What are God's Holy Plans for You?

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This is what God said:  "Before I shaped you in the womb, I knew all about you. Before you saw the light of day, I had holy plans for you: A prophet to the nations - that's what I had in mind for you." But I said, "Hold it, Master God! Look at me. I don't know anything. I'm only a boy!" God told me, "Don't say, 'I'm only a boy.' I'll tell you where to go and you'll go there. I'll tell you what to say and you'll say it. Don't be afraid of a soul. I'll be right there, looking after you." God's Decree.  God reached out, touched my mouth, and said, "Look! I've just put my words in your mouth - hand-delivered!  See what I've done? I've given you a job to do among nations and governments - a red-letter day! Your job is to pull up and tear down, take apart and demolish, And then start over, building and planting." Stand Up and Say Your Piece (Jeremiah 1: 4-10 The Message)

Happy Thursday dear Friend!  I trust this finds you well and ready to pray!  Our most pressing need, among so many, is for The Rev. Virgilio Vasquez Garza, who undergoes emergency eye surgery.  Yesterday he went for a scheduled exam and the doctor found the need to operate as soon as possible; so today at about 9:30 am he is scheduled to have this surgery.  It is a delicate surgery and one best guided and blessed by our prayers.  Pray also for his wife, Acacia.  Yesterday, Nellie and I had a chance to visit and take Communion to Doug Smith in Wimberley.  Doug has great faith and is in great spirits and needs our prayers for God to continue to support him and bring comfort to him.  Pray for Autumn and their three children.  Pray for one another and pray for yourself.

What an incredible thing to know, that God knew you before you even were shaped in your mother's womb.  Such is the awesomeness of God and His power to know all things.  As God is calling Jeremiah to his work as a prophet, God shared that with him.  God also tells Jeremiah that God had holy plans for him, just as I believe that all who believe, love, and trust the Lord, God has plans for you.  There is a specialness to you that God appreciates and so do many around you.  We can hide behind many excuses as did tried Jerry as God lays out His plans for him, but God won't have it.  God can touch you and prepare you for whatever plan it is that God has for your life.  I was in the eleventh grade when I first felt God calling me.  I shrugged it off and thought God had the wrong person, and immediately looked around my church and pointed out the other people in my youth group saying, "That one is better, Lord.  How about this one, Lord?"  And as much as I tried to hide behind my youth, my shyness, my fear of public speaking, etc., God just kept saying, "Nope.  It's you and I will prepare and use you!"  The plans I thought I had for my life suddenly changed and God began to open doors for me to attend college and all that was necessary for my preparation as a minister.  God has always provided and even with the still occasional doubt about my calling, God comes through and provides in a mighty way.

You may not yet know, regardless of your age, of what it is that God would have you do, but believe me, most of you have and are, already doing it.  A solid foundation of faith provides the building that God needs to build up His kingdom in you and the work that you need to do for Him.  I have known and been blessed by many a shut-in who carry on prayer ministries on behalf of their church.  Their impact may not be well known now, but once in Glory, they will be rewarded for those prayers they lifted up that lifted us up when we needed it most.  There are people who have a natural ability to encourage and bless people even when they just think they're being nice.  A kind word at the right time has lifted me many a time, or been the precise thing I needed to hear to continue my work.  And if you don't believe me, ask God!  I love sharing how Laurie Beth Jones, noted author of Jesus CEO, The Path, and Jesus Life Coach, once reached a low point in her work. Her work in writing tremendous books has touched many lives, but she felt she was not being faithful or fruitful.  She called a trusted friend who told her she once felt that same thing and that morning of her feeling lower than she ever had, she found a penny.  She picked it up and read, "In God We Trust," and that blessed her and she realized that God had provided that penny at the right time.  From then on, when she had just a teeny moment of doubt, there was penny.  She even shared how right before a surgery she began to panic because she had not found a penny as as she lay in the gurney awaiting to be wheeled into the surgical theatre, an orderly came in and asked her, "Is this your penny?  It was right outside the door."  She answered that it was.  So, Laurie prayed and asked God for a sign, and as she finished the sign came to a lady bug, one of her favorite creatures.  She smiled and thanked God for having shared that sign.  She also said that once in an ice-storm covered Dallas airport (Laurie at the time lived in El Paso),   She fretted that she had to be in this cold environment, riding an auto rental company bus towards an ice-covered car, and was told by the driver that this was the closest he could get to her car.  She trudged through the ice and muttered her frustrations and prayed at the same time and when she went to put the car key in the door to open it, there was a lady bug on the ice-covered keyhole of that car.  It changed her perspective and knew she was in the right place doing the right thing.

Where are you?  What have you done lately for the Lord?  I pray that this would motivate you to action.  Pray and ask, wait and work, and then be the best you can at whatever it is that God has laid out for you and your life.  You're never too young nor old to do what God has for you.  In my case, I was in a large church, I had preached the last sermon of that Sunday and I was feeling low, questioning my call and purpose and prayed like Ms. Jones for God to show me what I should be doing. I asked for a sign.  As the congregation sang I made my way down the center aisle to have the usual hand-shaking ritual that most churches have and just as I'm about to get to the door, out of nowhere, a child runs out, grabs my legs and hugs me tight.  Nice, Lord, said I silently, I hear you!  Then I walk a little closer tot he door, and a dad from our cry room comes out with his child and the child leans out really out, and grabs my neck and hugs me!  Nice again, Father!  Thank you I prayed.  Then a parent coming down from our choir loft with a child, has to let go of the child's hands because she need to run and hug me.  Three times.  I thanked the Lord; that was my sign then and still is; a child will hug me just when I need it most.  God is good.

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, bless this dear reader as s/he prays for direction and clarity in their life.  Make clear that which You have shared as part of their specialness to You so that they may continue or begin their special ministry blessing You and Yours.  I thank You for the call You share with us all.  I again pray for Virgilio and for Doug and their families.  Be glorified, dear Lord in their lives and in ours; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Be special to God and bless someone with that specialness!

Eradio Valverde

If you'd like to read a book that helps bless your life and ministry, here is a link to Laurie Beth Jones' The Path:  https://amzn.to/2S1PJao

Those Three Friends; Wicked, Bad, & Bully

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I run for dear life to God, I'll never live to regret it. Do what you do so well: get me out of this mess and up on my feet. Put your ear to the ground and listen, give me space for salvation.  Be a guest room where I can retreat; you said your door was always open! You're my salvation - my vast, granite fortress.  My God, free me from the grip of Wicked, from the clutch of Bad and Bully.  You keep me going when times are tough - my bedrock, God, since my childhood.  I've hung on you from the day of my birth, the day you took me from the cradle; I'll never run out of praise. (Psalm 71: 1-6 The Message)

Happy Wednesday, dear Friend!  May the middle of the work week be a blessing to you who labor hard and to those of us who hardly labor!  May time spent in prayer and devotional thought bring blessings enough to share, especially with those who have none.

We all have them.  Memories or present realities of those who sought nothing more than to make our life difficult.  In elementary school, I may have been bullied, but I don't clearly remember.  I do know that I never had a fight in school during those years.  Heck, I had enough fights at home with my brother!  In junior high, in Houston, I did encounter a bully in my gym class.  He thought it would be cute to come and punch me in the gut while I was taking off my t-shirt.  I don't remember it much but I immediately responded with a series of punches to his stomach and he fell to the floor.  I remember the congratulations from those around me.  In high school, and not in school but at my work, a guy came wanted to fight me, swung a punch towards me, I ducked, lifted him over my shoulders and threw him over some bushes.  Fight over.  Bullying over.  I also had Wicked for a friend.  He seemed to take different forms and shared different offers.  All of what he offered was wickedness.  And Bad, well, he was right besides him; his offers were more like options to the good and right.  And with a smooth delivery of rationalization that could easily convince us all.  You may have those friends still calling.  I do.  But, we have a stronger friend who is righteous, good, and accepting.  You know HIs name, it is Jesus.  Thanks to my parents, my pastors, and experiences in church, I came to know and trust Him.  His offers and options were and still are the best.

David, though this psalm is in modern English, knew those three friends as well. And, thankfully he also knew the Lord and what the Lord offered.  A ready, strong friend with strength to deliver and make right all situations.  I love the image of "Be a guest room where I can retreat; you said your door was always open!  You're my salvation - my vast, granite fortress.  And the Lord answered prayers when David called to ask to be free of the grip of these pesky friends.  He knew that he, and we, can hang on to God every single day, and we won't be let down.

Your friends may be hounding you more than ever; now more than ever share that with God.  Wicked presents us with options that we know are not of God - resist and reject him.  Bad is right there next to Wicked; laugh at him and walk away.  And Bully, well he may now take the form of physical ailments which make getting around a bit more difficult, or drains us of our enthusiasm.  Pray, and trust God to share with you what you need.  What a friend we have in Jesus!

PRAYER:  Loving God, we cry out to you for the little ones in our midst.  For some going to school presents them with classmates that fall under the categories of today's lesson.  Free ours from the grips of Wicked, Bad, and Bully.  And bless those three to find new ways to live.  Keep all children safe.  Bless this dear reader and his/her needs.  We love You and thank You for being there for us.  We pray in faith in Christ Jesus' name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Be one of the good friends to someone today. Go the extra mile to be Righteous, Good, and Accepting!

Eradio Valverde

Here is my study on Mark for you to view or share.  Forward this video and this email to others who may need a blessing! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Beuda_B0wWc&t=9s 

Love Never Ends

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If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away all my possessions, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast,but do not have love, I gain nothing. Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end. For we know only in part, and we prophesy only in part; but when the complete comes, the partial will come to an end. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became an adult, I put an end to childish ways. For now we see in a mirror, dimly,but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known. And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13: 1-13)

I can't believe it's just Tuesday!  Have you ever said or thought that?  Yesterday seemed like two days' worth of things to do!  But it is Tuesday, and I pray it be a tremendous one for you, dear Friend!  I suppose anytime we have to leave Seguin early to be in San Antonio and run some errands is a long day just in that, a day to drive back, and then the day left with things to do.  Okay, so it was three or four days yesterday. 

This is one of my favorite chapters in the Bible.  Paul, in whose footsteps we will walk in September, outdid himself in writing it. This may well be the most favorite of the verses read in weddings, especially from verse 4 to 8.  Yet, as much as I love this chapter it makes me sad that the reason behind his writing this was the lack of love in the church.  Someone In Corinth didn't like the drapes and wanted them changed.  A committee was formed and arguments broke out over the color.  Someone suggested replacing the windows with stained glass, and again, a committee and its delightful "discussions" over that process.  Someone didn't like the pastor that Paul appointed to their church, and again, the SPRC held townhall (and auto-correct on this computer changed townhall to downhill.  hmmm.)  There were jealousies in the church, someone sat in Aunt Mildred's pew for two Sundays in a row and now Mildred won't come back to church!  So, the Apostle sits down with parchment and pen and pens this masterpiece to try to bring love back into the place that should specialize in receiving and sharing God's love.

The officers in the Corinthian church were faithful in their service, but lacked love.  The givers in that same church were generous but were withholding love.  The people with strong faith were weak in love. There were people who were envious and boastful and some were arrogant. And some were downright rude! In the church?  Yes, in the church!

Paul says, "love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude.  (Love) does not insist on its own way; (love) is not irritable or resentful; (love) does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth.  (Love) bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  Love never ends."  Wow.  Love is key in marriages.  Love is key in relationships.  Love should be key in the Church as it should be the key element in us as individuals.  Paul affirms the key three of a successful, faithful, fruitful church:  Faith, hope, and love - but the greatest is love.  If any church does not come across as loving, close the doors, start frying chicken and sell it, for your purpose as a church has come to an end (the legend some believe Church's Chicken came to be!).  If you don't have love as a person, kneel before the Almighty and confess that, and ask nicely and the Lord will fill your heart to overflowing with love.

PRAYER:  Loving God, start with me.  I need a double portion of my daily allowance of love.  Fill it to overflowing, dear Jesus.  Let me be known as a person of love.  And I pray for my church, fill it with love overflowing as well.  Bless and protect my pastor and fill him/her with love overflowing as well.  Let us be the church you have called us to be.  This we pray in Christ Jesus our Lord, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  It's not too early to be someone's Valentine of love, showing love like Jesus.

Eradio Valverde

Sometimes...

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Then he began to say to them, ‘Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.’ All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They said, ‘Is not this Joseph’s son?’ He said to them, ‘Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, “Doctor, cure yourself!” And you will say, “Do here also in your home town the things that we have heard you did at Capernaum.” ’ And he said, ‘Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in the prophet’s home town. But the truth is, there were many widows in Israel in the time of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up for three years and six months, and there was a severe famine over all the land; yet Elijah was sent to none of them except to a widow at Zarephath in Sidon. There were also many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.’ When they heard this, all in the synagogue were filled with rage. They got up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they might hurl him off the cliff. But he passed through the midst of them and went on his way. (Luke 4: 21-30)

Happy Monday, dear Friend!  Yes, for some that's an oxymoron, but the two words can go together if we face this day with the proper attitude.  I pray that time with God this day blesses our lives to being the people who love and welcome each day as a gift from God.

One graphic I could have chosen for today just says WORST SERMON EVER!  And, if we judge the reaction of the congregation to the sermon, this may well have been the worst sermon ever because at the end of it the crowd wanted to kill Jesus.  Ouch!  Look at His words for that day.  Hometown boy welcomed with expectations that He would amaze and impress as He had done over in the next town.  Yet, the scripture for that day, as we read last Monday, was a heavy one, and to make matters worse, Jesus claimed that He was the fulfillment of that very old prophecy.  Then He addresses their expectations and attitudes; "You claim to know me, I grew up here... (And this isn't helping me since I have to preach in a couple of weeks in Kingsville where I grew up! Gulp!)  And Jesus is also saying, "You're expecting, no demanding somethings, because of who you think you are, but I can't deliver in that way."  And Jesus also reminds them of their history.  "Sometimes, God acts on behalf of foreigners and strangers; aliens and enemies."  A sermon like that even today in some churches would get the crowd to squirm and maybe even to convene the pulpit committee or pastor-parish committee. 

We're still in the season of Epiphany, where the God reveals that Jesus came for all people not just the Jews.  The coming of the magi, kings or wisemen from the East came to the site of Jesus' birth and worshiped Him, showing His birth was even for those outside of the national boundaries of the Jews.  God's act of bringing His Son to the world impacts the entire world; and even events from the Old Testament spoke to that.  As our fiends the sheep above remind us, "God doesn't play favorites, because we are ALL His favorites."   His good news was not about privilege but about our responsibility to make those news known to all people.

PRAYER:  Awesome God of us all, speak to my heart and let me see that You love me as You love even those who don't like me or go out of their way to hurt or harm me.  Yet, I know I am Your favorite to do what You have asked of me.  Bless me in ways that allows me to be faithful and fruitful!  In Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Show others that they are all your favorites today!

Eradio Valverde

PRAYER REQUEST:  A dear wonderful lady we have known for many years from our time in Mission, Texas, Mrs. Angie Acevedo, is in hospice care and needs our prayers.  Please pray for her and her family.  Her husband died some years ago and together they blessed our eleven years there in wonderful, awesome ways.  Pray for one another and pray for yourself.  

God's Name

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But Moses said to God, ‘If I come to the Israelites and say to them, “The God of your ancestors has sent me to you”, and they ask me, “What is his name?” what shall I say to them?’ God said to Moses, ‘I am who I am.’ He said further, ‘Thus you shall say to the Israelites, “I am has sent me to you.” ’ God also said to Moses, ‘Thus you shall say to the Israelites, “The Lord, the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you”: This is my name for ever, and this my title for all generations. Go and assemble the elders of Israel, and say to them, “The Lord, the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, has appeared to me, saying: I have given heed to you and to what has been done to you in Egypt. I declare that I will bring you up out of the misery of Egypt, to the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, a land flowing with milk and honey.” (Exodus 3:13-17)

Happy Fabulous Friday, dear Friend!  I pray wonderful and special blessings come to you on this day and throughout the weekend.  Share those with all!

The movies have had fun with God's name.  I can remember the scenes, but can't remember the movie! (Don't get old!)  There was one where two Vietnam vets were talking about God and God's name, and one of them said, "It's Howard!"  "Howard?" asked the other guy?  "Yes, as in 'Our Father who art in Heaven, Howard be thy name!"  And the other was when a girl said to the other, "God's name is Andy!"  "Andy?"  "Yes, as in the song we sing, "Andy walks with me, Andy talks with me..."  Okay, I didn't write those.  Growing up I remember learning this about God's name in Sunday school and later hearing Popeye say in his cartoons, "I am what I says I am."  And pondering that.

Moses pondered his invitation to leave his father-in-law's cushy job to become the deliverer of God's people. He rightly asked, "Who should I say is sending me?"  And rightly so.  Knowing the right name will get you in the door, or out of trouble.  It's the basic law of Sales 101 - Know the name of the person who does the buying!  Moses knew to ask, "What will I say if they ask Your name?"  God replied, "I am who I am."  Some address that as YHWH or with vowels, Yahweh.  Others still address God as Jehovah.  It's a name of power and presence.  And like His being, it simply states God is - no beginning, no end; and if you come to know God, you will find that is true.  God has always been and will always be.  Our limited finite minds tend to want to place beginning and ends on all things; but not God.  God has always been.  And applying that to us, God is always there for us.  Our lives may have had a beginning and an end will one day come for this human way of thinking, but God's promises of life beyond this one is a life with no end, lived in God's presence.

Are you worried about something?  Guess what?  It has an end, and it may even be in sight!  For now, we seek the peace of the presence of the Lord to be with us.  And God grants it as we deal with the things that can overwhelm us.  My little granddaughter once, wanting me to ride in the same car with her, as she was being strapped into her car seat said in a very loving cute way, "Are you with me, Grandpa?"  Yes, darling, I am here."  Listen.  God is saying the same thing to you.

PRAYER:  Loving God, we know Your name, but more importantly, we know You!  You know us by name, and by need, so speak the words we need to see us through.  We pray loving God, for those who are stressed by things beyond their control; we pray for the government workers who today miss a second paycheck and are facing the stress of groceries needed, rent or mortgage payments; bless them and guide our leaders to come to a solution.  Help us to help them and others.  This we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Seek to remind others of God's name and power today.

Eradio Valverde

Friends, yesterday's link for the book Long Story Short was for a Kindle version only.  If you want the paperback copy, go to www.seedbed.org and search for it there.  Thanks!

The Words of My Mouth & The Meditation of My Heart

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The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night declares knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard; yet their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In the heavens he has set a tent for the sun, which comes out like a bridegroom from his wedding canopy, and like a strong man runs its course with joy. Its rising is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the end of them; and nothing is hidden from its heat. The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the decrees of the Lord are sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is clear, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the Lord is pure, enduring for ever; the ordinances of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey, and drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward. But who can detect their errors? Clear me from hidden faults. Keep back your servant also from the insolent; do not let them have dominion over me.Then I shall be blameless,  and innocent of great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you,  O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.  (Psalm 19)

Happy Thursday, dear Friend!  I pray the blessings of God upon you and yours, and may the needs, challenges, obstacles you face today be turned over to Him and He will direct your path.  May it be so, in Jesus' name, amen.  Dear ones, we have been praying for my dear friend, Doug  Smith for a long time.  He has been valiantly battling cancer and yesterday he got the prognosis that he has about six months to live.  These are not the news he and Autumn had wanted, but their faith is so tremendous.  It's a hard thing to hear and receive, but we trust in the Lord.  I ask continued ardent prayers for Doug, Autumn and their three children.  Pray for one another, pray for yourselves.  Amen, and bless you all.

If the heavens are tell the glory of God, what are our words telling the world?  Hmm.  Good question and a difficult question.  I tend to say, well, it depends on the situation... does it?  The second part of the underlined verse of this awesome psalm tells us that as David prayed, so should we.  His prayer was that the word of his mouth and the meditations of his heart be acceptable to God, who was and is, his rock and redeemer.  Jesus would say, and He did, that the words of our mouth are the direct result of the heart and the meditations it has (what did we put in there??).  In other words, if our heart strives for the pure and holy, our words will flow out with the same.  And I'm reminded of the talk show where a woman called it and said, "I love Jesus, but I cuss a little." That would open up a long discussion, but let's just say, we should be joining the creation as it sings the praises of a glorious God.  The images of beauty in nature should permeate our heart with pure and wonderful thoughts about the goodness of God so that our words would be words that affirm, praise, buildup, and glorify God and God's creation (that includes people, even the ones you can't stand!).  The end result desires is "acceptability" in God's eyes, not one another's eyes.  We say what should please God.  We should think on those things that please God.  Our steady diet (and this is not tied into our resolutions for this year necessarily) should include the care and nurture of our spirits.  A healthy spirit, bathed in prayer and soaked in Scripture makes for a clean, honest person.  Anything less may not be acceptable.

