How Long Will I Cry?

Eliana Beth Garcia, my youngest granddaughter

God Knows Our Hurts and If Invited, Will Do Something About Them

From Habakkuk 1: 1 The oracle that the prophet Habakkuk saw. 2 O Lord, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not listen? Or cry to you "Violence!" and you will not save? 3 Why do you make me see wrongdoing and look at trouble? Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise. 4 So the law becomes slack and justice never prevails. The wicked surround the righteous— therefore judgment comes forth perverted.2 O Lord, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not listen? Or cry to you "Violence!" and you will not save?

Life in Jericho must have been interesting. Life around the chief tax collector must have also been interesting, to put it mildly. We don't know for sure that he cheated people out of money, but somehow, some way, he amassed a fortune. And it might possibly have been through hook and crook. The words of the minor prophet whom when in high school, a teacher at a youth retreat said he came to know him by a nickname to better remember him, "Have a Coke!" Please know this is not an ad for soft drinks, though they are sure refreshing on a hot day. The prophet saw a vision of people crying out to God for justice and satisfaction against violence and the destruction that accompanies it, as well as for answered prayers against those who brought strife and contention to them. They knew they were surrounded by wicked people, and staying righteous was not easy. It seemed as if prayers and cries to God were being unanswered. How rich can Zacchaeus get before You do something, O God?

If you tie this reading with the gospel reading for this week, Luke 19:1-10, you see the connection. Life in Jericho got very interesting the day Jesus visited and the day that Zach changed his life. Those who may have been cheated by this chief tax collector received their money back in four times the amount. The poor who had not known possessions of any kind that day received possessions from one who knew good things and had accumulated many. This was answered prayer. But the one who walked away with the greatest gift was old Zacchaeus himself. He walked away in a new relationship with God. He walked away with eternal security for he was saved. Where once Zach was counted among the lost, now he was counted among the found. Zach himself might have said, "I was blind, but now I see."

God answers prayers. All prayers are answered in God's time and in God's way. A God-sent no is better than a self-imposed yes. With time we understand why.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for the gift of prayer. Grant to me deeper understanding of Your plan and purpose for my life. As you answer my prayers give me wisdom to understand. And while I may be praying for someone in my life to change, it may be me that needs a new attitude or understanding. So be it. Your will be done. I pray this in the name of He who changed Zacchaeus and changed me, Jesus my Lord, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio

P.S. The precious, crying baby is my Eliana. She and I turned one year older on the same day. Add some years to my one! ;)

Who's Boasting on You?

photo by Eradio Valverde, Jr.

What does our life say about God?

From 2 Thessalonians 1: 1 Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 We must always give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of everyone of you for one another is increasing. 4 Therefore we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith during all your persecutions and the afflictions that you are enduring.11 To this end we always pray for you, asking that our God will make you worthy of his call and will fulfill by his power every good resolve and work of faith, 12 so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Churches talk. They share the good and the bad of what's going on, with the pastor(s) sometimes being the main topic of discussion. Paul in this passage shares that he is blessed when he hears of the good being done for the work of advancing the good news of Jesus Christ. And who wouldn't boast of those believers whose faith was growing abundantly? And who also loved one another? And not only that but that the love between believers was also growing. Therefore, Paul boasted of this group's ability to grow in love and faith even while suffering much. In the midst of persecutions and afflictions, they were still all about God. And Paul and his group continued to pray for these believers in all ways, "worthy of His call and will fulfill by His power every good resolve and work of faith, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be gloried in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ."

I am thankful that we don't suffer the kinds of persecutions and afflictions that the ancient church endured. Yet, we live as if nothing really matters, and that we can continue a path of comfort and safety. We tend to be more like society in not agreeing with each other and quickly and easily finding lines which separate us from loving each other as we should. We lose faith with the first pains that come our way. expecting that things should go our way as painless and effortless as they can. In yesterday's gospel reading, the life of Zacchaeus was challenging. He was a chief tax collector, and so endured the criticism of holding such a position. His being short also probably made him uncomfortable, but when he met jesus, his life changed for the good forever. He became a man of faith and a man who on the spot made everything right that he had made wrong. Indeed, the Lord was glorified in him and he in Him. May it be so for us as well.

PRAYER: Amazing God of love, bring forth Your glory in me so that I may show how You have blessed me. In the face of afflictions and persecutions may I always shine forth your love. Increase my faith is my prayer. In Jesus' name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Meeting Jesus, Making a Change

Image from http://blog.emergingscholars.org.

Life Encounters with the Lord Still Happen

From Luke 19: 1 He entered Jericho and was passing through it. 2 A man was there named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was rich. 3 He was trying to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was short in stature. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see him, because he was going to pass that way. 5 When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today." 6 So he hurried down and was happy to welcome him. 7 All who saw it began to grumble and said, "He has gone to be the guest of one who is a sinner." 8 Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, "Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much." 9 Then Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost."

Jericho, what a city. We know it from the day the walls came tumbling down. It was a battle fought and won by Joshua and his army as they came to claim the Promised Land. It was also called the "city of palms" in the Old Testament and we can deduce that in its time it was a beautiful place to live. And apparently, it was a place in which to get rich. We meet a man whose introduction gives us a clue as to how he acquired wealth. He was a "chief tax collector." He was also an informed man who had heard of Jesus' fame and sought to be in the right place at the right time to meet Jesus. There was a problem, Zachhaeus was "short in stature." The only way to see Jesus was to either get to the parade route early or to climb a tree from which to see Jesus. Then it happened; Jesus called him by name and said that He was going to visit him at his house. This encounter changed Zach's life. As Jesus begins to get criticized for His going to a "sinner's" house, Zach declares the change that has come over his life. He tells Jesus that he will give half of his possessions to the poor, and if he had defrauded anyone in his role as chief tax collector, he will return four times the money. This was a change in his heart and spirit. This was a salvation event, for Jesus declares it as such and further says that this was part of His overall mission "to seek out and save the lost."

If Jesus calls you by name, He knows who you are. And if Jesus calls you by name and you know you are not right with God, you should seek to make right your relationship with God immediately. Jesus came to offer us life and that in abundance and Jesus offers us that to us even today. Jesus can remove that which is stealing away life or working slowly to destroy us. And then, Jesus offers the fullness of life. Zacchaeus realized that and grabbed it and immediately, the change needed in his life took place.

Zach realized that his satisfaction in life would not be found in his riches or possessions. He also realized that by giving half away to the poor, he would still have enough for himself and his family. And he also knew that money was no longer as important for himself, for he offered to return four times the money to those he may have defrauded. He was now blessed with the best possession that mattered for all eternity, having the right relationship with God. In the end, our bank account will not matter; what we did with what we had and how we shared with others will. How we dealt with God will also matter, not the possessions we had.

Christ offers to us the same He offered to Zach; what will you do about it?

PRAYER: Lord, may the example of Zaccheaus serve to inspire me to see things in Your perspective. It's not about money or possessions, it's about our relationship with you. Grant to me the fullness of life and rid my life of those things that seek to steal and destroy my life. I pray this in Christ Jesus, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Come to God

Image from adfinesterrae.com
Sing Praises to the God Who Provides All Things

From Psalm 65: 1 Praise is due to you, O God, in Zion; and to you shall vows be performed, 2 O you who answer prayer! To you all flesh shall come. 3 When deeds of iniquity overwhelm us, you forgive our transgressions. 4 Happy are those whom you choose and bring near to live in your courts. We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house, your holy temple. 5 By awesome deeds you answer us with deliverance, O God of our salvation; you are the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas. 6 By your strength you established the mountains; you are girded with might. 7 You silence the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, the tumult of the peoples.8 Those who live at earth's farthest bounds are awed by your signs; you make the gateways of the morning and the evening shout for joy. 9 You visit the earth and water it, you greatly enrich it; the river of God is full of water; you provide the people with grain, for so you have prepared it. 10You water its furrows abundantly, settling its ridges, softening it with showers, and blessing its growth. 11 You crown the year with your bounty; your wagon tracks overflow with richness. 12The pastures of the wilderness overflow, the hills gird themselves with joy, 13 the meadows clothe themselves with flocks, the valleys deck themselves with grain, they shout and sing together for joy.

When my children were growing up I feared the new invention of television and movies in the car. Headrests with screens came along, and I thank God we could not afford such luxuries in our vehicles. Now with tablets and smartphones, it seems these distractions have truly invaded our space. When preaching in Spanish the invention Nintendo came along, and I feared that too much time spent with Nintendo would result in a generation of kids that would ultimately say, "No entiendo." That's español for "I don't understand." I know I'm showing my age and my preferences, but here's where I think David and I stand; what could a generation miss if it misses the splendor of God's creation in favor of a game or movie or show? David believed that praise and worship could be found in creation, and that creation joins in with the praise and worship God is due from us.

The first part of this psalm talks about what God is due from us, and that is praise. That means when we glorify or lift high our feelings about God. It is a sense of exhilaration in our being in the presence of Almighty God. It is God who answers all of our prayers; and to God we should be faithful in holding to God our vows made to and in God's presence. Whenever we sin or fall short of doing or being who God called us to be, we are forgiven. Ours is happiness in being faithful to God, for God removes from us all that hampers our right relationship with Him. If you doubt this, David writes, look at the mountains; God's strength established those. My very first airplane ride was from Houston to El Paso, and I clearly remember looking out of that window over the mountains the closer we got to our destination, and my thoughts were thoughts of praise of the majesty of these things I had never seen from this height before. I had seen mountains in Mexico when I was a child, but to fly over them and see them stretch out for miles brought my heart back to God. I live by the waters of the Gulf of Mexico and I try to see them every day and David says, God has control over the seas. Just look all around you and you will see reminders of how awesome God truly is. The recent gifts of rain remind us of God's power to renew and refresh the earth. God provides grain for our good. God provides for all that we need if we but ask. Why not join together in singing the praises of the living God?

PRAYER: Awesome God, great and wonderful are You and Your works among us. Do not let us be distracted by anything, especially worries or anxieties. Let us see in all of nature the works of Your hands as a reminder of Your power to create and to make new all things, even us. Praise You! In Christ Jesus we pray, amen!

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

The God Who Gets Involved

graphic from ncchurches.org

New Life and New Opportunities for Service

From Joel 2: 23 O children of Zion, be glad and rejoice in the Lord your God; for he has given the early rain for your vindication, he has poured down for you abundant rain, the early and the later rain, as before. 24 The threshing floors shall be full of grain, the vats shall overflow with wine and oil. 25 I will repay you for the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter, my great army, which I sent against you. 26 You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, who has dealt wondrously with you. And my people shall never again be put to shame. 27 You shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I, the Lord, am your God and there is no other. And my people shall never again be put to shame. 28Then afterward I will pour out my spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. 29 Even on the male and female slaves, in those days, I will pour out my spirit. 30 I will show portents in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke. 31 The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes. 32 Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved; for in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those who escape, as the Lord has said, and among the survivors shall be those whom the Lord calls.

Thanks for tuning in. In the last episode of Who Gets On The Wheaties Box, it was the Apostle Paul, who knew he never stood alone. He knew he mattered to God and that God stood with him and shared with him words to help and comfort him, as well as words to further the gospel. The episode prior to that was about the man who thought he did not matter to God because of his sinfulness as a tax collector; the man who thought he deserved his picture on the Wheaties box was mistaken. In today's passage, it is God who deserves the picture reserved for champions on that box. For it is God who has starred in the three readings thus far. In today's reading, the prophet Joel is sharing God's words to a people who had felt forsaken and abandoned. The message was a familiar one; you matter to God! God says that the rain is a symbol of the washing away of sins and a symbol of provision. With good rain come good crops. And with good crops comes an abundance of blessings. Verse 26 says, "You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, who has dealt wondrously with you. And my people shall never again be put to shame." And what strikes as a powerful verse is the one that follows that says our God is involved in our lives if we so invite Him. And with the invitation to God to become involved in our lives will come the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. At this point of history as Joel is sharing this message, it was not known how the Holy Spirit would come and what would be the result of His arrival, but Joel says, for God, "I will pout out my spirit on all flesh; your sons and daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. Even on the male and female salves, in those days, I will pour out my spirit." (vss. 28-29). We will see these verses again in Acts 2 when Peter remembers this passage and then understands the Holy Spirit's coming among those mentioned in the promise.

The promise is to help people enter into a loving, trusting, relationship with God, and thus an escape from the ravages of sin and death.

You matter to God. Go tell somebody all about that.

PRAYER: Awesome God, thank You for allowing me to matter to You. Thank You for the promises of Your presence and power always in my life. May I use those for good; this I pray in Christ Jesus' precious name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

God Stands With Me

from www.readingacts.wordpress.com.

Finishing The Race of Faith!

From 2 Timothy 4: 6 As for me, I am already being poured out as a libation, and the time of my departure has come.7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 From now on there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have longed for his appearing. 16 At my first defense no one came to my support, but all deserted me. May it not be counted against them! 17 But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion's mouth. 18 The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and save me for his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

If anyone's face deserves a place on the Wheaties Box of Spiritual Champions, it is the Apostle Paul. Actually, on several boxes; one for fighting, one for running, and one for being faithful to the end. This passage is Paul's famous good-bye address, for he knew the end of this life on earth was drawing near. Christ Jesus had revealed to him all he would suffer, including how he was to die, and still Paul signed on for the ride and adventure that is faithful and fruitful living. Jesus also showed him the "crown of righteousness" that awaited him for having done and lived what he did in his life. Yet, Paul saw faith in Christ Jesus as a wonderful mystery. Like most believers he asked why someone like Jesus would die for us. That was a mystery, but one that he embraced and lived. He took a stand for Jesus because he knew that Jesus had taken a stand and his place on the cross for him. He fought the battles he fought because he knew that Jesus had fought battles for him. He ran and finished the race of faith because in His life, Christ was faithful until the very end. And because of all he knew of Jesus and His life, Paul stayed faithful to the end.

Paul was a bit sad that during his "first defense," no other believer stood to support him. The saying today is that Paul could say, "They threw me under the bus." Paul was deserted and left to stand physically alone, yet Paul does not say, "Send a thunderbolt from Heaven and strike them dead!" No, Paul prays that it not be held against them. Paul knew that he did not stand alone; God stood with him, and gave him strength and the words to continue to share the message to fulfill his call to take the good news to the Gentiles. And it was because of the Lord's faithfulness that Paul was given a second chance to continue, and that faith that God continued with him was still with him here at the end.

How about us? Do we know we never stand alone? Do we still fight, run and keep for the faith, or do we run, run, and run? Running only counts when we're doing it for the sake of Christ Jesus, not running to hide for our lives. Ours is a faith for taking a stand for Jesus and showing others what has been shown us; the better way to live.

PRAYER: LOVING God, may I live my life like Jesus and like Paul. I want to have faith and wisdom to share the Good News with all creatures here and everywhere. This is my prayer in Christ Jesus my Lord, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Humble Before God

Goes A Long Way

from agnusday.org

From Luke 18: 9 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt: 10 "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, "God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.' 13 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, "God, be merciful to me, a sinner!' 14 I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other; for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted."

Humility is a special gift. It is a spiritual attitude towards God and others that has God in God's proper place (No. 1), others in their place, and us in ours. And by proper, it is in following Jesus' teaching about the greatest commandment of loving God with all that we've got, and loving others as we love ourselves. And it has its place in worship. When we worship, it is the worship of God, not my favorite traditions or rituals, or even favorite hymns and orders of worship - it is about lifting our praises to the Most High God.

Jesus tells a story about two men, intended to teach a lesson to those listening, for there are those who do trust in themselves rather than God and thus set themselves up to treat others with contempt. Jesus explains that one man is a Pharisee and the other is a tax collector. Opposite ends of the pole in those days in the religious circles. Pharisees were "in," and tax collectors were "out." But, as these men are praying, Jesus says, the Pharisee prayed this prayer, "God, look at me! I am so wonderful! My face should be on the Wheaties Box of Spiritual Champions! First, let me thank You for not letting me like the losers out there in the world. You know who they are, people who steal, people who take advantage of others, those who cheat on their spouses, Man, I'm so glad I'm not like this tax collector, because You, O God, know how much we hate them! Oh, and by the way, I fast twice a week, which is twice more than most people. I tithe, so my church loves me! I'm so special! Why don't you just pin that blue ribbon on me right now?" The other man, the tax collector, Jesus said, could not even look up to heaven, instead he was beating his breast in sorrow and pain, and his prayer went something like this; "Lord, please have mercy on me, I am a sinner!" Simple and to the point. More importantly, it was from the heart.

Jesus sums it up by saying that this tax collector returned to his home with his prayer heard and answered. The other guy's prayer was just for show, so he got what he wanted, an audience with people. The teaching, Jesus said, if you lift your own self up, you will be humbled by God; but if you humble yourself before God, God will raise you up.

What we do and say in our relationship with God should come from and bless the heart, so that it can bless God. If we seek to do it for people's approval, we will have a very temporary reward. We should seek to do that which blesses others for God's sake, not ours; greater will be our reward in heaven.

PRAYER: Loving God, help me to have a right spirit before You. I stand in need of Your mercy always. Forgive me of my sins and help me to live a life that blesses You and Yours. This I pray in Jesus' name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

----graphic above from agnusday.org.

The Blessing of God's Word

Want directions for life? They're in the Holy Bible

From Psalm 119: 97 Oh, how I love all you've revealed; I reverently ponder it all the day long. 98 Your commands give me an edge on my enemies; they never become obsolete. 99 I've even become smarter than my teachers since I've pondered and absorbed your counsel. 100 I've become wiser than the wise old sages simply by doing what you tell me. 101 I watch my step, avoiding the ditches and ruts of evil so I can spend all my time keeping your Word. 102 I never make detours from the route you laid out; you gave me such good directions. 103 Your words are so choice, so tasty; I prefer them to the best home cooking. 104 With your instruction, I understand life; that's why I hate false propaganda.

What view do you have of the Holy Bible? Do you see it simply as a book, or a sacred writing? Can you stack things on it, or feel guilty about anything being on top of the Bible? When I was a campus minister, one of the students active in our ministry was adamant about nothing being on top of any Bible, even mine. If I had placed a smaller book on it for easier carrying, she would come over and remove the smaller book. I've shared how my nephew when he was about ten went through a period of being scared at night and asked for five Bibles. "Why five Bibles," I asked? "Because I'm really scared and they will protect me!" I did give him one but only after he promised he would read it. Many people hold the Bible as a sacred object. And I'm not going to make a discussion about that, what I do what to do is to speak of what we can find itself of that precious book. The real power of the Bible is the message of God that it contains and shares with those who read it with an open heart and a listening ear.

The theme for this week's lectionary texts has been on the Bible. The OT reading from Jeremiah spoke of a coming new covenant which we can make the case for it being the New Testament. The Epistle from 2 Timothy was on knowing the "sacred writings" and the need to always teach them. The Gospel of Luke shared the need for prayer as a foundation for our faith. The Bible is also a part of that foundation. The Psalm is about the way David has been blessed from knowing its writings and content. David had a love for God's word and delighted in it all the time. He held a reverence for God's word and spent time "pondering" what was inside. That meant not just reading but re-reading and prayerfully considering each word as a message from God. And David knew that being in the Word brings an edge to life that others, even our enemies will not have. Satan knows the Bible as you have seen when you read what happened to Jesus after His forty days in the wilderness. Madalyn Murry O'Hair knew the Bible better than most preachers! I saw her live in a debate on the campus of SMU with Bob Harrington, a flamboyant man, self-titled "Chaplain of Bourbon Street" as it was broadcast on WFAA AM radio of Dallas. He presented her with a red Bible and told it was red, because all Bibles should be read; but as the debate went on it was obvious that she knew the Bible as well as him; but it did not speak to her as it did Bob.

David believed that by listening for God while reading the Bible, he had become smarter than his teachers and wiser than "the wise old sages simply by doing what you tell me." Notice what he gleamed from the Word; watching his step, avoiding the ruts and ditches of evil, just so he could keep God's word. He went the way God showed him, believing that "good directions" had come from reading the Word. He even attributed eating aspects to study in the Word saying, "Your words are so choice, so tasty; I prefer them to the best home cooking." Summed up, he says, "With your instruction, I understand life."

Re-read the passage for today and let it sink in. Re-read this week's lectionary passages and see again how important God's Word, with prayer, is for your life. The directions for a blessed life can be found in God's Word. Are you listening as you pray and read?

PRAYER: Loving and amazing God, speak to my heart as I read from Your Word. Show me the way I should go. Keep my steps right behind Yours, help me avoid the ruts and ditches of evil. In Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

A Bad Taste?

What you do affects others, especially little ones

From Jeremiah 31: 27 The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of humans and the seed of animals. 28 And just as I have watched over them to pluck up and break down, to overthrow, destroy, and bring evil, so I will watch over them to build and to plant, says the Lord. 29 In those days they shall no longer say: "The parents have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge." 30 But all shall die for their own sins; the teeth of everyone who eats sour grapes shall be set on edge. 31 The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. 32 It will not be like the covenant that I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt—a covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, says the Lord. 33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 No longer shall they teach one another, or say to each other, "Know the Lord," for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the Lord; for I will forgive their iniquity, and remember their sin no more.

I love the idiom, "The parents have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge." It means that whatever the parents do, leaves a bad taste in their children's mouths. Spiritually, it means that setting a bad example leaves a bad impression on your children's mind and may affect their faith and/or their relationship with God or lack thereof. This is but the first part of a longer, more positive lesson from God through the prophet. God is still lamenting choices and behaviors God's people have made. They are far from being a light to the nations; in fact, they have become just as bad, if not worst, then the rest of the nations.

But God speaks of a new covenant coming, not like the one that led them to freedom from Egypt. This one will go deep into their hearts, minds, and spirits; and it will be one that will be marked with forgiveness instead of sin. It is the covenant that God brought through Jesus the Christ with all who would receive Him. It is a covenant of faithfulness and fruitfulness. It is one of belief and service. It is one of building up instead of tearing down. It is one that will even influence children to believe because of the way they see adults living loving and caring lives.

We live in the days of this new covenant, whose words make up the New Testament. It is the gospel message that should be deep within our hearts, minds and spirits. It is a new and better way to live, to live with love for God, and for our neighbor as ourselves.

You feeling it?

PRAYER: Loving God, awesome are Your promises, but even more amazing is Your presence in our lives. May this day be a day in which we seek to live the new covenant as a way to share our witness with those who have not yet heard. This we pray in Christ Jesus, Author and Bringer of the New Covenant, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Share From a Solid Foundation

The Disciplines of Faith Learned Early, Bless Later

From 2 Timothy 3:14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it, 15 and how from childhood you have known the sacred writings that are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work. 4:1 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I solemnly urge you: 2 proclaim the message; be persistent whether the time is favorable or unfavorable; convince, rebuke, and encourage, with the utmost patience in teaching. 3 For the time is coming when people will not put up with sound doctrine, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own desires, 4and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander away to myths. 5 As for you, always be sober, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, carry out your ministry fully.

I love sharing the story of one of my Sunday school teacher, the wife of a dear pastor of mine, who when after my ordination confessed that out of all the students she had taught, I was the last she would have thought of entering the ministry. I claim I wasn't a bad kid, just mischievous. I may have squirmed more than the rest, but I paid attention. And thanks to her teaching and other dear Sunday school teachers I had, and the sermons that I heard, one day, early in my life, I surrendered my life to Jesus Christ. How I wish more parents would take advantage of Sunday school and the blessing of bringing children to worship. I thank God for those churches that also have a time for children at the altar where lessons on their level are shared with them. Seeds are being planted and one day these will bear fruit in abundance.

Paul wrote a personalized letter to a young follower, to encourage and instruct him on the things that Paul had already taught him to believe and do. Timothy was the produce of a Christian home and was already on a solid foundation when Jesus called him into ministry alongside the Apostle Paul. In this passage for today, Paul reminds him of the "sacred writings that are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus." He reminds him that "All scripture is inspired byGod and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work." Those who have been taught about having a solid foundation should teach or share with others about that foundation, so that they too may learn and share with those who have not yet heard.

Paul continues the urgency of witnessing to this living faith at every opportunity; whether you're nervous or not, think you're prepared or not, to "convince, rebuke, and encourage, with the utmost patience in teaching." Paul shared this urgently because he knew that the day would come when people would go from here to there or there to here in search of something with which they would be pleased. Paul knew that God wanted truth taught about God's love through Jesus Christ in ways that held people solidly on a strong foundation and not some fly-by-night teachings that would please "itching ears." Paul says that this work requires our being sober, to endure whatever challenge may come our way, to be evangelists and to fully carry out our call to ministry, whether ordained or lay.

You may squirm, and you may giggle. You may be looking out the window and even daydreaming a bit, but pay attention; all that is being shared with you will serve a purpose. Let what you read, hear, sing, and pray help build for you a solid foundation from which you will live and bless God.

PRAYER: For the children of faith, Loving God, bring blessing. Grant patience and strength to joyful teachers and preachers, that they may help little ones grow in their faith. Be glorified in us today, we pray in Christ Jesus' precious name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

---------- Photo above from Grace UMC in Corpus Christi during 10/13/13 early worship.

My Favorite Prayer

It May Be Yours Too!

From Luke 18: 1 Jesus was telling them a parable about their need to pray continuously and not to be discouraged. 2 He said, "In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected people. 3 In that city there was a widow who kept coming to him, asking, ‘Give me justice in this case against my adversary.' 4 For a while he refused but finally said to himself, I don't fear God or respect people, 5 but I will give this widow justice because she keeps bothering me. Otherwise, there will be no end to her coming here and embarrassing me." 6 The Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 Won't God provide justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he be slow to help them? 8 I tell you, he will give them justice quickly. But when the Human One comes, will he find faithfulness on earth?" (Common English Bible)

In talking with a group of my pastors recently, the discussion of prayer came up, and someone shared their frequent prayer and I said it was my favorite prayer. It is quite simple and powerful, and it may perhaps be a prayer that you may have prayed from time to time. "Lord, I don't know what to do!" There it is. It's a prayer that puts, in my opinion, everything and everyone in perspective; God is to Whom we pray and hold absolute and final sway in all things; Us, and we don't have a clue sometimes at some of the things that come or are thrown our way. It shows that we do have to, as Jesus taught in this parable, pray all the time. "Pray without ceasing" was Paul's teaching and experience. And his life was nothing like mine; he was a true master of suffering and service in the midst of all that he suffered. He would be the first to say that he would not have been able to say Yes to Jesus had he not known how to pray.

A bishop once shared a sorrowful story from his days as senior pastor of a large church. He, like most pastors, was running late on several things expected of him, and as he left the building, he ran into a harried woman who seemed troubled and she asked, "Can anybody in that church teach me how to pray?" Pressured more by his schedule than by his spirit, he replied that someone inside could probably teach her, but he was running late and could not do it himself. It was a regret that he carries to this day. Too busy to pray is usually one of our favorite excuses, but too busy to teach someone who wants to pray is a new one and one we should encounter more often.

The parable is meant to underscore what Jesus expected of the disciples after they had asked to be taught how to pray. It was one thing to learn how to pray, and quite another to pray continuously. If, Jesus teaches, this unjust, unbelieving judge, will find and make time to listen to this widow's demands, won't God "provide justice" to those who "cry out to him day and night? Will he be slow to help them?" The answer is no, God will bring justice quickly. The question remains, will God's Son find faithfulness on the earth when He comes again?

The point of the parable is to pray always and to remain faithful in our answered prayer life. Simple, but powerful thought prayers that we can lift up without saying a word work. Talking out loud to God, with eyes open, while driving works too. Kneeling and saying, "I don't know what to do" with God is a blessing. And then getting up and going about God's business, while listening to God's answer, is the best. Faithfulness will be ours.

PRAYER: Lord, help me to pray more. Staying connected to You is a lifeline we can't be without. As I pray, increase my faith. And may my faith increase the fruit I produce for You and Your Reign here on the earth. Amen.

------------- Pastor at Prayer, a photo I took yesterday of The Rev. Stan Whites of Grace UMC or Corpus Christi.

God is Awesome

Even When We're Not

From Psalm 66: 1 All together now - applause for God! 2 Sing songs to the tune of his glory, set glory to the rhythms of his praise. 3 Say of God, "We've never seen anything like him!" When your enemies see you in action, they slink off like scolded dogs. 4 The whole earth falls to its knees - it worships you, sings to you, can't stop enjoying your name and fame. 5 Take a good look at God's wonders - they'll take your breath away. 6 He converted sea to dry land; travelers crossed the river on foot. Now isn't that cause for a song? 7 Ever sovereign in his high tower, he keeps his eye on the godless nations. Rebels don't dare raise a finger against him. 8 Bless our God, O peoples! Give him a thunderous welcome! 9 Didn't he set us on the road to life? Didn't he keep us out of the ditch? 10 He trained us first, passed us like silver through refining fires, 11 Brought us into hardscrabble country, pushed us to our very limit, 12 Road-tested us inside and out, took us to hell and back; Finally he brought us to this well-watered place. (The Message)

A people at praise are a people of power. When the need to praise God comes over us, we should do it with all our might and really participate in giving the Most High, the most of our worship and praise. Joyful singing, passionate praying and preaching, rapt listening and sharing, all make for a strong people to face whatever life may throw our way. The psalmist knew this and writes about it. This is a psalm of gratitude towards God and an encouragement to all who would praise God, to do so in a way that is worthy of all God has, is, and will do, for us. It's as if he is saying the drive to church and the drive home should serve as a prelude and a postlude to worship. Look out the windows and see the glories of God presented in special ways. Then when at worship, share and receive all you need, and then continue to be a blessing to God everywhere you go.

The place where we find ourselves may not seem to some as the place where they ultimately want to be, but if God has us where we are, make the best of it for God's sake and for the sake of those pre-God people. You and I have a story to share; share it joyfully, we've come a long way and where we are is a blessing.

PRAYER: Make my heart, O Lord, like those whom the Psalmist wrote about. I want to be a person of power because of the worship I share and receive. Make my heart joyful in all things that give witness to Your might and peace; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Prayer Requests for Rev. Greg Hackett continue. He is battling pneumonia and needs our prayers. He continues in ICU here in Corpus Christi. Pray for Sally and their two sons. Thank you.

Dear Church...

Adapt and Live or Abandon Hope and Die

From Jeremiah 29: 1 These are the words of the letter that the prophet Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem to the remaining elders among the exiles, and to the priests, the prophets, and all the people, whom Nebuchadnezzar had taken into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. 4 Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5 Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat what they produce.6 Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. 7 But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.

Dear Church,

So your neighborhood has changed, and you have new neighbors; make the best of it! You basically have two churches, prosper among your new neighbors by getting to know them and love them; or get bitter, close your blinds and live isolated, bitter and alone. My "neighborhood" changed in 1971. I went from the largest city in Texas to a tiny town in East Texas. It was a world of difference. I had my family and my home, I had my church family in my church, and I had some friends at my school and my work; but I left those all behind to attend college. My plan was to go home as often as I could, but with the work scholarship I received, I had to work in the school cafeteria every other weekend. That meant having to work on Sundays during regular hours of worship. However, this was in those years when most churches had what was called Sunday night worship. I know it is an amazing, unbelievable concept, but people would actually go to church twice on Sundays. And some, like me, had the chance to go worship once, at night because in the mornings I smelled of egg and coffee and other things that came on the dirty dishes that I washed. It was my choice and thank God, a small group of my friends liked the idea so we would walk to the church and worship God. Having friends was also my choice, I decided it would be a good thing to know new people even though they were different from me, had come from their own neighborhoods with the same goal in mind of getting a higher education, and we made the best of it. Some of those friends are still my friends today, and I thank God for their lives and their love and influence on me during what could have been a very lonely existence had I chosen that way to live. (The photo is of my graduation from Lon Morris College in Jacksonville, Texas, now closed)

Jeremiah wrote such a Dear Church letter to those who found themselves in a new neighborhood. He did it on God's behalf, he was, after all, a prophet, meaning a "mouth piece" for God and shared God's vision for this church in exile. It basically says, "Make the most of it!" Live among them as true neighbors, settle down and make roots for yourselves among these new people. Find from among them, if you're single, a spouse and have kids, and those who have and love their children with respect, know they will never be alone and as they have children, your family will increase. Seek for the wellbeing of others in your midst and your wellbeing will increase as well.

You and I know of some who have chosen the other route, if you can call it that, for standing still leads nowhere; a route indicates some movement and if you're walking with God, a route takes you where God leads you. To choose to walk without God usually means a route leading away from God and towards loneliness and meaningless, Purposelessville. And there is little to no life in such a chosen neighborhood. Some churches has chosen that attitude towards their "new" neighborhoods, assuming neighbors have their "own" church, their "own" friends, and their "own" families, so they make no effort to truly know these "new" neighbors, and both lose out. "We have a new entry to our church!" Guess what, it leads out as well. "We have new padding in our pews!" It only helps your comfort while you receive instructions on how to get up and go into the new neighborhood. "We have greeters!" Yes, most of them greet those they haven't seen in six days... Dear church...

PRAYER: Loving God, we are all guilty of seeking that which is best and most comfortable and that which requires less effort. Open our eyes, ears, hearts and arms, to walk among our neighbors and love them into the relationship with You that leads to life and that in abundance. This we pray in Christ Jesus' precious name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Prayer Request: Dear friends, a longtime friend and colleague of mine, The Rev. Greg Hackett is in the hospital with pneumonia here in Corpus Christi. He is pastor of First UMC here, and yesterday was moved to ICU. Thankfully, he has started responding to new medications, but still needs our prayers. Bless you for praying for Greg.

Remember Jesus Christ

From jesusistheword.org

God's Word is Not Chained From 2 Timothy 2: 8 Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of David—that is my gospel, 9 for which I suffer hardship, even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But the word of God is not chained. 10 Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, so that they may also obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory. 11 The saying is sure: If we have died with him, we will also live with him; 12 if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he will also deny us; 13 if we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself.14 Remind them of this, and warn them before God that they are to avoid wrangling over words, which does no good but only ruins those who are listening. 15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved by him, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly explaining the word of truth.

My grandson, Caleb Eradio and his parents, went with Nellie and I to a church at which I was invited to preach. He got very excited about going to church and kept coming into our bedroom to say he wanted to go to church with me. We arrived at the church and he immediately asked, "Where's my church?" Oops. This was not his home church, but he was glad to be there. When it was time for Communion he came and he had to ask his mom, "Where's the little cup?" He was not familiar with intinction. All of this is serving to teach him even at his young age, about Jesus Christ. I pray that one day he will make a decision to allow Jesus to enter his heart and be Lord and Savior of his life, and that he never forget who Jesus Christ is.

Paul is reminding Timothy that we should never forget the example and sacrifice of Jesus Christ. His death and resurrection are part of the Good News in which we believe, and for this gospel we should be willing to suffer all things, even imprisonment like criminals, and even chained like them. But even if we are chained, Paul says, "The word of God is not chained." The life-giving and life-affirming message of God through Jesus Christ knows no boundaries nor barriers that it cannot conquer, and ours is the task of telling others so that they too may have that saving relationship with Him. No matter the personal loss or cost to us, the reward is the same: Life with Jesus even beyond death. Not everybody can endure suffering; some fall away. And the reasons can be both great and petty, but none can support our giving up or forgetting Jesus; yet we have those who quit worshipping God or leave worship fellowships because of some excuse.

You and I are called to endure. And if we endure, we will reign with Him. You and I are called to proclaim Jesus. If we deny Him, He will deny us. You and I are called to faithfulness; for He is always faithful to us, not even able to deny Himself. Ours is to share this message with all. We are to avoid arguments and wrangling over words; seek words that build up. We are to present ourselves to God as those who have been approved by Jesus, faithful workers seeking fruitfulness in all things.

We can do it, because God goes with us.

PRAYER: Awesome God, bless my words and life with the message of today, so that I may bless others. In Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Those First Steps Towards Wholeness and Gratitude

(from saidanotherway.blogspot.com) Mom: "What do you say?"

From Luke 17: 11 On the way to Jerusalem Jesus was going through the region between Samaria and Galilee. 12As he entered a village, ten lepers approached him. Keeping their distance, 13 they called out, saying, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!" 14 When he saw them, he said to them, "Go and show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, they were made clean. 15 Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. 16 He prostrated himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him. And he was a Samaritan. 17 Then Jesus asked, "Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they? 18 Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" 19 Then he said to him, "Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well."

As a campus minister I was called on by area preachers to fill in when they were sick or going to be away. One Thanksgiving, I was invited to preach the 11 a.m. Thanksgiving Day sermon at the church where I had interned. The pastor had had a car accident and was not in any condition to preach. I was honored to be asked and prayed that the Lectionary text for that day would be appropriate, and it was this passage. I sat in the preacher's chair as worship began and I get a note. "Momma does not like for the word leper to be used in any sermon, as this causes her to lose her appetite." Uh...

This story is not a story focusing on the sickness as it is on the healing and the response after healing. It is a great Thanksgiving sermon for it has in it an element of our attitude towards God and towards giving God thanks. Ten lepers, living dead as it were, a life sentence to live away from other living humans, decided to take a chance on Jesus. "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!" In other words, bring us back to life; help us return to the living, to our families, to our loved ones! In this story, Jesus sees them and calls to them, "Go and show yourselves to the priests." Here is where the faith kicks in. Some might have thought, is that it? Aren't you going to make some mud and rub it on us, or go dip ourselves in the Jordan seven times? The faith came in those first steps towards the priests. It is awesome to see that as they made their way towards the priests, they were healed; "made clean." Every step took them closer to wholeness, and it was only one that saw that he had been healed that turned back and praised God with a loud voice. He returned to Jesus, threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked Him. And get this, he was a foreigner! A Samaritan! Eww! Jesus asks the question, Weren't there ten of these lepers? What Happened to the other nine? Only one, and a foreigner at that, happened to thank God? Then, turning to the grateful one, said, "Get up and go on your way; your faith had made you well."

The other nine received healing. This one received wholeness. The other nine had clean skin. This one received a clean heart and spirit, a connection to the living God. The others lived out their lives with loved ones and among the living; this one lived out his life in fullness of life. He knew what it was to suffer and from that vantage point of having been there, having done that, knew the fullness and richness of life seen now from a better vantage point. His life was blessed way beyond the others, simply because he knew how to give thanks.

What leprosies have we been healed of, and what have we done about it? Have we simply been healed, or have we been made whole?

PRAYER: Loving God, for all You have done, I give You thanks. Make me whole in every aspect of my life. I desire to know You more and to thank You more. I pray in Jesus' name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Remembering Home

from soundcloud.com

Sadness and Anger in a Song?

From Psalm 137:1 By the rivers of Babylon— there we sat down and there we wept when we remembered Zion. 2On the willows there we hung up our harps. 3 For there our captors asked us for songs, and our tormentors asked for mirth, saying, "Sing us one of the songs of Zion!" 4 How could we sing the Lord's song in a foreign land? 5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand wither! 6 Let my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy. 7 Remember, O Lord, against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem's fall, how they said, "Tear it down! Tear it down! Down to its foundations!" 8 O daughter Babylon, you devastator! Happy shall they be who pay you back what you have done to us! 9 Happy shall they be who take your little ones and dash them against the rock!

If you use a Blackberry phone to read this devotional and have had trouble, please see the link at the bottom of the devotional.

In one of my churches years ago, there was a dear sweet man, whose smile and warmth blessed me each Sunday. He was a faithful usher and greeter to all who would come and worship with us. His face showed the years he spent in the sun and I often wondered about his life until one day a daughter of his worshiped with us and shared with me a story that he preferred to keep to himself. He was captured during World War II by the Japanese and kept in a POW camp where he was forced into hard labor. He lost a part of his ear to the ravages of the sun, but still that smile in the present did not reflect what must have been hell on earth for him in those years. I imagine he could have easily sung the song that is Psalm 137; yet I doubt if he could have added the anger found towards the end of that song.

I have often found myself away from home but never, thank God, against my will or as a captive of war. Never tormented and teased by a captor (my friends on Facebook are enough, thank you) or guard. I know what it is to be homesick and yes, I have cried when I have moved from one home to another. My first year in college was especially hard for me, but it was part of growing up. This psalm is a song of distress by one who remembered as we say, "better days." Forced to leave Zion to Babylon, these wept by the rivers of Babylon, choosing to hang up their harps instead of singing songs from home, even to the point of asking, "How could we sing the Lord's song in a foreign land?" Yesterday, a dear pastor brother and colleague shared how his doctor would sing before, during and after his surgeries, "Amazing Grace." This pastor was on a gurney awaiting surgery when he heard a beautiful voice singing that precious song. "Who's that?" this pastor asked the nurse; "That's your surgeon; he always sings before and during surgery." A calm assurance came over his spirit. After the surgery he asked the doctor why he sang, and he gave his testimony. Then they sang together, yes, even after surgery. In his followup visit, they sang again. Sometimes it is hard to sing.

The psalmist recording this is part of a group carried off by captors. Their faithlessness and rebellion against God allowed the Edomites to take them against their will, still their anger against the captors is shown in the final verses. Anger to the point of saying what now to us seems a terrible thing, "Happy shall they be who take your little ones and dash them against the rock!" Yes, anger to that point, but nonetheless wrong. We should be angry at ourselves if we let our faith slip away as we pursue passion and pleasure instead of purpose and the plan of God for our lives.

PRAYER: Loving God, for those homesick this day, bring comfort. For those who are being held against their will, bring freedom. For those slipping quietly away from faith, bring them back. For those angry at others for things they have chosen for themselves bring them to their senses and instill Your spirit of forgiveness. This we pray in Christ Jesus' name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde -----------

With respect to blackberry phones, these have certain settings that will need to be turned on/edited in order for HTML emails to appear on them correctly. These can be setup by those subscribers by navigating to their blackberry settigs >> email preferences. They will want to enable HTML email. This article (although not one of ours) discusses this in full detail if you would like to check it out:

http://docs.blackberry.com/en/smartphone_users/deliverables/38289/1848476.jsp

Drudge and Trudge

(from www.mnartists.org)

The result of a weakened or absent faith

From Lamentations 1: 1 Oh, oh, oh . . . How empty the city, once teeming with people. A widow, this city, once in the front rank of nations, once queen of the ball, she's now a drudge in the kitchen. 2 She cries herself to sleep each night, tears soaking her pillow. No one's left among her lovers to sit and hold her hand. Her friends have all dumped her. 3 After years of pain and hard labor, Judah has gone into exile. She camps out among the nations, never feels at home. Hunted by all, she's stuck between a rock and a hard place. 4 Zion's roads weep, empty of pilgrims headed to the feasts. All her city gates are deserted, her priests in despair. Her virgins are sad. How bitter her fate. 5 Her enemies have become her masters. Her foes are living it up because God laid her low, punishing her repeated rebellions. Her children, prisoners of the enemy, trudge into exile. 6 All beauty has drained from Daughter Zion's face. Her princes are like deer famished for food, chased to exhaustion by hunters. (The Message Version)

In reading this text I thought back to recent drives through what once was the Mexican "downtown." In my childhood, Richard Street, named for Captain Richard King, the namesake of the ranch and town, had three grocery stores, a barber shop, pool halls, bars, and a bakery that grew into a regional supplier of pan dulce for area stores, including HEB. When I was 9, I followed my father's footsteps in getting a job at Chapa's Grocery, working every Saturday from 8 until 6 for one dollar and fifty cents, a fortune for a boy. Now, Chapa's roof has caved in, the other stores are boarded up, there are no businesses left in that downtown area. Even the first Apple store, so named for the huge apple sign it had, is closed. The sign remained for many years, but my last drive through there saw no sign. I suppose if we multiply the emptiness of this small south Texas town by a thousand or more, we could get an idea of what drove the writer to lament the fate of Jerusalem. From "queen of the ball" to "drudge in the kitchen," crying "herself to sleep each night, tears soaking her pillow." Once exalted, now exiled. From parades of military victories to a slow "trudge into exile," the city is no more.

The gospel lesson for this week calls for us to use what faith we have now to do what God expects. This lesson underscores the need for that by sharing the results of a non-acting faith. "The city" refers to the people of God becoming those of no faith, choosing rebellion over faithfulness, and paying the price. They chose to abandon God, and God abandoned them.

May it not be so with us and our churches. We have so much still to show for what can be, we need to work towards what should be.

PRAYER: Loving God, again I pray that you use my faith for Your service. I seek opportunities to grow and be faithful and fruitful. May my faith bless the faith of others I ask, in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

If Grandma Could Do It...

God's Spirit at work in our lives

From 2 Timothy 1: 1 From Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by God's will, to promote the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus. 2 To Timothy, my dear child.

Thanksgiving and prayer 3 Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.I'm grateful to God, whom I serve with a good conscience as my ancestors did. I constantly remember you in my prayers day and night. 4 When I remember your tears, I long to see you so that I can be filled with happiness. 5 I'm reminded of your authentic faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice. I'm sure that this faith is also inside you. 6 Because of this, I'm reminding you to revive God's gift that is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 God didn't give us a spirit that is timid but one that is powerful, loving, and self-controlled. Don’t be ashamed of the testimony 8 So don't be ashamed of the testimony about the Lord or of me, his prisoner. Instead, share the suffering for the good news, depending on God's power. 9 God is the one who saved and called us with a holy calling. This wasn't based on what we have done, but it was based on his own purpose and grace that he gave us in Christ Jesus before time began. 10 Now his grace is revealed through the appearance of our savior, Christ Jesus. He destroyed death and brought life and immortality into clear focus through the good news. 11 I was appointed a messenger, apostle, and teacher of this good news. 12 This is also why I'm suffering the way I do, but I'm not ashamed. I know the one in whom I've placed my trust. I'm convinced that God is powerful enough to protect what he has placed in my trust until that day. 13 Hold on to the pattern of sound teaching that you heard from me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 14 Protect this good thing that has been placed in your trust through the Holy Spirit who lives in us. (Common English Bible)

Paul writes to Timothy with several words of encouragement. Paul reminds Timmy that he had been called "to promote the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus," and Timmy was to do the same. After his greeting, Paul shares a prayer of thanksgiving and grace, reminding Timothy that he is covered in prayer day and night by Paul's prayers and others who are remembering him and his work. Paul then says he is reminded of Timothy's genuine faith which was something that he received from his grandma and mother, Lois and Eunice. I included as today's picture, a picture of the only grandmother I knew, and one who blessed my faith because of her faith. My other grandmother died when my mother was only 11, so I never knew her. But I am thankful that Petra Martinez Valverde, "Momo" as we called her lived until 1985. My mother and father also were very key in helping shape my faith, and it goes to prove that how we live our lives as believers helps shape and strengthen the faith of the young. Many blame the church for the lack of children and youth, young adults as well, but we have to wonder what role the parents and grandparents had in that exodus? I am not trying to excuse the church for there are some things that we may have or are doing, that helped keep them out, but I argue for the strong positive influence a solid faith of a parent should have in the life of a child.

Timothy was a strong believer tasked with a difficult job, of instructing former believers who had strayed into teaching myths and endless genealogies (from 1 Tim 1). Paul reminds him that he was prayed for by the laying on of hands and had received God's strong gift. And that gift, as defined in verse 7, is not a timid spirit, "but one that is powerful, loving, and self-controlled." This is the spirit needed in all churches today. Folks come on Sundays and if that gift is not shared in the message or worship, folks will give in to the spirit of despair that is prevalent in the world today. Paul reminds Timothy to be proud and not ashamed of the testimony that he is sharing about the Lord. It was God who called both Paul and Timothy and it is God who is with them allowing them to face all that they have suffered. Paul ends this part of the letter with that hope that is also needed, that God will not allow anything to harm the faith in us if we stayed connected to God. Live a Spirit-filled and Spirit-led life is Paul's instruction to Timothy and to us.

If ever the church needed to hear that, it is right now.

PRAYER: Make loud and clear Your message to us, the church, about our spirits and our lives. May we live as those called and protected by You to share a life that is not timid nor ashamed of You, but rather strong and bold about what You have, are, and will do, in our lives and in the lives of our churches. Begin with me. This I ask in Jesus, my Lord, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Jumping Mulberry Trees!

(from sundayschoollessons.com)

Jesus Invented "Just Do It!"

From Luke 17:5 The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!" 6 The Lord replied, "If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, "Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it would obey you. 7 "Who among you would say to your slave who has just come in from plowing or tending sheep in the field, "Come here at once and take your place at the table'? 8 Would you not rather say to him, "Prepare supper for me, put on your apron and serve me while I eat and drink; later you may eat and drink'? 9 Do you thank the slave for doing what was commanded?10 So you also, when you have done all that you were ordered to do, say, "We are worthless slaves; we have done only what we ought to have done!' "

I love watching kids watching television especially around the commercials of the Christmas holidays. "I want that!" "No, I want that!" It's a litany of a chorus repeated whenever a new or different sort of toy comes on the screen. The disciples had just had some lessons on faith. The story of the rich man and Lazarus must have made them pause long and hard about their own faith and faithfulness. Then the difficult teaching on forgiveness and how one must lose count of offenses done against them for true forgiveness to take place. The only thing they could think to ask for, was more faith. They believed they did not yet measure up to the expectations of a faithful and fruitful life.

Jesus' reply was that even the tiniest of faith, compared to a mustard seed or a poppy seed, is sufficient for doing all that is expected of us as believers. Just do it, is basically Jesus' response to the disciples and to us. It's not about the large amount of faith that you have, is about having faith to do what you should. More faith does not mean better prestige or privilege; faith means being faithful and fruitful in all things, especially forgiving one another and encouraging one another. It's not as if we ask for more faith to do less or to enjoy more; use the faith you have in God right now to get to work right now.

Just do it.

PRAYER: Loving God, forgive me when I think I don't have enough faith and use it as an excuse for not doing as I should. Grant to me the assurance of a faith strong enough to do all that you expect from me so that I might indeed be faithful and fruitful. This I ask in Jesus' name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde