Foundations of Faith

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Then God spoke all these words: I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; you shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and the fourth generation of those who reject me, but showing steadfast love to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments.You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not acquit anyone who misuses his name. Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy. For six days you shall labor and do all your work. But the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lordyour God; you shall not do any work—you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the alien resident in your towns. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but rested the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and consecrated it. Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.You shall not murder.You shall not commit adultery.You shall not steal.You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.(Exodus 20:1-17)

Good day dear Friend!  Here's trusting that this week is been a blessing to you and yours.  Given the scriptures for this week, the theme could be Foundations.  Monday's passage was on the foundation of prayer in God's House; anything else rocks or weakens that foundation.  Tuesday's passage was on the foundation of the Cross; those who believe are strengthened by the truth behind the Cross and its purpose in God's plan for the world.  Today's foundation is the Mosaic Law, which we know has been the foundation of many of the legal systems in the world for ages.  At their core, they still hold truth and practical application for everyday living.  We pray they strengthen your faith and your walk with the Lord.

The key foundation to faith is faith in God.  God as He shares this first commandment reminds us of Who He is and What He does. God is the Creator of all things and to reduce Him to a graven image is foolishness; to worship such things is sinful.  God's zeal for us is strong and unbending as should our devotion and worship for God.  To attempt to replace God with another god does not sit well with God.

God's name is holy and not to be taken lightly or in vain.  The realm of sacredness cannot be violated by our casual or vain use of His holy name.  It is a name to be respected.  Think to the Lord's Prayer and the way it is ordered.  Jesus said, "Our Father," meaning the closeness of love we should have towards God followed by, "Who art in Heaven," holy is God's dwelling place, the realm of sacredness and glory, our future home.  Disrespecting that, and it won't be our eternal home. 

God's day is the Sabbath.  It is a day set aside for God.  It is a day of worship and rest.  It does not matter which day we set aside for Sabbath.  Some hold literally to Saturday as Sabbath; we as Christians believe the Lord's Day is Sunday for on that day He rose from the dead. We are Resurrection people, who worship God on that day. Work schedules and other commitments for some people make it necessary to find other days in the week that work better for them.  The holiness of the Sabbath is God Himself; He remains the center and focus of the day.  We should build our worship and renewal of that day around God only.

Key to faith is our love and respect not only to God, but to our parents, those who brought us into this earth.  Honor is that which shows our parents that rightful attitude towards them for who and what they have done and shared with us.  A sound foundation is the family unit and the key of a sound faith.  It is, as Paul points out in Ephesians 6:2, the only commandment with a promise, a promise of long life for honoring our parents.

Human life is sacred and should be respected as being God-given.  The foundation of life is to do all we can to ensure a sound life for all.  Jesus later emphasized that He has come to bring life and that in abundance; and He contrasted that with Satan, who comes only to steal, kill, and destroy.  Our approach to life should be Christ-like. There are regrettable times when we do need to kill and God understands those, but to senselessly take lives is sinful.  We do kill to eat; we kill to protect, but our respect for life should never depart from our hearts and spirits.

Adultery is that which serves no good purpose, only destructive ones.  It is a violation of God's purpose for sexuality.  It is a betrayal of trust and decency.  At its core is lust, a desire that should be controlled.  Pornography, prostitution, sex trafficking, etc., all are driven by lust.  These serve also to destroy families and lives.  They should have no place in our lives. Only God's power can break us free from these.

Respect of other's property is the beginning of great relationships.  It shows to others the dignity due them.  To take that which is not ours breaks up good relationships and character.

Being honest and truthful is a foundational key to life as well.  Anything less is destructive to one's life and spirit.  To speak negatively about others serves not God but God's enemy.

To desire that which someone else has is a crack in foundational living.  It shows a discontent with what we have and may even reject blessings sent to us from God when we compare them to what others have and what we'd like to have from them.  

The Ten Commandments should be.a daily foundational focus of our spiritual life.  Its place in our hearts is more important than where it might hang in public or private spaces.  If we make it a part of who we are, then we are blessing God and other people.

PRAYER:  Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name.  Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread; And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.  For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever, Amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Bless someone with living the Ten Commandments in a way that glorifies God!

Eradio Valverde

Gods' Foolishness is Greater than Human Wisdom!

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For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written,‘I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.’ Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness of our proclamation, to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling-block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength. (1 Corinthians 1:18-25)

Good day dear Reader! The main purpose of Lent is to reinforce and reaffirm our beliefs, as this passage shows.  Some would have you "let go" or "let loose" all that has gotten you this far.  While there are some destructive things that certainly we must let go; all that we have heard and learned about God's love and His mercy should be affirmations of our faith.  So, please use today's devotional as part of that which blesses you into strength in Christ.

Paul encountered opposition from all sides.  He knew it was coming and still on he pressed, sharing Jesus with a conviction unmatched in his day.  The greatest challenge was from those who said that to preach the death of someone, even Jesus, was foolishness.  Who wants to join a movement where its leader suffered greatly, and died like a common criminal.  Paul heard in his heart from God the first verse in this passage:  "For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God."  Bam!  If you're "hellbent" as the modern version says, then yes, the death of Christ makes no sense; but if you're already on the journey with Christ, then this is power and fuel for your journey. We know the cross to be an instrument of death in its human usage.  The Roman government wanted those who they believed deserved to die, to die in a manner that would serve as an incentive to not do wrong, and to live a good life.  But it was on that cross, where Jesus gave His body and blood for us.  The ultimate sacrifice of the Paschal Lamb took place on the cross, and His death was our death.  His payment was for our sins.  Foolishness to those who have never asked forgiveness from God; but great news to those of us who have.

You can demand a sign or you can ask for a debate; but all you will get from believers is that Christ was crucified, died, buried, and on the third  day He arose!  This is God's foolishness beating out human wisdom and God's strength making us stronger through our faith.

PRAYER:  Awesome Father, bless us in our Lenten Journey.  Make stronger in our hearts, minds, and spirits our faith in You that includes the Cross.  Bless those who think they should let go or loosen long-held, precious beliefs.  Re-kindle in us the fire of love and devotion to You.  This we pray in the name of He who is our Lamb, Jesus Christ, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Show off your foolishness today so that others will come to their senses.

Eradio Valverde

PRAYER REQUESTS AND UPDATES:  We have heard word that Joseph Latham took a little turn for the worse.  Stomach distention led to surgery where doctors discovered he had a perforated colon.  That area was removed and his abdominal cavity was cleaned.  He still is in an induced coma as his lungs are not yet functioning as they should.  Pray for this young family.  My wife Nellie is healing well and we praise God for that; pray for continued healing and strength.  Continue to pray for one another; build up the Body of Christ.  Pray for unity and core purposes to serve the Risen Christ in all churches.  Love one another.

Is Your House in Order?

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The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and the money-changers seated at their tables. Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle. He also poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables.He told those who were selling the doves, ‘Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father’s house a market-place!’ His disciples remembered that it was written, ‘Zeal for your house will consume me.’The Jews then said to him, ‘What sign can you show us for doing this?’Jesus answered them, ‘Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.’ The Jews then said, ‘This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and will you raise it up in three days?’ But he was speaking of the temple of his body. After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this; and they believed the scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken. (John 2:13-22)

Dear Reader, I hope you were as blessed as I was on Sunday in church. It was a great message, great crowd was present, and we were blessed by the Chi Ro Children's Choir singing the Introit and opening special. The worship experience helped fuel my Lenten Journey! And, I pray this devotional will do the same. But never think that just reading ConCafe is a substitute for worship; it is not! Find a church home and join the happy throng of worshipers!

The title of today's devotional is really asking, "How is it with your soul?" This has NOTHING to do with YOUR physical home, the messes that you haven't cleaned up, the days since you last vacuumed, etc., How is it with your soul? It's a great question and one that John Wesley required all who wanted entrance into the Society meetings had to answer. They had to actively stay in touch with God and God's disciplines so when asked the question they could report honestly. Jesus found His Father's House in disarray. The Temple was the religious center for the Jews. It was the place for worship, the offering of sacrifices and payment of vows taken; it was designed to be a place where people could connect with God. It slowly became something else. Jesus finds a marketplace filled with the noises and smells of a barnyard and the atmosphere of a flea market. This was not acceptable! Jesus makes a whip of cords and used it to drive these money-changers and the like out of the temple. He yelled that His Father's house was not a marketplace. This, of course, like almost everything Jesus did, upset the Jews. They demanded to see a sign for doing what He did. Jesus answered in an honest but mysterious way for them, that the Temple could be destroyed and three days later, Jesus would raise it up. But, as the scripture says, He was speaking of his own body; something the disciples remembered later.

Jesus got His Father's house in order. He Himself was ready for what was coming. How is it with your soul? Have you peace in the knowledge that God loves you? Do you have hope that your life is being lived in abundance? This may be the moment of that decision to change things around inside with the help of Jesus. He came to lighten the load we feel we are carrying. If it's the weight of sin, Jesus takes our sin away. If it's the guilt and memory of past sins, those He removes as well. Once that gets taken over by Jesus, your house/soul is in order. The same holds true for where we worship and seek to grow closer to the Lord.

PRAYER: Loving God, bless this dear reader, especially his/her soul; bring us all to fullness of life in a manner that blesses others. This we pray in Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Show God's love at work in your life as you get your soul in order. Share this message with someone who might need a blessing!

Eradio Valverde

PRAYER REQUEST: Prayers of gratitude from Nellie and I for 40 years of marriage. God has been good to us and we rejoice in all the blessings He has shared with us. Prayers for Liam Carlos Vasquez, our grandson who yesterday cut his leg while playing. He was taken to an urgent care center to receive treatment. UPDATE: Liam received six stitches and is doing fine, thank God! Prayers for Mary Ann Lucas, who is in ICU fighting the flu and pneumonia. And continue to pray for one another, trusting in God and God's power to heal and bless us! .

Jesus is Our Resurrection & Our Life!

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Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live' (John 11;25)

It's been the question of the ages:  Is there life after death; and how can I be a part of everlasting life?  We saw a rich young ruler come to ask Jesus how he could "inherit" it only to find himself turned away by the huge demands Jesus made of him above the Commandments.  One political party within Judaism dedicated themselves to advocating their point of view that there was no life beyond this life and any hope of living would come only in the memory of those who cared for you.  A modern day comedian was talking seriously about faith and his lack thereof and he says he is still searching for answers and believes he subscribes to Norwegian Lutherans, or one who told him that they just believe in death being the final thing; your death brings you to nothingness.  Buddhists thought a nothingness after a good life was the desired Nirvana which replaced repeated life cycles of reincarnation until you finally get it right.  Jesus, on His way to the grave of His good friend Lazarus finds Lazarus' two sister grieving his death.  And to one, Jesus shares this foundation of faith:  I am the resurrection and the life.  Those who believe in me, even though they die, will."

Good day, dear Friend; this is the BONUS of our devotionals for the week; you will remember that I am sharing each of the "I am" statements made by our Lord in the Book of John.  We started with "I am the bread of life," followed by the second, "I am the light of the world."  The third is "I am the door of the sheep."  Last week we looked at Jesus' "I am the Good Shepherd," and today's "I am the resurrection and the life." We notice that Jesus says He is THE resurrection.  Outside of Jesus there is no resurrection, as well as noticing that Jesus says He is THE life; precisely the same thing could be said about life.  We may find existence, or a going-through-the-motions routine of life, but true living is found in Jesus.  After Jesus shared this statement with Martha, Jesus goes and raises Lazarus from the dead.  He had earlier told His disciples that L was only sleeping, but then had to clearly clarify that L was dead and this would be for God's glory.

Our faith as Christians is solidly grounded in resurrection.  It is the true birthday of the Christian Church to celebrate that event on Easter Sunday.  Our whole Lenten Journey is to remind us of God's great love, Jesus' great sacrifice, and the events that proved that to us.  His death on the cross was defeated by the event on Easter morning.  Our cross is empty because of that; Jesus rose from the dead!  What we should also note is that we too, through our faith in Jesus Christ, will face death, but we will rise again through Him.  Our God is a God of the living, not the dead; and life in Christ never ends.  

PRAYER:  Living God, pour out Your Holy Spirit over our doubts and fears.  May the promises of Jesus defeat the doubts we may have about our own deaths.  Let the light of Christ defeat the darkness of fear; and may we live as those who have been more than conquerors over the challenges of life through Jesus Christ.  Please this dear reader and all they may be going through; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  May the brilliance of our faces show the enemy He is defeated, and we are victorious!

Eradio Valverde

PRAYER REQUESTS:  This morning is our granddaughter Eliana Garcia's surgical procedure.  Please keep her in your prayers.  At this writing she and her dad were headed to the dental office.  Prayers of safe travel for Eric, Sarai, and Sarita Cortez as they travel from Austin to Orlando (in this weather!).  Prayers for all who have to be out in this cold, rainy weather, especially those with no home and out on the streets. Prayers for Ludene Poe.  I visited with her yesterday and she's almost over all she has had during this flu season.  Prayers for one another. May the Lord bless you and keep you dear one is my prayer! 

God Does what He Says He Will Do

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God, God . . . my God! Why did you dump me miles from nowhere?  Doubled up with pain, I call to God all the day long. No answer. Nothing. I keep at it all night, tossing and turning. And you! Are you indifferent, above it all, leaning back on the cushions of Israel's praise?  We know you were there for our parents:  they cried for your help and you gave it; they trusted and lived a good life.  And here I am, a nothing - an earthworm, something to step on, to squash.  Everyone pokes fun at me; they make faces at me, they shake their heads:  "Let's see how God handles this one; since God likes him so much, let him help him!" And to think you were midwife at my birth, setting me at my mother's breasts!  When I left the womb you cradled me; since the moment of birth you've been my God.  Then you moved far away and trouble moved in next-door. I need a neighbor. Herds of bulls come at me, the raging bulls stampede, Horns lowered, nostrils flaring, like a herd of buffalo on the move.  I'm a bucket kicked over and spilled, every joint in my body has been pulled apart. My heart is a blob of melted wax in my gut.  I'm dry as a bone, my tongue black and swollen. They have laid me out for burial in the dirt. Now packs of wild dogs come at me; thugs gang up on me. They pin me down hand and foot,  and lock me in a cage - a bag Of bones in a cage, stared at by every passerby. They take my wallet and the shirt off my back, and then throw dice for my clothes. You, God - don't put off my rescue! Hurry and help me!  Don't let them cut my throat; don't let those mongrels devour me.  If you don't show up soon, I'm done for - gored by the bulls, meat for the lions.Here's the story I'll tell my friends when they come to worship, and punctuate it with Hallelujahs:Shout Hallelujah, you God-worshipers; give glory, you sons of Jacob; adore him, you daughters of Israel. He has never let you down, never looked the other way when you were being kicked around. He has never wandered off to do his own thing; he has been right there, listening. Here in this great gathering for worship I have discovered this praise-life. And I'll do what I promised right here in front of the God-worshipers.  Down-and-outers sit at God's table and eat their fill. Everyone on the hunt for God is here, praising him. "Live it up, from head to toe. Don't ever quit!" From the four corners of the earth people are coming to their senses, are running back to God. Long-lost families are falling on their faces before him.  God has taken charge; from now on he has the last word.  All the power-mongers are before him - worshiping! All the poor and powerless, too - worshiping! Along with those who never got it together - worshiping!  Our children and their children will get in on this As the word is passed along from parent to child.  Babies not yet conceived will hear the good news - that God does what he says. (Psalm 22 The Message version)

Dear Friend, this Psalm is the one Jesus quoted from the cross. He used only the first verse, but in so sharing this psalm He was sharing His faith and conviction that what God has started in Him would continue for us - the redemption of the world; all people in relationship with God through Him.  I can't think of a better Lenten Journey story than this, can you?

At first glance the psalm looks long and it is long, but it is a story that takes us from agony to victory.  It was written in despair, yet with a glint of hope, and it matches exactly what Jesus was feeling on the cross as He suffered and died.  The psalm contains strong messages of victory and trust that we should have in God:  "He has never let you down, never looked the other way when you were being kicked around.  He has never wandered off to do His own thing:  He has been right there, listening."  The psalmist continues, "Down-and-outers sit at God's table and eat their fill... God has taken charge; from now on He has the last word."  And look who's joined the party!  "All the power-mongers are before Him - worshiping!  All the poor and powerless, too - worshiping!  Along with those who never got it together - worshiping!  Our children and their children will get in on this as the word is passed along from parent to child.  Babies not yet conceived will hear the good news - that God does what He says."

Dear one, if you've ever find yourself down, look up!  If things don't seem right, trust God!  If you think someone else is going to have the last word on you, ask God!  God has the last word.  If you think you've been let down, think again!  God does what He says; and that's a message to teach to our children and their children.  God does what He says.

PRAYER: Loving God, as we near the end of the work week, for some of us the work never ends.  The weight we have been carrying seems heavier now than before, but in Your words we find hope and rest.  Bless this dear reader that as the journey continues it will be a journey of hope and joy.  With You at our side, nothing can or will defeat us.  In Jesus' precious and powerful name we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Share with someone this simple phrase:  God does what He says!

Eradio Valverde

Faith Is a Name Changer

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When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said to him, ‘I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless. And I will make my covenant between me and you, and will make you exceedingly numerous.’ Then Abram fell on his face; and God said to him,‘As for me, this is my covenant with you: You shall be the ancestor of a multitude of nations. No longer shall your name be Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you the ancestor of a multitude of nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. I will establish my covenant between me and you, and your offspring after you throughout their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you. God said to Abraham, ‘As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. I will bless her, and moreover I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she shall give rise to nations; kings of peoples shall come from her.’ (Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16

Dear Friend, greetings and blessings to you and yours!  What is your real name?  How do people know you?  Is the name fitting?  Does your name actually do justice to who and Whose you are?  Faith can be a name changer as we will discover in today's text from the Book of Beginnings. Do you hope to live to be 99, or is that too long a time to be alive?  Most of us would say, yes, I'd like to live that long if.... and we place conditions.  Mine would be that I was still alert mentally, not a burden to anyone, and could fend for myself.  I must admit 99 would not be the age I would want to start a family unless I was a member of The Rolling Stones!  And I can't confess to wanting my name changed at that age either, unless Bill Gates finally decides to adopt me!  Yet, here we have Abram.  By all accounts he was a man of faith and open to having a trusting relationship with God; so much so that God appeared to him and did several things:  He asked Abram to walk before God.  That means may all your actions reflect your faith in me and that I am watching you.  God also asked Abram to be blameless; in other words, live in such a way that people can find no fault in you nor blame you for anything negative.  And God said, if you can do this, I will establish a covenant with you.  This is Abram's part of the sacred contract.  God's part was that Abram would be the father of a multitude of nations, and his name was changed from Abram to Abraham.  Abram means "high father;" and Abraham means "father of nations."  Sarai means "my princess," and Sarah means "Mother of nations."  Not a bad deal for someone ninety-nine years old.  And God promised that Abraham would be "exceedingly fruitful" and nations and kings would come from him.  Wow.  And he promised the same to Abraham's wife now named Sarah. When you and I came to faith our lives changed.  Nothing physical may have come of our spiritual change within, but I would pray that our manner of interacting with others would change.  I'll never forget after being ordained a Deacon in the UMC, the first step back then towards full ordination, I came home to Houston, sat on the couch and my youngest sister sat across from me and stared at me for a long time.  I finally asked, "What are you looking at?"  She replied, "Well, you're ordained now and I wanted to see what was different about you."  I got up and acted as if I was going to hit her and she laughed as I said, "I'm still your big brother and I can hit you if I want!"  Inside my journey was still in its infancy stage as a person called to full-time service of our Lord.  And I wanted that inward grace to become part of who I now was.  I was set apart to serve God and I wanted that "set-apartness" to reflect my outer being.  Most Christians after conversion should strive to have their name changed to what they do in love for others.  "Helper."  "Bless-er."  "Servant." "Disciple."  "Leader."  All of these could be our names if we let our lives reflect our faith. The foundation is the trust that we have in God grow each day.  We can no longer lives by the name of "Contented," or "Relaxed."  If anything, our name should be "Contagious Faith,"  "Urgent Disciple Maker," or something along the lines of faithfulness and fruitfulness.  At any age.  The other day in our class, someone mentioned that though she was older inside she still felt she was in her 20s.  I replied I still felt, and sometimes act, like I'm 14.  Our attitude towards life should reflect the altitude God gives us to soar above our situation.   Abraham had that kind of attitude and so can we! PRAYER:  LOVING FATHER, bless this dear reader to rise above limits others may have, of themselves, put on their lives.  Help us to trust and live in a way that our "name" changes as people see the work we are doing for you.  May our name change from "Lazy" to "Loving" with Your help; this we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen. Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Bless someone by living under your "new name!" Eradio Valverde PRAYER REQUESTS AND UPDATES:  Please be in prayer for Joe Britt Hindman, undergoing a procedure this morning at the Seguin hospital  We pray this bring the comfort and healing our brother needs from this blocked kidney stone.  We have an update that Joseph Latham has improved significantly and doctors hope he's about to turn the corner towards complete healing.  May it be so!  Prayers for my bride, Nellie Valverde.  She is still not feeling well and needs prayers for healing and strength.  Thank you all again for your faithfulness in praying for all.  My prayer is that God bless you and your situation today.

Let Jesus Lead the Way!

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Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, ‘Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.’ He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it.For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life?Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.’ (Mark 8:31-38)

Good day, dear friend!  I trust this finds you well after what I pray was a good weekend.  We continue our Lenten Journey seeking to draw closer to God through Christ and I pray this day's devotional will be an aid in that journey.  It comes from The Gospel According to Mark, 8:31-38.

The reality of our Lenten Journey is that it leads to the death of Jesus.  It's also a reminder of our mortality.  If you were present at an Ash Wednesday service and had ashes placed on your forehead you probably heard the pastor say, "Remember you are dust, and to dust you shall return; Repent and believe in the Gospel."  This is always a moving experience for me as a pastor.  I especially pray for the little ones who come and receive the ashes, praying God's blessing and protection on them.

Jesus has to announce the future as He knows it to be.  He tells them plainly that He will suffer greatly and be killed.  But, the gospel part was that after three days He would rise again from the dead.  Jesus didn't pull any punches, He told the truth.  Peter couldn't hear that.  He took Jesus aside and began to rebuke Him.  He probably said things along the lines of, "Master, we would never let that happen to you!"  Jesus in turn rebukes Peter and says, "Peter, you're in my way; Satan, get lost!" This is the way The Message version has it and it makes sense.  Peter wants to stop the path of Jesus as painful as he knew it would be for Him.  Peter loved Jesus very much and like most disciples does not want suffering to be a part of their Master's journey.  But stop and think what would have happened to you and me, had Jesus chosen not to die for us.  There's no telling of what history would be like without the death of Jesus.  Thus, the title, "Let Jesus lead!"  We think we know all the answers and we think we know the clear path for our lives, but as the theme for last week was all about surrender, this week's theme is to trust God and God's leading. As Jesus told Peter he tells us:  Our minds are set on human things, not the divine things of God.  Then Jesus calls all the disciples and spells it out; "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.  For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for myself ake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it.  For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life?"  Jesus wants us all in.  No halfway, no check with me later - NOW.  ALL IN!  

Dear one, if you trust God, let God lead you.  We who have surrendered our lives to Him know to let Jesus lead us.  One thing I'm sure of, it's never boring and it may not always be easy, but through it all, Jesus is with us.

PRAYER:  Loving God, bless this dear reader and guide their steps.  Let us follow you as we carry our cross.  Lead us to victory and a closeness to You like never before.  We seek to be just like You in all ways.  This we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  May your life reflect an obedience to God that blesses others.

Eradio Valverde 

PRAYER REQUEST:  Please pray for the family of Austin Fullbright, a young man who died Friday at age 22.  He was like a little brother to Dewey Smith.  Pray for comfort and strength for the family.  Prayers for Joyce Yoakum who begins her fourth round of chemotherapy.  We pray for healing and strength during this time.  Joyce is the daughter of Marie Currie.  Pray for one another.  Pray for school children and their safety. Pray for the hearts of those with evil intent to be convicted by the Holy Spirit to not carry out their plans.  Blessings!

I Am The Good Shepherd

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The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. ‘I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away—and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. (John 10:10-15)

Dear Friend, I am praying this be a day of hope and new beginnings in all endeavors for you and your dear ones.  My Friday devotional for this season has been to share Jesus' "I am" statements in ways that help us better understand what Jesus was saying to us and our situations. I pray God's peace would be with you.

As Nellie and I were returning home from a hospital visit in San Antonio, our faithful GPS takes us off I-10 at the first Seguin exit and back some beautiful country roads to get to our house.  Many of the places have livestock and it's always a blessing to see the assortment of animals that are raised around here.  In Jesus' time and even before, you could not go very far without seeing and hearing sheep.  It was like the national animal of Israel in those day; nothing official of course, but everyone either owned, worked for, or had someone in their family who depended on sheep.  The lamb has a special place in God's scripture including being the animal of choice for sacrifice.  It would be the life of a lamb that would be given in the place of the family or individual offering up a sacrifice to God.  And the prophets spoke of the day that the Lamb of God would once and for all die for our sins.  We know now that the Lamb of God is Jesus, the Son of God.  And while on the earth, Jesus spoke of lambs and shepherds.  In this I Am statement, Jesus makes the declaration that He is the Good Shepherd.  It was well known that a shepherd would go to any lengths to protect his flock.  A good shepherd spent time with the flock and would talk to them and the sheep would come to know his voice, and while in town where most flocks shared a community fold, it would be the voice of their shepherd that would alert them to leave with him as they would go and graze for the day.  On those occasions where they had to overnight, corrals had been set up with no gate, and the shepherd would lay down across the opening as the gate to the flock, doing whatever he needed to make sure every one of his sheep were fine.  Jesus spoke in Luke 15 of the lost sheep and how that shepherd did all he could to find it and return it home.  

As Jesus says to you and me that He is the Good Shepherd, we find in Him all that was described in the 23rd Psalm and more.  "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul, he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.  Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.  Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies.  Thou anointest my head with oil, my cup runneth over.  Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever."  This was the psalm of presidents and generals, soldiers and civilians; believers and nonbelievers have been blessed by this strong words.  My prayer for you dear one, is that you would find comfort in simply saying and believing, "Jesus is my Shepherd."

What more could we ask for?

PRAYER:  Loving God, You are our Shepherd and we claim all that is for us through Jesus our Good Shepherd.  I pray that this dear reader lack for nothing, rest in You, be led by You, restored by You.  Even though their journey may not be along that what they wished for, You are with them so remove fear and doubt from their hearts and minds, and bring comfort to their souls.  May Your goodness and mercy be ours; grant us the blessings of this life in abundance and a life that never ends.  This we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Be a shepherd today with your words and lead them to Christ.

Eradio Valverde

PRAYER REQUESTS AND UPDATES:  Last night we had our monthly prayer service at FUMC-Gonzales and we prayed for many.  Please remember Cliff Bryant and his medical needs.  He will be having surgery on March 1st up in Nebraska where he and wife Jamie live.  Prayers for Joe Britt Hindman, who is undergoing medical exams.  Prayers for Rev. Michael Dobbs, who has a blocked kidney thus his trip from Mathis to San Antonio two nights ago.  Continued prayers for Joseph Latham and his healing. We lift up our prayers for the families of those 17 killed in the Florida school; prayers for our nation and its need to stop this violence.  And prayers for one another.

Remember Not the Sins of My Youth

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To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul. O my God, in you I trust; do not let me be put to shame; do not let my enemies exult over me. Do not let those who wait for you be put to shame; let them be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous. Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth, and teach me,for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all day long. Be mindful of your mercy, O Lord, and of your steadfast love, for they have been from of old. Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to your steadfast love remember me, for your goodness’ sake, O Lord! Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in the way. He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way. All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his decrees. (Psalm 25:1-10)

Dear Friend, I trust you have rested well and are enjoying the blessings of a new day!  The psalm recommended for this coming Sunday is the one we will study, Psalm 25:1-10.  May it speak a word of hope and peace into your soul.

The verse that jumped out at me was the one I selected as the title of this devotional.  After I read it a second time I read it as a former youth director and I thought about some of the "youth" whose sins I haven't yet forgotten!  LOL!  (You know who you are!).  But, the first reading was the one that spoke to me deepest.  As a youth, I said, did, and thought a lot of things that I know were sinful.  The psalmist is saying, "Trust God enough to give Him your sins and let God deal with them in His own way."  And that's true.  The psalmist begins by worshiping God in the lifting of his soul to God and declaring his trust in Him.  He also knows that in spite of what he's done and the perception he has of himself, he can trust God to allow him freedom from shame.  The enemies that we may have around us are more than ready to exult over us, but God won't allow that.  You may not have human enemies, but think of illnesses you may have, or conditions in your health that could turn into a deadly enemy; God can deal with those as well.  We may suffer pain and discomfort, but never shame.  God's embrace of love is too strong to allow that for us.

David, as he wrote this psalm also declares his personal need for God's guidance and direction in the path of his life.  "Lead me in Your truth," he writes, "and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for You I wait all day long."  Who of us cannot pray that prayer?  And he continues, "Be mindful of Your mercy, O Lord, and of your steadfast love, for they have been from of old."  In other words, there hasn't been a day when I haven't known of Your love with me, and for me.  Then, the key verse, "Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions" but remember me in Your love.  God is like that; He forgive and forgets our sin, and always welcomes us with love.  God is good and upright, showing us sinners the way we should go, ready to teach and instruct, for His ways are ways of steadfast love and faithfulness, if we would but obey.

PRAYER:  Loving God, may Your loving mercies be upon this dear reader and me.  Show us Your ways according to Your plan and purpose for our lives.  Guide us to victory over our enemies, especially those ready to kill, steal or destroy us; Show them instead Your mercy and strength.  Guide our paths to faithfulness; this we pray in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  How much love can you show the day after Valentine's?  Plenty!

Eradio Valverde

PRAYER REQUESTS AND UPDATES:  Late late last night I received word from my brother in Christ, Rev. Michael Dobbs that he was running a 102 degree fever and was shaking uncontrollably and was rushed to the ER in San Antonio.  Please pray for him as I have not yet heard from him this morning.  Please pray for our two newest members of FUMC-Gonzales, Dorothy and Ken McGinty.  Dorothy is in hospice care and needs our prayers, as does Ken for strength and peace.  They are a wonderful couple surrounded by a loving and caring family.  May God bless and keep them is our prayers.  We pray for those who yesterday had their first Valentine's Day without their "valentine."  Pray for Joseph Latham as he continues in ICU in an induced coma. May the Lord lift him to healing in Jesus' name.  Thank you for your prayer and may God bless and protect you! 

Look, Up in the Sky! It's God!

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Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him, ‘As for me, I am establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you, and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the domestic animals, and every animal of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark. I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.’ God said, ‘This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: I have set my bow in the clouds, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.’God said to Noah, ‘This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth.’ (Genesis 9:8-17)

Dear Reader, what a dilemma!  Should I wish you a Happy Ash Wednesday and a Happy Valentine's Day?  I'll do both, though many see Ash Wednesday as a sad day; but it doesn't have to be!  It's the start of the Lenten Journey as we seek to better understand why Jesus came, why He suffered and died, and then celebrate the happiest of days, His Resurrection on Easter Sunday.  I pray God's blessings on you this day.  I urge you to take up something helpful and spiritual as you journey.  I will quickly add that reading what the Roman Catholic leaders were saying yesterday about not yielding to chocolates and steak on this day...  It's up to you; what makes you more spiritual?

Here's one thing that should make you spiritual or at least think along the spiritual lines:  God and God's might.  The passage for this coming Sunday goes along with Jesus' baptism, the use of water in God's plan for humanity, and it is right to read the story of the closing of the flood when the ark came to rest on dry ground and Noah and his family worshipped the Lord God.  It is God doing the talking and it is God who establishes this covenant with all of the earth, everyone included, no one, nor any one thing excluded.  God says that never again will flood waters destroy all the earth.  Yes, we still keep getting floods and sadly, many have died, but God's intention is not to destroy the entire earth by water.  And as a sign of that promise God set a bow in the sky.  Notice the original language does not say rainbow; it says bow.  It is to remind us of God's great power to destroy or protect.  The imagery God wants us to have is that of an actual bow as in bow and arrow, the weapon of the day which was used to kill and to protect; it was a sign of might.  God puts all of His might behind our wellbeing.

As we start a 40 day journey towards Easter, let's be reminded of God's greatness and our need for God.  The theme has been surrender, and so as we begin Lent let us surrender to the Lord all those things that serve only to weaken us, and let us take up those things that can make us stronger.

PRAYER:  Loving Father, as my friend begins their journey of Lent, bless them in a rich way.  Make our hearts, minds, and spirits be completely open to that which can bless and magnify Your love.  Grant us a deeper appreciation for Jesus and all He stands for.  And remind us of Your might to protect us.  And we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Dear one, let God bless you today to be a blessing to others!

Eradio Valverde

Prayer Request:  Please continue to pray for Joseph Latham, who continues in ICU with complications from the flu.  He is in an induced coma and shows some improvement, then will go down in health.  His wife, Crystal continues at his side and both need our prayers.  Pray for his healing and deliverance from this that he is suffering.  Prayers for Bill Weaver who was not feeling well yesterday.  He is in hospice care and needs our prayers.  Prayers for the loved ones still mourning the recent passing of loved ones.  Yesterday as I took communion to shut-ins I remembered Jane Boothe and her family; may God continue to bless and strengthen them.  And whatever your need, may the Lord bless YOU! 

Jesus Has the Last Word on Everything & Everyone!

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That's what Christ did definitively: suffered because of others' sins, the Righteous One for the unrighteous ones. He went through it all - was put to death and then made alive - to bring us to God.He went and proclaimed God's salvation to earlier generations who ended up in the prison of judgment because they wouldn't listen. You know, even though God waited patiently all the days that Noah built his ship, only a few were saved then, eight to be exact - saved from the water by the water. The waters of baptism do that for you, not by washing away dirt from your skin but by presenting you through Jesus' resurrection before God with a clear conscience. Jesus has the last word on everything and everyone, from angels to armies. He's standing right alongside God, and what he says goes. (1 Peter 3:18-22)

Dear Friend,  I trust this finds you well!  Today I've shared the same passage in two different versions.  The graphic has a more traditional version, and the above is The Message.  I chose the message because of the next two last verse where it says something I heard years ago as we were praying with someone who was very ill.  "God has the last word."  And indeed, God does!  This version continues to share with us the plan and purpose of Jesus' ministry and how it continued even after His death.  Jesus died for our sins, yes, even yours and mine.  John Wesley's conversion account includes the realization that he finally understood:  "I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone for salvation; and an assurance was given me that He had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death."  Jesus suffered much and died a painful death out of the love He had for us to take away our sins. He descended into "the prison of judgment" as this version calls Hell, to proclaim God's salvation to those who had not listened when they had the chance.  As we understand it, this was a one-time deal; it does not happen to all who end up in judgment.

Jesus has the last word on you, dear one.  He first wants to remove your sins.  You've held on to them long  enough; it's Jesus' turn with them now.  He then wants to bring restoration to you and your whole being.  We trust Jesus to make us whole and holy according to His way and His plan.  His place at the right hand of God serves us as it will be Jesus interceding for us before the Father.

What do you need to turn over to Jesus right now?  Trust and believe in Him.  He said in His ministry, "come unto me all who are heavy-laden and I will give you rest."  He still does that.  The burdens of guilt and shame are too much for one soul to carry; take a deep breath after you've given them to Jesus and see if you don't feel stronger and more alive.  It's as close by as your next prayer.  Remember yesterday we spoke about surrender, that includes our surrendering our sins and burdens to Jesus.

PRAYER:  LOVING Lord, as my friend prays, let them surrender to You that which has troubled and burdened them long enough.  Lift the load of guilt and shame off those who need it; and bring new life and a renewal of spirit to all who pray this prayer.  In Christ Jesus' awesome and powerful name we pray, amen!

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Smile for your load has become lighter through Jesus!

Eradio Valverde

REMINDER:  Today is the day for many Christians to eat to their heart's content the things they are giving up for Lent.  I pray that we spend today thinking about what we are hoping to take up instead of give up.  Take up prayer, or singing, or writing praises; whatever blesses your soul, do that!  Don't forget tomorrow early, some churches may have Ash Wednesday services; make it a point to go and start the Lenten Journey there.

The Start of Jesus' Public Ministry

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In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him.And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.’ And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. He was in the wilderness for forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels waited on him.  Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.’  (Mark 1:9-15)

Dear one, I trust you and yours had a great weekend and found time to spend with God.  This is an important week as on Wednesday many Christians will mark the start of their Lenten Journey.  Tomorrow is Shrove Tuesday, or "Fat Tuesday" when many will eat to their heart's content the very things they may be giving up for Lent, and for some reason pancakes take the top of the list for many.  I invite us to prepare our hearts, minds, and spirits for a time of devotion with the Lord as you read this.

Jesus' start in public ministry according to Mark's gospel is marked by presenting Himself for baptism by John in the Jordan River.  The response to John's invitation by the least likely of people, namely the Jews, was incredible.  Baptism as a washing away of sins had been invented and reserved for those who were not born Jewish, so to have so many Jews line up to have their sins washed away confirmed that the time was just right for Jesus to begin His ministry.  Any undertaking, especially a positive answer to God's invitation to be in ministry begins with surrender, and that's just what Jesus does.  He presents Himself as wanting to completely identify with what God offered to all people.  And to confirm the rightness of that decision, as Jesus emerges from the water God speaks from the Heavens, "You are my Son, the Beloved; with You I am well pleased."  And true to His obedience to God, the Holy Spirit leads Jesus to the wilderness for prayer and fasting.  A second undertaking by those wanting to be faithful and fruitful to God should be undergirded by prayer and fasting.  Many will fast in their own way during this time of year, mostly by giving up something special to them; fasting though should be the giving up of something vital and replacing it with something spiritual.  If you're going to give up a meal each day as your fast, that time you would have spent eating should be spent praying or reading your Bible or a devotional book.  The emphasis is that true nourishment and nurture comes from God.

After forty days and nights in the wilderness, Jesus was waited on by angels, who took care of His hunger and rest.  Now Jesus was ready and He begins with the same sermon John, who is now under arrest, preached:  "The time if fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the Good News."  It spoke the truth, we need to repent, or turn away from our sins.  We turn them over to God and let God cast them into the deepest part of the sea as the prophet Micah said.  And we know that as Revelation 21:1 says the day is coming when the sea will be no more.  After repentance comes belief and from belief comes service to God and to others.

Friend, if you have felt God nudging you to do something special for Him, begin by surrendering.  The fight is over, God has won, we surrender ourselves in obedience to Him.  Next, we begin a fervent life of prayer and fasting, worship, study and growing knowledge of what God offers to us to strengthen us.  And then, we respond to the Spirit's leading as He guides us out into the world where the needs are real and awaiting our presence.

PRAYER:  Loving God, pour out Your Holy Spirit on me.  Let me rejoice in knowing that I matter and I count in the work You have for me to do.  Guide me to faithfulness and fruitfulness.  I surrender to You and await the guiding of Your Holy Spirit; this I pray in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord.  How will you show your surrender to God today?

Eradio Valverde

PRAYER REQUESTS & UPDATES:  Please offer prayers of comfort for Dane and Maria Sullivan who lost a loved one this weekend.  Please pray for those affected by the flu.  Over 60 deaths have occurred in Dallas alone because of this flu.  Please keep yourselves safe by washing your hands often.  

For those in the Gonzales area, my Heaven class will be offered twice on Wednesday:  11 am for those wishing to participate in the Lenten services and at 12:10 for those who work and cannot get there earlier.  Please spread the word as our class is getting interesting and exciting.  Please ready chapter 11 for this week.  Pray for all who are studying God's Word today!

I Am the Gate

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So again Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep...I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. (John 10:7, 9)

There was a period of time in my life when my grandfather Carlos, lived on a ranch between Riviera and Falfurrias.  To go and visit him, meant that I, as the oldest, had to get down, and open the gate.  It was never locked, but it was a wide gate to allow truck and tractors to get through.  I would undo the chain, and swing the gate open.  My dad would drive our car through, and I would again secure the gate, run to the car and get in.  I understood what the gate was for; protection agains the cattle from getting out, though they'd have to manage the cattle guard on the ground by the gate.  I would fear those seconds outside the car opening and closing a gate; my mind raced as to what could be "out there" while I was unprotected by the car, but once in I was again "safe."

In Jesus' day, there were two kinds of enclosures for the protection of the flocks.  One was the enclosure in the towns jointly owned by all shepherds where a large gate with a lock secured the door and only the shepherd had a key.  Once in, the flock was safe and secure from any possible harm from any predators.  The other was found out in the country while the flocks were out grazing.  The enclosure out there had no gate.  The sheep would be forced into the enclosure and at night the shepherd himself would lay down at the entrance, with his body becoming the gate.  Any predator would have to go through the shepherd to get in.

Jesus declares another of His "I am" statements in this passage, "I am the gate for the sheep...I am the gate.  Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture."  The safety and protection from all life, both here and beyond, is found in Him.  We enter into a relationship with Jesus and into the safety of His very being.  He is the door.  While we abide in Jesus and let Jesus abide in us, nothing nor anyone can come against us.  He has given us salvation and full protection and provision.  Why should we be afraid?

PRAYER:  Loving Shepherd, allow me to enter into You in Your name.  I want You to be my Lord and Savior; the Gate of life, the gate that leads into abundant life.  Keep me and mine safe from all harm; let us not want for anything, for I pray in Your strong name, Jesus, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Lead someone to the Gate with promises of safety and salvation today!

Eradio Valverde

Prayer Requests and Updates:  Dear friend: Today in Dallas, Texas, Laura Lopez Silva undergoes a very delicate brain surgery.  It will be performed by one of the most renowned neurosurgeons in the world, yet the dangers of such a surgery are present; please pray that all go according to plan and Laura receive the healing she needs.  Pray for her husband, Johnny, our campus minister in San Antonio, and their family.  Please pray for Joseph Latham, who continues in ICU in an induced coma.  He has had slight improvements, then slight declines.  Pray for Crystal, his wife, and for all who are praying for him.  Join me in praising God for little James Hisey's return home!  He was able to be in home yesterday after his surgery and scare the other night.  God is good!  Nellie and I have been very blessed in having Adabelle Grace Garcia with us this week.  Our youngest two year old granddaughter returns home today at noon with her dad.  Pray for a safe trip home to Mission, TX.  Pray for us as we are already sad at not having that precious baby around.  We'll miss her smile and laugh. May the Lord bless you and keep you.  Have a safe weekend and may you find time to worship the Lord in the church of your choice.

A Psalm of Instruction

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The mighty one, God the Lord, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting. Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines forth. Our God comes and does not keep silence, before him is a devouring fire, and a mighty tempest all around him. He calls to the heavens above and to the earth, that he may judge his people: ‘Gather to me my faithful ones, who made a covenant with me by sacrifice!’ The heavens declare his righteousness, for God himself is judge.(Psalm 50:1-6)

God speaks all the time if we would but listen. The Creator of all things has stayed involved and caring for His creation and we need but look for Him and His handiwork.  It's still dark as I write this (and cold!), but soon the sun will begin its majestic appearance on the earth, God speaking and saying, "I made this for you!"  It's as if God is indeed yelling out, "Earth!  wake up and enjoy the beauty made for you!"  God is not shy, as a modern version of this same psalm says; God speaks in bold ways - oh that we might just listen.  God calls us out of slumber into service, faithful and fruitful service; each of us living the best lives we can sharing love, compassion, hope, and justice with all, knowing that one day we will be held to account for what we did and didn't do for others.  God calls us to call others to gather, to recognize our unity and bond as creatures of the Most High - banded together to do that which blesses God and those not yet blessed.  All that is around us declares the righteousness of God, further call to live a life of sacrifice and love.

Just yesterday I read about Bazooka gum.  It was originally owned by Topps Baseball Card Company, and if you're young enough like me, you will remember buying and enjoying Bazooka gum.  And you might remember getting a baseball card with it, photos and stats of a baseball player of the time, and you could collect and trade with friends those cards.  In 2010, Wayne University researchers did a study of 230 baseball cards from the 1952 (great year to be born!) season, seeking to categorize the smiles of each of the players' faces.  The conclusion was reported by TIME magazine, "Players who had more authentic smiles-- conveying a deeper level of contentment -- were more likely to live longer than those who were only partially smiling, or not grinning at all."  And the lifespan differences were huge -- genuinely smiling players lived, on average, seven more years longer than those who weren't smiling whatsoever.  So, as the psalmist is saying, smile!  God loves you and watches over you and expects from you a life that blesses others.  That should be reason enough to smile!

PRAYER:  Loving Father, smile on me the grace of Your love.  As I see the sun make its way across the sky, may it make the closeness I seek to have with You and with Yours.  Bless me to be a blessing, and let me live a life of sacrifice that brings to You great joy.  This I pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Smile, for someone is watching and may just need the brightness of your smile!

Eradio Valverde

A Double Portion of Thy Spirit

Image from newlifenarrabi.wordpress.com

Now when the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. Elijah said to Elisha, ‘Stay here; for the Lord has sent me as far as Bethel.’ But Elisha said, ‘As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.’ So they went down to Bethel. The company of prophets who were in Bethel came out to Elisha, and said to him, ‘Do you know that today the Lord will take your master away from you?’ And he said, ‘Yes, I know; keep silent.’Elijah said to him, ‘Elisha, stay here; for the Lord has sent me to Jericho.’ But he said, ‘As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.’ So they came to Jericho. The company of prophets who were at Jericho drew near to Elisha, and said to him, ‘Do you know that today the Lord will take your master away from you?’ And he answered, ‘Yes, I know; be silent.’ Then Elijah said to him, ‘Stay here; for the Lord has sent me to the Jordan.’ But he said, ‘As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.’ So the two of them went on. Fifty men of the company of prophets also went, and stood at some distance from them, as they both were standing by the Jordan. Then Elijah took his mantle and rolled it up, and struck the water; the water was parted to the one side and to the other, until the two of them crossed on dry ground. When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, ‘Tell me what I may do for you, before I am taken from you.’ Elisha said, ‘Please let me inherit a double share of your spirit.’ He responded, ‘You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it will be granted you; if not, it will not.’ As they continued walking and talking, a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them, and Elijah ascended in a whirlwind into heaven. Elisha kept watching and crying out, ‘Father, father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!’ But when he could no longer see him, he grasped his own clothes and tore them in two pieces.(2 Kings 2:1-12)

Only two men in the Bible did not die but were taken directly by God into Heaven.  The first was Enoch, who walked so closely with the Lord, one day that walk did not end here, but continued in Heaven (Genesis 5:24).  The second is Elijah, prophet and one of the persons who appeared with Jesus on the mountain of Transfiguration.  This passage deals with his departure.  If you're familiar with his life, Elijah was faithful and fruitful.  He suffered much for the sake of God, and reached a point where he felt he could not go on.  Yet, at the end, he was still alive and his enemies were dead.  And God found a suitable successor for his ministry, the prophet Elisha.  Elisha learned much from Elijah, and regretted the day's arrival we read about here.  He knew that he was to succeed Elijah, but did not like the idea of losing his mentor and friend.  And leave it to other colleagues to remind him twice that this was the day.  Elijah wore a mantle, a piece of clothing similar to the stoles pastors wear on their robes.  This mantle had provided comfort and strength for Elijah and even here on his final day on earth it was used by Elijah to strike the Jordan River and part it in two so that he and Elisha could walk across it easily.  When the moment of goodbye came, Elijah asked the younger prophet what he could do for him.  Elisha asked for, in King James English, "a double portion of they spirit."  In the Message, he is quoted as saying, "Your life repeated in my life. I want to be a holy man just like you."  Elisha had learned enough to say I want to be just like you, holy, strong, faithful to God and able to do the things asked of me.  The mantle was passed from Elijah to Elisha and the only requirement was for Elisha to not remove his eyes from the old man as he was carried away.  And what a sight he had; a chariot of fire, pulled by horses of fire came from Heaven and carried the faithful prophet home.  The younger could only scream, "Father, father!  The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!"  Then he mourned.

I pray that you and I have had mentors in our life that have blessed us spiritually.  It may have been your mother or father, or both; and if they're now gone, I hope you are being a mentor to someone in your life.  People watch us and learn from us; and they'll either say, "I want to be just like him/her!" or "Not on your life; I'd rather live my own life!"  I pray it's the former not the latter.  May our words, thoughtful actions and deeds be the kind that impact lives for the better, bringing people closer to God, and not the kind that drive people away from God.  Both of these prophets became prophets because of their relationship with God; their prayer lives were daily events of connecting with God in positive ways.  May our prayer lives be the same.

PRAYER:  Loving Father, pour out Your Spirit on me so that I may be a blessing to You and those who watch and learn from me.  I seek not to know all the answers, but You, the Source of all good and wisdom.  Bless my actions, my words, and my thoughts.  Lift me high and set me on fire spiritually so that Christ's light shine in and through me.  This I pray in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  What mantle are you carrying and to whom will you pass it?

Eradio Valverde

PRAYER REQUESTS:  Dear friend, our continued prayers for James Hisey, the three year old who we believe underwent surgery in Houston for a 4.5 cm abscess found right behind his tonsils.  The fear was that once removed complications could affect James' airway possibly placing him on a ventilator for a while.  I've not received word of the outcome of the surgery, but we're trusting God.  James is the grandson of Dr. Commie and Donna Hisey.  Prayers for Dorothy McGint, who is battling cancer and is declining.  Prayers for Joe Haynes (former KCTI announcer) who was struck by a vehicle in a parking lot and is hospitalized in Fort Worth.  Continued prayers for little Cashel Wurzbach and his fight with cancer.  Again, dear reader, your prayers bless others and we are thankful for your willingness to serve in this way. May the Lord bless you and keep you!

Errand-Runners of God’s Light

If our Message is obscure to anyone, it's not because we're holding back in any way. No, it's because these other people are lookingi or going the wrong way and refuse to give it serious attention. All they have eyes for is the fashionable god of darkness. They think he can give them what they want, and that they won't have to bother believing a Truth they can't see. They're stone-blind to the dayspring brightness of the Message that shines with Christ, who gives us the best picture of God we'll ever get. Remember, our Message is not about ourselves; we're proclaiming Jesus Christ, the Master. All we are is messengers, errand runners from Jesus for you. It started when God said, "Light up the darkness!" and our lives filled up with light as we saw and understood God in the face of Christ, all bright and beautiful. (2 Corinthians 4:3-6 The Message)

The awesome event of the Transfiguration allowed the three who witnessed it to experience the Light of God Like few humans before. They saw Christ for Who He is, God’s radiant, darkness-breaking light. It was later experienced by the Apostle Paul on his way to Damascus, and so it is he who writes these words of encouragement and command; it is up to believers to keep ever before all people the light of Christ before those still in darkness.

i have five grandchildren that I love very much and for whom I pray without ceasing. I know they’re already exposed to darkness and all “the god of this would”love nothing better than to see them involved in his shenanigans. My prayer is that Christ’s light would shine through. When our oldest was about six she came to Nellie and asked, “not everybody likes Daddy right?” Mom had to explain that was true and that sadly not everyone would like her, but that we still needed to love others. A bit later we discovered that her Sunday school teacher, instead of teaching God’s love and purpose, was using her classroom to criticize and condemn my preaching. Who was she really serving? God or the god of this world? Jesus said the enemy comes to kill, steal, and destroy. (John 10:10). It is up to us to be errand-runners of light in the face of all darkness.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, cover this dear reader with Your light. Shine on them love and joy in the midst of what our enemy shares. Bless all their loved ones and family, and let them all shine light in all places. It is in Christ Jesus’ strong name we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Be an errand-runner of light today!

Eradio Valverde

PRAYER REQUESTS AND UPDATES: Rev, Michael Dobbs, called by his doctors a ”walking miracle” preached in his church this past Sunday! This is answered prayers. We ask prayers for Freddy Perez, brother to Maria Sullivan, who is in hospice care for liver cancer. Prayers for Cliff Bryant, son-in-law of John and Edith Lucas, as doctors seek to treat his bleeding adrenal gland. Prayers for Kenneth Malatek who is in ICU in a College Station hospital following complications from pneumonia.

Building Memorials? Or Building the Kingdom?

Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no one on earth could bleach them. And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, who were talking with Jesus. Then Peter said to Jesus, ‘Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.’ He did not know what to say, for they were terrified. Then a cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud there came a voice, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!’ Suddenly when they looked around, they saw no one with them any more, but only Jesus.As they were coming down the mountain, he ordered them to tell no one about what they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead.(Mark 9: 2-9)

Some churches suffer from plaque buildup. Every sizable gift or donation is marked. Some churches have significant memorial funds that are more secure than Fort Knox, awaiting Jesus to return and gain access to them. I’ve yet to see a plaque that says “On this pew, Mildred People, age 8 gave her life to the Lord, and went on to faithfully and fruitfully serve God.” The marks we make should be in the hearts and lives of those who needed and through something we did brought them into a relationship with God.

The disciples taken by Jesus to this sacred event saw Jesus in His heavenly realm, a glimpse of glory, and saw and understood that with Him were Moses and Elijah, the two major figures the Prophet Malachi spoke of in the final word written in the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament). And their only reaction was to build a memorial to the event and to the three figures in the event. Please don’t get me wrong, plaques serve their place, but the call from God is to keep moving and doing what God expects from us. Memorial funds are also important but the greatest memory the de eased have left the funds for was to reach more for the Lord. The three disciples’ idea was interrupted by God’s voice which said, for the second time in their walk with Jesus, “This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to Him.” May it never be said our wanting to look back at the “good old days”;we fail to hear God’s voice for what we should know and do.

Take a moment to listen. It may just be God’s voice calling.

PRAYER: Loving Father, May I not be so much overwhelmed by the past and its glories that i fail to hear You today. My desire is to move forward and serve You. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Take a moment or two to listen to the Lord today and all days.

Eradio Valverde

PRAYER REQUEST: For a gentleman named Cliff who is suffering from a bleeding adrenal gland. Prayers that God heal him. I celebrated Holy Communion with Dick and Shirley Goss after church and Dick is making significant progress in his recovery. Thank you for your prayers.

I Am the Light of the World

Image from dailyverses.net

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life." (John 8:12)

There are those who thrive in darkness.  Jesus spoke of those and said that their deeds would be one day revealed.  Darkness allows a cover for mischief and evil.  Most crimes happen at night.  I will never forget the first motion sensor night I encountered.  I was going to visit a home and as I got almost to the porch their light came on.  It took me by surprise and I knew the people were at home.  They were not.  As I was leaving, the light turned off.  I had to try it.  I walked back towards the home, and viola the light was back on. Hmm, I thought, this is good.  Had one tried to come and break into this house the light would have startled them and made them run.

Jesus speaks this truth of His being the light of the world immediately after His encounter with those who had caught a woman in adultery.  They sought her immediate death.  Jesus intervened and said, "Let anyone among who who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her."  Ouch.  Those honest in the crowd had to think and realize immediately they were not without sin.  Then, Jesus wrote something on the ground.  And many have speculated that Jesus was writing down the sins of those in the crowd.  Ouch again!  One by one, the people dispersed.  Soon only the woman and Jesus were alone.  Jesus then tells the woman, "Go your way and from now on do not sin again."

It's after this that Jesus addresses the problem of sin.  Sins can be committed in broad daylight, but it causes darkness to fall upon those who commit them.  Jesus speaks to us all by saying, we need not live in darkness but in light, because He is the light of the world.  We never need walk in darkness again.  We indeed have the light of life.

PRAYER:  Loving Father, help me to walk out of the darkness and into Your light and love.  Forgive me my sins which I've tried to hide in the darkness of my soul, remove them and cast them into the deepest part of the sea.  In Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Prepare for a great day of worship be it today or tomorrow.  Find a place to worship God with other believers!

Blessings!

Eradio Valverde

God Gives Us Strength

Image from rachelwojo.com

Hallelujah! It's a good thing to sing praise to our God; praise is beautiful, praise is fitting. God's the one who rebuilds Jerusalem, who regathers Israel's scattered exiles. He heals the heartbroken and bandages their wounds.  He counts the stars and assigns each a name. Our Lord is great, with limitless strength; we'll never comprehend what he knows and does  God puts the fallen on their feet again and pushes the wicked into the ditch.  Sing to God a thanksgiving hymn, play music on your instruments to God,  Who fills the sky with clouds, preparing rain for the earth, Then turning the mountains green with grass,  feeding both cattle and crows.  He's not impressed with horsepower; the size of our muscles means little to him. Those who fear God get God's attention; they can depend on his strength.  Jerusalem, worship God! Zion, praise your God! He made your city secure, he blessed your children among you.  He keeps the peace at your borders, he puts the best bread on your tables. He launches his promises earthward - how swift and sure they come! He spreads snow like a white fleece, he scatters frost like ashes, He broadcasts hail like birdseed - who can survive his winter? Then he gives the command and it all melts; he breathes on winter - suddenly it's spring! He speaks the same way to Jacob, speaks words that work to Israel. He never did this to the other nations; they never heard such commands. Hallelujah! (Psalm 147:1-20 The Message)

Nothing can brighten our day like singing.  The kind of singing that comes from a joyful and blessed heart.  For the last seven years I spent a lot of time on the road, usually with my bride at my side, and there were moments when a song would come to one of us (usually a hymn) and we would start to sing.  It was praise and it blessed our heart.  The psalmist loved to sing and to write songs of praise.  He had a favorite theme:  The awesomeness of God and most of the psalms reflect that.  And he would usually invite those who heard these psalms to join him in praising God.  Praise is about saying, God, you're so good and you have blessed us in so many ways and because of that I am singing!

Singing is like flipping a light switch and blasting away the darkness, and Lord have we seen darkness!  But it's also about having seen God's light in so many places and so many different ways and we praise Him!

Singing is also about getting God's strength back into us.  And it's not about carrying a tune, it really is about making a joyful noise unto the Lord.  God accepts off-key as well as on-key; just open your mouth and start singing!

PRAYER:  Lord, we needed this message about Your love and strength.  Make bright our day with Your love and fill my heart with a song that will blast away the darkness in my life or the lives of those around me.  Grant to me Your strength and help me to carry on; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Sing a song today even if it's just in your heart!

Eradio Valverde

PRAYER JOYS AND CONCERNS:  Nellie and I sing a song of praise for the birth of our firstborn on this day some years ago.  Incredible how the years have flown by and more incredible how wonderful our daughter is.  Happy Birthday Nellie Garcia!  We pray today for those battling dementia and those who care for them.  We pray also for those fighting cancer; may God defeat that disease is our prayer.  In Jesus' strong name, amen.