This is it! Don't Get Scared Now!

Matthew 28: And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age." (NRSV)

This is the last day of 2012. I love the line from Home Alone where Kevin tells himself, "This is it. Don't get scared now!" If you've been alive and able to read since 1983, you'll remember how so many were frightened about ushering in 1984, because of the book by the same name. Then in 1999, the scare was bigger and people stockpiled weapons, food, water and thought, "This is it; I'm scared!" And two weeks ago, yawn, some actually thought the world would end. Here we are.

Jesus said it best when He spoke to the Disciples. He gave them a commission to fulfill and the promise that while they were busying doing what He wanted, He would be with them, even to the end of the age. We can ask no better promise for the ushering in of a New Year. What we must also not forget is that we still have a lot of work to do. We have not yet reached all the world. We have not yet reached across the aisle or across the room and certainly not across the street. What are we waiting for? The New Year promises nothing if not new opportunities to serve Jesus like never before.

Happy New Year! Live life in abundance. And, get busy!

PRAYER: Loving God, we thank You for Jesus and all that He shared with us. We are mindful of the work still before us and we pray for courage, boldness, wisdom and strength to make disciples of all nations. We also claim the promise that You will be with us each day, even to the end of the age. Thank You. We praise You and love You. In Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day and a Happy New Year! Be smart and be safe!

Eradio Valverde

Jesus and The Family Trip

Luke 2; 41 Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the Passover. 42 And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom; 43 and when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it, 44 but supposing him to be in the company they went a day's journey, and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintances; 45 and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking him. 46 After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions; 47 and all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48 And when they saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, "Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been looking for you anxiously." 49 And he said to them, "How is it that you sought me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?" 50 And they did not understand the saying which he spoke to them. 51 And he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart. 52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature, and in favor with God and man. (NRSV)

If Joseph had been my father, he would have walked into Jesus' room and said, "Get ready, pack up, we're goin on a trip." Jesus might have asked, "Where are we going?" Joseph: "Where did I say we were going?" Jesus: "How many days, then?" But he wasn't. This was an annual trip from their hometown to Jerusalem for the festival of Passover. This was the holiest of holidays for them in those days and a trip like this was a big deal. It was a journey traveled mostly on foot, usually with most members of the town or village that could afford to go. It was not an easy journey, but for a boy, it was an adventure. It meant a time of exploring, a time with friends, nights by the fire with the old folks listening to stories, and finally getting a chance to see the Temple again. It was a tourist's dream vacation. The festival celebrated God's action of liberation from slavery in Egypt and freedom for the Jews. It started the Exodus and it was an important day in their history and in their faith. The pilgrims would arrive about a week before the actual festival and would enjoy all that the big city of Jerusalem had to offer. For Jesus what it offered was a time in the Temple with the teachers of the Law. It was this that would get him in trouble with His parents.

The festival was over and the journey home started. The parents assumed that Jesus was with the usual crowd of friends and off they went a day's journey. As they are bedding down for the night, they assume Jesus would come, hungry, to eat with them. No Jesus. The parents look for Him among their relatives and friends. "Is Jesus with you?" No, came back the answer. They thought to return back to Jerusalem. Now, at this point I, and my wife, would be frantic. No child of any parent should go missing. This day without Jesus and the day it must have taken to return back were hectic hours for Mary and Joseph. They searched that first day in Jerusalem for Jesus, then a second, and it wasn't until the third day that they found Jesus in the Temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. Verse 47 says, "And all who heard Him were amazed at His understanding and His answers." I suppose this was enough for Joe and Mary, but Lalo would have taken me outside, and I'll let your imagination guess as to what was next; had I been the missing Jesus... But Joseph and Mary were "astonished," but still Mary asked, "Child, why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been searching for you in great anxiety." Part of me says Jesus knew this. But the compassionate side says Jesus was too preoccupied with what was before him that he thought mostly about God and God's teachings. For your modern parents, it's like leaving your child in the Game Stop with a store full of their favorite games. You think they'd be thinking about you??

Jesus replies to Mary, "Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?" (v. 49). The trip home continues and verse 52 for me as a child was one I had memorized and treasured as well, "And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature in favor with both God and men." (King James Version).

I believe Joseph and Mary did their very best in raising Jesus. They were both good teachers of God's Word, but that which they may have not known, Jesus picked up on this trip to Jerusalem with the private audience and lesson he had from the greatest theological minds of His day. He was free to ask that which He would need later as He taught the people as God had taught Him. It was all a part of His preparation for His earthly ministry.

You and I have been taught either in Sunday school or through experience, the teachings and truths about God and God's love. How we use them later in life to bless others or to help ourselves is the big question. We should be committed to learning as much as we can without worry about when or how what we learn will be applied. God's Word will always bless us. It might not be this minute, but the minute will soon arrive and we will know and we will be blessed.

PRAYER: Loving God, thank You for the teachers we have had in our lives. Thank Your for loving and caring parents who have sought to teach us Your ways. May we seek ways to reach those who have not yet heard nor learned about Your love. We pray especially for children who have not yet darkened the Sunday school door. Help us reach them before it becomes too late. We pray this in Jesus' precious name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Live in Peace and Purity!

2 Peter 3:8 Don't overlook the obvious here, friends. With God, one day is as good as a thousand years, a thousand years as a day. 9 God isn't late with his promise as some measure lateness. He is restraining himself on account of you, holding back the End because he doesn't want anyone lost. He's giving everyone space and time to change. 10 But when the Day of God's Judgment does come, it will be unannounced, like a thief. The sky will collapse with a thunderous bang, everything disintegrating in a huge conflagration, earth and all its works exposed to the scrutiny of Judgment. 11 Since everything here today might well be gone tomorrow, do you see how essential it is to live a holy life? 12 Daily expect the Day of God, eager for its arrival. The galaxies will burn up and the elements melt down that day - 13 but we'll hardly notice. We'll be looking the other way, ready for the promised new heavens and the promised new earth, all landscaped with righteousness. 14 So, my dear friends, since this is what you have to look forward to, do your very best to be found living at your best, in purity and peace. 15 Interpret our Master's patient restraint for what it is: salvation. Our good brother Paul, who was given much wisdom in these matters, 16 refers to this in all his letters, and has written you essentially the same thing. Some things Paul writes are difficult to understand. Irresponsible people who don't know what they are talking about twist them every which way. They do it to the rest of the Scriptures, too, destroying themselves as they do it. 17 But you, friends, are well-warned. Be on guard lest you lose your footing and get swept off your feet by these lawless and loose-talking teachers. 18 Grow in grace and understanding of our Master and Savior, Jesus Christ. Glory to the Master, now and forever! Yes! (The Message)

One of the most special times in my pastoral life was leading the candlelight service on Christmas Eve. It is hard to describe, but it comes close to what Peter says is to live in "peace and purity." The photo above shows us at that moment just this week in worship. Our daughter, Nellie, photographed us without our knowing and captured a great shot of Grandma Nellie holding Eliana who was deep in sleep. To hold a candle in the darkness and sing "Silent Night" is a connectional moment. I remember all the past Christmas Eves and all who are now singing in the presence of God. After this service was over I heard my name called and it was a dear friend from my childhood who attends this church and his eyes were like mine, red. He said, "I love Christmas Eve but it gets to me - I remember my Dad and my sister..." Another connectional moment. Peter's basic message in this second letter was to connect with God and to stay connected, regardless of what is all around us or what may be coming. The last ConCafe was written on the 20th, the day before the Mayan calendar ran out and many interpreted this as the End. As far as I know you and I are still here and we're still living. I would pray living more connected than ever before. The world and its temptations still is going strong and we need to be likewise, but strong in the Lord.

Peter outlines biblical measurements as to "a day is like a thousand years" and a reminder that "no one knows the day nor hour," but reminds us that the end will come. His urging is to live in peace and purity. It is so urgent even now to tell people about God that the best way will be to live an inviting life. The Sunday NY Times shared two articles about faith or the lack there of. The main article said that one in five Americans now claims "None" as their religious preference. The second article in the Book Review said that modern books no longer share faith or issues of faith even in novels. The 1950s may have been the last more-or-less sacred decade. There is no question that our present time is a secular time, with the Christian Church no longer have the same influence it once did; all the more reason for those of us who are believers, to live a life that says, "There is a God of love, but whose invitation is to connect in a way that defeats sin and the consequences of sin." Peter says for us to grow as we stand strong in our faith.

PRAYER: Loving God, we pray that we might connect with You in a way that blesses us and others. May our connection be a blessing of strength and inspiration that we might bring about a revival of hearts for the good of humanity. We pray this in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Christ Will Come Again, Stay Strong!

2 Peter 3: 1 My dear friends, this is now the second time I've written to you, both letters reminders to hold your minds in a state of undistracted attention. 2 Keep in mind what the holy prophets said, and the command of our Master and Savior that was passed on by your apostles. 3 First off, you need to know that in the last days, mockers are going to have a heyday. Reducing everything to the level of their puny feelings, 4 they'll mock, "So what's happened to the promise of his Coming? Our ancestors are dead and buried, and everything's going on just as it has from the first day of creation. Nothing's changed." 5 They conveniently forget that long ago all the galaxies and this very planet were brought into existence out of watery chaos by God's word. 6 Then God's word brought the chaos back in a flood that destroyed the world. 7 The current galaxies and earth are fuel for the final fire. God is poised, ready to speak his word again, ready to give the signal for the judgment and destruction of the desecrating skeptics. (The Message)

So, tomorrow may be the end of the world? If you believe that the Mayan Calendar truly has validity and don't take time to read that the Mayans knew that after tomorrow, the calendar starts over. I am not a gambling man nor do I place bets, but if I were, it's a sure bet that the world will not end tomorrow. But it will some day. Peter is addressing a serious challenge to the Christian faith since Jesus' day; "When is Jesus coming back? When will it all end?" Jesus gave clues and hints, but He also plainly said, "No one knows the time nor hour." But within our tradition as we celebrate the Lord's Supper we affirm, "Christ will come again." When? It doesn't matter if we're ready now. Many televangelists and writers have made some serious money predicting and aligning this with that and saying, "this is all part of the End Times," but the question really stays with us: Are you ready now? That's the point of Peter's message in today's passage, stay strong in the faith, and don't be distracted. Live your life as you should in the Lord and face each day with the hope and promise of telling at least one new person about this life we have in Jesus Christ. We have a new and better way to live and we are called to invite new followers into it. And even in the midst of doubters and nonbelievers, we stay strong. Christ will come again and I'm ready now.

Peter reminds us that out of chaos came order, and all through God's word. And it was God's word that brought destruction to those before the Flood. And it will be that the of the world will come through the spoken word of God. We live our lives ready.

To live with fear and doubt is not a way to live. We shortchange no one but ourselves. We miss out on so much if we cower and run from opportunities to speak to the fullness of God. We limit this or that and all in the name of the bad economy or prejudices we hold towards our leaders in our government and/or our churches. And who get harmed the most? Those living in fear. End that today and live a life like Jesus intended, full of life and love and hope in the God who will have the last word on all things.

PRAYER: Amazing God of creation and life, speak to those with fear and doubt in their hearts. Speak a word of truth and peace. Help us to raise our heads above the doom and despair shared by so many, towards the bright hope of a new day lived in God's love. Let me truly be a witness to those who need Jesus. I pray this with faith in Christ Jesus my Lord, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Stay on the Road That Leads to God

2 Peter 2: 13 Their evil will boomerang on them. They're so despicable and addicted to pleasure that they indulge in wild parties, carousing in broad daylight. 14 They're obsessed with adultery, compulsive in sin, seducing every vulnerable soul they come upon. Their specialty is greed, and they're experts at it. Dead souls! 15 They've left the main road and are directionless, having taken the way of Balaam, son of Beor, the prophet who turned profiteer, a connoisseur of evil. 16 But Balaam was stopped in his wayward tracks: A dumb animal spoke in a human voice and prevented the prophet's craziness. 17 There's nothing to these people - they're dried-up fountains, storm-scattered clouds, headed for a black hole in hell. 18 They are loudmouths, full of hot air, but still they're dangerous. Men and women who have recently escaped from a deviant life are most susceptible to their brand of seduction. 19 They promise these newcomers freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption, for if they're addicted to corruption - and they are - they're enslaved. 20 If they've escaped from the slum of sin by experiencing our Master and Savior, Jesus Christ, and then slid back into that same old life again, they're worse than if they had never left. 21 Better not to have started out on the straight road to God than to start out and then turn back, repudiating the experience and the holy command. 22 They prove the point of the proverbs, "A dog goes back to its own vomit," and, "A scrubbed-up pig heads for the mud." (The Message)

This is a continuation of what Peter railed again in yesterday's passage. His anger is not easily hidden. He is angry! Like a parent that teaches a child to do one thing and the child chooses to do another, such was Peter's anger at those who knew better, but now are guided by selfish passion and greed and will stop at nothing to increase their influence and their possessions. If we know The Way that leads to God and life and the fullness of life, why would we choose to deviate from that and serve only ourselves? Peter believed it was better to have not even started on that road if they were just going to get worse than when they were when they first started.

There's an interesting man in one of our churches who suffered a serious medical incident that left him changed. It left him unemployed, broke, and with no possessions, yet in a talk he and I had, he's better off now he told me. He has learned how to say "God bless you" in many languages and seeks to learn more and share more. Materialism and greed are no longer a part of his life. He aims to bless God and God's people. It made me wonder that especially during this time of year when so many focus on stuff and more stuff, do we truly know what matters most in this life? The message on the television and the commercial is to acquire more and more; the truth is to know the love of God matters most.

PRAYER: God of all things, owner of ten thousand cattle and the hills on which they graze, teach my heart about what really matters most. The Gift you shared with the world during this time of year should matter more than anything else. I pray for a spirit of gratitude and sharing in the midst of all who seek to acquire more and appreciate less. This I pray in Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Discern the Good not the Bad!

2 Peter 2: 10 God is especially incensed against these "teachers" who live by lust, addicted to a filthy existence. They despise interference from true authority, preferring to indulge in self-rule. Insolent egotists, they don't hesitate to speak evil against the most splendid of creatures. 11 Even angels, their superiors in every way, wouldn't think of throwing their weight around like that, trying to slander others before God. 12 These people are nothing but brute beasts, born in the wild, predators on the prowl. In the very act of bringing down others with their ignorant blasphemies, they themselves will be brought down, losers in the end. (The Message)

We can never lose sight of the spiritual nature of the church. Given all that we do, we cannot forget that we exist to serve God and God's people. Our main function is to worship God. It was something Peter was aware of given all that he saw and experienced. He knew the power of evil and how it comes against the power of God. The church that is not connected to God does not know how savage this evil can be, even within the settings of church life. Among them, Peter knows, are those who come as "teachers" but are not guided by the spiritual but instead by the carnal. Peter, in this version, calls it "lust" and "filthy existence." These so-called teachers refuse to seek the divine and instead prefer to be guided by what serves them best. God is taken out of the equation. Their mission becomes one of speaking against those who seek to serve God and share God's truth with those in need of hearing it. Peter says that even God's angels, whose power exceeds those of mortals, do not use their influence or power to influence anyone. Peter calls the false teachers "beasts, born in the wild, predators on the prowl." But the losers are they; for Peter knows who wins.

God shares with believers a spiritual gift of discernment; that which allows those who seek in prayer and other spiritual disciplines, to learn more about God. God helps us sense when someone is sharing something not of God. Seek to be those who seek and serve God, and you will be among those who "win" against evil in the end. Seek to support and nurture those with whom you work, especially those you know seek to bring honor and glory to God.

PRAYER: God of power and might, mercy and love, speak to my heart as I seek to honor and serve You. Speak wisdom through me and let me put myself aside to seek You and Your ways. Let me not fall for those who seek the disruption of God's unity in the church. I pray in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

God's Heart Was The First To Break

Romans 8: 35 Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ's love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture: 36 They kill us in cold blood because they hate you. We're sitting ducks; they pick us off one by one. 37 None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. 38 I'm absolutely convinced that nothing - nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, 39 high or low, thinkable or unthinkable - absolutely nothing can get between us and God's love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us. (The Message)

There are no easy answers for what happened this past week in Newtown, Conn. To gun down innocent children in their classrooms at their school should not happen. But because it did, there is only one place we can turn, and that is to God. Yes, already people ask, "Where was God?" and use this as an excuse for unbelief. Not knowing the depth and power of Scripture, these are those who know not to turn to God's Word for comfort and hope in the face of tragic loss. This is the time of year we read but do not hear the cries of those mothers whose sons were murdered by Herod in his search to find and kill the baby Jesus. (read Matthew 2:16-18). It was precisely for that sort of evil that God intervened in history by sending His only begotten Son. Jesus would die to pay the price of our sinfulness. But before His death taught us a new, different way to live, a fullness and abundance of life (John 10:10).

It was several years ago, that the son of Rev. William Sloan Coffin, then pastor of Riverside Church in New York City, got drunk and drove his car off a pier and drowned. Rev. Coffin shared how at the funeral one of his well-meaning church members said, "It was God's will..." He replied, "No, it was not God's will that my son drink and then drive; but God's heart was the first to break." The search and gift of free will since the creation of time, has both helped and hurt people; it's brought new ways to sustain life as well as new ways to take life away. We, as believers in the Most High God, must live our lives in ways that show Jesus' way to live, and when presented with situations like this join in the mourning but also in the comforting. I'll never forget a conversation I had with a seminary brother who was doing a CPE at Parkland Hospital in Dallas. He was on duty as the ER chaplain when the wife of a minister had come in from a suicide attempt. She died of a self-inflcited gunshot wound. He was the closest to the pastor when told that efforts to save her life had failed. My friend said all he could do was to hug the man and cry with him.

I had never read the above passage in this modern paraphrase and I thought as I was looking it up that I would not like it, but it spoke to me. Paul's words about his belief about life and death are still as true as when he faced his own death; "They kill us in cold blood because they hate you. We're sitting ducks; they pick us off one by one. None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. I'm absolutely convinced that nothing - nothing living or death...absolutely nothing can get between us and God's love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us." (vss. 36-39). And last night I walked in late to Mr. Don Piper's presentation at First UMC in Corpus Christi. Don is the man who died and spent 90 minutes in heaven (the title of his book). He spoke of seeing those who had brought him to Christ who greeted him at the gate. His grandfather and next-door neighbor were among the first. Don said they were now perfect unlike they had been on earth. His grandpa had lost several fingers on both hands during the war as he built battleships in Beaumont, TX, but in heaven he was perfect. A man with no teeth at the time of his death now had a beautiful smile. Don says he did not want to leave that place and came back to several years of pain in his recovery, but understand now it was to help others who had come through that same sort of suffering.

May our lives be those to whom people can turn and find a ready shoulder and embrace that comforts; may our prayers also bring comfort to those whose lives will never be the same again.

PRAYER: Loving God, Your heart broke on that night when mothers and fathers wept in Ramah. Your heart broke this week after those children and teachers were gunned down. Comfort and be with those mothers, fathers, grandparents, friends and neighbors who are crying uncontrollably because of it. Let us bring comfort where we may. We pray in Christ Jesus' precious name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord.

Eradio Valverde

Those Reminders of Disobedience...

2 Peter 2:4 God didn't let the rebel angels off the hook, but jailed them in hell till Judgment Day. 5 Neither did he let the ancient ungodly world off. He wiped it out with a flood, rescuing only eight people - Noah, the sole voice of righteousness, was one of them. 6 God decreed destruction for the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. A mound of ashes was all that was left - grim warning to anyone bent on an ungodly life. 7 But that good man Lot, driven nearly out of his mind by the sexual filth and perversity, was rescued. 8 Surrounded by moral rot day after day after day, that righteous man was in constant torment. 9 So God knows how to rescue the godly from evil trials. And he knows how to hold the feet of the wicked to the fire until Judgment Day. (The Message)

My brother was recently in Jordan and took a picture of what is supposed to be Lot's wife. It is a pillar of salt in an area where there should be no salt or something like that. What it is is a reminder of disobedience. We all have them. The dent on the car, the hole in the wall, the now too-small pants and shirts in the "other " closet, the pain in our hearts of things said that cannot be taken back, all reminders of what we should not have done, said, or been. The passage from today is such a reminder from Peter from scripture of those who disobeyed God. Folks who "had it made" when it came to the things of God, who chose "something else" because they thought they knew more or better for themselves than God. We've all been there and we all have the reminders. But, hear the Good News, verse 9: "So God knows how to rescue the godly from evil trials." If we seek to be right with God, we're godly. And if we're godly, we have the promise from Apostle/Disciple No. 1 that God knows who to rescue us!

The dent can be fixed as can the wall. We can try to lose weight or donate the clothes to a church or charity that helps those in need; the words cannot be taken back, but we can try to mend the relationships that we may have hurt. God can help us stay us away from future disobedience if we stay close to God.

PRAYER: Loving God, help me mend those reminders of my disobedience. Help me stay on the path so that future rescue will not be needed. I pray this with faith in Christ Jesus, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Don't Be Deceived!

2 Peter 2: 1 But there were also lying prophets among the people then, just as there will be lying religious teachers among you. They'll smuggle in destructive divisions, pitting you against each other - biting the hand of the One who gave them a chance to have their lives back! They've put themselves on a fast downhill slide to destruction, 2 but not before they recruit a crowd of mixed-up followers who can't tell right from wrong. 3 They're only out for themselves. They'll say anything, anything, that sounds good to exploit you. They won't, of course, get by with it. They'll come to a bad end, for God has never just stood by and let that kind of thing go on. (The Message)

Nothing worse than a church fight. Well, worse is a divided church, where people take sides and the pastor(s) find themselves outnumbered and outgunned by both sides. Peter knew this for he had seen and experienced it within the religious leaders of his day and how they plotted against Jesus and brought Jesus to a mock trial and forced His death. Peter knew that sort of deception and dishonesty would continue even until today. Why does this occur? A dis-connect with God and an unwillingness to dis-connect from ourselves. Those who stay in prayer constantly connect with God. Those who read and prayerfully study the scriptures connect with God. And these are the least likely to fall for those things that are not of God's. They know to seek what God wants, not what they want or what will directly benefit them. They know that God's mission is beyond the four walls of the church and anything set up just to please members fails God.

Are you connected with God? Are you at least seeking that connection? If so, you're on the right path; no one will blindfold you and lead you away!

PRAYER: God of Truth and Light, speak to our hearts as we seek You. Help us to see that which brings honor and glory to You. Don't let us fall for anything, instead let us stand for You. We pray this in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

The Focus of God's Delight!

2 Peter 1: 16 We weren't, you know, just wishing on a star when we laid the facts out before you regarding the powerful return of our Master, Jesus Christ. We were there for the preview! We saw it with our own eyes: 17 Jesus resplendent with light from God the Father as the voice of Majestic Glory spoke: "This is my Son, marked by my love, focus of all my delight." 18 We were there on the holy mountain with him. We heard the voice out of heaven with our very own ears. 19 We couldn't be more sure of what we saw and heard - God's glory, God's voice. The prophetic Word was confirmed to us. You'll do well to keep focusing on it. It's the one light you have in a dark time as you wait for daybreak and the rising of the Morning Star in your hearts. 20 The main thing to keep in mind here is that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of private opinion. 21 And why? Because it's not something concocted in the human heart. Prophecy resulted when the Holy Spirit prompted men and women to speak God's Word. (The Message)

The testimony of an eyewitness says, "We were there. We saw it." Peter, an Apostle of Jesus, says, "We were there. What we have shared is true. This is not, as another version says, a "cleverly devised myth" shared with you, this is the Good News. In fact, we were even there when we saw with our own eyes and heard with our own ears when God spoke and said, "This is my Son, marked by my love, focus of all my delight." This was but a preview of that which is to come, namely Jesus Himself, whom we proclaim will come again. All the scriptures pointed to this and were fulfilled in Jesus. Stay focused on believing and sharing.

When I first read this passage and decided that delight would be the main focus of this passage, I looked for an image on the internet that would be under "delight" in a Google images search. I found a fancy lettering of the word, tons of sweets, cakes, pies, cereal, some drinks. And nothing jumped out at me as truly being a delight. I asked myself, what brings me delight? No question, my children and grandchildren. I put the above picture together as that which says delight. If I get such a thrill out of being with my little ones, then God's got me beat with the delight that Jesus gave/gives God! Jesus has brought me delight in knowing that in Him I can and do find forgiveness. In Him I can and do find hope. Jesus give me delight in knowing that as I journey towards the unknown challenges of the day (a dental appointment today at 8:30), Jesus journeys with me. Jesus has perfect teeth. I'm the one whose hand Jesus will hold! (LOL). In Jesus I find the promises of a life that will never end. And that bring me delight. And that is the message you and I are called to share with those who have not yet heard. We are eyewitnesses of what God can do and God can do it again for them.

Be the delight in God's eyes today by bringing delight to someone else in sharing this story.

PRAYER: Loving God, bless us in what we need to do. Lead us, guide us, give us courage, wisdom, and boldness to share of Your love in a way that bring delight to You. Let us be delight to others we pray, in Jesus' name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Stay Alert!

2 Peter 1: 12 Because the stakes are so high, even though you're up-to-date on all this truth and practice it inside and out, I'm not going to let up for a minute in calling you to attention before it. 13 This is the post to which I've been assigned - keeping you alert with frequent reminders - and I'm sticking to it as long as I live. 14 I know that I'm to die soon; the Master has made that quite clear to me. 15 And so I am especially eager that you have all this down in black and white so that after I die, you'll have it for ready reference. (The Message)

The stakes are high. How often have you thought or said that about your faith? I presided over three charge conferences yesterday, all two-plus hours from home. At two I heard hints of "if things don't get better (financially) we might have to close..." I shared with them that in our district there are six (6) possible retirements, and out of 39 charge conferences, only one new candidate for ministry. The stakes are high. Higher still, are the personal stakes of not sharing as we should. Peter took it upon himself to write these words and to urge believers to stay strong and focused on the message of Good News from Jesus Christ. He knew that was his duty and he could say he stayed faithful and would be faithful until his death. And he adds, he knew that his death was coming soon, as the Lord Jesus Christ had made it clear to him. For him to share and encourage was especially urgent.

How is it with your soul? I pray that after time with God each day you can say, "It is well with my soul! I have hope and joy and peace, and I look forward to the day and whatever challenges and opportunities it might bring!" A contagious faith is what we need to share with those who do not know yet about Jesus. A recent study by another denomination shared a startling fact: A lot of people are waiting for someone to invite them to church and into faith. I don't know the reason why if you're hungry you don't find your way to a place that serves food, but some just need that special nudge or invite that may save their lives. If it's well with you soul, tell somebody! Don't wait or blame your pastor for declining numbers! As a baptized believer in Christ Jesus you are a co-pastor in the work of sharing the Good News.

What are you waiting for?

PRAYER: Loving God, let this day be a day when I can share with all that it is well with my soul. May I do so in a way that gets others interested or excited about God's love and the relationship that awaits them as they surrender their lives to God. I pray this in Christ Jesus' precious name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Get Out The Construction Paper!

1 Peter 1:5 So don't lose a minute in building on what you've been given, complementing your basic faith with good character, spiritual understanding, 6 alert discipline, passionate patience, reverent wonder, 7 warm friendliness, and generous love, each dimension fitting into and developing the others. 8 With these qualities active and growing in your lives, no grass will grow under your feet, no day will pass without its reward as you mature in your experience of our Master Jesus. 9 Without these qualities you can't see what's right before you, oblivious that your old sinful life has been wiped off the books. 10 So, friends, confirm God's invitation to you, his choice of you. Don't put it off; do it now. Do this, and you'll have your life on a firm footing, 11 the streets paved and the way wide open into the eternal kingdom of our Master and Savior, Jesus Christ. (The Message)

I love the name construction paper. It reminds me of my childhood when we needed to buy and take to school new construction paper. I can't say that we ever built anything lasting. We did build some paper chains to hang around our classroom, and we did cut out some odd shapes of things meant to be stars, squares, and circles. Many resembled my later years attempts to making flour tortillas resulting in what my mother called "maps." Yet, I loved the name for to me construction implies building and building implies moving and growing. Such is the message in today's passage from Peter. Peter says that we are not to lose one single moment in building on that precious gift given to us by Christ Jesus, faith. All believers when we enter into a relationship with Jesus are given the gift of faith. But faith serves as a foundation on which we are to build that which makes us a more effective and fruitful believer. Look at the list (and we studied this not too long ago in an earlier ConCafe) and see what Peter is recommending. On faith the foundation, we add good character, which means we become people of integrity, people whose yes is yes and no is no. People whose word and handshake mean something. Add to that good character spiritual understanding. Paul called this spiritual understanding, the Mind of Christ, which means to see things from a spiritual perspective not an earthly one. It means we seek to learn more about our Lord through prayer, the study of Scripture, fellowship, worship, small group participation, accountability groups, etc. We cannot become content nor comfortable where we are at the moment; we must seek to grow always. Closely related is alert discipline which is self-control. We have the gift of free will, use it to say no to those things that can deviate us from the course set for us by God! Passionate patience means endurance, or not giving up when things seem to go against us. It means being excited and enthusiastic at all times even when people may think us crazy for "hanging in there" while others give up. Add to our faith the gift of reverent wonder, which means seeing the hand of God at work in all things. Make time to look at flowers, the brilliant colors and awesome design. Study a newborn baby. Stare at creatures at work and at play in nature and tell me that you cannot see the presence and power of God in creation. Add warm friendliness to your faith, because a cold, stuck-up Christian is of no service to anyone except to their own thinking. And lastly, the icing is generous love. Anyone who knows the love of God has to share it. Those who wear the label and jewelry of faith but care nothing for no one but themselves is not a Christian. A self-centered Christian - there's no such thing; yes, there are plenty who may call themselves followers of Christ but care nothing for others. What kingdom are they building up, besides their own?

This is the kind of faith that moves us forward and blesses the work of God in our midst. It is a faith that matures. Last night at a charge conference I was leading, we were talking about prayer and several shared how God had answered their prayers. One woman shared how when her son was little, he had been in trouble at school and that evening when the phone rang she began to pray out loud, "Oh God, please give me th patience and wisdom to deal with this problem..." The little boy ran to the phone, picked it up and yelled, "Not right now, she's talking to God!" and slammed it down. That woman's faith has matured because she knew with Whom to talk about in the good and the bad. Never forget that your past life ended last night at midnight. And if you confessed and turned over your sins to God last night, today you awoke with a clean slate of faith. Make the best of the day with acts that bless God and God's people.

A faith that matures is a faith that moves forward on the road that leads to God's eternal kingdom, inviting people along the way to join the journey.

You ready?

PRAYER: Loving and awesome God, may the words shared by Your servant Peter bless and protect my life and my faith. I want an active, maturing faith that makes disciples and grows the throng of those who love you and seek to follow You. I pray this in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Tickets, please!

2 Peter 1:1 I, Simon Peter, am a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ. I write this to you whose experience with God is as life-changing as ours, all due to our God's straight dealing and the intervention of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ. 2 Grace and peace to you many times over as you deepen in your experience with God and Jesus, our Master. 3 Everything that goes into a life of pleasing God has been miraculously given to us by getting to know, personally and intimately, the One who invited us to God. The best invitation we ever received! 4 We were also given absolutely terrific promises to pass on to you - your tickets to participation in the life of God after you turned your back on a world corrupted by lust. (The Message)

We begin our study of the Second Letter of Peter, written more as a testimony of a faithful believer. We sometimes do interesting things to get tickets. I took the photo above of some tickets from my life. The top tickets were to a Rolling Stones concert in Houston in 1972 and they cost all of six dollars ($6.00). But it took my dear friend, George S., to spend the night waiting in line to get these tickets. My part of the bargain was that I would drive us to the concert venue. Also slated to appear that night was Stevie Wonder! Imagine getting offered $100 for each ticket, which we were, but we declined. "We" had been through a lot to get these tickets and to see the concert was the purpose of our even having tickets.

You and I have very special tickets, according to this passage by Peter. Tickets to participate in the greatest life that is possible for any human. A life lived in the presence of God through Jesus Christ. An "invitation" to the fullness of life because of what Jesus did for us. Peter knew that grace and peace were ours and that these would deepen daily as we walked and talked with our Lord. He writes, "Everything that goes into a life of pleasing God has been miraculously given to us by getting to know, personally and intimately, the One who invited us to God." This is the best invitation. And this invitation came with tickets. To have tickets means you have full admittance into that event. These cannot be sold to anyone else; who would want to? Our saying Yes to Jesus means we have said No to the things that separate us from Him. Back in the days of my childhood, the only air conditioned place I knew was the movie theater in downtown Kingsville. To have a ticket to the movies also meant entrance into a world free from the South Texas heat. No one would buy a ticket to stand outside and wonder about what movie was showing and what it was about. Yet, many of us live that way when it comes to knowing and experiencing the fullness of God through Jesus Christ.

You have the ticket. Why wait outside?

PRAYER: Loving God, thank You for the invitation to come in to You and this wonderful life of faith. Help me and those who make this their prayer, not to stand outside and miss out on the fullness of life that is ours by entering into a relationship with You. Thank You. I pray this prayer of gratitude and invitation, in the name of Jesus, my Lord, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Hang In There!

1 Peter 5: 10 The suffering won't last forever. It won't be long before this generous God who has great plans for us in Christ - eternal and glorious plans they are! - will have you put together and on your feet for good. 11 He gets the last word; yes, he does. 12 I'm sending this brief letter to you by Silas, a most dependable brother. I have the highest regard for him. I've written as urgently and accurately as I know how. This is God's generous truth; embrace it with both arms! 13 The church in exile here with me - but not for a moment forgotten by God - wants to be remembered to you. Mark, who is like a son to me, says hello. 14 Give holy embraces all around! Peace to you - to all who walk in Christ's ways. (The Message)

1 Peter 5: 10 And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, support, strengthen, and establish you. 11 To him be the power forever and ever. Amen. 12 Through Silvanus, whom I consider a faithful brother, I have written this short letter to encourage you and to testify that this is the true grace of God. Stand fast in it. 13 Your sister church in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you greetings; and so does my son Mark. 14 Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to all of you who are in Christ. (NRSV)

In this day and age it is difficult for most people to write letters. We get hundreds of emails a day, and there is something to be said about checking your mailbox several times a day and finding in there messages from those who matter. But gone, for the most part, of hand-written letters to loved ones is gone. My first year in college was at first a difficult one and letters from my mom and grandmother were very special. These were usually brief recaps of goings on at home and each would contain a dollar or two for my "gum" as both would say. I felt connected through those letters. Peter ends his letter with the passage from today. In it he summarizes what he has tried to share in this first letter, which I sum up in modern terms, "Hang in there." Most people know what that means. I tell that to my pastors after we discuss a challenge or unexpected blow, hang in there. Peter is telling the Church to hang in there. He knew the sufferings of believers and he believes the suffering would be nothing like the coming reward. In fact, in the NRSV he says, "The God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore, support, strengthen, and establish you." That's "hang in there - it's gonna get good!"

Many are the days when we feel we need restoration. It's coming. Many are the days when we feel we need support. It's coming. Many are the days we feel weak and tired. Strength is coming. Many are the days when we feel unsure or shaky about where we are and how we are living. God's going to establish us. It's all coming and today may be the day!

Hang in there! And for good measure, Peter adds that our fellowship should include a "holy kiss" with the knowledge that the peace of Christ is ours. Hang in there.

PRAYER: Loving God, even on those days when we think we are going to be hanged, You call us to hang in there. So be it. May a special blessing of strength, support, restoration and peace be mine and mine to share is what I ask, in Jesus' name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! (Hang in there!)

Eradio Valverde

A Defeated Enemy!

1 Peter 5:6 So be content with who you are, and don't put on airs. God's strong hand is on you; he'll promote you at the right time. 7 Live carefree before God; he is most careful with you. 8 Keep a cool head. Stay alert. The Devil is poised to pounce, and would like nothing better than to catch you napping. 9 Keep your guard up. You're not the only ones plunged into these hard times. It's the same with Christians all over the world. So keep a firm grip on the faith. (The Message)

1 Peter 5: 6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you. 8 Discipline yourselves, keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, steadfast in your faith, for you know that your brothers and sisters in all the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering. (New Revised Standard Version)

We don't like to think in terms of having any enemies. Most of us want to be liked by everyone, and most of us succeed. Yet, some of us find out early, we don't have to say anything or do anything, and there will be those who do not like us. I found this out earlier than I may have wanted, but it was to be a fact of life. In about eight or ninth grade, in my P.E. class, as we were dressing to return to classes, I was taking off my shirt and a guy came by and punched me hard in my stomach. In what I can only explain as a natural reaction, three quick punches to his stomach landed him on the floor with no desire to fight any longer. As a senior in high school, in my after school job as a worker in a drive-in theatre (kids, ask your parents what those were), a co-worker was smarting off to me, and I was ignoring him. He swung at me, I moved back and while his body was in motion with that swing, I grabbed him by the shirt and belt and threw him over some hedges. He landed with no desire to fight.

Now our enemies are worries, anxieties, and fears about what may be or what really is. Our worst enemy may even be ourselves in the perception we have about who we are or who we need to be. Peter, inspired by God, says, "Be content with who you are, and don't put on airs. God's strong hand is on you; He'll promote you at the right time." (I have to add that this morning because I am more versed in the New Revised Standard of the Bible, I included that version as well above). I love that we can, according to verse 7, "Cast all (our) anxiety on Him, because He cares for (us)." That takes care of the perceived enemies we face daily, if we trust God. Yet, as believers, we know that the Bible speaks of a spiritual enemy of God, by the name of Satan or the devil. As a child I remember my Mom telling us, "El diablo nunca duerme; the devil never sleeps." Peter knows this from his experience and says as believers we should discipline ourselves, staying alert, "Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour." Our task is to resist, staying strong in our faith, even in the face of persecution and suffering; for in the end it will be God who will be victorious.

What control does your enemy have on you today? Are you resisting or giving in? The devil gives despair; God gives grace. Which would serve you better today?

PRAYER: Loving God of power and might, bless my life with Your grace. Give me hope and victory over despair and worry. Even if I am facing much, I can trust in You in what You offer to me. I cast to You my anxieties, and know that in You I have found and can always find that which blesses my life. I pray in Jesus' name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde