or try to limit God's power in our lives? Jesus' reply to that was about knowing where you stand and where you walk. If we stand on the promises of God and walk in the light of God's love, we're not going to stumble. If we seek to walk away from the light of God in darkness, we're going to fall.

How does the ground look around your feet right now? Are you standing on holy ground, walking in the light and love of God? You'll get exactly to where God is leading you.

PRAYER: Amazing God of light and love, help me to stand firmly on your promises and plan for my life. Help me to walk steadily and strongly toward where You lead me today. I pray this in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

God's Time, not Ours!

Amazing God, amaze and bless the life of this dear reader; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Our conversation for this week will focus on Jesus' power over life and death. Our text for today comes from John 11: 1 A man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 This was the same Mary who massaged the Lord's feet with aromatic oils and then wiped them with her hair. It was her brother Lazarus who was sick. 3 So the sisters sent word to Jesus, "Master, the one you love so very much is sick." 4 When Jesus got the message, he said, "This sickness is not fatal. It will become an occasion to show God's glory by glorifying God's Son." 5 Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus, 6 but oddly, when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed on where he was for two more days. (The Message).

John's Gospel is unique. It is known as the spiritual gospel for it focuses more on the work of the Holy Spirit directly than the other three gospels. It was the book chosen to be placed between Luke and Acts, which were at their inception a one-volume work, later separated and John placed in between because of its spiritual nature. John tells stories the other three do not. And this gospel features some powerful things that believers should know, including the personal touch of Jesus in the lives of those whom He called friends. Among those friends were two sisters and a brother. Mary and Martha were the sisters and we probably know them as those who quarreled about housework and wanted Jesus to referee this situation. We also know Mary to be the one who, as the above passage says, anointed Jesus' feet and dried them with her hair. Their brother, Lazarus, was sick. In those days, doctors were not readily available and most illnesses led to death. What helped their faith was that these three had seen Jesus and His power to heal, so they sent word to Jesus to come and heal their brother. The message is a touching one, "Master, the one you love so very much is sick." (v. 3). You can hear the anxiousness in their hearts for they knew that if Jesus didn't hurry Lazarus would die. Doesn't that sound like us when we pray? We're usually too busy to pray when we're not in need and we believe everything is fine, but when that sudden worry comes over us, "Lord, hear my prayer!" And suddenly we do have time to pray. Notice the response of Jesus. He does not hurry to be by their side.

Our prayers are worship times with God. We, as we studied last week, know how Jesus prayed and what's involved in prayer. It is not handing God a "to do list" and then pray to check on how God has done with what we asked God to do. It is a submission to God's will and to ask for strength and all necessary for us to face what we're facing. We can share our personal petitions and we should; but we do so knowing that God's will ultimately will be the one done, not ours. As we pray we should also know that our time and God's time are not always the same. God's time trumps our time, but we know that all prayers are answered.

PRAYER: Loving God, as I pray, I worship You and give You all honor and praise. I confess that I am a sinner and I stand in need of being forgiven I give You thanks for all that You have shared in my life, and I lift up these concerns that I have as my petitions to You ____________________________. Be glorified and may I be a blessing to You and Yours. I pray all these things in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde
G

TW or CM This Morning?

Loving God, You are worthy of our worship and praise; kindle that in this dear reader on this Your day; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

From my childhood come these verses for today: " I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD." (Psalm 122:1 KJV) and "Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name." (Psalm 100:4 KJV).

How would you react later this morning if an usher at the church asked you, "Will you want TW seating or CM seating?" You'd probably ask, "What's the difference?" or "What does that mean?" They'd smile and say, TW stands for True Worshipper, and CM stands for Church Member, and yes, there is a difference! Okay, you know that won't happen today or ever, but I wanted us to focus on our heart and its priorities as we prepare to go to worship this morning. As a boy, these verses were shared with me enough that I knew them by heart and as I grew in wisdom and understanding, I understood what they meant. I knew that like in my life, someone had played an important role in David's life. It may have been his mom or his dad or both. Their understanding of worship was key to his development, after all, it took him from the pasture to the palace. It lead David as it should lead us to know that 1) Worship is not about us, but about God. 2) It is God's church, not ours. 3) Our time in worship, however short or long, serves to bless God. 4). Your attitude will determine your altitude (The heights you reach in worship). This lead Jesus many, many years later to exclaim to the Samaritan woman in John 4 to say, "But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship him. (v. 23).

Church members, well, you know all about them and their attitude. All I can say is to strive to be like David and all those in the Bible who knew and loved God and sought to know more about God in every opportunity they were given. God, as Jesus said, is seeking those who worship God "in spirit and truth," and yes, even among those in "church" because of tradition, habit, and yes, the rut they're in, God may yet surprise them and awaken their spirits to the truth of worship (Hear Our Prayer, Lord!).

It's your choice! But why not join David's choruses about true worship as you prepare yourself and your loved ones to worship and praise God?

PRAYER: Lord, let me be among those TWs who seek to worship You in spirit and truth. Forgive me the times that I have been those who just sit on the premises and not stand on the promises. Help awaken in me a true stirring of my spirit by Yours. And let it be contagious! I pray this in Christ Jesus' precious name, amen!

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde
TW

IT WILL NEVER END

God of forever, speak today to this dear reader in whatever way they may need; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Our study of The Lord's Prayer ends today with "for ever." (Matthew 6:13 KJV).

There are two kinds of forever. The kind that seems to never end and the kind that never ends. The third kind of forever is the kind that never gets here. When Jesus prayed this prayer, He ends it in this way knowing the unlimited being and power of God. Our human mind is finite and we tend to think in finite terms. We're a people of measurement. We're people that count things and time. We cannot fathom a God that had no beginning nor will have an end. We're people that label stages of growth and count our educational progress, especially that of our children. We watch the clock during presentations of God's Word. And we're truly those who exclaim, "That sermon took forever! I thought it would never end!" We're also the kind who say, "That was soooo good, but it seems to disappear too quickly! Give me another dish of ice cream!" Jesus' prayer means never ending. God's kingdom, God's power, and God's glory shall never end, especially in the heart of one who believes and lives this prayer.

God's kingdom here on earth began with God and continues with us, especially as we try to bring God's kingdom into our lives and heart and in the lives and hearts of those who do not yet believe. And it will never end. God's power is at work all around us and more so if we allow it. It works for our good and the good of the Kingdom. And it will never end. God's glory is that radiance that shines in and through us showing the great things that God can do in and through us, and sometimes, in spite of us. And it will never end. When we finish our course here and return to God, our reunion with God and God's people will never end.

PRAYER: Loving and merciful God, let mercy never end in my life. Let Your love fill me and satisfy me, and may it never end. May my service to You never end. Help me to live this powerful model of a prayer, "Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed by thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power and the glory, forever and ever." Amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

GLORIA! GLORY!

God of grace and God of glory, grant the resources needed for this dear reader's life; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

We're almost done with our conversation about The Lord's Prayer! Today's is "and the glory." (Matthew 6:13 KJV)

We take the word glory for granted. We don't use it much in daily conversation. I had a dear pastor friend from another denomination who would say it often usually in response to a testimony or the sharing of some good news of marvel. "Glory!" he would say, usually softly. In Spanish, I knew several, but one in particular who would yell out, "Gloria!" Which was okay except for those dear women by the same name. After several times of turning around to see what he wanted, they caught on. "Ah, he's exclaiming "glory!" and not calling me!" Glory is that realm of God that is pure and sacred. The gospel eyewitnesses to Jesus' Transfiguration didn't know how to describe it other than to say it was like Jesus' body was outlined in human form and Jesus' face shone like the sun, in one account, and his clothing was "dazzling white." It was a glmpse of Heaven, that sacred space of God that words cannot describe other than this bright, almost blinding light. To pray that we should know Jesus is speaking of that sacred realm and also the majesty that goes with God. It is to attribute high praise and worship to the presence of God while admitting that we still lack so much and we humble ourselves before God.

How has the realm of Glory invaded your life? Have you sought the pure, sacred presence of God in all that you do? Do you worship God while you pray and humble yourself before God? Yesterday, another district superintendent and I had to make "the call" to one of this DS's pastors. This particular DS had never done one before and I had, so I coached a bit, the call was made and the phone handed over to me. As I'm describing this opportunity we are offering, the pastor responded with an affirmation and response that neither of us had imagined. The pastor was weeping, I was about to, and my colleague was fanning away tears as well. It was glory. It was the presence of God going before us and answering our doubts and fears in a way that I can only call, glory.

PRAYER: Loving God, You are awesome! You move among us in ways that we can only say, Glory! May it be so again today and may I seek to be a part of that movement of Your Spirit so that others may come to know and see Your Glory. As I pray again, let it be even more powerful to me, "Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed by thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power and the glory, forever and ever." Amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde