Loving God of all people, fill the heart and spirit of this dear reader with Your joy; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
Our text for today comes from Psalm 17: 1 Listen while I build my case, God, the most honest prayer you'll ever hear. 2 Show the world I'm innocent - in your heart you know I am. 3 Go ahead, examine me from inside out, surprise me in the middle of the night - You'll find I'm just what I say I am. My words don't run loose. 4 I'm not trying to get my way in the world's way. I'm trying to get your way, your Word's way. 5 I'm staying on your trail; I'm putting one foot In front of the other. I'm not giving up. 6 I call to you, God, because I'm sure of an answer. So - answer! bend your ear! listen sharp! 7 Paint grace-graffiti on the fences; take in your frightened children who Are running from the neighborhood bullies straight to you. 15 And me? I plan on looking you full in the face. When I get up, I'll see your full stature and live heaven on earth. (The Message).
"Close your eyes when you pray!" I believe my Mother and my Father taught me that. My grandmother also stressed that. I wonder who taught that to them. As a child it was hard to close my eyes, there was too much going on and so much to yet see! And in recent times the danger after a long day and a long night sometimes makes it easy to sleep after one closes ones eyes to pray. What or who do you see when you pray? Does your mind take you places like the ones for which you're praying? Do you see the people for whom you've just asked a blessing? Does it matter? The Psalmist in this prayer psalm is saying that his desire as he prays is to see God "full in the face." This means that though we do not know what God looks like he still wants to see the presence of God and while there may not be an image which can describe that, it is the intention that matters. Our prayers should be such that God can see us as we really are. No hiding anything from God. God knows it all. Are you scared? Worried? God knows. Are you anxious and stressed over a pending thing happening today? God knows. But as you pray do you know Who God is in your needful times? If it worry, do you know God is the quencher of worry? If it is illness, do you know God as the divine healer? If it is fear, do you know God as the author and provider of peace?
Our prayers should never end. Our hope should never end as well. I love the phrase in this new translation of God "(p)ainting grace-graffiti on the fences." Can you imagine that, messages that address your needs? "Don't worry!" "Be still and know that I am God." "God's on the case," and an old favorite from a dear former member of one of my churches, "There's no need to fear, Jesus is here!"
Indeed.
PRAYER: Loving God as I pray this morning let me see You for Who You are. As I adore and worship You, let me see You as Almighty, Powerful, Worthy of my praise. As I confess my sins and thoughts for me, let me see You as mercy and peace, the giver of forgiveness. As I thank You for You have shared, let me see You as a provider of all good things. As I pray for others, let me see You as the God who loves everyone. I pray this in Jesus' name , amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
PS ConCafe will be on vacation for a bit. I ask your prayers as Nellie and I today start a trek towards South Africa for the World Methodist Conference. I am not taking my computer with me so there will be no new ConCafes until August 15th. Please continue to read your Bible and say your prayers and by all means go the House of the Lord of your choice and worship God!
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
How Are You Sleeping?
God of mercy and peace, bless and protect the life and needs of this dear reader; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
Our text for today comes from Genesis 32: 22 But during the night he got up and took his two wives, his two maidservants, and his eleven children and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. 23 He got them safely across the brook along with all his possessions. 24 But Jacob stayed behind by himself, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. 25 When the man saw that he couldn't get the best of Jacob as they wrestled, he deliberately threw Jacob's hip out of joint. 26 The man said, "Let me go; it's daybreak." Jacob said, "I'm not letting you go 'til you bless me." 27 The man said, "What's your name?" He answered, "Jacob." 28 The man said, "But no longer. Your name is no longer Jacob. From now on it's Israel (God-Wrestler); you've wrestled with God and you've come through." 29 Jacob asked, "And what's your name?" The man said, "Why do you want to know my name?" And then, right then and there, he blessed him. 30 Jacob named the place Peniel (God's Face) because, he said, "I saw God face-to-face and lived to tell the story!" 31 The sun came up as he left Peniel, limping because of his hip. (The Message)
The Bible is a book with interesting characters. There is not a perfect one in the bunch, except Jesus. But the Old Testament is interesting and sometimes funny in a sad way, of the way we people live. Jacob was the prime example of dishonesty and greed. Born as the second twin, he grabbed his brother's heel as he was born so that he would be right behind his brother. And given the custom of the first-born getting everything, his brother was the heir of all things. But that didn't stop Jacob, he bought his brother's birthright for a bowl of beans. Later, with the help of his mother, tricked his aging dad from giving his blessing to the right son and got it for himself. And later when he met the girl of his dreams, his father-in-law tricked him into working for free for 14 years so that he could have the girl of his dreams and her older sister (yes, it was allowed in those days). Then the same man was tricking him into more years of service with the arrangement they made regarding livestock. And all this while Jacob's older brother he thought, fumed about his having been cheated out of everything rightfully his. Did you get that? Should I diagram it? No wonder he fled a lot and had trouble sleeping!
In today's passage he had an interesting dream where he wrestled with "a man" who threw Jacob's hip out of joint to get the match to end. Jacob did not want to let the man go because he knew something was going on. The man changed Jacob's name to Israel, which means "One who wrestles with God." The name would become the name of a nation made up of people who wrestled and still wrestle with God. This story is about you and me. It is the basis of why we need God and God's love. We are a people given in to following things that benefit us rather than bless God. It is in our nature to watch out always for ourselves and our families, seldom do we truly care about others. We "limp" through life until we surrender completely to God's love and mercy. Until we do we too, will have sleepless nights where it will seem we are wrestling with God.
PRAYER: Loving God, let me completely surrender to You today. Let me seek to be all about blessing You and Yours rather than just me and mine. I pray this in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord.
Eradio Valverde
Our text for today comes from Genesis 32: 22 But during the night he got up and took his two wives, his two maidservants, and his eleven children and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. 23 He got them safely across the brook along with all his possessions. 24 But Jacob stayed behind by himself, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. 25 When the man saw that he couldn't get the best of Jacob as they wrestled, he deliberately threw Jacob's hip out of joint. 26 The man said, "Let me go; it's daybreak." Jacob said, "I'm not letting you go 'til you bless me." 27 The man said, "What's your name?" He answered, "Jacob." 28 The man said, "But no longer. Your name is no longer Jacob. From now on it's Israel (God-Wrestler); you've wrestled with God and you've come through." 29 Jacob asked, "And what's your name?" The man said, "Why do you want to know my name?" And then, right then and there, he blessed him. 30 Jacob named the place Peniel (God's Face) because, he said, "I saw God face-to-face and lived to tell the story!" 31 The sun came up as he left Peniel, limping because of his hip. (The Message)
The Bible is a book with interesting characters. There is not a perfect one in the bunch, except Jesus. But the Old Testament is interesting and sometimes funny in a sad way, of the way we people live. Jacob was the prime example of dishonesty and greed. Born as the second twin, he grabbed his brother's heel as he was born so that he would be right behind his brother. And given the custom of the first-born getting everything, his brother was the heir of all things. But that didn't stop Jacob, he bought his brother's birthright for a bowl of beans. Later, with the help of his mother, tricked his aging dad from giving his blessing to the right son and got it for himself. And later when he met the girl of his dreams, his father-in-law tricked him into working for free for 14 years so that he could have the girl of his dreams and her older sister (yes, it was allowed in those days). Then the same man was tricking him into more years of service with the arrangement they made regarding livestock. And all this while Jacob's older brother he thought, fumed about his having been cheated out of everything rightfully his. Did you get that? Should I diagram it? No wonder he fled a lot and had trouble sleeping!
In today's passage he had an interesting dream where he wrestled with "a man" who threw Jacob's hip out of joint to get the match to end. Jacob did not want to let the man go because he knew something was going on. The man changed Jacob's name to Israel, which means "One who wrestles with God." The name would become the name of a nation made up of people who wrestled and still wrestle with God. This story is about you and me. It is the basis of why we need God and God's love. We are a people given in to following things that benefit us rather than bless God. It is in our nature to watch out always for ourselves and our families, seldom do we truly care about others. We "limp" through life until we surrender completely to God's love and mercy. Until we do we too, will have sleepless nights where it will seem we are wrestling with God.
PRAYER: Loving God, let me completely surrender to You today. Let me seek to be all about blessing You and Yours rather than just me and mine. I pray this in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord.
Eradio Valverde
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Some People Get It, Some Don't
Amazing God of peace and order, order the life of this dear reader so that they may know your peace; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
Our text for today comes from Romans 9: 1 At the same time, you need to know that I carry with me at all times a huge sorrow. 2 It's an enormous pain deep within me, and I'm never free of it. I'm not exaggerating - Christ and the Holy Spirit are my witnesses. It's the Israelites . . . 3 If there were any way I could be cursed by the Messiah so they could be blessed by him, I'd do it in a minute. They're my family. 4 I grew up with them. They had everything going for them - family, glory, covenants, revelation, worship, promises, 5 to say nothing of being the race that produced the Messiah, the Christ, who is God over everything, always. Oh, yes! (The Message)
Many have been the households where one person in it loves the Lord and cannot do enough for Him, and the others could care less. One has to quietly get up Sunday morning without waking others so that they may attend church and worship God. The other will sleep in and not worry about missing anything. They sing praises to God yet they carry that burden in their hearts, that perhaps one day it will take hold and God will be real to them. Imagine carrying the weight of an entire nation. Such was Paul's dilemma. He would rather take a curse so that they might live in the fullness of life than know that many were not interested in hearing about God's love through Jesus Christ. "They have everything going for them," Paul says, "Think about what they have - the family name and family connection, the glory of God's acts in their history, the covenants that God made with them, the revealed truths that no one else has enjoyed; the worship and praise of God in their past, and the promises God has made and has fulfilled in them - not to mention that from this race has come the Son of God, the Messiah of us all!
Our job is to continue to pray and to demonstrate God's love to those who still don't get it. We may be okay with an hour or two separation each Sunday but the day will come where an eternity will separate us from loved ones because they chose comfort and convenience over the Christ of love.
PRAYER: Loving God, I lift up those, and sometimes I include myself, who don't get it. I'm as guilty as others for sometimes choosing the easier way. Forgive me, but help me live a life and share the words that may just make a difference in someone else's life. I pray this in the precious and powerful name of Jesus Christ, my Lord, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Our text for today comes from Romans 9: 1 At the same time, you need to know that I carry with me at all times a huge sorrow. 2 It's an enormous pain deep within me, and I'm never free of it. I'm not exaggerating - Christ and the Holy Spirit are my witnesses. It's the Israelites . . . 3 If there were any way I could be cursed by the Messiah so they could be blessed by him, I'd do it in a minute. They're my family. 4 I grew up with them. They had everything going for them - family, glory, covenants, revelation, worship, promises, 5 to say nothing of being the race that produced the Messiah, the Christ, who is God over everything, always. Oh, yes! (The Message)
Many have been the households where one person in it loves the Lord and cannot do enough for Him, and the others could care less. One has to quietly get up Sunday morning without waking others so that they may attend church and worship God. The other will sleep in and not worry about missing anything. They sing praises to God yet they carry that burden in their hearts, that perhaps one day it will take hold and God will be real to them. Imagine carrying the weight of an entire nation. Such was Paul's dilemma. He would rather take a curse so that they might live in the fullness of life than know that many were not interested in hearing about God's love through Jesus Christ. "They have everything going for them," Paul says, "Think about what they have - the family name and family connection, the glory of God's acts in their history, the covenants that God made with them, the revealed truths that no one else has enjoyed; the worship and praise of God in their past, and the promises God has made and has fulfilled in them - not to mention that from this race has come the Son of God, the Messiah of us all!
Our job is to continue to pray and to demonstrate God's love to those who still don't get it. We may be okay with an hour or two separation each Sunday but the day will come where an eternity will separate us from loved ones because they chose comfort and convenience over the Christ of love.
PRAYER: Loving God, I lift up those, and sometimes I include myself, who don't get it. I'm as guilty as others for sometimes choosing the easier way. Forgive me, but help me live a life and share the words that may just make a difference in someone else's life. I pray this in the precious and powerful name of Jesus Christ, my Lord, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Monday, July 25, 2011
Our God of Provision
Loving God of peace and strength, fill the life of this dear reader with hope and joy; may Your peace guide them today and all days; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
Our text for today comes from Matthew 14: 13 When Jesus got the news, he slipped away by boat to an out-of-the-way place by himself. But unsuccessfully - someone saw him and the word got around. Soon a lot of people from the nearby villages walked around the lake to where he was. 14 When he saw them coming, he was overcome with pity and healed their sick. 15 Toward evening the disciples approached him. "We're out in the country and it's getting late. Dismiss the people so they can go to the villages and get some supper." 16 But Jesus said, "There is no need to dismiss them. You give them supper." 17 "All we have are five loaves of bread and two fish," they said. 18 Jesus said, "Bring them here." 19 Then he had the people sit on the grass. He took the five loaves and two fish, lifted his face to heaven in prayer, blessed, broke, and gave the bread to the disciples. The disciples then gave the food to the congregation. 20 They all ate their fill. They gathered twelve baskets of leftovers. 21 About five thousand were fed. (The Message)
You and I sometimes need those "leave me alone for a while" moments. Time to think moments. Time to cry moments. It's never easy to lose a loved one. I was a freshman in college when my Mom called me to let me know a cousin of mine had died. He lived in Kingsville and I was in Jacksonville. My Dad told me I did not have to worry about attending the funeral as I had no car nor a way to get down there; but I knew about buses. I took one of the longest bus rides in my life from Jacksonville to Kingsville to attend that funeral. The long bus ride was that time alone for me. Jesus lost his cousin. For speaking the truth openly and honestly, John the Baptist was murdered. And when Jesus heard this news He needed time alone. But due to His popularity it didn't happen.
Jesus used this time with people to heal the sick and before they realized the time it was late. The disciples always ready with answers said that Jesus needed to send the people away. Jesus responds that they should feed them instead. All that was available were five loaves of bread and two fish. And then the unexplainable happens: In the blessing and sharing of this simple meal, there was enough food to feed five thousand people. Everyone ate their fill and 12 baskets of leftovers were collected. I loved hearing different "explanations" while growing up from different pastors about "what really happened." Most were theories these pastors had heard and shared. One said that the 5,000 were watched by Roman soldiers who always carried food with them and when they saw Jesus' gesture of sharing they decided to share. Another said that the people themselves worried about having to share their food kept it hidden until they also saw this gesture of sharing and then they decide to share. The rest I cannot remember. But the one I love best is the possibility (or reality) that the story tells what really happened; a miracle, which is an event that defies common logic or scientific explanation. The God who created all things knows no limit to power or explanation. The God who provides, can and does provide all the time. The God invoked in prayer to provide for needs, does.
What do you need? More importantly, what do you hold that could bless someone else's need? Are you willing to share it? Are you willing and ready to trust God in all things?
PRAYER: Loving God, You provide all things to all who ask, in prayer and faith. Share with me that which I need to help bless someone else today. May I seek to be a vessel of blessing and provision for someone in need. Thank You for Jesus and His willingness to give. May I seek to be like Him. I pray this in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Our text for today comes from Matthew 14: 13 When Jesus got the news, he slipped away by boat to an out-of-the-way place by himself. But unsuccessfully - someone saw him and the word got around. Soon a lot of people from the nearby villages walked around the lake to where he was. 14 When he saw them coming, he was overcome with pity and healed their sick. 15 Toward evening the disciples approached him. "We're out in the country and it's getting late. Dismiss the people so they can go to the villages and get some supper." 16 But Jesus said, "There is no need to dismiss them. You give them supper." 17 "All we have are five loaves of bread and two fish," they said. 18 Jesus said, "Bring them here." 19 Then he had the people sit on the grass. He took the five loaves and two fish, lifted his face to heaven in prayer, blessed, broke, and gave the bread to the disciples. The disciples then gave the food to the congregation. 20 They all ate their fill. They gathered twelve baskets of leftovers. 21 About five thousand were fed. (The Message)
You and I sometimes need those "leave me alone for a while" moments. Time to think moments. Time to cry moments. It's never easy to lose a loved one. I was a freshman in college when my Mom called me to let me know a cousin of mine had died. He lived in Kingsville and I was in Jacksonville. My Dad told me I did not have to worry about attending the funeral as I had no car nor a way to get down there; but I knew about buses. I took one of the longest bus rides in my life from Jacksonville to Kingsville to attend that funeral. The long bus ride was that time alone for me. Jesus lost his cousin. For speaking the truth openly and honestly, John the Baptist was murdered. And when Jesus heard this news He needed time alone. But due to His popularity it didn't happen.
Jesus used this time with people to heal the sick and before they realized the time it was late. The disciples always ready with answers said that Jesus needed to send the people away. Jesus responds that they should feed them instead. All that was available were five loaves of bread and two fish. And then the unexplainable happens: In the blessing and sharing of this simple meal, there was enough food to feed five thousand people. Everyone ate their fill and 12 baskets of leftovers were collected. I loved hearing different "explanations" while growing up from different pastors about "what really happened." Most were theories these pastors had heard and shared. One said that the 5,000 were watched by Roman soldiers who always carried food with them and when they saw Jesus' gesture of sharing they decided to share. Another said that the people themselves worried about having to share their food kept it hidden until they also saw this gesture of sharing and then they decide to share. The rest I cannot remember. But the one I love best is the possibility (or reality) that the story tells what really happened; a miracle, which is an event that defies common logic or scientific explanation. The God who created all things knows no limit to power or explanation. The God who provides, can and does provide all the time. The God invoked in prayer to provide for needs, does.
What do you need? More importantly, what do you hold that could bless someone else's need? Are you willing to share it? Are you willing and ready to trust God in all things?
PRAYER: Loving God, You provide all things to all who ask, in prayer and faith. Share with me that which I need to help bless someone else today. May I seek to be a vessel of blessing and provision for someone in need. Thank You for Jesus and His willingness to give. May I seek to be like Him. I pray this in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Thursday, July 21, 2011
The Joy of God's Word!
Loving God of all seasons, may the season of this dear reader's life be filled with health, joy, and rich blessings; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
Our text for today comes from Psalm 119: 129 Every word you give me is a miracle word - how could I help but obey? 130 Break open your words, let the light shine out, let ordinary people see the meaning. 131 Mouth open and panting, I wanted your commands more than anything. 132 Turn my way, look kindly on me, as you always do to those who personally love you. 133 Steady my steps with your Word of promise so nothing malign gets the better of me. 134 Rescue me from the grip of bad men and women so I can live life your way. 135 Smile on me, your servant; teach me the right way to live. 136 I cry rivers of tears because nobody's living by your book! (The Message)
Summertime is a time for reading for most people. As the summer was beginning various sources gave us lists of "must-read" books, and several friends have posted on their social network outlets what they're reading at present. With the download app of my tablet I can download samples of those books that have been recommended and have already rejected a couple. You and I know when something is really a "must read."
The Psalmist felt that way about God's Word. Having compared himself to a thirsting, panting deer for the quenching of God's word in his life, you know that he's serious about not only reading it but living it. The joy and enthusiasm of someone like that is contagious! You begin to understand his excitement about these stories, teaching, messages, and commandments from God for better living. Is the Bible one of your summer must-reads? The belief of the psalmist is one of a one who seeks others to know what he knows. He knows that in God and through God's Word we find what we need when we need it. Is the Bible one of your summer must-reads?
PRAYER: Loving God, give me the joy and enthusiasm of this your servant the Psalmist; may his joy be my joy and may my joy be found in You and Your Word. I pray this in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Our text for today comes from Psalm 119: 129 Every word you give me is a miracle word - how could I help but obey? 130 Break open your words, let the light shine out, let ordinary people see the meaning. 131 Mouth open and panting, I wanted your commands more than anything. 132 Turn my way, look kindly on me, as you always do to those who personally love you. 133 Steady my steps with your Word of promise so nothing malign gets the better of me. 134 Rescue me from the grip of bad men and women so I can live life your way. 135 Smile on me, your servant; teach me the right way to live. 136 I cry rivers of tears because nobody's living by your book! (The Message)
Summertime is a time for reading for most people. As the summer was beginning various sources gave us lists of "must-read" books, and several friends have posted on their social network outlets what they're reading at present. With the download app of my tablet I can download samples of those books that have been recommended and have already rejected a couple. You and I know when something is really a "must read."
The Psalmist felt that way about God's Word. Having compared himself to a thirsting, panting deer for the quenching of God's word in his life, you know that he's serious about not only reading it but living it. The joy and enthusiasm of someone like that is contagious! You begin to understand his excitement about these stories, teaching, messages, and commandments from God for better living. Is the Bible one of your summer must-reads? The belief of the psalmist is one of a one who seeks others to know what he knows. He knows that in God and through God's Word we find what we need when we need it. Is the Bible one of your summer must-reads?
PRAYER: Loving God, give me the joy and enthusiasm of this your servant the Psalmist; may his joy be my joy and may my joy be found in You and Your Word. I pray this in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
The Wisdom to Be Wise
Precious Lord, take the hand and heart of this dear reader on the path of peace and justice; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
Our text for today comes from 1 Kings 3: 5 That night, there in Gibeon, God appeared to Solomon in a dream: God said, "What can I give you? Ask." 6 Solomon said, "You were extravagantly generous in love with David my father, and he lived faithfully in your presence, his relationships were just and his heart right. And you have persisted in this great and generous love by giving him - and this very day! - a son to sit on his throne. 7 "And now here I am: God, my God, you have made me, your servant, ruler of the kingdom in place of David my father. I'm too young for this, a mere child! I don't know the ropes, hardly know the 'ins' and 'outs' of this job. 8 And here I am, set down in the middle of the people you've chosen, a great people - far too many to ever count. 9 "Here's what I want: Give me a God-listening heart so I can lead your people well, discerning the difference between good and evil. For who on their own is capable of leading your glorious people?" 10 God, the Master, was delighted with Solomon's response. 11 And God said to him, "Because you have asked for this and haven't grasped after a long life, or riches, or the doom of your enemies, but you have asked for the ability to lead and govern well, 12 I'll give you what you've asked for - I'm giving you a wise and mature heart. There's never been one like you before; and there'll be no one after. (The Message)
I was sharing with my daughter that many years ago while still a young pastor, an elderly member of my church came by with one of those mass-produced publishing sweepstakes company letter. In it it said that he, like me, you and all 7 trillion people on earth, COULD be the winner of the grand prize of $10 million. He had read it wrong but wanted me to call these people and ask when that money could be delivered. He would not listen to reason, for he had in his hand the letter that said he was the winner! I told him I had received the same letter, unfortunately I had already thrown it away to prove to him that we weren't really the winners of $10 million. I knew the man could use the money, and I had several ideas of my own, but I kept those in the deep recesses of my thoughts.
Riches. It was one of the things Solomon could have asked for in that vision with God. God gave him the chance to ask for whatever it was he wanted, and while many of us might have asked for silver and gold. He didn't. Others might have asked for a very long, healthy life. And a smaller group I would hope, might have asked for the end of their enemies. Solomon asked for none of these things. He asked for a "God-listening heart" so that he might be a better leader. Wow. Other versions have Solomon asking for "an understanding mind," and the ancient version, which celebrates its 400th Birthday this year says, "an understanding heart." (King James Version). Still others say it was wisdom that Solomon requested. What we do know was that God granted that request and allowed Solomon to be known as one of the wisest rulers in history.
Have you ever asked for a God-listening heart? What difference do you think it might make in the way you live your life? I believe that a God-listening heart turns us outward towards the needs of others and beyond our needs. If we think about it too long the list for what we believe we "need" becomes ridiculous and reveals our selfish and self-centered side.
PRAYER: Gracious God grant to me a heart like the one Solomon wanted to make better decisions; may my heart truly listen to You at all times. I ask this in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Our text for today comes from 1 Kings 3: 5 That night, there in Gibeon, God appeared to Solomon in a dream: God said, "What can I give you? Ask." 6 Solomon said, "You were extravagantly generous in love with David my father, and he lived faithfully in your presence, his relationships were just and his heart right. And you have persisted in this great and generous love by giving him - and this very day! - a son to sit on his throne. 7 "And now here I am: God, my God, you have made me, your servant, ruler of the kingdom in place of David my father. I'm too young for this, a mere child! I don't know the ropes, hardly know the 'ins' and 'outs' of this job. 8 And here I am, set down in the middle of the people you've chosen, a great people - far too many to ever count. 9 "Here's what I want: Give me a God-listening heart so I can lead your people well, discerning the difference between good and evil. For who on their own is capable of leading your glorious people?" 10 God, the Master, was delighted with Solomon's response. 11 And God said to him, "Because you have asked for this and haven't grasped after a long life, or riches, or the doom of your enemies, but you have asked for the ability to lead and govern well, 12 I'll give you what you've asked for - I'm giving you a wise and mature heart. There's never been one like you before; and there'll be no one after. (The Message)
I was sharing with my daughter that many years ago while still a young pastor, an elderly member of my church came by with one of those mass-produced publishing sweepstakes company letter. In it it said that he, like me, you and all 7 trillion people on earth, COULD be the winner of the grand prize of $10 million. He had read it wrong but wanted me to call these people and ask when that money could be delivered. He would not listen to reason, for he had in his hand the letter that said he was the winner! I told him I had received the same letter, unfortunately I had already thrown it away to prove to him that we weren't really the winners of $10 million. I knew the man could use the money, and I had several ideas of my own, but I kept those in the deep recesses of my thoughts.
Riches. It was one of the things Solomon could have asked for in that vision with God. God gave him the chance to ask for whatever it was he wanted, and while many of us might have asked for silver and gold. He didn't. Others might have asked for a very long, healthy life. And a smaller group I would hope, might have asked for the end of their enemies. Solomon asked for none of these things. He asked for a "God-listening heart" so that he might be a better leader. Wow. Other versions have Solomon asking for "an understanding mind," and the ancient version, which celebrates its 400th Birthday this year says, "an understanding heart." (King James Version). Still others say it was wisdom that Solomon requested. What we do know was that God granted that request and allowed Solomon to be known as one of the wisest rulers in history.
Have you ever asked for a God-listening heart? What difference do you think it might make in the way you live your life? I believe that a God-listening heart turns us outward towards the needs of others and beyond our needs. If we think about it too long the list for what we believe we "need" becomes ridiculous and reveals our selfish and self-centered side.
PRAYER: Gracious God grant to me a heart like the one Solomon wanted to make better decisions; may my heart truly listen to You at all times. I ask this in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
What's On Your List Today?
Amazing God as this dear reader begins their day, let it be in You and Your love; as the day winds down may Your embrace strengthen and refresh them; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
Our text for today comes from Romans 8:26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. 27 And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 28 We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn within a large family. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called; and those whom he called he also justified; and those whom he justified he also glorified. 31 What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 32 He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else? 33 Who will bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us. 35 Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written, "For your sake we are being killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep to be slaughtered." 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (New Revised Standard Version)
I take a certain medication that prompted my pharmacy to send me in the mail a detailed list of content, side-effects, and disclaimers. It came neatly in a regular sized envelope but it was folded. When I unfolded it it was bigger than a map of Texas! And the print was so small it could have contained all the words in the New Testament. But knowing me and others like me, on the side, it had in bigger, bolder print, a recap of the possible side effects, beginning with number one: This could cause another ailment that could kill you. Okay. Thank you. And then the list, in their opinion I believe, descending order: tired or listless, etc. Thank God I don't have any of those! What's the old saying, the cure is worse than the disease? Such has been the theme this week thus far: God is there when we need God the most. No matter the situation or problem if we allow each spiritual influence take root and sprout when we need God's blessing and help, it is there. For Paul he knew that sometimes we can no longer pray either because of weakness or weeping, but Paul understood the Holy Spirit's power to intercede for us. Paul also knew that sorts of things in life that can weaken us and it's in the midst of those things that God's love through Jesus Christ is the strongest.
What's your list today? It is a hardship? Something causing you distress? You're not getting along with someone at work? It seems your paycheck doesn't stretch far enough? God is with you! Then Paul adds the other list: Even if we face death or in the midst of life, Christ's love is there. Name anything you can and that thing will not separate you from Christ's precious and powerful love!
PRAYER: Loving God, You know the list of things that I face today in my own personal life. I turn them over to You and thank You for the presence and power of Your love. Never let me forget it. Let it be a blessing of strength for me. In Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Our text for today comes from Romans 8:26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. 27 And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 28 We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn within a large family. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called; and those whom he called he also justified; and those whom he justified he also glorified. 31 What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 32 He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else? 33 Who will bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us. 35 Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written, "For your sake we are being killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep to be slaughtered." 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (New Revised Standard Version)
I take a certain medication that prompted my pharmacy to send me in the mail a detailed list of content, side-effects, and disclaimers. It came neatly in a regular sized envelope but it was folded. When I unfolded it it was bigger than a map of Texas! And the print was so small it could have contained all the words in the New Testament. But knowing me and others like me, on the side, it had in bigger, bolder print, a recap of the possible side effects, beginning with number one: This could cause another ailment that could kill you. Okay. Thank you. And then the list, in their opinion I believe, descending order: tired or listless, etc. Thank God I don't have any of those! What's the old saying, the cure is worse than the disease? Such has been the theme this week thus far: God is there when we need God the most. No matter the situation or problem if we allow each spiritual influence take root and sprout when we need God's blessing and help, it is there. For Paul he knew that sometimes we can no longer pray either because of weakness or weeping, but Paul understood the Holy Spirit's power to intercede for us. Paul also knew that sorts of things in life that can weaken us and it's in the midst of those things that God's love through Jesus Christ is the strongest.
What's your list today? It is a hardship? Something causing you distress? You're not getting along with someone at work? It seems your paycheck doesn't stretch far enough? God is with you! Then Paul adds the other list: Even if we face death or in the midst of life, Christ's love is there. Name anything you can and that thing will not separate you from Christ's precious and powerful love!
PRAYER: Loving God, You know the list of things that I face today in my own personal life. I turn them over to You and thank You for the presence and power of Your love. Never let me forget it. Let it be a blessing of strength for me. In Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Monday, July 18, 2011
Blessings When We Need Them!
God of rich and wonderful blessings, thank you for the work of this dear reader; may she or he be blessed today! In Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
Our text for today comes from Matthew 13: 31 Another story. "God's kingdom is like a pine nut that a farmer plants. 32 It is quite small as seeds go, but in the course of years it grows into a huge pine tree, and eagles build nests in it." 33 Another story. "God's kingdom is like yeast that a woman works into the dough for dozens of loaves of barley bread - and waits while the dough rises."44 "God's kingdom is like a treasure hidden in a field for years and then accidently found by a trespasser. The finder is ecstatic - what a find! - and proceeds to sell everything he owns to raise money and buy that field. 45 "Or, God's kingdom is like a jewel merchant on the hunt for excellent pearls. 46 Finding one that is flawless, he immediately sells everything and buys it. 47 "Or, God's kingdom is like a fishnet cast into the sea, catching all kinds of fish. 48 When it is full, it is hauled onto the beach. The good fish are picked out and put in a tub; those unfit to eat are thrown away. 49 That's how it will be when the curtain comes down on history. The angels will come and cull the bad fish 50 and throw them in the garbage. There will be a lot of desperate complaining, but it won't do any good." 51 Jesus asked, "Are you starting to get a handle on all this?" They answered, "Yes." 52 He said, "Then you see how every student well-trained in God's kingdom is like the owner of a general store who can put his hands on anything you need, old or new, exactly when you need it." (The Message)
You and I have been handed business cards or scraps of paper with a phone number on it along with the person saying, "If you ever need anything, just give me a call." Those who truly mean it truly bless us. And we walk away with a good feeling knowing that this person will be there if we need with the help we might possibly need sometime in the future. It is especially meaningful if that person shares a numbere that is not on the printed front of the card, a hand-scribbled phone number no one else has. This may not mean much to you but I have a friend who is one of three people in the USA who has the Pope's private phone number. Of course it goes with his position within our denomination, but I was impressed.
God's kingdom is there when you need it. That's the message Jesus is sharing with His listeners. The fullness and richness of life that is full of hope and joy and peace is ours for the taking when we need it. Jesus compares it to the planting of a seed. The seed goes deep within and slowly grows and becomes that which we need when we need it most. It may be like yeast mixed in with dough and then rises and helps make a great loaf of bread. It could be like a field that on the surface shows nothing but deep within it contains treasure, so much so that the finder of it goes and sells all he or she has to purchase that field. It is to teach us that every Bible verse that we've read and prayed on and reflected on, will serve its purpose one day. Every sermon's main message will stay with us and our well will be deep when there is that need for a quenching that nothing else can do. Dare I believe that every ConCafe that you read and ponder on, may one day bless you more than the first reading. I pray that is true. Such is our God that God is never far from us. May we never be far from God.
PRAYER: Loving God may the seeds and yeast planted as blessings yesterday come to full fruit on the days in which we need them most. This I pray in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord.
Eradio Valverde
Our text for today comes from Matthew 13: 31 Another story. "God's kingdom is like a pine nut that a farmer plants. 32 It is quite small as seeds go, but in the course of years it grows into a huge pine tree, and eagles build nests in it." 33 Another story. "God's kingdom is like yeast that a woman works into the dough for dozens of loaves of barley bread - and waits while the dough rises."44 "God's kingdom is like a treasure hidden in a field for years and then accidently found by a trespasser. The finder is ecstatic - what a find! - and proceeds to sell everything he owns to raise money and buy that field. 45 "Or, God's kingdom is like a jewel merchant on the hunt for excellent pearls. 46 Finding one that is flawless, he immediately sells everything and buys it. 47 "Or, God's kingdom is like a fishnet cast into the sea, catching all kinds of fish. 48 When it is full, it is hauled onto the beach. The good fish are picked out and put in a tub; those unfit to eat are thrown away. 49 That's how it will be when the curtain comes down on history. The angels will come and cull the bad fish 50 and throw them in the garbage. There will be a lot of desperate complaining, but it won't do any good." 51 Jesus asked, "Are you starting to get a handle on all this?" They answered, "Yes." 52 He said, "Then you see how every student well-trained in God's kingdom is like the owner of a general store who can put his hands on anything you need, old or new, exactly when you need it." (The Message)
You and I have been handed business cards or scraps of paper with a phone number on it along with the person saying, "If you ever need anything, just give me a call." Those who truly mean it truly bless us. And we walk away with a good feeling knowing that this person will be there if we need with the help we might possibly need sometime in the future. It is especially meaningful if that person shares a numbere that is not on the printed front of the card, a hand-scribbled phone number no one else has. This may not mean much to you but I have a friend who is one of three people in the USA who has the Pope's private phone number. Of course it goes with his position within our denomination, but I was impressed.
God's kingdom is there when you need it. That's the message Jesus is sharing with His listeners. The fullness and richness of life that is full of hope and joy and peace is ours for the taking when we need it. Jesus compares it to the planting of a seed. The seed goes deep within and slowly grows and becomes that which we need when we need it most. It may be like yeast mixed in with dough and then rises and helps make a great loaf of bread. It could be like a field that on the surface shows nothing but deep within it contains treasure, so much so that the finder of it goes and sells all he or she has to purchase that field. It is to teach us that every Bible verse that we've read and prayed on and reflected on, will serve its purpose one day. Every sermon's main message will stay with us and our well will be deep when there is that need for a quenching that nothing else can do. Dare I believe that every ConCafe that you read and ponder on, may one day bless you more than the first reading. I pray that is true. Such is our God that God is never far from us. May we never be far from God.
PRAYER: Loving God may the seeds and yeast planted as blessings yesterday come to full fruit on the days in which we need them most. This I pray in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord.
Eradio Valverde
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Take My Hand!
Amazing God of all people, bless and protect the goings and comings of this dear reader; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
Our text for today comes from Psalm 139: 1 God, investigate my life; get all the facts firsthand. 2 I'm an open book to you; even from a distance, you know what I'm thinking. 3 You know when I leave and when I get back; I'm never out of your sight. 4 You know everything I'm going to say before I start the first sentence. 5 I look behind me and you're there, then up ahead and you're there, too - your reassuring presence, coming and going. 6 This is too much, too wonderful - I can't take it all in! 7 Is there anyplace I can go to avoid your Spirit? to be out of your sight? 8 If I climb to the sky, you're there! If I go underground, you're there! 9 If I flew on morning's wings to the far western horizon, 10 You'd find me in a minute - you're already there waiting! 11 Then I said to myself, "Oh, he even sees me in the dark! At night I'm immersed in the light!" 12 It's a fact: darkness isn't dark to you; night and day, darkness and light, they're all the same to you. 23 Investigate my life, O God, find out everything about me; Cross-examine and test me, get a clear picture of what I'm about; 24 See for yourself whether I've done anything wrong - then guide me on the road to eternal life. (The Message)
Where can you go to hide from God? The Bible says that even in the belly of a great fish at the bottom of the ocean God still knows where you are. Have you ever tried to hide from God? Where did you go and how long did it take for God to find you? Or, for you to realize that God was already there waiting for you and you were the only one who thought that you were hiding? I tried hiding from God in the belly of corporate America. I had dropped out of seminary and thought God had made a mistake in calling me into ministry. In the great fish known as AT&T which then owned all of the "Baby Bells" including Southwestern Bell where I worked, 40,000 employees just in the Houston area at that time, my first office assignment was to sit directly across another seminary dropout.
Brothers and sisters, there is nowhere we can run or hide that God will not already be there or as we like to think, "find us." The Psalmist knew this and thus the passage from today. In fact, all of the passages for this week speak of OUR responsibility to know that God is in control and this great adventure that we call life is lived best when we just join hands with God and walk. Yesterday our youngest grandson, my namesake, Caleb Eradio, was in our care and he loves the staircase in his aunt's house and in a matter of seconds he would be on the first two steps. It took Grandma to say, "Take my hand Caleb," and he did and the rest of the time, he'd raise his little hand to us and up the stair we would go. What an adventure for the two of us climbing stairs and me trying to teach him to count each step. God awaits our hand. And heart.
PRAYER: Loving God, take my hand, lead me on. Life is so precious when we're holding hands with You. Don't let go especially during the times I'm weak or tired or discouraged. Never let me think I can hide from You or You from me. I ask this in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Our text for today comes from Psalm 139: 1 God, investigate my life; get all the facts firsthand. 2 I'm an open book to you; even from a distance, you know what I'm thinking. 3 You know when I leave and when I get back; I'm never out of your sight. 4 You know everything I'm going to say before I start the first sentence. 5 I look behind me and you're there, then up ahead and you're there, too - your reassuring presence, coming and going. 6 This is too much, too wonderful - I can't take it all in! 7 Is there anyplace I can go to avoid your Spirit? to be out of your sight? 8 If I climb to the sky, you're there! If I go underground, you're there! 9 If I flew on morning's wings to the far western horizon, 10 You'd find me in a minute - you're already there waiting! 11 Then I said to myself, "Oh, he even sees me in the dark! At night I'm immersed in the light!" 12 It's a fact: darkness isn't dark to you; night and day, darkness and light, they're all the same to you. 23 Investigate my life, O God, find out everything about me; Cross-examine and test me, get a clear picture of what I'm about; 24 See for yourself whether I've done anything wrong - then guide me on the road to eternal life. (The Message)
Where can you go to hide from God? The Bible says that even in the belly of a great fish at the bottom of the ocean God still knows where you are. Have you ever tried to hide from God? Where did you go and how long did it take for God to find you? Or, for you to realize that God was already there waiting for you and you were the only one who thought that you were hiding? I tried hiding from God in the belly of corporate America. I had dropped out of seminary and thought God had made a mistake in calling me into ministry. In the great fish known as AT&T which then owned all of the "Baby Bells" including Southwestern Bell where I worked, 40,000 employees just in the Houston area at that time, my first office assignment was to sit directly across another seminary dropout.
Brothers and sisters, there is nowhere we can run or hide that God will not already be there or as we like to think, "find us." The Psalmist knew this and thus the passage from today. In fact, all of the passages for this week speak of OUR responsibility to know that God is in control and this great adventure that we call life is lived best when we just join hands with God and walk. Yesterday our youngest grandson, my namesake, Caleb Eradio, was in our care and he loves the staircase in his aunt's house and in a matter of seconds he would be on the first two steps. It took Grandma to say, "Take my hand Caleb," and he did and the rest of the time, he'd raise his little hand to us and up the stair we would go. What an adventure for the two of us climbing stairs and me trying to teach him to count each step. God awaits our hand. And heart.
PRAYER: Loving God, take my hand, lead me on. Life is so precious when we're holding hands with You. Don't let go especially during the times I'm weak or tired or discouraged. Never let me think I can hide from You or You from me. I ask this in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
INCREDIBLE. WONDERFUL. HOLY.
God of unlimited power, pour our Your richest blessings as needed in the life of this dear reader; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
Our text for today comes from Genesis 28: 10 Jacob left Beersheba and went to Haran. 11 He came to a certain place and camped for the night since the sun had set. He took one of the stones there, set it under his head and lay down to sleep. 12 And he dreamed: A stairway was set on the ground and it reached all the way to the sky; angels of God were going up and going down on it. 13 Then God was right before him, saying, "I am God, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. I'm giving the ground on which you are sleeping to you and to your descendants. 14 Your descendants will be as the dust of the Earth; they'll stretch from west to east and from north to south. All the families of the Earth will bless themselves in you and your descendants. 15 Yes. I'll stay with you, I'll protect you wherever you go, and I'll bring you back to this very ground. I'll stick with you until I've done everything I promised you." 16 Jacob woke up from his sleep. He said, "God is in this place - truly. And I didn't even know it!" 17 He was terrified. He whispered in awe, "Incredible. Wonderful. Holy. This is God's House. This is the Gate of Heaven." 18 Jacob was up first thing in the morning. He took the stone he had used for his pillow and stood it up as a memorial pillar and poured oil over it. 19 He christened the place Bethel (God's House). The name of the town had been Luz until then. (The Message)
Ladder? Stairway? Escalator? Okay, no biblical versions that I'm aware of mention an escalator, but the movies do. I'm talking about Jacob's dream and how God revealed so much to this young man during that night. Verse 12 tells us he dreamed of a stairway from the ground to the sky and he could see angels going up and coming down on it. The comedian says, "An escalator? Do we go through a mall on the way to Heaven? Can I stop off at Orange Julius on the way?" The song wouldn't be the same if we had to force in "escalator" for "ladder." And then you'd have to change the words from "We are climbing Jacob's ladder" to "We are riding Jacob's escalator." Nah. Doesn't work. The dream got Jacob's attention and it allowed God to tell him that he was the God of his father and mother and the God of his brother and those yet to come. God's promise to Jacob was to be with him, to protect him and to guide his going out and coming back. And it was a promise of fulfillment of everything that had been promised to him. What I love are Jacob's word in this version: Incredible. Wonderful. Holy. And then he says, "this is God's house. This is the gate of Heaven." When was the last time you used any of those words to describe your church? Incredible? Probably in the sense of "It's incredible how long the sermon took!" Wonderul? "(Sarcastic tone) "It's so wonderful that so and so finally said hi to me!" Holy? "Holy cow is it 12 noon already??" I'm teasing. But think about it: These are awesome words, collectable words. I have a friend who collects words during each day, meaningful words. There's three. And, they're used to describe the awesomeness of God.
May these days leading up to your day of worship be such that you will say on that day, Incredible! Wonderful! Holy! This is God's house!
PRAYER: Loving God may the presence of Your Spirit move me to awe at Your love and compassion for me. May I prepare myself from today forward until worship time so that I might say all that Jacob said and more importantly, know like Jacob knew, that I am in Your house. I ask and pray this in the precious and powerful name of Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Our text for today comes from Genesis 28: 10 Jacob left Beersheba and went to Haran. 11 He came to a certain place and camped for the night since the sun had set. He took one of the stones there, set it under his head and lay down to sleep. 12 And he dreamed: A stairway was set on the ground and it reached all the way to the sky; angels of God were going up and going down on it. 13 Then God was right before him, saying, "I am God, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. I'm giving the ground on which you are sleeping to you and to your descendants. 14 Your descendants will be as the dust of the Earth; they'll stretch from west to east and from north to south. All the families of the Earth will bless themselves in you and your descendants. 15 Yes. I'll stay with you, I'll protect you wherever you go, and I'll bring you back to this very ground. I'll stick with you until I've done everything I promised you." 16 Jacob woke up from his sleep. He said, "God is in this place - truly. And I didn't even know it!" 17 He was terrified. He whispered in awe, "Incredible. Wonderful. Holy. This is God's House. This is the Gate of Heaven." 18 Jacob was up first thing in the morning. He took the stone he had used for his pillow and stood it up as a memorial pillar and poured oil over it. 19 He christened the place Bethel (God's House). The name of the town had been Luz until then. (The Message)
Ladder? Stairway? Escalator? Okay, no biblical versions that I'm aware of mention an escalator, but the movies do. I'm talking about Jacob's dream and how God revealed so much to this young man during that night. Verse 12 tells us he dreamed of a stairway from the ground to the sky and he could see angels going up and coming down on it. The comedian says, "An escalator? Do we go through a mall on the way to Heaven? Can I stop off at Orange Julius on the way?" The song wouldn't be the same if we had to force in "escalator" for "ladder." And then you'd have to change the words from "We are climbing Jacob's ladder" to "We are riding Jacob's escalator." Nah. Doesn't work. The dream got Jacob's attention and it allowed God to tell him that he was the God of his father and mother and the God of his brother and those yet to come. God's promise to Jacob was to be with him, to protect him and to guide his going out and coming back. And it was a promise of fulfillment of everything that had been promised to him. What I love are Jacob's word in this version: Incredible. Wonderful. Holy. And then he says, "this is God's house. This is the gate of Heaven." When was the last time you used any of those words to describe your church? Incredible? Probably in the sense of "It's incredible how long the sermon took!" Wonderul? "(Sarcastic tone) "It's so wonderful that so and so finally said hi to me!" Holy? "Holy cow is it 12 noon already??" I'm teasing. But think about it: These are awesome words, collectable words. I have a friend who collects words during each day, meaningful words. There's three. And, they're used to describe the awesomeness of God.
May these days leading up to your day of worship be such that you will say on that day, Incredible! Wonderful! Holy! This is God's house!
PRAYER: Loving God may the presence of Your Spirit move me to awe at Your love and compassion for me. May I prepare myself from today forward until worship time so that I might say all that Jacob said and more importantly, know like Jacob knew, that I am in Your house. I ask and pray this in the precious and powerful name of Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
What's Next, Papa?
Loving God, bless and protect the life and needs of this dear reader; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
Our text for today comes from Romans 8: 12 So don't you see that we don't owe this old do-it-yourself life one red cent. 13 There's nothing in it for us, nothing at all. The best thing to do is give it a decent burial and get on with your new life. 14 God's Spirit beckons. There are things to do and places to go! 15 This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It's adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike "What's next, Papa?" 16 God's Spirit touches our spirits and confirms who we really are. We know who he is, and we know who we are: Father and children. 17 And we know we are going to get what's coming to us - an unbelievable inheritance! We go through exactly what Christ goes through. If we go through the hard times with him, then we're certainly going to go through the good times with him! 18 That's why I don't think there's any comparison between the present hard times and the coming good times. 19 The created world itself can hardly wait for what's coming next. 20 Everything in creation is being more or less held back. God reins it in 21 until both creation and all the creatures are ready and can be released at the same moment into the glorious times ahead. Meanwhile, the joyful anticipation deepens. 22 All around us we observe a pregnant creation. The difficult times of pain throughout the world are simply birth pangs. But it's not only around us; it's within us. The Spirit of God is arousing us within. We're also feeling the birth pangs. 23 These sterile and barren bodies of ours are yearning for full deliverance. 24 That is why waiting does not diminish us, any more than waiting diminishes a pregnant mother. We are enlarged in the waiting. We, of course, don't see what is enlarging us. 25 But the longer we wait, the larger we become, and the more joyful our expectancy. (The Message)
Several things led up to our having to move from our small town of Kingsville to Houston, Texas. Not all of them were pleasant nor what I would call good. In fact, it seemed like a harsh sentence received from a judge that forced us to move. I was 13 and didn't know any better. Dad has lost his good job and now if he wanted to provide for his family the only work he could find was in Houston. We moved to Houston in a '55 Chevrolet with all that would fit into the car being all we would take with us. There were five kids and Mom and Dad. That first couple of weeks saw us kids all crying for our beloved hometown. We quite didn't have the attitude that Paul says we should have about life. We were used to what we knew not to anything new. The sounds of a big city's emergency response vehicles were nothing like the old. The electronic wails of new sirens were intentional stimuli of fright; did I mention we lived on the emergency route to the Texas Medical Center for all downtown accidents? Yet, God was with us and our new church, our new schools, our new adventures prepared us for the wonderful lives we live now. Mom would say, "Things are going to get better" and they did.
What are you going through that seems difficult and impossible? Paul would say Christ is with us and if we're with Christ in the bad things just imagine what it going to be like in the great times yet ahead. And yes, even as we may face the end of life here, Paul would say, the best is yet to come. The great "Billy Graham of India, " the Reverend E. Stanley Jones stood in the pulpit during his 80s and declared to a congregation, "The next 25 years of my life are going to be the greatest ever!" Those governed by math may have not understood; those governed by faith did. Wha say you?
PRAYER: Lord, give me the expectant, joyous hope that nothing nor no one can match in all circumstances. I trust You and I know You are in complete and total control. Make me a blessing to You and Yours; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord.
Eradio Valverde
Our text for today comes from Romans 8: 12 So don't you see that we don't owe this old do-it-yourself life one red cent. 13 There's nothing in it for us, nothing at all. The best thing to do is give it a decent burial and get on with your new life. 14 God's Spirit beckons. There are things to do and places to go! 15 This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It's adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike "What's next, Papa?" 16 God's Spirit touches our spirits and confirms who we really are. We know who he is, and we know who we are: Father and children. 17 And we know we are going to get what's coming to us - an unbelievable inheritance! We go through exactly what Christ goes through. If we go through the hard times with him, then we're certainly going to go through the good times with him! 18 That's why I don't think there's any comparison between the present hard times and the coming good times. 19 The created world itself can hardly wait for what's coming next. 20 Everything in creation is being more or less held back. God reins it in 21 until both creation and all the creatures are ready and can be released at the same moment into the glorious times ahead. Meanwhile, the joyful anticipation deepens. 22 All around us we observe a pregnant creation. The difficult times of pain throughout the world are simply birth pangs. But it's not only around us; it's within us. The Spirit of God is arousing us within. We're also feeling the birth pangs. 23 These sterile and barren bodies of ours are yearning for full deliverance. 24 That is why waiting does not diminish us, any more than waiting diminishes a pregnant mother. We are enlarged in the waiting. We, of course, don't see what is enlarging us. 25 But the longer we wait, the larger we become, and the more joyful our expectancy. (The Message)
Several things led up to our having to move from our small town of Kingsville to Houston, Texas. Not all of them were pleasant nor what I would call good. In fact, it seemed like a harsh sentence received from a judge that forced us to move. I was 13 and didn't know any better. Dad has lost his good job and now if he wanted to provide for his family the only work he could find was in Houston. We moved to Houston in a '55 Chevrolet with all that would fit into the car being all we would take with us. There were five kids and Mom and Dad. That first couple of weeks saw us kids all crying for our beloved hometown. We quite didn't have the attitude that Paul says we should have about life. We were used to what we knew not to anything new. The sounds of a big city's emergency response vehicles were nothing like the old. The electronic wails of new sirens were intentional stimuli of fright; did I mention we lived on the emergency route to the Texas Medical Center for all downtown accidents? Yet, God was with us and our new church, our new schools, our new adventures prepared us for the wonderful lives we live now. Mom would say, "Things are going to get better" and they did.
What are you going through that seems difficult and impossible? Paul would say Christ is with us and if we're with Christ in the bad things just imagine what it going to be like in the great times yet ahead. And yes, even as we may face the end of life here, Paul would say, the best is yet to come. The great "Billy Graham of India, " the Reverend E. Stanley Jones stood in the pulpit during his 80s and declared to a congregation, "The next 25 years of my life are going to be the greatest ever!" Those governed by math may have not understood; those governed by faith did. Wha say you?
PRAYER: Lord, give me the expectant, joyous hope that nothing nor no one can match in all circumstances. I trust You and I know You are in complete and total control. Make me a blessing to You and Yours; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord.
Eradio Valverde
Monday, July 11, 2011
How Good Are Your Ears?
Blessed God, bless and protect this dear reader today in all that they may face; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
Our text for today comes from Matthew 13: 24 He told another story. "God's kingdom is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field. 25 That night, while his hired men were asleep, his enemy sowed thistles all through the wheat and slipped away before dawn. 26 When the first green shoots appeared and the grain began to form, the thistles showed up, too. 27 "The farmhands came to the farmer and said, 'Master, that was clean seed you planted, wasn't it? Where did these thistles come from?' 28 "He answered, 'Some enemy did this.' "The farmhands asked, 'Should we weed out the thistles?' 29 "He said, 'No, if you weed the thistles, you'll pull up the wheat, too. 30 Let them grow together until harvest time. Then I'll instruct the harvesters to pull up the thistles and tie them in bundles for the fire, then gather the wheat and put it in the barn.'" 36 Jesus dismissed the congregation and went into the house. His disciples came in and said, "Explain to us that story of the thistles in the field." 37 So he explained. "The farmer who sows the pure seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, the pure seeds are subjects of the kingdom, the thistles are subjects of the Devil, 39 and the enemy who sows them is the Devil. The harvest is the end of the age, the curtain of history. The harvest hands are angels. 40 "The picture of thistles pulled up and burned is a scene from the final act. 41 The Son of Man will send his angels, weed out the thistles from his kingdom, 42 pitch them in the trash, and be done with them. They are going to complain to high heaven, but nobody is going to listen. 43 At the same time, ripe, holy lives will mature and adorn the kingdom of their Father. "Are you listening to this? Really listening? (The Message)
There are stories of churches, and I pray these are from where you are sitting, where if the conduct of a church member or visitor is not in accordance to that church's stances and doctrines, that church votes to dismiss the member and send him/her on their way. One such church, and this was some years ago, had a teenage girl in their midst who was known as "wild." Her behavior embarrassed even her parents not to mention what "the church" felt. She was disobedient, talked back, kept her own hours, yet still came to church, much to the dismay of "proper folk." The dilemma that pastor had was to listen to the proper folk and boot her out or allow her to stay with them praying and hoping that one day the "message" would take. The proper folk mentioned this parable and how it was now "harvest time" and the thistles needed to be taken out and burned! It was scriptural and thus it was mandated! How would you have voted?
It seems there was another thistle that was on its way to be "burned," for she had been caught "in the act" with a man and the law demanded her death. Someone by the name of Jesus intervened and stopped the execution with something He wrote on the ground. What he wrote no one really knows but people suspect that they were thistle things about each of the ones carrying the stones ready to kill the young woman. Funny thing how we can sometimes put ourselves in the "pure seed" category and then hear someone preach or teach and we realize we aren't so "pure" and find our name on the thistle list. Hmm. How I see it is that the separation duties belong to Christ. Our duty is to strive to be among the pure seed and to encourage others to come along and join us. If we see ourselves or someone we love moving slowly toward the thistle side, we pray harder and work harder in our example and witness so that we don't lose these potential harvest people to the gathering and burning that Jesus spoke of. What Jesus stressed was for us to listen really hard. I repeat the question, How good are your ears?
PRAYER: Loving God, open my ears, and not just my ears, my eyes, my heart, my soul, to listen closely and intently to what You speak to me. Let me hear truth. Let me see truth and let me be truth in all that I think, say, and do. Give me and all of us patience to love even those we have already put on a thistle list and want them scratched off the membership rolls. Forgive us and free us as we say so often, "for joyful obedience." I pray this in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Our text for today comes from Matthew 13: 24 He told another story. "God's kingdom is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field. 25 That night, while his hired men were asleep, his enemy sowed thistles all through the wheat and slipped away before dawn. 26 When the first green shoots appeared and the grain began to form, the thistles showed up, too. 27 "The farmhands came to the farmer and said, 'Master, that was clean seed you planted, wasn't it? Where did these thistles come from?' 28 "He answered, 'Some enemy did this.' "The farmhands asked, 'Should we weed out the thistles?' 29 "He said, 'No, if you weed the thistles, you'll pull up the wheat, too. 30 Let them grow together until harvest time. Then I'll instruct the harvesters to pull up the thistles and tie them in bundles for the fire, then gather the wheat and put it in the barn.'" 36 Jesus dismissed the congregation and went into the house. His disciples came in and said, "Explain to us that story of the thistles in the field." 37 So he explained. "The farmer who sows the pure seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, the pure seeds are subjects of the kingdom, the thistles are subjects of the Devil, 39 and the enemy who sows them is the Devil. The harvest is the end of the age, the curtain of history. The harvest hands are angels. 40 "The picture of thistles pulled up and burned is a scene from the final act. 41 The Son of Man will send his angels, weed out the thistles from his kingdom, 42 pitch them in the trash, and be done with them. They are going to complain to high heaven, but nobody is going to listen. 43 At the same time, ripe, holy lives will mature and adorn the kingdom of their Father. "Are you listening to this? Really listening? (The Message)
There are stories of churches, and I pray these are from where you are sitting, where if the conduct of a church member or visitor is not in accordance to that church's stances and doctrines, that church votes to dismiss the member and send him/her on their way. One such church, and this was some years ago, had a teenage girl in their midst who was known as "wild." Her behavior embarrassed even her parents not to mention what "the church" felt. She was disobedient, talked back, kept her own hours, yet still came to church, much to the dismay of "proper folk." The dilemma that pastor had was to listen to the proper folk and boot her out or allow her to stay with them praying and hoping that one day the "message" would take. The proper folk mentioned this parable and how it was now "harvest time" and the thistles needed to be taken out and burned! It was scriptural and thus it was mandated! How would you have voted?
It seems there was another thistle that was on its way to be "burned," for she had been caught "in the act" with a man and the law demanded her death. Someone by the name of Jesus intervened and stopped the execution with something He wrote on the ground. What he wrote no one really knows but people suspect that they were thistle things about each of the ones carrying the stones ready to kill the young woman. Funny thing how we can sometimes put ourselves in the "pure seed" category and then hear someone preach or teach and we realize we aren't so "pure" and find our name on the thistle list. Hmm. How I see it is that the separation duties belong to Christ. Our duty is to strive to be among the pure seed and to encourage others to come along and join us. If we see ourselves or someone we love moving slowly toward the thistle side, we pray harder and work harder in our example and witness so that we don't lose these potential harvest people to the gathering and burning that Jesus spoke of. What Jesus stressed was for us to listen really hard. I repeat the question, How good are your ears?
PRAYER: Loving God, open my ears, and not just my ears, my eyes, my heart, my soul, to listen closely and intently to what You speak to me. Let me hear truth. Let me see truth and let me be truth in all that I think, say, and do. Give me and all of us patience to love even those we have already put on a thistle list and want them scratched off the membership rolls. Forgive us and free us as we say so often, "for joyful obedience." I pray this in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Thursday, July 07, 2011
From Thorns to Flowers
God of all situations and blessings; bless the needs in the life of this dear reader; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
Our text for today comes from Isaiah 55: 10 For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there until they have watered the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, 11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the thing for which I sent it. 12 For you shall go out in joy, and be led back in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall burst into song, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. 13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress; instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle; and it shall be to the Lord for a memorial, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off. (NRSV)
This is a prophetic passage of hope. And more so because rain has been scarce here recently. But the writer knew that rain and snow come from heaven and to heaven they return; while here they accomplish the work of "bring(ing) forth." There is a planned interaction between sunlight and rain, sowing, planting, and harvesting. All the work gets accomplished and God in everything has and is, a success. Those who work for God in the same way play a part of that interaction, not all doing the same thing, but all headed in the same direction of bringing forth the harvest for God. Some are Sunday school teachers. Some attend Sunday school. Some sing in the choir. Some like to listen to the choir. Some lead praise bands. Some sing in praise bands. Some play in praise bands. Some like to listen and sing with praise bands. Just as rain and snow, all of us have a great part to play.
The promise? Imagine being sent out with joy and led back in peace! Imagine a praise band led by mountains and hills, assisted by the clapping of the trees! All so that instead of thorns and briers we might have cypress and myrtle, all signs of God's everlasting love and presence.
PRAYER: Loving God may I be a part of that which needs to be done today in the harvest of your flowers. I've done enough to be a thorn and brier, but thanks to You I have been led away from that, to where I need to be. Let me help be a blessing to many. In Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Our text for today comes from Isaiah 55: 10 For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there until they have watered the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, 11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the thing for which I sent it. 12 For you shall go out in joy, and be led back in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall burst into song, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. 13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress; instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle; and it shall be to the Lord for a memorial, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off. (NRSV)
This is a prophetic passage of hope. And more so because rain has been scarce here recently. But the writer knew that rain and snow come from heaven and to heaven they return; while here they accomplish the work of "bring(ing) forth." There is a planned interaction between sunlight and rain, sowing, planting, and harvesting. All the work gets accomplished and God in everything has and is, a success. Those who work for God in the same way play a part of that interaction, not all doing the same thing, but all headed in the same direction of bringing forth the harvest for God. Some are Sunday school teachers. Some attend Sunday school. Some sing in the choir. Some like to listen to the choir. Some lead praise bands. Some sing in praise bands. Some play in praise bands. Some like to listen and sing with praise bands. Just as rain and snow, all of us have a great part to play.
The promise? Imagine being sent out with joy and led back in peace! Imagine a praise band led by mountains and hills, assisted by the clapping of the trees! All so that instead of thorns and briers we might have cypress and myrtle, all signs of God's everlasting love and presence.
PRAYER: Loving God may I be a part of that which needs to be done today in the harvest of your flowers. I've done enough to be a thorn and brier, but thanks to You I have been led away from that, to where I need to be. Let me help be a blessing to many. In Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Wednesday, July 06, 2011
Choices Made in Christ
God of riches and might, pour out Your grace and power on the needs in the life of this dear reader; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
Our text for today comes from Romans 8: 1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. 3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do: by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and to deal with sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 so that the just requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. 6 To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. 7 For this reason the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God's law—indeed it cannot, 8 and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 But you are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. 10 But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you. (NRSV)
How you choose to start each day will more than likely determine the rest of the day. If you choose to start with prayer and dedicate yourself completely to God's service, your attitude will be different than if you decide to just do everything on your own. Your choice of starting with prayer and reminding yourself that Christ lives in you and has come so that you might have life in fullness makes all the difference in the world. It might even make a world of difference in your relationships, your work life, if you let Christ bless you and guide you in your living. Consider sitting at breakfast and your son spills your coffee on your shirt. Will you angrily rebuke your son for his clumsiness? Will you run upstairs angry at your wife for putting the coffee too close to the edge where this could happen? What would you do if you discover that while you've been changing your shirt, you son has been crying about being scolded in that way and so he didn't eat and he missed his bus to school; your wife can't take him because she's late, and your having to take your son will make you late for work so you speed? And after teh $200 fine for speeding, a son who jumps out of the car without telling you goodbye, you arrive late to work and instead of spending time making sure your co-workers are okay, you have to start to work immediately and what a day that is? You come home to discover there is now a chasm in your relationship with your son and wife... Or, you say, "Son, that's okay. Be a little more careful next time. Let me just go and change this shirt..." Would everything be the same as if you had jumped on folks?
The Spirit of Christ dwells in those who ask. The Spirit of Christ helps us make the better (and not always easier) decisions that help bless us in the long run. The fullness of life is so much better than simply existing and getting by.
PRAYER: Loving God, the day has already started and I may have not prayed as I should and I may have already upset my loved ones; please forgive me and help me make everything right with them. I seek to live as Your child today and I want the fullness of life. I ask this in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord.
Eradio Valverde
Our text for today comes from Romans 8: 1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. 3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do: by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and to deal with sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 so that the just requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. 6 To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. 7 For this reason the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God's law—indeed it cannot, 8 and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 But you are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. 10 But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you. (NRSV)
How you choose to start each day will more than likely determine the rest of the day. If you choose to start with prayer and dedicate yourself completely to God's service, your attitude will be different than if you decide to just do everything on your own. Your choice of starting with prayer and reminding yourself that Christ lives in you and has come so that you might have life in fullness makes all the difference in the world. It might even make a world of difference in your relationships, your work life, if you let Christ bless you and guide you in your living. Consider sitting at breakfast and your son spills your coffee on your shirt. Will you angrily rebuke your son for his clumsiness? Will you run upstairs angry at your wife for putting the coffee too close to the edge where this could happen? What would you do if you discover that while you've been changing your shirt, you son has been crying about being scolded in that way and so he didn't eat and he missed his bus to school; your wife can't take him because she's late, and your having to take your son will make you late for work so you speed? And after teh $200 fine for speeding, a son who jumps out of the car without telling you goodbye, you arrive late to work and instead of spending time making sure your co-workers are okay, you have to start to work immediately and what a day that is? You come home to discover there is now a chasm in your relationship with your son and wife... Or, you say, "Son, that's okay. Be a little more careful next time. Let me just go and change this shirt..." Would everything be the same as if you had jumped on folks?
The Spirit of Christ dwells in those who ask. The Spirit of Christ helps us make the better (and not always easier) decisions that help bless us in the long run. The fullness of life is so much better than simply existing and getting by.
PRAYER: Loving God, the day has already started and I may have not prayed as I should and I may have already upset my loved ones; please forgive me and help me make everything right with them. I seek to live as Your child today and I want the fullness of life. I ask this in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord.
Eradio Valverde
Tuesday, July 05, 2011
You Never Know!
Loving God of freedom, remind this dear reader of the freedom we have in You to joyfully serve and give; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
Our text for today comes from Matthew 13: 1 At about that same time Jesus left the house and sat on the beach. 2 In no time at all a crowd gathered along the shoreline, forcing him to get into a boat. 3 Using the boat as a pulpit, he addressed his congregation, telling stories. 4 As he scattered the seed, some of it fell on the road, and birds ate it. 5 Some fell in the gravel; it sprouted quickly but didn't put down roots, 6 so when the sun came up it withered just as quickly. 7 Some fell in the weeds; as it came up, it was strangled by the weeds. 8 Some fell on good earth, and produced a harvest beyond his wildest dreams. 9 "Are you listening to this? Really listening?" 18 "Study this story of the farmer planting seed. 19 When anyone hears news of the kingdom and doesn't take it in, it just remains on the surface, and so the Evil One comes along and plucks it right out of that person's heart. This is the seed the farmer scatters on the road. 20 "The seed cast in the gravel - this is the person who hears and instantly responds with enthusiasm. 21 But there is no soil of character, and so when the emotions wear off and some difficulty arrives, there is nothing to show for it. 22 "The seed cast in the weeds is the person who hears the kingdom news, but weeds of worry and illusions about getting more and wanting everything under the sun strangle what was heard, and nothing comes of it. 23 "The seed cast on good earth is the person who hears and takes in the News, and then produces a harvest beyond his wildest dreams." (The Message)
You never know. Fred Craddock tells the story of a funeral he was called back to do for a dear old woman whose daughter he had written off as too wild. She never sat still in church and would leave most Sundays in the middle of the sermon, come back a little later and just fidget and look around like the hands on the clock were frozen and slowly thawing their way towards closure. He worried how this now young woman would react to the funeral and the death of her mother and as he approached her to ask that, she replied, "I'm okay and I know it's all right." Fred had to ask how she knew, "It was something you said in one of your sermons..."
You may never preach a sermon but you'll live one. And you might think your sermon is not being heard. And for those of you who do preach sermons you know you do wonder about who is hearing and sometimes even the sermon is meant just for you, but we still scatter seed and trust God. Jesus knew of what He spoke. Jesus knows the human heart. Jesus knows my heart and He knows yours. Where is that seed now? Is it growing and getting the exposure to "sun" and "water" and "air?" It is moving towards bearing fruit?
PRAYER: Loving God let my sermon today be heard by all, especially those who need to hear it, and especially me. I pray this in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, Amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Our text for today comes from Matthew 13: 1 At about that same time Jesus left the house and sat on the beach. 2 In no time at all a crowd gathered along the shoreline, forcing him to get into a boat. 3 Using the boat as a pulpit, he addressed his congregation, telling stories. 4 As he scattered the seed, some of it fell on the road, and birds ate it. 5 Some fell in the gravel; it sprouted quickly but didn't put down roots, 6 so when the sun came up it withered just as quickly. 7 Some fell in the weeds; as it came up, it was strangled by the weeds. 8 Some fell on good earth, and produced a harvest beyond his wildest dreams. 9 "Are you listening to this? Really listening?" 18 "Study this story of the farmer planting seed. 19 When anyone hears news of the kingdom and doesn't take it in, it just remains on the surface, and so the Evil One comes along and plucks it right out of that person's heart. This is the seed the farmer scatters on the road. 20 "The seed cast in the gravel - this is the person who hears and instantly responds with enthusiasm. 21 But there is no soil of character, and so when the emotions wear off and some difficulty arrives, there is nothing to show for it. 22 "The seed cast in the weeds is the person who hears the kingdom news, but weeds of worry and illusions about getting more and wanting everything under the sun strangle what was heard, and nothing comes of it. 23 "The seed cast on good earth is the person who hears and takes in the News, and then produces a harvest beyond his wildest dreams." (The Message)
You never know. Fred Craddock tells the story of a funeral he was called back to do for a dear old woman whose daughter he had written off as too wild. She never sat still in church and would leave most Sundays in the middle of the sermon, come back a little later and just fidget and look around like the hands on the clock were frozen and slowly thawing their way towards closure. He worried how this now young woman would react to the funeral and the death of her mother and as he approached her to ask that, she replied, "I'm okay and I know it's all right." Fred had to ask how she knew, "It was something you said in one of your sermons..."
You may never preach a sermon but you'll live one. And you might think your sermon is not being heard. And for those of you who do preach sermons you know you do wonder about who is hearing and sometimes even the sermon is meant just for you, but we still scatter seed and trust God. Jesus knew of what He spoke. Jesus knows the human heart. Jesus knows my heart and He knows yours. Where is that seed now? Is it growing and getting the exposure to "sun" and "water" and "air?" It is moving towards bearing fruit?
PRAYER: Loving God let my sermon today be heard by all, especially those who need to hear it, and especially me. I pray this in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, Amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
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