Be Healed!

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Mark 7:24-37 From there he set out and went away to the region of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know he was there. Yet he could not escape notice, but a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit immediately heard about him, and she came and bowed down at his feet. Now the woman was a Gentile, of Syrophoenician origin. She begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. He said to her, "Let the children be fed first, for it is not fair to take the children's food and throw it to the dogs." But she answered him, "Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs." Then he said to her, "For saying that, you may go—the demon has left your daughter." So she went home, found the child lying on the bed, and the demon gone. Then he returned from the region of Tyre, and went by way of Sidon towards the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. They brought to him a deaf man who had an impediment in his speech; and they begged him to lay his hand on him. He took him aside in private, away from the crowd, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue. Then looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, "Ephphatha," that is, "Be opened." And immediately his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. Then Jesus ordered them to tell no one; but the more he ordered them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. They were astounded beyond measure, saying, "He has done everything well; he even makes the deaf to hear and the mute to speak."

What would you do and what would you allow done to you, if you needed healing of a lifetime affliction? A woman with a daughter believed to be possessed by a demon would ask for and probably do anything for her daughter to be healed and delivered from this terrible affliction. A deaf man with a speech impediment, though he could not clearly say, would allow family and friends to seek a healing for him. The first encounters a reluctant Jesus, set on ministry for the Jews, who counters that "even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs." Such was her desire for her daughter's wholeness. It was enough to convince Jesus and her daughter was healed. The man was brought to Jesus and Jesus takes him aside in private and heals him in an unexpected way, but one that Mark shares with truthfulness. Jesus, ever the Man of touch, puts his fingers in the deaf man's ears, and he spat and put that on the man's tongue. Jesus prays a word prayer, "Ephphatha," which means "be opened," and with that spoke word, is completely healed. If you have ever seen the videos of those who have received those hearing devices placed on their heads and they hear for the first time, you've probably shared a tear or two at seeing these who have lived in silence, now hearing. The one that gets me the most is the one of the little baby who when hearing his mommy's voice get super excited. One can only imagine the reaction of this man, or that mom upon finding her daughter now resting calmly. That's the peace that comes with healing.

Jesus is still the Man of touch. His desire is to touch our lives in areas where we need to be delivered and made whole. It may not be a physical ailment, then again, it might; we have but to ask Jesus for His touch upon our lives and enjoy the results. Is our spirit calm with knowing the presence of Jesus in our lives? Are our ears open to listening to the Word of God and our lips proclaiming our faith and love for God? This may be the place for us to start...

PRAYER: Loving Man and Loving God of touch, touch our lives towards wholeness and healing. May our spirits find rest and peace in Thee, and may our ears be ever ready to listen and our tongues ready to proclaim, our words of praise and peace to those who have not yet heard. This we pray in Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Prayer Requests: For my brother-in-law, Rev. John Warren in Methodist Hospital in Houston, undergoing observation for chest pains. For Rev. Juanita Garcia, who underwent emergency gum surgery this weekend. For Rev. Dale White, who undergoes a PET scan to determine the cause of a fever that won't go away. May these and others in need, be healed in the strong name of Jesus our Lord. Amen.

Learn to Watch & Follow The Guideposts

Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-9 So now, Israel, give heed to the statutes and ordinances that I am teaching you to observe, so that you may live to enter and occupy the land that the Lord, the God of your ancestors, is giving you. You must neither add anything to what I command you nor take away anything from it, but keep the commandments of the Lord your God with which I am charging you. You must observe them diligently, for this will show your wisdom and discernment to the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, "Surely this great nation is a wise and discerning people!" For what other great nation has a god so near to it as the Lord our God is whenever we call to him? And what other great nation has statutes and ordinances as just as this entire law that I am setting before you today? But take care and watch yourselves closely, so as neither to forget the things that your eyes have seen nor to let them slip from your mind all the days of your life; make them known to your children and your children's children—

Growing up in my father's house I heard a lot of clichés that I took to heart. You probably did too. "As long as you're living under my roof..." and "Do as I say, not as I do..." and "This is going to hurt me more than it is you..." I also heard instructions and advice on who to live my life. In my heart I sought not to disappoint my Dad. Then came the teenage years and with it the stupid wisdom that I knew everything, even more than my dad. Thankfully, deep down I knew what was right and what would get me killed; if not in an accident, but at the hands of my father. Israel, had such a Father as well; God shared with them statutes and ordinances that God meant for them to observe as they entered into the promised land. In this passage, we hear the reminder of how important these are. "You must observe them diligently, for this will show your wisdom and discernment to the peoples,who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, 'Surely this great nation is a wise and discerning people!' For what other great nation has a god so near to it as the Lord our God is whenever we call to Him?" As I sought to live a model life, I was also bringing honor to my family; as Israel sought to live a model life among the people who did not yet know God, they were bringing honor to God, and perhaps, even bringing them nearer to God. They were told not to forget what they had seen and experienced nor to let such memories slip from their minds, and even, to teach such to their children.

As I spend time with my grandchildren I try to slip in some gems of wisdom to them in the hope that a seed is planted that instructs them in the way of righteousness. I want their lives to bring honor and glory to God. I want them to see and know the love of God and to keep those memories as precious and ever present. And one day I want them to teach those to their children and grandchildren. I want the glow on their face to be not from their smartphones or tablets, but from the glow of God's love that has come to them.

PRAYER: Loving God, bring the glow of Your love to my face so that this glow may also come to the faces of those I love. This I ask in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Doers of the Word

James 1:17-27 Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. In fulfillment of his own purpose he gave us birth by the word of truth, so that we would become a kind of first fruits of his creatures. You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; for your anger does not produce God's righteousness. Therefore rid yourselves of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves. For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those who look at themselves in a mirror; for they look at themselves and, on going away, immediately forget what they were like. But those who look into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and persevere, being not hearers who forget but doers who act—they will be blessed in their doing. If any think they are religious, and do not bridle their tongues but deceive their hearts, their religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

How would you live your life if your actions were to be the basis of the only sermon someone would hear today? How awesome would a "sermon" of you reacting to something negative in an even more negative way? How awesome a sermon would your anger preach to someone who shared something with you and your misheard what the person was trying to share with you? These are the concerns that James shared with his readers in his time. James says we should live lives that bless others because we have been blessed as God's "first fruits" of this new life. What a precious and powerful sermons are those which preach a witness of patience, understanding, forgiveness and compassion; compared to those which are simply reactions of anger and wrath? Our attitude should be one of meekness and love that shows the way God has treated us. I heard one preacher ask, "God, how do you put up with me?" That's a very good question and it's a teaching one as well.

James believed that those who actually "do" live the gospel are those who bless others. The ones who merely hear the word simply are deceiving themselves; and he compares it to one who has looked in the mirror and as they go away forget immediately what they were look like. Our mirror should be the word of God. Are we reflecting the image shared in that book about how we should live? The Bible is the best mirror we have for seeing how we really are. And the more we look into that mirror, the better we look to God and to those who are seeking God.

A relationship with God speaks a positive witness to others. Trying to be religious speaks only about your habit of trying to impress others and caring nothing towards God. Those in relationship with God will care about others, especially those in need; and will do and share all they can, to make the world a better place.

Pick up the "mirror" of God and take a good look. The "wrinkles" or "freckles" or "pimples" you may see can all be permanently and eternally removed. And the best part? Those who look toward God for the right image, will never age!

PRAYER: Loving God, speak to me as I look into Your Word as my mirror today. Help me to be the person You called me to be and as I read in Your word, speak the truth about who I am to be and become. May I truly seek to bless others with my life and actions and not merely my words. This I pray in Christ Jesus my Lord, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

What's Coming Out of Your Heart?

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Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 Now when the Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around him, they noticed that some of his disciples were eating with defiled hands, that is, without washing them. (For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not eat unless they thoroughly wash their hands, thus observing the tradition of the elders; and they do not eat anything from the market unless they wash it; and there are also many other traditions that they observe, the washing of cups, pots, and bronze kettles. ) So the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, "Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?" He said to them, "Isaiah prophesied rightly about you hypocrites, as it is written, "This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching human precepts as doctrines.' You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition." Then he called the crowd again and said to them, "Listen to me, all of you, and understand: there is nothing outside a person that by going in can defile, but the things that come out are what defile." For it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come: fornication, theft, murder,adultery, avarice, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, folly. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person."

Jesus and His disciples really did not have a home. They spent their days on the road, preaching, teaching, healing, amazing people with what God was doing through and for them. A life lived on a road, especially in those days, meant no ready access to the conveniences that we take for granted, and one of those is water. The poor, working Jew did not have the luxury of water readily available to them, and this applied to Jesus and the 12. They walked from town to town, and they were tired and hungry when they would finally get a chance to eat, and usually a sit down and relax meals was not something they could easily enjoy. On this particular day and meal, they were noticed by the Pharisees and scribes, who were keeping notes on Jesus and their behavior. Any little thing not done in accordance with tradition was noted and criticized. For the religious Jew, eating with unclean or defiled hands, was a no-no. And they told Jesus. Jesus replied with the truth: The prophet Isaiah was right, you honor God with your lips but your heart is far from God; holding to human precepts as doctrines - It's become more important to hold to human traditions and customs, rather than follow the commandments of God.

Jesus then addresses the crowd and teaches that it is not what goes into one's mouth that defiles us so much as what comes out. One can tell what is in the heart of a person by the words and thoughts shared from that mouth. And the list Jesus shares about covers all of the areas where we can and do go wrong: Sexual sins, taking what is not ours, killing one another, desiring what is not ours, general wickedness, lying to one another, being envious and jealous, putting people down, pride and anything else that is not from God. Jesus said, this is what defiles you.

What's in our hearts? Do our mouths give that away? If we have the presence and peace of God present in our lives, then our words will convey those thoughts that glorify God. If God is not present and we are sharing what is in our hearts that follow the list Jesus shares, we have a lot to ask from God. May today be a day when we ask God to live within us so that our hearts will give God praise and glory.

PRAYER: Loving God, let me honor you with my heart and mouth; come in and live in me. Push aside and away that which truly defiles my heart and life. This I ask in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Trust in God

Psalm 34:15-22 God keeps an eye on his friends, his ears pick up every moan and groan. God won't put up with rebels; he'll cull them from the pack. Is anyone crying for help? God is listening, ready to rescue you. If your heart is broken, you'll find God right there; if you're kicked in the gut, he'll help you catch your breath. Disciples so often get into trouble; still, God is there every time. He's your bodyguard, shielding every bone; not even a finger gets broken. The wicked commit slow suicide; they waste their lives hating the good. God pays for each slave's freedom; no one who runs to him loses out.

Every time I read a psalm in this version of the Bible I wonder what David and others who wrote these originally think? I think I can see David smile and nod his head and probably say something in Hebrew that translates into "Yep." For I believe David had such a close relationship with God as he wrote most of these psalms that he could consider God as his friend. Much more, of course, but for the sake of today, let's say friend. A good friend does keep his or her eyes on their friends. A friend responds with calls or emails and even texts, "Are u alright?" Yesterday, out of the blue I get a phone call from a friend in Dallas, who awoke with me on his mind and so calls to ask if I'm okay. I shared how today will be an interesting day and I asked for his prayers. He replied, "You see? There was a reason that I called!" God does hear our "every moan and groan." God is also serious about what He'll put up with and this says, "God won't put up with rebels; he'll cull them from the pack." But for those crying for help God is listening and always ready to help and rescue us. If we're suffering from a broken heart, God is right there with us, and even if we experience something like a kick in the gut, God helps us catch our breath. What a true friend!

David also knew that disciples and their rebellious ways make up most of the words in the Bible; the New Testament, especially the epistles, dedicates a majority of its pages to helping disciples stay out of trouble; but even then, God is still with us. God is like a bodyguard who won't even let our fingers be broken. But the wicked, those who choose to be away from God, find that kind of life is a slow suicide - and what a terrible way to live, "hating the good." But if you want to be delivered from slavery to sin, God will, and has, paid for our deliverance and freedom. No one has ever run to God to lose out.

That's good news! Share it!

PRAYER: Awesome Friend, thank You. Let me live a life that gives You honor and glory in all things. And help me share the good news with someone today! This I pray in Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen!

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

As for Me and My House

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Joshua 24:1-2a, 14-18 Then Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and summoned the elders, the heads, the judges, and the officers of Israel; and they presented themselves before God. And Joshua said to all the people, "Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: "Now therefore revere the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness; put away the gods that your ancestors served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. Now if you are unwilling to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served in the region beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." Then the people answered, "Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods; for it is the Lord our God who brought us and our ancestors up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, and who did those great signs in our sight. He protected us along all the way that we went, and among all the peoples through whom we passed; and the Lord drove out before us all the peoples, the Amorites who lived in the land. Therefore we also will serve the Lord, for he is our God."

Change is never easy; it is the hardest thing for many, especially among the people of God's church. But it is the necessary ingredient in many a story of challenge and opportunity in which God opens doors for God's people in many a biblical story. This is the closing chapter of the Exodus as God leads His people into the Promised Land with Joshua at the lead. Joshua had taken over for Moses and was the one to lead them into Canaan and at this solemn assembly, the challenge is to put away false gods. "Leave behind the distractions and beliefs from your old days in your old neighborhood; they serve no purpose because it was all a lie - The call is to serve the living God and do it sincerely and faithfully." Joshua goes on to say, "The choice is ours - you can still serve the gods of your ancestors," and here comes the classic line that decorates many a kitchen or entryway into many a home: But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."

In a moment inspired by Joshua's example and remembrance to all God had done during their 40 year trek through the desert they all declare they will serve the Lord God, and claim Him as their only God. It becomes that which will set the tone for what still lay ahead. The people of Canaan were not about to lovingly and openly give the people of Israel their land and possessions; they were not in tune with what God had promised to them and it would be the start of a war that has lasted to this day, much like the war between those who follow God and those who serve God's enemy - that is a spiritual war that ends only when we choose to serve the living God and He alone. It is our choice and I pray we make the wise choice of faithfulness and service.

PRAYER: Loving God may it be true as Joshua declared, that as for me and my household, we will serve You. Help us to not be tempted away nor shortchange what You have and will do in our lives. Help us to be the change agents that will bring change into the lives of others. This we pray in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Total Armor!

A reminder on my desk of God's total armor that I should wear all the time.

Ephesians 6:10-20 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness. As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace. With all of these, take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints. Pray also for me, so that when I speak, a message may be given to me to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it boldly, as I must speak.

I love the logo and shirts of a company called Under Armor. I know their products are not really armor, but it seems cool to wear something that implies you're protected. Paul knew the full protection of God and he also knew and saw the armor used by the Roman army. I chuckle for this passage was the favorite of a dear layman from one of my churches, Solomon Marroquin, longtime chief aide to Congressman Kika de la Garza, and devout Christian man. He had put together a man in armor he called Román, playing on the name and era from which he came, and many a time he lent it to me for use in sermons. Román had it all as found in this passage; the whole armor of God. We could see what Paul was describing as the different parts of his armor were added. Paul knew the fierceness and strength of our enemy, but he also knew the POWER of God to defeat the devil and how we should also arm ourselves to win our spiritual battles. For us to stand and stand firm we need to claim the truth that says we belong to God and God is with us. As a belt held together the soldier's armor and garments together, so should truth hold us together as we fight against evil and the temptations that may come our way. We should protect our hearts and vital organs with a breastplate of righteousness; seeking always for ourselves and as we share with others that which is right and pleasing to God. Our shoes should protect our feet as we move always forward with the gospel of peace. In the last two weeks I have experienced personally the need for good shoes. I won't bore you with details but two words, three actually: poison ivy on my right foot; a week later a thorn from a mesquite tree on that same foot. Whatever may be thrown our way towards us, we can defend ourselves with our faith which is a shield. A strong faith is strong defense agains the offensives of the devil. Our head and our brains should be covered with the protection of salvation; God rescued us in the nick of time from certain death and pulled us into life and the abundance of life through salvation in Jesus Christ. With that as our central and constant thought, what can come against us? And with the Word of God always on our mind and lips, we can use it as a sword against lies and falsehoods that may come against us. As we allow Scripture to have authority in our lives we can defeat those things that come with less than the truth to try to break us down. With prayer "at all times in every prayer and supplication," who can possibly defeat us? To sum it all up, Paul stresses for us to "keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all believers everywhere.

God provides under, over, and overall armor - all we need to do is claim it for our lives.

PRAYER: Loving God, clothe us with this armor. Ready us for battle. Equip us with love. This we pray in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Words of Eternal Life

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John 6: 56-69 Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever." He said these things while he was teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum. When many of his disciples heard it, they said, "This teaching is difficult; who can accept it?" But Jesus, being aware that his disciples were complaining about it, said to them, "Does this offend you? Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But among you there are some who do not believe." For Jesus knew from the first who were the ones that did not believe, and who was the one that would betray him. And he said, "For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted by the Father." Because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him. So Jesus asked the twelve, "Do you also wish to go away?" Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God."

I find it interesting that John 6:66 is a verse about people turning their back on Jesus: "Because of this many of His disciples turned back and no longer went about with Him." These past few Sundays, we have been exposed to the teachings of Jesus as found in the Gospel of John. These all have to do with Jesus' declaration about His being bread and the importance of eating His flesh and blood. These are not easy teachings, nor as they easy to accept for all people. As the sheep in the above cartoon state, "You are what you eat." If we "eat" Jesus and drink HIs blood, we come to live in Jesus and Jesus in us. We cannot compare that with the manna provided in the desert during the Exodus; this is eternal food. As Jesus taught this some of the believers with Jesus complained about the difficulty of it. Jesus asked, "Does this offend you? Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where He was before?" An interesting way for Jesus to tell those disciples, "You ain't seen nothing yet!" It was an invitation to stay in the truth for the best was yet to come. Jesus continues,"It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life." To always understand Jesus, we must approach His teachings from a spiritual, not physical perspective. This is the same gospel that said we must be born from above; Nicodemus did not understand until he gave himself over to spiritual rebirth, and in the same way, we too, must be born from above to understand what Jesus shares.

The twelve must have been hurt that so many left Jesus on that day, but they did not give up for as Peter answered Jesus' "Do you also wish to go away?" he said, Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God." Indeed, so have we. We have no one to whom we can go; no other place that will do and provide for us eternally.

If we believe this, we must live this and share this with whomever will listen.

PRAYER: Loving God, grant to us strength for understanding as we surrender to you spiritually. Enter our heart, minds, souls, spirits and lives in a way that bring us to a new spiritual birth. This I pray in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

The Fear of the Lord is the Beginning of Wisdom

Psalm 111 Praise the Lord! I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart, in the company of the upright, in the congregation. Great are the works of the Lord, studied by all who delight in them. Full of honor and majesty is his work, and his righteousness endures forever. He has gained renown by his wonderful deeds; the Lord is gracious and merciful. He provides food for those who fear him; he is ever mindful of his covenant. He has shown his people the power of his works, in giving them the heritage of the nations.The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy. They are established forever and ever, to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness. He sent redemption to his people; he has commanded his covenant forever. Holy and awesome is his name. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever.

Image from Closerdaybyday.info

Put God in His proper place. That is what "fear" means in this passage; a reverence or honor that we need to have is what it means to "fear the Lord." I used to think it was to be completely and totally afraid. But as you note, this phrase comes at the end of an instructional psalm. The writer is sharing how he begins with praising God. He then moves to giving thanks to the Lord with his "whole heart," also meaning with everything he has; and he does it in the company of like-minded believers. Why does he and why should we, give thanks? Because everywhere the believer looks, she or he sees great, awesome works of God. Awe and marvel come to those with God in their hearts. Great would be the lists we would write down if we were to list on paper everything God has done for us: God is gracious and merciful. God provides food. God keeps His covenant with us. We have seen God at work in our lives and in the lives of others; even in the lives of nations. "Holy and awesome is His name." To achieve all of that, is to reach that point of realizing God comes, or should come, number one in our lives. If we allow God to sit on the throne of our hearts, we begin to have proper and deep understanding of all things, and that, dear friend, is wisdom.

Seek to be wise today by putting God first in your life.

PRAYER: Loving God, come into my heart and reign there. Let my fear of You bring wisdom to me. This I pray in the name of Jesus my Lord, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

A God-Listening Heart

Image from http://derekzrishmawy.com

1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14 (The Message Version) Then David joined his ancestors. He was buried in the City of David. David ruled Israel for forty years - seven years in Hebron and another thirty-three in Jerusalem. Solomon took over on the throne of his father David; he had a firm grip on the kingdom. Solomon loved God and continued to live in the God-honoring ways of David his father, except that he also worshiped at the local shrines, offering sacrifices and burning incense. The king went to Gibeon, the most prestigious of the local shrines, to worship. He sacrificed a thousand Whole-Burnt-Offerings on that altar. That night, there in Gibeon, God appeared to Solomon in a dream: God said, "What can I give you? Ask." Solomon said, "You were extravagantly generous in love with David my father, and he lived faithfully in your presence, his relationships were just and his heart right. And you have persisted in this great and generous love by giving him - and this very day! - a son to sit on his throne. "And now here I am: God, my God, you have made me, your servant, ruler of the kingdom in place of David my father. I'm too young for this, a mere child! I don't know the ropes, hardly know the 'ins' and 'outs' of this job. And here I am, set down in the middle of the people you've chosen, a great people - far too many to ever count. "Here's what I want: Give me a God-listening heart so I can lead your people well, discerning the difference between good and evil. For who on their own is capable of leading your glorious people?" God, the Master, was delighted with Solomon's response. And God said to him, "Because you have asked for this and haven't grasped after a long life, or riches, or the doom of your enemies, but you have asked for the ability to lead and govern well, I'll give you what you've asked for - I'm giving you a wise and mature heart. There's never been one like you before; and there'll be no one after. As a bonus, I'm giving you both the wealth and glory you didn't ask for - there's not a king anywhere who will come up to your mark. And if you stay on course, keeping your eye on the life-map and the God-signs as your father David did, I'll also give you a long life."

Solomon received what his brother Absalom desired and died for. He became king of Israel when his father David died. Scholars disagree as to his age when he became king, some saying as young as 12, others that he was 14, and some that he was 20. He himself says that he was too young. What we do know was that he, like most children, watched and learned from and about his father. One of the most important things he learned, that our children should learn from us, is that we love God. Solomon learned about the importance of worship as an expression of that love, and he saw how God blessed his father because of that love. One of the phrases that Solomon uses to describe that relationship between God and David; "You were extravagantly generous in love with David my father, and he lived faithfully in your presence, his relationships were just and his heart right." That first night after Solomon went to worship and offered up a sacrifice to God, God visits the new king and asks him, "What can I give you? Ask." For many of us this would be carte blanche for anything and everything our human hearts could desire and think of; but to the boy new to ruling and desiring God's blessing, says that he wants, "Give me a God-listening heart so that I can lead your people well, discerning the difference between good and evil." He further states that no one on their own can lead people without God. God responds by saying, I will give you a wise and mature heart; no one will compare with you because of this request, and as an added bonus, I'm giving you both the wealth and glory you didn't ask for -- there's not a king anywhere who will measure up to you. "And if you stay on course, keeping your eye on the life-map and the God-signs as your father David did, I'll also give you a long life."

This applies to our prayer life. Solomon sought to please and worship God through his prayers; what are we doing when we pray? I've often said we treat God as our administrative assistant, sharing with God a To-Do List and asking God to handle these matters and requests and we'll check back with Him in the morning. Are we indeed worshiping God through our prayers, giving God honor and praise and God's rightful place in our lives? Are we sharing with God our love and gratitude for all God has done? And are we asking, as the wise king did, for a "God-listening heart" with which to be guided to make proper decisions and for taking proper action in our lives? If we are, we will be surprised by the blessings that will come our way.

PRAYER: Loving God, grant to us a God-listening heart; make our hearts wise and mature. Help us stay on course as we read Your life-map that we call The Bible and may we see God-signs all along our way. This we pray in Christ Jesus our Lord, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Use Any Excuse to Sing! (Praises, that is!)

Ephesians 5:15-20 (The Message version) So watch your step. Use your head. Make the most of every chance you get. These are desperate times! Don't live carelessly, unthinkingly. Make sure you understand what the Master wants. Don't drink too much wine. That cheapens your life. Drink the Spirit of God, huge draughts of him. Sing hymns instead of drinking songs! Sing songs from your heart to Christ. Sing praises over everything, any excuse for a song to God the Father in the name of our Master, Jesus Christ.

Okay, the first verse I think my Dad wrote it. He was always saying to me, "Use your head!" But, this is Paul, saint and apostle for the Lord Jesus Christ, writing to Christians (that's you and me, correct?) with some advice on better living. As we pray and praise God, we should be aware that we walk in the presence of the Almighty as well as the watchful eye of His enemy, who, another passage says, never sleeps; so, God says through Paul, "Watch your step. Use your head. Make the most of every chance you get." And if this were written just today, not some two thousand years ago, "These are desperate times!" Indeed. We are called to live with purpose and reason. We should be in tune with what God has as His will for our lives and not being distracted by the many distractions the world offers, including those things that may numb our thinking abilities, such as excessive wine and alcohol. I love Paul's image, in modern translation, of course, "Drink the Spirit of God, huge draughts of Him. Sing hymns instead of drinking songs!" (Oops, did not the Wesley brothers read this?) We are to use any excuse to sing from our hearts (Yes, "joyful noises" included) the praises of God; and do it in the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

A retired pastor once wrote that he seldom heard people whistling and I pray it may not be said of us that we don't just break out in song every once in a while; a verse of "Our God is an awesome God," or "Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound," or whatever praise song/hymn that you feel led to sing. May it be said of those who read this devotional this morning, that you blessed someone by singing or humming a praise to the Lord.

PRAYER: Loving God, indeed, You are awesome and worthy of my praise. I thank You for the gift of song and I sing your praises now. In Jesus' name, of course, amen.

The above picture is our first born granddaughter, Saraí Evangelina Cortez, who loves to sing, and is pictured in the Children's Choir of FUMC-San Marcos, TX.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Feasting on the Living Bread

John 6:51-58 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh." The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" So Jesus said to them, "Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day; for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever."

Forget Wheaties. The true breakfast of champions is that warm creation made at home called flour tortillas. I'm sorry if I'm making you hungry or if you were denied that experience; but I was blessed (and still am!) by having many a breakfast, lunch, and supper that were made extra special with this bread of ours, la tortilla de harina. It's quite simple to make, the trick is to get it perfectly round, but I will still feast on "maps of the world," as older folks would joke about the shapes made by novices of the tortilla. It was in a real sense, a bread of life for many; handmade by love and served with same, it nourished many a hungry stomach.

Jesus again makes this claim that bewildered those first listeners, and angered others: I am the living bread that came down from heaven. That is enough to make religious types of His day get a little flustered. But listen again to what He says next, "Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for life of the world is my flesh." What? Is this man offering himself as a food for cannibals? What secret rite does this man have for his followers? We know now this was setting the stage for that sacrament we still celebrate today, Holy Communion. A sacrament that remembers, thanks, and looks forward to, all Jesus Christ shared with us then, now, and in the Great Banquet to come. Still a mystery to many, but meant to bless those who receive it with sincerity of heart, and gratefulness of spirit.

Jesus still invites us to abide in Him and to have Him abide in us. Just like those early meals when I thought having eaten flour tortillas I could face anything, with Christ living in me and you, we can still have that attitude of gratitude and confidence that we live and serve because of the living God in us. Blessed to live fully in this life, and promised to live eternally in the next; what better message do we have for the world?

PRAYER: Living God, be present in my life and let me live in You. Bless me and use me. Strengthen me and guide me to bless others for Your sake. This I pray in Your name, Jesus my Lord and Savior, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

In the Good and the Not So Good

A photograph by Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Psalm 130 Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord. Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications! If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, Lord, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with you, so that you may be revered. I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; my soul waits for the Lord more than those who watch for the morning, more than those who watch for the morning. O Israel, hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is great power to redeem. It is he who will redeem Israel from all its iniquities.

Yesterday, two of our daughters called us; one with great news, and one with not so great news. Nellie and I reflected on that right before bedtime when we say our prayers. David, in his life and work as shepherd and later as king, had those kinds of days. We shared yesterday, how he faced the death of a beloved son, who rose against him and would have stopped at nothing, including David's death, to get what he wanted. It may have been on that day that David wrote this psalm, we don't know, but we know of his faith. Even in the depths of despair, or on the heights of our jubilation, we can, and should cry out to the Lord. The Lord hears us and identifies with us. But, what stands out for David, as it should for us, is that God once He forgives us, forgets those sins. We are the ones who are not so easy on ourselves in remembering and always marking past sins against us. True forgiveness comes from God and that forgiveness is so awesome, it should make us stand in awe of God.

David never gave up on God and always waited on God. Yes, he did have his sins against God, but he knew of God's forgiveness. He compares those days of his wrestling with this sin like those of the morning watchman, whose very job it was to wait for the shines of a new day when he could cry, all is well. We, like Israel, have this message from this psalm: Hope in the Lord, because in the Lord there is never-ending love, and an awesome power to make new, including us.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, in Your mercy, make us new. Remove the stains and scars of sin, and replace in our hearts those places with new presence and peace. Let me share with others that awesomeness of Your love. In Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Live this Way, Then

Image from stmatthews-bowie.org

Ephesians 4:25-5:2 So then, putting away falsehood, let all of us speak the truth to our neighbors, for we are members of one another. Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not make room for the devil. Thieves must give up stealing; rather let them labor and work honestly with their own hands, so as to have something to share with the needy. Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with which you were marked with a seal for the day of redemption. Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice, and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you. Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Have you ever wanted something really bad but did not buy it because assembly was required? Has your daughter/son wanted something really badly and you did buy it even though assembly was required? And did you not find that finally following the instructions kept you from complete and total destruction of the project? So it is with life. There is a way to live without following divine instructions such as these and finally finding out that was not such a clever choice. There is also the way to live that says, "I want to be like Jesus in all my ways," and doing as Paul is instructing: Telling the truth to all, realizing we're all in this together; seeking to stay away from anger, at least the kind of anger that is sinful, and shutting the devil out of your life completely. Do not take what is not yours, as the Big Ten (Commandments) seem to share that a lot. Work hard and honestly, sharing what you can with those in need. Use your mouth to speak praises and words of encouragement to lift up the spirits of those around you. Be a person who shares grace. Seek the peace and presence of the Holy Spirit and His power will be yours. Stay away from negative things such as bitterness, revenge, anger, double-dealing, falsehoods, maliciousness; seeking instead to be kind to each other, being persons of tenderness and forgiveness. These will make people and God, especially, know you are living like Jesus. Is there any better model to follow?

You've just built the perfect life! Live it to the fullest!

PRAYER: Loving God, help me to live like Jesus. Help me to bless others with my doing as I've shared and read above. This I pray in Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Jesus is the Bread of Life

Image from http://howard-carter.blogspot.com

John 6:35; 41-51 Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. Then the Jews began to complain about him because he said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven." They were saying, "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, "I have come down from heaven'?" Jesus answered them, "Do not complain among yourselves. No one can come to me unless drawn by the Father who sent me; and I will raise that person up on the last day. It is written in the prophets, "And they shall all be taught by God.' Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me. Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God; he has seen the Father. Very truly, I tell you, whoever believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh."

I love bread. Bread has been my constant downfall in trying to follow any sort of weight loss program for my life, because bread is so good. I've shared how living on the campus of SMU back in the day, the huge bread bakery down the street would help make those nights so special with the delicious aroma of bread baking coming over the campus. And there was another one of these bakeries in San Antonio on Broadway, where one could see the loaves of bread parading down conveyor belts as well as smell their deliciousness. Most nations have their equivalent of bread and some eat it with every meal, so you can see the impact and power of Jesus' declaration about His being "the bread of life." Jesus was speaking to a great need in everyone who hungers to know God. The best solution to a hungry stomach is a piece of bread; and to the person lost and away from God to know Jesus as the bread of life is to know life itself and the fullness thereof.

Jesus makes this declaration in front of a hometown crowd who was not amused or delighted that Jesus was saying these things; they remembered who Jesus was in their minds. "This is a hometown boy; how can He say He is from 'heaven?'" And to make matters more interesting (or worse), Jesus declares He has been sent by the Father, who will raise those drawn to Him on the last day.

Jesus again and again shares with them and us, that He is the Bread of Life, and not like the momentary manna reported in the Old Testament; He is true bread from Heaven, so that those who eat of it should never die. And this is the promise of eternal life; a life that never ends.

You and I believe that, and we should live that, and share that with a world still in hunger. It is for that reason that we have come to faith. We are called to do something about it.

What are you waiting for?

PRAYER: Loving God, the wait is over; put us to doing right now. We have eaten and received the blessing of Jesus, our Bread of Life. Help us to share Him with those whose hearts and bodies hurt from the hunger pangs of a spiritually empty life. Let us share boldly He who takes away the hunger of the world. This is our prayer and we lift it in faith in the name of Jesus our Lord and Savior, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Dear friends, thank you for faithful reading of ConCafe; thank you for your prayers while Nellie and I were on vacation. We had a great time and I've shared some photos on Instagram and FaceBook. Please continue to pray for us as we have much to do in the days ahead. To God be the glory!