The Holy Family Fled! (NOT Ford!*) Thank you, Otto Korect!

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13 Now after they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him." 14 Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt, 15 and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, "Out of Egypt I have called my son." 16 When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he was infuriated, and he sent and killed all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had learned from the wise men. 17 Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah: 18 "A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be consoled, because they are no more." 19 When Herod died, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, 20 "Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who were seeking the child's life are dead." 21 Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And after being warned in a dream, he went away to the district of Galilee. 23 There he made his home in a town called Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, "He will be called a Nazorean." (Matthew 2:13-23 NRSV)

A very Merry Christmas to you and yours, dear Friend! I will take a few days off for this holiday season and today's will serve as the Christmas edition for 2019. This will be the last ConCafe for the decade!

The first Christmas was no different from some Christmases of today; you take the good with the bad. Yes, there are some homes where the gathering of family is not always a good thing; some family members will chose to leave in the middle of the night rather than ride out the holy days in conflict. Ouch. Sometimes it is better for those things to happen. Please know there is counseling available if you are troubled by this; a call to your pastor(s) may help

Now to our story: At some point early in Jesus' life, God orders Joseph to flee to Egypt. God knew that Herod was about to search for the child Jesus and kill all male children. In obedience to God, Joseph took Mary and Jesus across several country's borders until finally crossing into the nation of Egypt, where the family lived until the Lord told Joseph that it was now safe for the Holy Family to return back to Israel, specially to the town of Nazareth. Some scholars believe the family stayed in Egypt for two years. That my friends may have seemed like an eternity to a family whose roots and families were somewhere miles away. Did Joseph and Mary speak Egyptian? Did they find work easily? Were they welcomed with love and acceptance? Or, were they looked at with suspicion and fear? DId they hear "Why don't you go back to where you came from? Or, "We thank God you're here and among us! Please tell us how we can help you all?"

Joseph trusted God and knew that an early return home would mean his son's death, and possibly his own death and that of Mary. What sort of option is that? The question is not what would Jesus do, it's what would YOU do for the good of your child and wife?

Some would question why God would have chosen to make His Son run rather than stay and fight? Could not God send a million angels to fight Herod's armies? I think yes, but it would have defeated the purpose of God truly and completely identifying with us. Jesus came in human form. He ran fevers, He coughed and had the sniffles. He cut His fingers while playing; Jesus did all things that come with being a boy. No, He didn't sin; we know that, but He did know the human condition. And yes, He did die, at the right time, for you and me.

This Christmas, let's trust God and be like God, loving and giving. Let's even be like the Egyptian neighbors who welcomed and cared for God's Son and His earthly family.

Merry Christmas!

PRAYER: Loving God, thank You for this important story. It saddens us that sometimes leaders of nations make it necessary for its citizens to flee for their lives. And sadder that some in nations that can welcome them, don't. Grant us Your love in abundance so that it easily and freely flows from our hearts to others. Thank You for Jesus! May His birth be our greatest gift of all time! In HIS name we pray, amen!

**Prayer Request: Late Sunday evening we got word that the maternal grandfather of our son-in-law, Jesse Muñoz, died in Corpus Christi. Please keep the Muñoz family in your prayers during this difficult time.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Be a true peacemaker in someone's life this holiday season!

Receive my blessings of love and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

The Good Shepherd Saves His People!

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1 Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock! You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth 2 before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh. Stir up your might, and come to save us! 3 Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved. 4 O Lord God of hosts, how long will you be angry with your people's prayers? 5 You have fed them with the bread of tears, and given them tears to drink in full measure. 6 You make us the scorn of our neighbors; our enemies laugh among themselves. 7 Restore us, O God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved. (Psalm 80:1-7 NRSV)

Hello Dear Friend! Isn't if nice to have a shepherd upon Whom we can call? I may have shared before the day came when I knew I was completely on my own. Before that, I had a dad I could call whenever I felt in trouble or in need of his help. My dad had been my shepherd even during the days when I was a straying lamb. I knew that help was only a phone call away. I chuckle as I remember as I left home for college, my Mom gave me a quarter in case I needed to call home. In those days the quarter would get me a dial tone and then I could call collect. My Dad gave me his Texaco card, that I was only to use in dire emergencies. I don't know how he could have stressed that more. The day Nellie and I had our first child I knew that I was now the dad, and soon I would get calls of need. It was a great feeling but a scary one as well.

Israel always had God as their shepherd, as do we. The prayer of the psalmist as he writes this is to ask for the shepherd to shine forth His light and to bring His salvation upon His people. Salvation. The word of life. The word that lifts us from death and into life. The message of the entire Bible is summed up in one word. The prayer was answered in what we will be celebrating in some days; Christmas - the brith of He born to save the world. The answer came in God's time; the "fullness of time." And it is ours for the asking.

Call on the Lord for whatever it is you need. God is our Shepherd and God answers when we call. Don't wander any further lost in the darkness, call on God and He will bless you!

PRAYER: Loving God, we thank You for Christmas and all that it means to us. May it mean life to us for all days. This we pray in Christ Jesus' name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Pray like you've never prayed before and ask what you need.

Receive my blessings of peace and love,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Are You Wearying God?

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10 Again the LORD spoke to Ahaz, 11 "Ask a sign of the LORD your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven." 12 But Ahaz said, "I will not ask, and I will not put the LORD to the test." 13 And he said, "Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that you weary my God also? 14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, a young woman shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Imman'u-el. 15 He shall eat curds and honey when he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. 16 For before the child knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land before whose two kings you are in dread will be deserted. (Isaiah 7:10-16 RSV)

Hi Friend! As we were leaving a fast food place yesterday evening in San Marcos, a young man got out of a car and walked hurriedly to the door. I suspect he knew what was coming next. The kid looked at me just as the Dad said, "I love you, son!" In my thinking this probably embarrassed the dickens out of the young man, but the Dad said it because he meant it. Nellie noticed the young man's look too, and said one should always appreciate the kind and loving words our dads and moms say to us. Many of us at this certain age would, in the words of the song, "trade all of my tomorrows for a single yesterday" just to hear our dad's or mom's voice again. The son is probably, in this point of his life, weary of hearing sappy things like "I love you, son." But the day will come, sometimes too soon, when the young man would give anything to hear it again.

This passage, as well as the season of Advent, is about people being made weary by others, but the prophet truly understands that we, too, can weary God. It got to the point, or as the scriptures say, "In the fullness of time," that God acted and sent His only begotten Son, because we had wearied each other, and God, with our behavior and attitude. Ahaz is asked by the LORD to ask a sign of the LORD your God, and it could be anything as deep as the place of no return, or as high as Heaven itself. But Ahaz wouldn't, for fear he might be putting God to the test. It was then that the message about weariness came to him and the people of God. He then says, God will give you a sign, and this is it: "Behold, a young woman shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel (God with us). He shall eat curds and honey when he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, but the warning was that their land had wearied God to the point that before this child appeared, much desolation would come to the land. We know that it did.

Advent as our season right now is not to be worried about a desolate land from antiquity; we should we afraid of living a life that makes God weary with how we act, what we think, what we say, and how we worship (or not worship!). Advent is meant to spur us into action for the good and the positive as we seek to bless others with how we do live, by allowing Christ to make an impact in our lives now.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, if we have wearied you, please forgive us. If we continue to weary you, please remind us that this is not what you expect. Change us for the good. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Let someone see the change that has come upon your life, that instead of being a weary-causer, you are now a worship-causer!

Receive my blessings of love and peace!

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Jesus, The Gift from God!

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1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, 2 which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures, 3 the gospel concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh 4 and was declared to be Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, 5 through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for the sake of his name, 6 including yourselves who are called to belong to Jesus Christ, 7 To all God's beloved in Rome, who are called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

A very happy Tuesday, dear Friend, the best gift of Christmas is the gift of love. No gift can compare or compete with the gift of God's love as shown in the birth of His Son, Jesus. For me, a close second was the love I discovered when I was in my internship year at El Mesias UMC in Mission, Texas. After what seemed months of pursuing this woman, whom I knew to be the love of my life, she had said yes to a date. And that date led to the rest of our courtship being a non-stop date of sorts. After school I would be at her house and she could not get rid of me. I knew Nellie was the one for me, and she told me I was the one for her. But it didn't become so serious as that Christmas Eve when I had to stay and be the narrator of the Christmas program and could not leave for Houston until that was over. The plan was that Nellie would fly up two days later to meet my parents. She walked me to my car and as I was about to drive off, she started crying. What? I had never had a girl cry for me and then it hit me, really hard; this girl loves me!

Has it hit you? That God really loves you? It hit Paul super hard, as he discovered his new found life's purpose in putting Christians behind bars was not his true life's calling. The man whom Paul thought he hated and wanted to get people to stop talking and praying about, Jesus, met Paul on the road, called him by name and asked him why he was doing what he was doing. And more than that, Jesus called him into ministry. The Good News of Christmas became the lifeblood of his life.

Paul writes about the good news as he had read them in the scriptures of the prophets, and how they understood all that was to happen in order for for all humanity to come to know God's love. He heard about God's grace, and the need to be apostles of Jesus; all in order to bring about the obedience of faith. We are called to be saints; grace is ours.

Let it be real; let it hit you. You matter to God. And nothing nor anyone can take that away from you!

PRAYER: Thank You, dear God, for Your love. Let me do something about it today. This is my prayer in Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Let God's love hit you today like never before!

Receive my blessing of peace and love!

Pastor Eradio Valverde

The Birth of Jesus Took Place in This Way...

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18 Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. 20 But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." 22 All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: 23 "Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel," which means, "God is with us." 24 When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, 25 but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus. (Matthew 1:18-25 NRSV)

Here is the Christmas Story, dear Friend! It involves a baby. And before we look at the Baby Jesus, let us be in prayer for babies who need our prayers for healing. A dear member of one of my former churches, Christina Sandell, her son Jack, a newborn, has been in the hospital with respiratory problems including severe sleep apnea. He is too tiny for any sleep apnea machine. We trust God and we ask God for his healing. Jack was born on November 4, 2019. Join me in praying for a miracle! And I just received news that a retired UM pastor from our conference who lives in Costa Rica, The Rev. Rafael Campos, is very ill and tomorrow undergoes some tests to see how he's doing. Please pray for Rev. Campos.

Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah, the deliverer of God's people. Jesus was born to Mary, a young woman betrothed to a man named Joseph. Mary found herself to be with child even before being with a man; a child promised to her in a dream by an archangel. Joseph, as the Bible described him, was a "righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, and the more severe option of being stoned to death. His plan was to divorce her quietly. But as happens so often, the plans of a person don't always match those of God.

God interrupts Joseph's sleep with the visit of an angel who tells him, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." This was the fulfillment of biblical prophecy.

Joseph did as told, and married Mary, and she bore a son, and Joseph named Him Jesus.

In this baby the world received her salvation. For in Jesus we had Him who would die in our place, for our sins, so that we might be restored back with God. In Jesus we find all that Advent had prepared for us. Praise be to God.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, for Jesus we are thankful and eternally grateful. May we make room for Jesus to be born in us and for us. And in His holy name we pray, amen!

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Be someone who shares this sacred birth with others.

Receive my blessings of love and peace!

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Get Help from God!

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1 Hallelujah! O my soul, praise God! 2 All my life long I'll praise God, singing songs to my God as long as I live. 3 Don't put your life in the hands of experts who know nothing of life, of salvation life. 4 Mere humans don't have what it takes; when they die, their projects die with them. 5 Instead, get help from the God of Jacob, put your hope in God and know real blessing! 6 God made sky and soil, sea and all the fish in it. He always does what he says - 7 he defends the wronged, he feeds the hungry. God frees prisoners - 8 he gives sight to the blind, he lifts up the fallen. 9 protects strangers, takes the side of orphans and widows, but makes short work of the wicked. 10 God's in charge - always. Zion's God is God for good! Hallelujah! (Psalm 146 The Message)

Many people paste on their vehicles a bumper sticker that says something about them or about where they put their hope and trust. Some are funny, some are very serious, and some are scary. My truck has several of the Central Texas 100 Club in honor of our son-in-law, Eric Cortez, who is a police officer with Austin PD, as well as all other police officers and first responders. They put their lives on the line for us each day, and we pray the Lord protect them always.

A faded one on ther other side shows a helicopter and was a service that we had in San Marcos, Seguin, and some other places; it said that we who had the sticker believed in their service should we ever need it and we, of course, all prayed we never would. The service announced this year they would no longer serve this area for a variety of reasons. But guess what? My hope has always been in God, not in helicopters, or any other thing or person. The psalmist nailed it with his words in this passage. So called experts can only do so much, and then verse 5 says it all: "Instead, get help from the God of Jacob, put your hope in God and know real blessings!" My hope is in HIm! How about you?

The psalmist lists what God does and can do; God is a Creator; He made all things; what could He possibly NOT do? God keeps His word. God defends the wronged; who else does? God feeds the hungry. God frees prisoners. God gives sight to the blind. God lifts up the fallen. God protects strangers. God takes the side of orphans and widows. God makes short work of the wicked. God's in charge - always. God is God for good!

Now, where are the new bumper stickers that affirm our faith? Better yet, how can we become the walking bumper stickers that share the positive that God can use to grow His kingdom?

PRAYER: Loving God, empower me to be a better person, a walking symbol of Your goodness. Let me work among those listed above who need me. In Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! I mean it, be a walking bumper sticker for God (Not with paper signs pasted on you, but you giving witness with your acts and words!)

Receive my blessings of love and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

The Lord is Near!

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7 Be patient, therefore, beloved, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious crop from the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. 8 You also must be patient. Strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near. 9 Beloved, do not grumble against one another, so that you may not be judged. See, the Judge is standing at the doors! 10 As an example of suffering and patience, beloved, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. (James 5: 7-10 NRSV)

"It's either feast or famine!" We all have heard that said by farmers that we all know and love. A farmer plants with faith and trust, prays for rain, and then patiently waits to see what sort of crop they will receive. The waiting is the hardest part. Dear Friend, as James wrote this epistle, he was addressing believers who were anxious about when Jesus would return for them. James believes with all his heart that the Lord was near, as we do even today some two thousand years later. His calm suggestion is for the reader to be calm and patient. And yet, he writes, "Strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near." Advent is about waiting and trusting. We await the time to draw close to once again celebrate the birth of our Lord. As years go by it seems churches no longer put on plays or special music on the actual holy days like the 24th or 25th, but do the celebrating on earlier days, so that family plans can be carried forth. And even in those days when celebrations of Christ's birth were low-key, there was a tendency for conflict among other believers, even family, were possible and were happening, so James writes, "Beloved, do not grumble against one another, so that you may not be judged." The pressures and stresses of the holidays at time cause us to not be ourselves and defeats the entire purpose of why we celebrate.

Patience and peace as we await the birth of He born to be the Prince of Peace. What a concept!

Show peace, and show love. People may wonder what you're up to!

PRAYER: King of Kings, and Lord of Life, and our Prince of Peace; show us how and share it with us. May You be glorified in all this, for we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Show just an ounce more of patience than yesterday and soon your cup will overflow!

Blessings of peace and love,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

John the Preparer!

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2 When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples 3 and said to him, "Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?" 4 Jesus answered them, "Go and tell John what you hear and see: 5 the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them. 6 And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me." 7 As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind? 8 What then did you go out to see? Someone dressed in soft robes? Look, those who wear soft robes are in royal palaces. 9 What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10 This is the one about whom it is written, "See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.' 11 Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. (Matthew 11:2-11 NRSV)

Happy Monday, dear Friend! If the joy of the Lord is your strength, then any day, especially Monday can be a Happy day! I pray the joy of Jesus in you give you the joy, strength, courage, and boldness as you face today and all this week! May the peace and the pace that the Lord shares shape your week for productivity and blessing!

On social media I saw a grandpa exit from a terminal to find a sign by his grandkids, who had not seen him for two years, holding a sign that said, "Welcome home from prison, Grandpa! We missed you!" Gulp. I didn't know how I would have reacted to such a sign even if I had been in prison. I would be a bit embarrassed and sort of bashful about admitting that. I may be wrong, but not all people react to all things like me, nor do they need to, but being in prison changes your life. I've shared how when I was in Rotary in San Antonio, a SAPD police officer in a cruiser came to my office at the church and "arrested" me. I was taken to a "jail" in a shopping mall, where I had a phone to call friends and church members to "bail" me out. It was a scholarship fund for which we were raising the money, but the impact of the experience stayed fresh with me. Thankfully, my church members and friends quickly raised the money and I was released soon. I could only imagine what it is like to be really locked up and have no idea as to when one could leave. John, the cousin of Jesus, was locked up and he knew there would be only one way that he would leave that prison; as a dead person. One's mind wanders and asks all the wrong things. And to be in prison and to hear things, makes the mind wander even more, so the question John asks Jesus is not far off. "Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?"

John's parents knew what he was going to do with his life. His aunt, Mary, the mother of Jesus, also knew. And John grew up with the full knowledge that he was the one chosen by God to prepare the way of the Lord. And soon he learned that his baby cousin, Jesus, was the Lord. He reluctantly baptized Him, and had seen the progress that Jesus made in the plans and purposes of God in Jesus. John was then arrested for criticizing Herod and his lifestyle, namely, living with his brother's wife. And he had an idea that things would not go well with his life. And as he heard about Jesus and what He was doing, he wondered, "Have I truly done what God wanted me to do with my life?" This was a normal reaction that comes to so many. It was said the late Mother Theresa doubted towards the end of her life, if she had truly done what God wanted her to do. So much good was done for those whom no one even saw nor wanted to touch; she brought humanity to them and blessed them, even as most of them died. So, John wonders. And he asked. And Jesus responded.

"Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them. And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me." John had heard. John had even seen. But, the confirmation that he needed was shared with him. Jesus knew that His cousin would die, but he would be given the gift of eternal life in the kingdom of God.

Jesus, after He sent the messengers to answer John, continued His evaluation of John; that John was not a shaky reed blowing in the wind. He was a stalwart of faith; faithful, bold, and bowed to no one, not even Herod. His very dress, Jesus says, gave proof to his calling and work. Jesus further jabs at those who live in palaces, who just happen to be the ones who were holding John prisoner and who would ultimately order his death. "John was a prophet!" Jesus declares, with all the right and privileges thereof!" He was mentioned in scripture, the Lord said, and his place is secure in the annals of the history of faith; even his birth has blessed his mother; and yet, those who believe and do what God has asked of them, will hold a greater place in Heaven.

Wow. Quite a humbling thought. Faithfulness that leads to fruitfulness will reward those with a fullness of life for all eternity. We sometimes think "I have not done enough," but we leave it to God and onward we continue, to love, care, support, and live as called by Christ. It may seem like an insignificant ripple in a large body of water, but the ripple may bring life to someone who was lacking life. And we may never even see it here, but when it counts, we will know. Today after church I had lunch with a dear friend, who is now a pastor in Floresville. He shared how some things I shared with him when I was his pastor in Harlingen impacted him and allowed him in his own call from God to serve in the local church. I had no recollection of any of it. I just thank God that it blessed someone.

PRAYER: Loving God, I thank You for John the Baptist and his faithfulness. Mold me into being faithful and fruitful, like him in what I do. I want to make a difference in whatever way I can. This I pray in Jesus' name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord. What can I do to prepare further the way of the Lord among those whom I know?

Blessings of love and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Let Righteousness Burst into Blossom!

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1 Give the gift of wise rule to the king, O God, the gift of just rule to the crown prince. 2 May he judge your people rightly, be honorable to your meek and lowly. 3 Let the mountains give exuberant witness; shape the hills with the contours of right living. 4 Please stand up for the poor, help the children of the needy, come down hard on the cruel tyrants. 5 Outlast the sun, outlive the moon - age after age after age. 6 Be rainfall on cut grass, earth-refreshing rain showers. 7 Let righteousness burst into blossom and peace abound until the moon fades to nothing. 10 Kings remote and legendary will pay homage, kings rich and resplendent will turn over their wealth. 11 All kings will fall down and worship, and godless nations sign up to serve him, 12 Because he rescues the poor at the first sign of need, the destitute who have run out of luck. 13 He opens a place in his heart for the down-and-out, he restores the wretched of the earth. 14 He frees them from tyranny and torture - when they bleed, he bleeds; when they die, he dies. (Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14 The Message)

May a glad heart, filled with joy and the love of God be yours today, dear Friend. For those of you who prefer my narrating these devotionals, I have been under the weather and felt that a bullfrog talking to you in the morning is not the best thing! Please remember me in your prayers. I'm a good boy and get my flu shot without much screaming or resistance, but there is not yet anything to prevent us from getting the common cold. Whoever thought to call it common was not well.

Advent continues to bless us if we but listen and learn. Advent is a time to let God speak honestly and lovingly to us. While most want to hear only words of comfort and peace, Advent is a time for honesty and frankness. The needs prior to Jesus' birth were very similar to today's. Justice is still sought in all corners of the world and in most homes. The psalmist lifts up his voice in a prophetic way and the words of a prophet were usually harsh words of warning, calling those who love and seek God to become servants and soldiers of a righteous way.

Hear this, "Please stand up for the poor, help the children of the needy, come down hard on the cruel tyrants." This is the time of year that a news source will feature a man who hands out one hundred dollar bills to people in need. He's a mystery Santa of sorts, who goes into grocery stores or stores like Dollar General or Dollar Tree, and as he sees need, gives the bills to people. Their reaction is usually one of great joy and shock. His actions have motivated others to mimic him. I saw a video on social media of a young man in a college asking people for high fives, and those who did high five the guy received a one hundred dollar bill. These asked, "Why?" And he just said he wanted to bless them. Others have YouTubers who have made significant money giving out more than $100 bills; some paying the full rent of neighbors, groceries, and more. We must listen to God and follow His lead to truly "stand up for the poor," especially for the children.

Poetically, the psalmist says, "Be rainfall on cut grass, earth-refreshing rain showers." These could be simple acts like a smile, a kind word, opening a door, asking how a person is, and being a blessing to all. These actions will do, as the title of today's devotional says, "Let righteousness burst into blossom and peace abound until the moon fades to nothing."

The arrival of Jesus in His birth set in motion what needs to occur to make this earth a better place. Our actions are also shaping what needs to be in place for His second return. We should be the hands and feet of the Lord so that when He comes, He will bless us, for we have blessed others. This is Advent!

PRAYER: Loving Father, bless me to be a blessing. Use us to be those who seek to bring justice and mercy to all, especially the poor and the victims of tyrants. Help me be the hands and feet of Jesus to all. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Confuse someone by making them think you are Christ incarnate, doing His will for them.

Blessings of peace and love,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Look Up to See the Light of the Lord!

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1 The word that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. 2 In days to come the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be raised above the hills; all the nations shall stream to it. 3 Many peoples shall come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths." For out of Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. 4 He shall judge between the nations, and shall arbitrate for many peoples; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. 5 O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord! (Isaiah 2:1-5 NRSV)

Good Wednesday to you, dear Friend! May the blessings of preparation be yours in a mighty way.

Yesterday was a great blessing for Nellie and I who are on a mini-outing with dear friends. They suggested we visit Moody Gardens' Holiday Extravaganza and it was awesome. What made it so nice, besides the company of dear friends, was that Tuesday is Seniors Day, and those of a certain age (65 or older) get to enter for only $30 each. And that included all the attractions including the Festival of Holiday Lights and the marvel that is Iceland, a room cooled to 9 degrees (yes, brrrr!) and these marvelous ice sculptures made by Chinese artists are on display. To enter you must wear one of their parkas and enjoy the marvels from around the world done in ice.

The real highlight was a 3D movie called "Jerusalem" that told the story of the Holy City. It shared how this ancient city of the Jebusites became the center of three of the world's major religions. The Jebusites found the highest mountain in that area and it is believed they worship the Shalems, gods of the sun, and the site became known as Jerusalem. But the prophecy of the prophet Isaiah as he shares it today, came true when King David's son built the original temple in the highest point of Jerusalem where it stood as a beacon and symbol for all of Israel. What the prophet said came true; people would say "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; that He may teach us His ways and that we may walk in His paths." And still today, in the Son of God, we find that the best counsel, advice, and direction for meaning and purpose in life come from looking up to Him and obediently listening to what God can say to us through what Jesus taught and lived.

Advent is that which prepares us for more faithful listening and more obedient ways to walk with the Lord. Hope, joy, cheer, strength, purpose, direction; all these come from above, not below. The placement of the Temple on the highest point of Jerusalem called to people to look up towards God. The results would be as Isaiah said, "God will judge between the nations, and shall arbitrate for many peoples; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more." The upper things call for change in our thinking and perspectives; the lower things call for destruction and war. This passage inspired the song, "I'm not gonna learn war no more," a song meaning the positive changes that come through knowing the Lord call us to become people of peace and compassion. Advent is that time when this can happen.

PRAYER: Loving Father, lift us up beyond the things that destroy and divide. Make us like You and Your Son, people of the higher way, the way of life. And let it begin right now. In Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Be a person of the higher way!

Blessings of peace and love,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?

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11 Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; 12 the night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; 13 let us live honorably as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. 14 Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. (Romans 13:11-14 NRSV)

Happy Tuesday, dear Friend! I trust the blessings of this season of preparation have been yours. As we pray please pray for the world; too many people dying in senseless violence. Our prayers for former president Jimmy Carter and his health; he is hospitalized not long after his surgery. Pray for his healing. Pray for the summit and all leaders present.

As I read the passage for today my mind raced to the old Chicago Transit Authority song by the same title as today's devotional. It seems the group had time on their mind as another song, "25 or 6 To Four" was about time; a groggy band member wanting not to get up from sleep asked another what time it was, and he replied, "It's 25 or 6 to Four." And that became another one of their hits. The title song of today's devotional is about the hustle and bustle of daily life with people not caring enough for the other. It's still a timely (no pun intended!) song and could be tied to the message from Paul to the Romans in today's passage.

The urgency of every Christian is to make sure his or her neighbor is right (saved) with God. Paul knew that his time on earth was running out and so he urges people to "wake from sleep." Again, the challenge to the church is apathy or indifference to the reality of our spiritual situation. Salvation was not a certificate to hang on our walls; it was a daily process of growing in the Lord, doing and serving as much as we could. Salvation was an action of joy and love. Paul saw it as something that would grow in us the more we did for God and for others. I spoke briefly about sanctification earlier in one of my devotions, as a process that begins at the moment of our salvation and continues to bless us each day until the day we graduate into the presence of the Lord. For Paul, the darkness of "the night" was drawing to a close, and "the day" which refers to the appearance of the Lord Jesus (think Advent!) was getting closer, so Paul says, "let us then lay aside the works of darkness (sinful things) and put on the armor of light (evidence of salvation in our lives, words, and actions). Paul saw this as an opportunity to shine as being set apart and different from the world, living "honorably as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provison for the flesh, to gratify its desires."

Long story short; advent can only work in us if we wake up to the reality of the need we have for Jesus to guide us and use us. So, if you're resting or slumbering in the deeds of yesterday or the deeds of your parents, wake up! And get to work!

PRAYER: Loving Father, bless us as we seek to prepare for Your birth and Your return for us. Make us worthy as we seek to work in the light of the day. Let us be a blessing to others. This we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Let people really know what time it is in your heart!

Blessings of peace and love,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Change Your Life! God's Kingdom is Here!

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1 While Jesus was living in the Galilean hills, John, called "the Baptizer," was preaching in the desert country of Judea. 2 His message was simple and austere, like his desert surroundings: "Change your life. God's kingdom is here." 3 John and his message were authorized by Isaiah's prophecy: Thunder in the desert! Prepare for God's arrival! Make the road smooth and straight! 4 John dressed in a camel-hair habit tied at the waist by a leather strap. He lived on a diet of locusts and wild field honey. 5 People poured out of Jerusalem, Judea, and the Jordanian countryside to hear and see him in action. 6 There at the Jordan River those who came to confess their sins were baptized into a changed life. 7 When John realized that a lot of Pharisees and Sadducees were showing up for a baptismal experience because it was becoming the popular thing to do, he exploded: "Brood of snakes! What do you think you're doing slithering down here to the river? Do you think a little water on your snakeskins is going to make any difference? 8 It's your life that must change, not your skin! 9 And don't think you can pull rank by claiming Abraham as father. Being a descendant of Abraham is neither here nor there. Descendants of Abraham are a dime a dozen. 10 What counts is your life. Is it green and blossoming? Because if it's deadwood, it goes on the fire. 11 "I'm baptizing you here in the river, turning your old life in for a kingdom life. The real action comes next: The main character in this drama - compared to him I'm a mere stagehand - will ignite the kingdom life within you, a fire within you, the Holy Spirit within you, changing you from the inside out.12 He's going to clean house - make a clean sweep of your lives. He'll place everything true in its proper place before God; everything false he'll put out with the trash to be burned." (Matthew 3:1-12 The Message Version)

Happy Advent to you, dear Friend! (Hint: It's not Christmas yet! But tell that to the stores that have had Christmas stuff up and ready to sell since July!). The stage for the big drama of Christmas has to be set. The readings leading up to the events of Christmas Eve prepare us for each change that has to happen in order to fully appreciate and to fully take advantage of God's gift to us on Christmas; and the first is a change in us!

Imagine growing up with a faith community that only stressed the Do Nots of your faith. You know, "Don't do this; don't do that." Well, that was pretty much what was happening in most synagogues during Jesus' time. I wish we could say it was different in the Temple in Jerusalem. And it wasn't. Please don't get me wrong; certain men and women were doing their part in being all that God wanted them to be and do. If you read chapter 1 of Luke last night, you read about Zechariah and Elizabeth, and the girl Mary, and their important roles in the coming of the Lord.

Today's passage comes from a prophet sent by God to prepare the way for the Lord. We know him as John the Baptist, or as this modern version calls him, "the Baptizer." We might think old school wrestlers and John would fit right in. As a newly arrived to Houston boy of 13, live wrestling was only 50¢ and with free parking at my dad's uncle's home across the street from the arena under Houston's "spaghetti bowl" (the garbled mess of bridges and underpasses of Houston's early freeways near downtown Houston), the action and drama of this sport called to me and my brothers. We could not believe our dad telling us it was staged. To us it was the real life drama of challenge and strength! But I could imagine a strong man dressed in camel-hair with long hair and a shaggy beard calling out his opponents. In John's case, the opponent was apathy and laziness towards the things of God. "Change your life! God's kingdom is here." Also, his cries of "Thunder in the desert! Prepare for God's arrival! Make the road smooth and straight! And while this version downplays his call for repentance, it was there and people responded to John's invitation to change their lives, rid themselves of sin, and to get right with God. And, in an affront to the traditions of their faith, John offered baptism, a ritual of cleansing for those born unclean as non-Jews, to the Jews and to all who heard and responded to the invitation to change. And the lines formed and people entered the waters of the Jordan River to become new creatures in God. Among those who presented themselves for this were the leaders of the religious groups who were the most guilty of laziness and apathy and who also offered themselves for baptism; John calls them a "brood of snakes!" He perceived they only wanted a superficial cleansing, and he calls them out: "Do you think a little water on your snakeskins is going to make any difference? It's your life that must change, not your skin!" And he further challenges them not to hide behind their ancestor's actions; "what counts is your life. Is it green and blooming? Because if it's deadwood, it goes on the fire." John further states all this must take place before the main drama even begins.

Advent is a call to you and me to be ready. Change, if we haven't yet. The old nature, the old person not right with God and headed for death and destruction will not do; we must change and be presented as new. For what Jesus will do is clean house, and everything that is not fit for the house will be thrown out as trash to be burned. Ouch. But it is serious and true. We must be made new in Christ, or face the reality of a life separated from God.

PRAYER: God of Advent, and God of Change; make us new. We want to be counted among those who are Yours, clean and ready to serve You and serve our fellow brothers and sisters. Make my life count. This we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Show others your "newness" today!

Blessings of peace and love,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

PRAYER UPDATE AND PRAISE! Baby Hunter is home! He improved so much that he was released from the hospital! Tell me again; why do we pray? Because God answers prayers!

Our Father Gave Us Bread. Happy Thanksgiving!

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25 When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, "Rabbi, when did you come here?" 26 Jesus answered them, "Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. 27 Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal." 28 Then they said to him, "What must we do to perform the works of God?" 29 Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent." 30 So they said to him, "What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing? 31 Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, "He gave them bread from heaven to eat.' " 32 Then Jesus said to them, "Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." 34 They said to him, "Sir, give us this bread always." 35 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. (John 6:25-35 NRSV)

May the Lord bless you, dear Friend and yours with a special time with all with whom you share this day, and may we all rejoice in giving back to God our thanks for all God has given us!

On our plates should be filled to the brim with our thanks. We are to lift them up to God as He deserves. For it was He who blessed us with what we have. I have a tiny, but sad, memory of a movie I saw as a child. My days as a child in Kingsville would find me in the Texas Theater every Saturday. It was not difficult to find 10¢ to pay the admission. It also didn't hurt that my grandmother was an employee of the lady who worked the box office. If she was on duty, I would get in gratis. The movie was, I believe, Spencer's Mountain, starring Henry Fonda. What I remember was a prayer he said before meal time, where he basically said, "I did everything; I put this meal on the table." Even as a child I realized how wrong that was.

Today is a day to hear Jesus say again, "Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from Heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from Heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes from heaven and gives life to the world." May we say today, and all days, "Sir, give us this bread always." And may we hear again and again, Jesus' voice saying, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty."

Happy Thanksgiving!

PRAYER: Loving God, we gather together around this table, thankful for the true nourishment You lovingly, and without fail, provide for us. We are aware, loving Author of LIfe, that some of our chairs are now empty, but we rejoice they are in Your presence. Make strong our hearts to remember those missing, with fondness and love. We await our reunion with You and them. And, we are aware that some differences in opinion and view may have alienated some of us from each other, but we pray that we can forgive, and move on. Thank You for all still with us. Bless us to be a blessing. Thank You for the food and fellowship. May our hearts and spirits be nourished and strengthened. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed Thanksgiving Day with the Lord!

Receive Nellie's and my love for you all.

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Got a God-Guarded Heart?

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4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. 5 Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. 6 Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:4-7 NRSV)

Are you ready, Friend for tomorrow? Yes, thanks Pastor Eradio, for the added pressure! We've done the 6 am run to HEB to find the right-szied turkey. Sunday we tried Walmart and they only had a 19.1 lb bird. We usually buy a larger bird for all the family to enjoy and take home if they so desire.

The goal for tomorrow, and today, and all days; is to be joyful in the Lord; a thing Paul stresses twice. He then encourages us to show others that we are gentle persons. And what makes us want to be gentle? That the Lord is near. I share again, one of my classic stories told by my wife, when she taught a Sunday school class of small children. mostly kindergarten age kids. She had asked them to clean up the room as the session was almost over, and one of them happened to look out the second story window to the hallway and he yelled, "Jesus is coming! Let's get busy!" Nellie didn't know what he meant by that until she looked out herself and saw me. And she remembered that many of the kids called me Jesus.

Then Paul addresses a key thing that I mentioned above; tis the season to be stressed, and anxious. Paul says, "Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be known to God." Jesus said, "Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 28:11). He was addressing the worriers. Do you remember Jesus addressing worry and what little good it could do to a person? It is like Jesus, and it is, Jesus saying, "It will all be alright." Prayer keeps us in contact with Him as does our giving Him thanks in all things; and this brings us the peace of God. And that peace, which we really truly can understand, but it serves to guard our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus.

That's a foundational blessing that truly passes all understanding. Most of us have learned long ago, the best and only way to receive God's blessings, is to thank God and forget trying to make sense of what God has done. That is Thanksgiving!

PRAYER: Lord, we may truly step back to just say, "Thank You" for all you do. May the joy and spirit of Thanksgiving bless my life in such a positive way, that others will enjoy that blessing as well. This we pray in Christ Jesus' name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Be a Thanksgiver today, and in every way!

Receive my blessings of love and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

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Make a List, Remember, and Give Thanks!

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1 "When you come into the land which the LORD your God gives you for an inheritance, and have taken possession of it, and live in it, 2 you shall take some of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which you harvest from your land that the LORD your God gives you, and you shall put it in a basket, and you shall go to the place which the LORD your God will choose, to make his name to dwell there. 3 And you shall go to the priest who is in office at that time, and say to him, 'I declare this day to the LORD your God that I have come into the land which the LORD swore to our fathers to give us.' 4 Then the priest shall take the basket from your hand, and set it down before the altar of the LORD your God. 5 "And you shall make response before the LORD your God, 'A wandering Aramean was my father; and he went down into Egypt and sojourned there, few in number; and there he became a nation, great, mighty, and populous. 6 And the Egyptians treated us harshly, and afflicted us, and laid upon us hard bondage. 7 Then we cried to the LORD the God of our fathers, and the LORD heard our voice, and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression; 8 and the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with great terror, with signs and wonders; 9 and he brought us into this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey.10 And behold, now I bring the first of the fruit of the ground, which thou, O LORD, hast given me.' And you shall set it down before the LORD your God, and worship before the LORD your God; 11 and you shall rejoice in all the good which the LORD your God has given to you and to your house, you, and the Levite, and the sojourner who is among you. (Deuteronomy 26:1-11 RSV)

Gratitude is always on my mind and heart for all the miles I have traveled in my life and ministry. I am so very blessed. And the journey has always kept me blessed even through the good and the not so good. God blessed me with a good family, good educational opportunities, a wonderful wife, some wonderful children, awesome sons-in-law, some awesome and very loving grandkids and on and on we go. Nellie and I have been blessed to have been a part of some great churches with great people. That's just part of a list that I am compiling among the blessings for which I am thankful. We have been sojourners for many a time; meeting in Mission, TX, and living in many towns and cities of this great state. We have entered places as complete strangers, and later left as dear family members to many of the church families with which we served. During our whole sojourn, we have prayed and had all the prayers answered. And the passage for today was a compilation of Israel's many answered prayers, and the manner in which God was to be thanked. The liturgy called for a symbolic gift to the Lord by the priest, and this was followed by worship and rejoicing. Does this happen in your Thanksgiving setting? And the passage says this celebration should be done with all who are present, including "The Levite and the sojourner among you."

Dear Friend, plan to take advantage of this coming Thursday as a full worship celebration for all that God has done for you and the blessings you have received. Truly make it a day of returning to God what He deserves, our thanks and praise.

PRAYER: God of good gifts and answered prayers, prepare my heart for the coming days that You may be central to our worship and celebration. Make me mindful of all in my midst, especially those who may not be longtime residents of our towns or cities. May I be the answer to someone else's prayers. In Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

As we pray today, please pray for those who awaken in pain. A dear friend of ours awoke at 2:29 am in severe pain and my devotional arrived in time to bless her. Pray for all and others like her, who awaken to pain. Pray for Laurel Bradford who had second surgery in a few weeks in San Angelo. May she heal in comfort. Prayers for her husband, The Rev. Scott Bradford. I've also heard from some whose fur babies are seriously ill. Some have to make serious decisions about next steps and none of them are easy. May God bless them.

Have a great and blessed day in te Lord! Be an answer today!

Blessings of peace and love,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

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Get Ready to Give Thanks!

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1 Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth. 2 Worship the Lord with gladness; come into his presence with singing. 3 Know that the Lord is God. It is he that made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. 4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise. Give thanks to him, bless his name. 5 For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations. (Psalm 100 NRSV).

A most joyous of Mondays to you! Some schools are already on Thanksgiving break, and plans are being made now for trips from here to there, and from there to here. I pray the blessings and traveling mercies of the Lord be with you all. May these days with loved ones, family, and friends be a blessing to God and to you all.

I give thanks for you who read this devotional faithfully. This is the only pulpit I have access to, and I love to share these devotional thoughts with you in hopes they bless you and strengthen your walk with Jesus. Nellie and I love you and thank God for you. I hope you will make a list of all for which you are thankful and on that day (really, all days!) give God thanks for those people and things. Read both versions of this special Thanksgiving Psalm and see how the psalmist thought it was important to give thanks.

Here is the Psalm for this coming Thursday in the modern paraphrase of The Message Bible.

1 On your feet now - applaud God! 2 Bring a gift of laughter, sing yourselves into his presence. 3 Know this: God is God, and God, God. He made us; we didn't make him. We're his people, his well-tended sheep. 4 Enter with the password: "Thank you!" Make yourselves at home, talking praise. Thank him. Worship him. 5 For God is sheer beauty, all-generous in love, loyal always and ever.

The modern version lists this as the way: Applaud God as one way of giving thanks. Bringing a gift of laughter, and the gift of a song. Sing in such a way that the music and the message take you from the usual realm into the presence of God. And he reminds us: God is God, and God, God. God made you and me - never forget that! We are God's people; we are well-tended sheep of God's flock. To enter God's presence we now know the password, which is "Thank You!" We should feel at home in God's presence; the topic of conversation should be how to praise God. And again, thank Him. Then, worship Him. For our God is "sheer beauty, all-generous in love. God is loving always and forever.

PRAYER: Thank You, Heavenly Father. We have much for which we should thank You. May the list we have received from Your word bless and prepare us for Giving Thanks. In Christ Jesus' name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Be a person of gratitude today!

Blessings of love and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Strong is Our God!

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1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea; 3 though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult. (Selah) 4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. 5 God is in the midst of the city; it shall not be moved; God will help it when the morning dawns. 6 The nations are in an uproar, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts. 7 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. (Selah) 8 Come, behold the works of the Lord; see what desolations he has brought on the earth. 9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire. 10 "Be still, and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth." 11 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. (Selah). (Psalm 46 NRSV)

A happy and tremendous Thursday be yours dear Friend and yours, is my prayer. I pray the pace and peace of the Lord be with you as we enter a very hectic and busy time of year as we prepare for the Thanksgiving holiday. If you're traveling soon, please be safe.

What's your favorite faith-boosting hymn? You know the one where when you hear it the hairs on the back of the neck let you know that this is what you needed to hear. Well, if you think about it, most of the psalms were hymns, and this one would have been the favorite of many a citizen of Israel. Hear the words and imagine how you would have felt to hear the words sung, "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." That would have been enough, but listen to the next verse, "Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult." Wow, you would have thought, the hymn writer knows the kind of week I've had and what I needed to hear, and it has blessed me!

The language the psalmist wrote is figurative of both good and bad. A changing earth, shaking mountains in the sea that make waters roar and foam; these are the unexpected scary things. Then the psaimist says there is a "river whose streams make glad the city of God," the good things, the power and strength of God's Spirit flowing among His people; and God is in the midst of the city, which means the people of God. That city cannot be moved, and God will help the city when the morning dawns. We move towards the promises that bless us: God is with us; the God of the living is with us, and can make all things good. The presence of wars could be done with God removing the weapons of war, and the chorus "Be still, and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth," and "The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.

This morning we started our day with hymns from YouTube. Hymns from long ago, and images of sainted friends and family came to our minds and hearts and made both of us weep. The theme was that God is faithful and that God is with us. We knew and celebrated that Strong is our God!

Dear one, if your "city" has shaking mountains and roaring seas, sing affirmations of faith in your life today and on worship days. Listen to what others have written in response to their faith in hopes of praising God and blessing you. Don't suffer alone!

PRAYER: Loving Father, speak to the needs and fears of Your city; may this dear reader's concerns be lifted up to You as they sing and affirm Your goodness. You, loving God, are strong. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Sing to praise God and to lift your spirits today!

Blessings of peace and love,

Pastor Eradio Valvere

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The Shepherd King!

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1 Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! says the Lord. 2 Therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who shepherd my people: It is you who have scattered my flock, and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. So I will attend to you for your evil doings, says the Lord. 3 Then I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the lands where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. 4 I will raise up shepherds over them who will shepherd them, and they shall not fear any longer, or be dismayed, nor shall any be missing, says the Lord 5 The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. 6 In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. And this is the name by which he will be called: "The Lord is our righteousness." (Jeremiah 23: 1-6 NRSV)

Scattered sheep are sheep who are in danger. The real shepherds know that keeping the sheep in a flock is the best way to protect them. A child lost in a shopping mall or a lone child near a river or a cliff overlooking the ocean, is a child in danger. One can begin to see why the prophet has been told by God to warn those who destroy and scatter sheep. Is God only speaking to the leaders of the people, or is God speaking to all who are responsible for others? Could God be speaking to parents, pastors, Sunday school teachers, aunts, uncles, grandparents, and others, who may have abused or mishandled their authority towards the young? We cannot dispute the reality that we have in caring for our young, in a wise and loving manner. Our hearts should direct their hearts towards God and all the ideals and solid principles we find in our scriptures. We, in our own way, are called to be shepherds for the Lord, and this passage outlines what is expected of us; free of fear and dismay, ever faithful and ever serving the Lord and His flock.

Then we see that the prophet was told to announce the coming true king. A Shepherd King who will reign wisely and guided by justice and righteousness; who will provide for the kingdom to live in safety. And His name is "The Lord is our righteousness."

What an honor you and I enjoy in having Jesus as our King. What a tremendous responsibility we have to live as His shepherds over those God has blessed us with. May we never fail God, for God never fails us!

PRAYER: Strengthen us dear Father, for the responsibilities You have entrusted to us. May we never fail You is our prayer. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Live as a shepherd who loves and cares for others.

Blessings of peace and love,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

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Reconciler; Through His Blood

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11 May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light. 13 He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. 15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; 16 for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross. (Colossians 1:11-20 NRSV)

I hear the voice of Sir Anthony Hopkins as I read the words of St. Paul, as Sir Hopkins played Paul in a movie of the 1980s called Peter and Paul. It was a great movie and if you ever run across it then you can enjoy a wonderful movie with the wonderful voice of this great actor. Do not remember him in the Silence of the Lambs! That'll ruin his wonderful voice in this powerful passage.

In this passage, Paul writes to readers needing encouragement. He begins with a prayer asking God's strength be made real to those reading or hearing the letter; and this precious power from God Himself, and on top of this a generous portion of patience to help them endure all things, as well as a dose of thankfulness. This because God has done all things that blessed them up to this point, and made them heirs along with the saints of light. God's rescue had been theirs out of the darkness of yesterday and into the Kingdom of Jesus today. Jesus is our Redeemer, who has forgiven us of our sins. Jesus is the image of the invisible God. In Jesus, all things in Heaven and earth were created. These things are visible and invisible, including thrones and dominions and rulers, and powers; all things were created through Jesus and for Him. Jesus is the firstborn of all creation, and the head of the Church. He is the beginning, risen from the dead, so that He might have come to have first place in all things. Jesus is King. He reconciled all things, in both places of heaven and earth; for His Blood has brought peace.

Jesus is a king we can believe in, for he puts us first before Himself. He values life and love, and shares both so that we can continue that legacy with all. Prepare Him room!

PRAYER: Loving God, thank You for Jesus our King. Make us loyal subjects and servants; ready to work for You in all things and all ways. This we pray in Jesus' name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord. Help others to make room in their hearts for King Jesus!

Blessings of Love,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

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Make a Joyful Noise!

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1 O sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things. His right hand and his holy arm have gotten him victory. 2 The Lord has made known his victory; he has revealed his vindication in the sight of the nations. 3 He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God. 4 Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises. 5 Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre, with the lyre and the sound of melody. 6 With trumpets and the sound of the horn make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord. 7 Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; the world and those who live in it. 8 Let the floods clap their hands; let the hills sing together for joy 9 at the presence of the Lord, for he is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity. (Psalm 98 NRSV)

What kind of joyful noises do you make, dear Friend? I mean, do you whistle? Do you hum? Do you sing? Do you tap your toes? Stomp your feet? Slap your legs? The psalmist played a number of musical instruments and so as he praised God he was ready and used them all. I know a little music from my time in band, only treble cleft and I couldn't name the notes now if my life depended on it, but I can whistle and just now was whistling after having watched episode two of Ken Burns' Country Music on PBS (We recorded it and as time permits we watch it). As we read today's passage, we are aware of the responses that may come naturally for some while others may find it necessary to prod it out of themselves and still others who hide any musical response because of fear they may not sound good, etc. David is affirming what he loved to stress; God has done marvelous things and for that we should sing, hum, stomp, whatever, to make known our thankfulness to Him. And since most of the psalms were meant to be sung as hymns, David's favorite form of praise was making joyful noises with the musical instruments he had mastered.

In these hymns, David inserted the theological thoughts he wanted to convey. And what a list that is! God has done marvelous things. God has won many a victory, even to the point of vindication in the sight of other nations. God has remembered His steadfast love and faithfulness to the people of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God. This merits our praise and worship; and nature will follow our example. The sea will roar, as will what fills the oceans. The floods will clap their hands, and the hills will sing together for joy at the sight and presence of the Lord; for He is coming to judge the earth with His righteousness and equity.

Someone once said, "When you sing, you pray twice." And some believe it was Saint Augustine that said it, but research on the Internet show most folks are skeptical that he said it or even wrote it. Yet, the sentiment for many holds true, that a heartfelt song goes as an extra offering, so a song equals two prayers. How about you? Is your praise music from your heart making its way to Heaven? Or, are you letting the distractions of this life silence your joy? Sister, Brother, let nothing stop your praise! Sing and sing loudly! We have a God that never quits who deserves our praise!

PRAYER: Loving God, hear my heart and hear my joy. You deserve all that I can possibly lift up in honor and praise to You. Help me to make a joyful noise wherever and whenever. I pray in Jesus' name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Seriously, make a joyful noise!

Blessings of love,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

As we pray, please pray for Evelyn Clark's daughter, Vicki, whose biopsy found Stage 1 breast cancer; also Bob, her husband was back in ER with an allergic reaction. Also, Mr. Pal Lester is recovering from hip replacement surgery that he received yesterday in Gonzales. And why do we pray? Because God answers prayers! The Rev. Ellen Ely, of FUMC Marble Falls reported today that all spots and scares of a return of her cancer were gone and doctors at MD Anderson postponed further tests because she was all clear! We thank God for those news and we rejoice in our sister's recovery. Pray for one another and pray for yourselves.

God Never Quits!

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17 For I am about to create new heavens and a new earth; the former things shall not be remembered or come to mind. 18 But be glad and rejoice forever in what I am creating; for I am about to create Jerusalem as a joy, and its people as a delight. 19 I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and delight in my people; no more shall the sound of weeping be heard in it, or the cry of distress. 20 No more shall there be in it an infant that lives but a few days, or an old person who does not live out a lifetime; for one who dies at a hundred years will be considered a youth, and one who falls short of a hundred will be considered accursed. 21 They shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit. 22 They shall not build and another inhabit; they shall not plant and another eat; for like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be, and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands. 23 They shall not labor in vain, or bear children for calamity; for they shall be offspring blessed by the Lord— and their descendants as well. 24 Before they call I will answer, while they are yet speaking I will hear. 25 The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, the lion shall eat straw like the ox; but the serpent—its food shall be dust! They shall not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain, says the Lord. (Isaiah 65:17-25 NRSV)

Have you ever noticed, that in our scriptures, God never quits? Many religions and some individuals believe in a God who created, then stepped back and let creation wind down like a clock; Not so our God! Our God never quits! His messages are always about the present, in the moment, and in the time yet to come. Don't you love how this passage reads, dear Friend? "For I am about to create..." Okay, our Texas Bible might have read, "I'm fixin' to..." but we would have known just what God meant! The Creator is still creating, and in the last days, will create yet again. "New heavens and a new earth." That's good news! The reality is that "the former things shall not be remembered or come to mind." And that does include all the bad and stupid things we may have done; gone and forgotten. God addresses all the past and present tribulations and worries. Weeping is to be gone one day. As will the cries of distress. Even infant mortality will be gone, as will the days when the old people do not live out their lifetimes. And even the 100 year olds who die, will be considered youth. God promises that construction, which is always a sure sign of life, will continue of new homes, new harvests from vineyards; for the days of new construction of homes that the builders would never inhabit are over, as are the days of hard-worked harvests eaten by others, for the days of labor in vain are over. And as the above picture shows, the peaceable kingdom is coming, where wolf and lamb shall feed together; the lion shall eat straw like the ox, and the serpent shall continue but eating dust, never again to harm or destroy anyone. These are all words of promise from the Lord.

The signs should say that the earth is still under construction as are we; but the newness of all things, including ourselves, will depend on our faith and our trust in God. Years ago the bumper stickers said "Please be patient with me, God isn't finished with me yet!" Indeed.

PRAYER: Loving God, thank You for being a God who never quits! Thank You for never giving up on us either! I pray that we might be worthy of the new creation by allowing Your work in us to continue. We await the new creation in us. We pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Live like a new creation; share a word of God's continuing work in others today!

Blessings of love,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Are You an Example Worth Imitating?

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6 Now we command you, beloved, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from believers who are living in idleness and not according to the tradition that they received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us; we were not idle when we were with you, 8 and we did not eat anyone's bread without paying for it; but with toil and labor we worked night and day, so that we might not burden any of you. 9 This was not because we do not have that right, but in order to give you an example to imitate. 10 For even when we were with you, we gave you this command: Anyone unwilling to work should not eat. 11 For we hear that some of you are living in idleness, mere busybodies, not doing any work. 12 Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living. 13 Brothers and sisters, do not be weary in doing what is right. (2 Thessalonians 3:6-13 NRSV)

Happy Wednesday dear Friend! Praying this finds you well and enjoying God's blessings. I pray the cold weather did not affect you in any way. And I hope you found ways to help those not as fortunate as us.

What kind of work ethic do you have? Not just towards your salary-providing activity, but towards all things? Are you a work-aholic? Or, a with-what-little-I-can-get-away-with kinda person? In this letter, Paul is addressing the practical problems he had seen and heard about; what we can call unemployed saints, or under-employed saints. Paul is shaking his head about those so-called believers who lived in idleness. The example Paul shared was that of a hard-working evangelist and a tent-maker! He always found ways to support his work and the work of the Lord by staying busy in all things, even the side hustle of making tents. And as the worked, his desire would be to have a positive impact on those who watched him and his dedication to all things. He paid for all he received either wih money or labor. And in this passage we find the oft-quoted verse, "Anyone unwilling to work should not eat." A verse used and abused for gain; the basis is that one should contribute to the wellbeing of all, especially doing their own part in getting personal provision. It can be easily taken out of context and it usually does, but Paul meant it as part of the next verse, "For we hear that some of you are living in idleness, mere busybodies, not doing any work." The recommendation was for them to do their work seeking not attention, but earning their living, and the closing, which sounds a bit better in today's photo above, "Never tire of doing what is good." Amen.

PRAYER: Lord, in a few days we will pause and do what we should do every day, and that is to count our blessings and thank You for them. You have shared much with us, and we pray that we might be driven to share more and do more, for You and for Yours. Forgive me the times I have not done as You would have liked, and grant me new opportunities to serve. This I pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Be an example worth imitating today and all days!

Blessings of love,

Pastor Eradio Valverde