PRAYER:  Loving Father, as I pray, cover me and my family with Your love and peace.  May this moment I have spent in Your word spur me to further reading and meditation on what You have to say for and about life.  I do want my words to build others up, not cut them down.  I want words that give life and joy to You and others.  Remove from my heart the negativity that may be lurking there, waiting for the right opportunity to spring up and cut; instead may Your Spirit not wait but act quickly when needed.  I want to be part of the chorus of creation singing of Your glory.  In Christ Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Find someone today who needs a good word and share it with them!

Eradio Valverde

This short book covers the entire Bible story in six short movements.  It's a great read!

https://amzn.to/2CIClNV

The Response of True Worship is Action!

Image from dustoffthebible.com

all the people gathered together into the square before the Water Gate. They told the scribe Ezra to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord had given to Israel. Accordingly, the priest Ezra brought the law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could hear with understanding. This was on the first day of the seventh month. He read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law. And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people stood up. Then Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered, ‘Amen, Amen’, lifting up their hands. Then they bowed their heads and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground. So they read from the book, from the law of God, with interpretation. They gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading. And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, ‘This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep.’ For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law. Then he said to them, ‘Go your way, eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions of them to those for whom nothing is prepared, for this day is holy to our Lord; and do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.’ (Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, -10)

May this be a day of rich blessings for you and yours, dear Friend!  May the joy of the Lord indeed be your strength today, and all days!

A dear pastor friend told me that this is the time of year a lot of people despair, and he was sensing this happening in his church.  I knew from my pastoral experience that he was right.  And I've made that my prayer for this week, praying that those who feel despair might feel hope.  And this morning I woke up with the notion that the word despair means going at it alone.  So, I looked it up, and yes, des means without, and sperare means hope.  I take it further and it could mean when we try to live life without God and God's help, we will find ourselves without hope.  Going at it alone is a tough thing.  And we find in today's passage an assembly of the remnant of God's people fully in despair.  Their history throughout the Old Testament is them thinking they know better and more than God, and they go at it alone.  They get defeated in battle, carried off as POWs, or get conquered and live their lives under the watchful and forceful eyes of foreign governments, etc; then they cry out, and God responds.  It kinda sounds like our lives too.  Here, what saved them was their having found a copy of the law of Moses, a section of their Bible, which they read from early morning until midday, with interpretation, meaning someone was sharing their thoughts on what they were hearing.  This was worship.  The Bible was read and the word was preached.  And they were elated!  They finally remembered God (and not the other way around!) and wept.  And God's response through the prophet was that they should do something about their worship.  And this still applies today.  Many just come to worship, hear the word, go home and nothing has changed; no response, no action for God.  I underlined the key above:  Do something after worship that shows that God has indeed been glorified in your life!  In this case, take care of the hungry in your midst, send portions of your meal for those who have nothing.  And the shared response would be that this would bring joy to them/us, "for the joy of the Lord is your strength."  The person who worships and responds becomes a joyful person and that person gains additional strength to do it again and again.

If this is the year for God to act, it will begin in us.  As we respond, God will respond in a greater way, and all Heaven will break loose!

PRAYER:  Come, Heavenly Father, in all Your glory to my life.  Let me hear and respond to You in actions that bless those who need blessings, starting with me.  Let my response bring joy to someone and that will bless me with joy; and together, "the joy of the Lord will be our strength!"  In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Share the joy of your strength with someone today!

Eradio Valverde

We Are All Part of the Body of Christ!

Image from youtube.com

Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers; then deeds of power, then gifts of healing, forms of assistance, forms of leadership, various kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? But strive for the greater gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way. (1 Corinthians 12:12-31)

May God's blessings be with you this special Tuesday, dear Friend!  I pray that God further help us discover our part and role in His body to grow His kingdom!

The gift of comparison usually leads us down a negative path.  We sometimes overthink things, usually as we're comparing ourselves to others and we usually end us frustrated or disappointed or angry because we think lesser of ourselves compared to another person.  And sadly, this happens in the church as well.  And it was happening in the city of Corinth and people were tell the Apostle Paul that they believed they didn't quite measure up when comparing themselves to others.  And this was happening among workers and servants within the work of the church!  Paul wrote the above to answer that all people, all workers, are important in the work of the Lord.  He compared it to the human body, and in the entire text printed below, he addresses how he saw the importance of each member of the body and the same is true among the workers in Christ's Church.

The work falls under the major categories that Paul shares:  apostles, prophets, teachers, miracle-workers, healers, helpers, leaders, and those who spoke in tongues.  All important, all working together, each seeking to better what they do, to better the Church.  The worst are not even listed; those who wait for their phone to ring - waiting for the call from the church to ask them to volunteer or work in the church.  Paul would have said, "the phone works both ways - you can make calls as well as receive calls, so call!"

Whatever it is you are doing for the Lord, do it with all your heart.  Seek to be better at what you offer.  If you happen to be one of those phone-call-waiters, pick up the phone and call the church to ask what it is you can do.  

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, there is much to do in Your Church, awaken in us new joy and vision to do better at what we are doing now.  Awaken those who snooze as they wait for "the call,"  let it be they who call the church to offer themselves to work in Your house.  This we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Strive for the greater gift you can be for the Lord Jesus Christ!

Eradio Valverde

COMPLETE TEXT: For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. Indeed, the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot were to say, ‘Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body’, that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear were to say, ‘Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body’, that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many members, yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I have no need of you’, nor again the head to the feet, ‘I have no need of you.’ On the contrary, the members of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and those members of the body that we think less honourable we clothe with greater honour, and our less respectable members are treated with greater respect; whereas our more respectable members do not need this. But God has so arranged the body, giving the greater honour to the inferior member, that there may be no dissension within the body, but the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honoured, all rejoice together with it.Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers; then deeds of power, then gifts of healing, forms of assistance, forms of leadership, various kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? But strive for the greater gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way.

God's Year to Act!

Image from a photo taken by Eradio Valverde at a first century synagogue

Then Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and a report about Him spread through all the surrounding country. He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by everyone.  When He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up, He went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was His custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to Him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.’ And He rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then He began to say to them, ‘Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.’ (Luke 4:14-21)

Happy Monday dear Friend!  Today is Martin Luther King Day, a day to remember the work of one who died trying to bring about love and harmony among all people.  May his example of nonviolence and belief that only love can conquer hate inspire us to live in the same way.  As we pray for that, let us pray for those who are still at the mercy of the government shut down.  May God be with our leaders in finding a solution quickly to restore needed resources to the families affected by this.  Prayers for Nellie as she recovers from bronchitis, and this servant as I battle what I hope is the last of this second dreaded cold!  

Today's photo was taken at the base of a valley near where Jesus grew up.  It is believed to be the very site where Jesus did what was shared in today's passage.  The experts know this to be a synagogue from the first century (Jesus' time) and a very powerful place to visit.  When the road allows, the drive from the top of the mountain to this site is a bit rough, but as luck would have it, when Nellie and I were there, recent rains kept the bus at the top of the mountain and we walked down to see this beautiful and powerful site.  The walk down was easy and pleasant; the walk up allowed me to write out my will!

The synagogue was small.  The faithful would sit on the floor, men at the front, women in the back.  The front of it had a table where an attendant would bring the scroll, unroll it and the teacher for that day would walk up to the table, read the passage, hand it back to the attendant and walk to the Seat of Moses, where he would sit and preach.  That day, the sermon began with a powerful declaration that caught many off guard.  The passage was one that some call a job description:  Spirit-filled, and Spirit-led, anointed to preach good news to the poor; release of the captives, recover of sight to the blind; the oppressed are released and to proclaim, as The Message says (v. 19) "God's year to act!"  Jesus took the scroll, rolled it up and handed back, sat down and said, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."  Gasp.  In this out-of-the-way, back water town, maybe twenty or so people heard the Boss' son say, "You heard the job description, I have the job!"  If only the people would have known that before hand.  They knew Jesus.  Jesus was a carpenter.  He supported His mother, Mary, whom the town also knew.  They knew His siblings, and here this first century carpenter is saying, "The job is mine?"  Nope.  Sadly, many still say that and some even believe it.

The truth is any year we allow God, it becomes the year for God to act.  On our behalf, on our needs, on our doubts and challenges.  If we allow Him to.  Whatever you may be facing, however weak you think your faith is; whatever doubts have been parading freely in your mind, stop, breathe, pray.  The prayer is simple:  Your will be done.  Bam!  God takes over, and we receive the blessings.  Yes, it's still difficult and the challenge may not go away immediately, but when you know God is working on your behalf, you take a breath and you know it will be all right.  The ruins look like a launching pad after a powerful rocket leaves it.  That's exactly what that become over time. From this desolate spot in a key place on the globe, the rocket that is salvation took off and has covered the world.  Heck, it might have even visited your place.  Your heart even.  If not, invite Him in!

PRAYER:  Awesome God, this is the year for You to act in my life.  You know me, You love me, and You better than even myself know what I am up against.  Take over and glorify Yourself in me.  And let me sing that which will bless my heart so that others too say say this prayer too.  In Christ Jesus' name I pray, amen!

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Let the Boss' son work in your life!

Eradio Valverde

TOUR UPDATE:  We had a great meeting with some wonderful pictures shared of the places we hope to visit in Greece in September!  If you get your $750 deposit in before next Monday, your total price will have an additional $50 off, along with the $150 that we receive if we pay before March 5th.  The tour guy said we should invest in the travel insurance.  Here's the link to the info on that tour.  Please share with someone who might want to join Nellie and I on this amazing trip!    https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/924557

A Basket Case?!

Image from treasureboxmy.blogspot.com

Now a man from the house of Levi went and married a Levite woman.The woman conceived and bore a son; and when she saw that he was a fine baby, she hid him for three months. When she could hide him no longer she got a papyrus basket for him, and plastered it with bitumen and pitch; she put the child in it and placed it among the reeds on the bank of the river. His sister stood at a distance, to see what would happen to him. The daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river, while her attendants walked beside the river. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her maid to bring it. When she opened it, she saw the child. He was crying, and she took pity on him. ‘This must be one of the Hebrews’ children,’ she said. Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, ‘Shall I go and get you a nurse from the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?’Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, ‘Yes.’ So the girl went and called the child’s mother. Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, ‘Take this child and nurse it for me, and I will give you your wages.’ So the woman took the child and nursed it. When the child grew up, she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and she took him as her son. She named him Moses, ‘because’, she said, ‘I drew him out of the water.’ (Exodus 2:1-10)

Friday is here!  And thank you, dear Friend, for your prayers.  Our trip to Corpus Christi was safe and we were able to take care of some matters and return safely in the same day.  (Not as young as I used to be!)  We did receive a sad call last night letting Nellie know that the last of her Mom's siblings died, Felicitas Zamora Guerrero, aka "Tía Faye," died at 95.  She was a lovely lady and so caring and loving of all of us.  Please pray for the family.  

The story of Joseph ends with all of Israel moving to Egypt and becoming quite a large population.  After Jacob's death and the arrival of a new Pharaoh, they no longer enjoyed the status and privileges given to them because of Joseph.  The new Pharaoh viewed the Jews as a threat and so an order went out to kill all male Hebrew children born within Egypt.  The Hebrew midwives had strict orders to kill the male child at its birth.  The Hebrew men were ordered to work hard as slaves, with the hope that their tiredness would keep them from procreating.  Well, as our story begins, one man was not too tired, and he and his wife had a son. As the story tells us, she hid the baby for three months, then had an ingenious plan:  Hide the baby in a floating basket in the Nile River near where Pharaoh's daughter bathed in hopes that she would find the baby and adopt it as her own.  The plan worked.  She took it as her own, Moses' big sister asked the daughter if she needed a nurse for the baby, and offered the services of Moses' own mother.  And Moses grew up in the palace of Pharaoh with a role that was of biblical proportions.

Moses knew his birth mother and she taught him about God and their own culture.  Moses was able to know the difference between Hebrews and Egyptians, and one day as he was overseeing the labor of the Hebrews, he saw abuse being done to one of the Hebrew, and Moses intervened and the Egyptian was murdered.  Moses thought no one had witnessed that murder, but a later fight between two Hebrews, Moses intervened again, and one of the Hebrews asked if Moses was going to kill  him as he had killed the Egyptian?  Oops, Moses fled.  Scripture says that Pharaoh by now knew of the murder and wanted Moses dead.  In his exile, Moses married into a good Midianite family, had a son and believed he could retire comfortably as a shepherd with his in-laws.  The death of Pharaoh and the arrival of a meaner one, caused the people to cry out for help from God, and God would use this sojourning Hebrew to be their deliverer.  

This story tells us that God is in control of all things.  Even when things don't seem to be going right with us, God can still make a way.  Here, we see that God used a wise mother to say the one who would be the one to set God's people free in Egypt, and all things worked for good in making that happen.  It took time and patience, but it worked out.  May what we face, work for good, as we pray and do what we need, trusting God.

PRAYER:  Loving God, thank You for knowing and caring for us.  Whatever we face, we face with You, trusting and loving You.  May You be glorified is our prayer; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Be an instrument of the Lord's today in sharing hope.

Eradio Valverde

In God There is a Fountain of Life!

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Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your judgements are like the great deep; you save humans and animals alike, O Lord. How precious is your steadfast love, O God! All people may take refuge in the shadow of your wings. They feast on the abundance of your house and you give them drink from the river of your delights. For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light. O continue your steadfast love to those who know you, and your salvation to the upright of heart!(Psalm 36:5-10)

May this be a  terrific Thursday for you, dear Friend!  As we pray, I request special prayer for our daughter, Caitlin and her son Liam, and for Nellie and I; we are traveling down to Corpus Christi to attend to some family matters.  May the Lord bless you for your willingness to pray.  Pray for one another, pray for yourselves.

This is a hymn we just read in the psalm.  It is a praise song, praising and thanking God for HIs steadfast love and the width and depth and ginormous of that love that knows no end and overcomes all barriers.  Yes, it speaks of God's judgement, but it is a merciful one, shown to us who show mercy and who show love.  There are no international boundaries, God's love is for all people, and all people who wish, can find shelter and protection in God.  The feast of righteousness is for all people, and we can eat to our fill.

And the key verse for us, is that in God, we have the fountain of life.  In God, we have the abundance of light - no more darkness for us.  And the prayer that ends this song, Continue to love us with that amazing steadfast love, and to share Your salvation to those who desire it.

PRAYER:  Loving God, Your steadfast love is awesome; cover us with it and let us bask in it, but then let us share it.  Guide our steps to faithfulness and fruitfulness.  This we pray in Christ Jesus!  Amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

A Brand New Name!

Image from hcfcornwall.ca

For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until her vindication shines out like the dawn, and her salvation like a burning torch. The nations shall see your vindication, and all the kings your glory; and you shall be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will give. You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God. You shall no more be termed Forsaken, and your land shall no more be termed Desolate; but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her, and your land Married; for the Lord delights in you, and your land shall be married. For as a young man marries a young woman, so shall your builder marry you, and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you. (Isaiah 62:1-5)

May the Lord's blessings for this Wednesday exceed your expectations; and may our response to them exceed God's expectations of us, dear Friend!  As we gather, may it be a time of prayer for one another, for needs known and unknown.  Since this week's lectionary texts all relate back to the marriage theme of Jesus' presence at Cana of Galilee, may we especially pray for those we know who are married - that God may strengthen all marriages; that those facing challenges and worries about relationships may find in God answers for today and tomorrow.  May the victory of Christ's peace in our lives carry us onward and upward!

As I read this morning's text I thought back to Nellie and my wedding.  Being in our mid-20s, we were very excited to have found each other through, we believe, God's guiding hand.  I was almost in disbelief.  Just yesterday we spoke lovingly about my paternal grandmother, and how she lived long enough, as were her prayers, to see the milestones in my life.  She wanted to see me graduate from high school, then to graduate from college.  She even lived long enough to see me married, which I suspect was a great fear for her.  I have mentioned that she asked me, often too many times, about the girls in my church, and if I found any of them attractive enough to date.  She lived long enough to know three of our girls.  As our marriage approached we were aware of one of us getting a new name.  It was her choice, to take my last name in marriage; but as the day drew closer, I realized I was getting a new name as well; husband.  I still couldn't believe that soon I would be able to say, "This is my wife," or "I'm her husband."  I loved the idea and even today, love the name!  

Out of the journey of relationships with joys and disappointments, it became apparent who would be the one to share the new name with.  And the same was true of God's chosen, Israel.  Though she was rebellious and unfaithful to God, God's love for her never failed.  And the prophet proclaimed that a new name was coming right from God's mouth for this new relationship; the names Forsaken and Desolate would become "My Delight Is in Her."  A new name for a new creation.  We still receive new names upon our salvation, from Lost to Found In the Lord; from feeling unloved to This is My Beloved; from being Wanderer to Path Finder and Path Follower.  And these are names we should carry proudly by the way we live our lives.  From Rejected to Accepted and Blessed, what name will you show off today?

PRAYER:  Loving god, bless those who read this who are in need, especially those having relationship issues and challenges.  Strengthen our faith and our walk with You.  Let us accept and assume the new names we have received from You that show Your love for us and that will invite others to receive it for their lives.  This we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Lover of God should be our name for today and all days!

Eradio Valverde

Jesus is Lord!

Image from discipleship.org

Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. You know that when you were pagans, you were enticed and led astray to idols that could not speak. Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking by the Spirit of God ever says ‘Let Jesus be cursed!’ and no one can say ‘Jesus is Lord’ except by the Holy Spirit. Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the discernment of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are activated by one and the same Spirit, who allots to each one individually just as the Spirit chooses.  For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12: 1-13)

May this Tuesday be tremendous in your life!  Shine brightly for the Lord today like never before, dear Friend!  As we pray this morning I ask special prayers for Mr. Doug Smith, who has been battling cancer for some time now; he was admitted into the hospital battling an infection that prevents him from receiving the proper treatment.  Pray for his wife, Autumn and their three children.  

In speaking with Autumn yesterday afternoon, she shared how one of the highpoint of her week was her little girl saying to her, "Mommy, I want to be a follower of Jesus!"  Autumn said her heart "swoll up three times!"  And indeed, what a joy when a little one, or a new one, says, "I want to be a follower of Jesus."  That's the work of the Holy Spirit.  As i re-read today's passage, that section jumped up at me;  If we have the Holy Spirit, "no one can say 'Jesus is Lord' except by the Holy Spirit", and the Holy Spirit prevents us from saying something stupid like 'Let Jesus be cursed!'  If we let ourselves be guided by Him, the Spirit will lead us to life.  The passage deals with the question of what it means to have the Holy Spirit.  Without the Spirit, we can be led, like the ancients to "idols that could not speak."  The Spirit guides us to affirm Christ, not mock or defame Him.  And is is the same Spirit that gives us the gifts we possess, to glorify God in us; the various services given by Him still come from the same Lord.  The Holy Spirit works for the common good, to build up and affirm the entire Body of Christ.  Given the list shared here, you may find that which God has entrusted you with which to serve Him:  sharing of wisdom, which is wise counsel to those who seek it.  There is the gift of faith, strong, unwavering faith, also a gift from the Spirit.  The gift of healing is another, as is the working of miracles, the gift of prophecy, which is speaking the truth for God in warranted situations; the ability to discern spirits, the gift of speaking in tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues.  "All these are activated by one and the same Spirit... as the Spirit chooses."  All for the work of the one body, the Body of Christ, His Church, who seeks to bring good to the world.

What do you believe your gift is?  If you can say out loud, "Jesus is Lord," you've started in the right place!  If you can pray and ask, "Lord, what is my gift, and how can I best use it to glorify You?" then you've taken the correct next step, followed by another prayer, "How can I build up Your Church?"  The responses from God will be as different as we are from each other, but we seek to work for the common good.  If you still have a question about spiritual gifts, please speak with your pastor or trusted Christian friend; together you will find that which can bless God and bless you!

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, all Your gifts are good!  Speak to our hearts how we can best serve You.  Help us not hide our gifts, but to use them for the common good of Your work here on the earth.  Let us put aside timidity or shyness, and be those who overcome.  In Christ Jesus' name we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Affirm in your own way today, Jesus is Lord!

Eradio Valverde

NOTICE:  Dear friends, I want again to encourage you to consider travel this fall to Greece on a tour called "In the Footsteps of Paul the Apostle."  The dates are September 4-14, 2019 and the experiences, must-see inclusions such as Corinth, the ancient Athenian ruins, the island of Patmos, not to mention local Greek cuisine will all serve to bless our faith.  This Sunday, immediately after the 10:45 worship service, at First United Methodist Church of Gonzales, Mr. Mike Sprute of Collette Vacations, will be showing a slide presentation of this tour.  If you have any questions please make plans to attend this meeting.  It should answer any questions you may have and I'd love to see you there!  

Mother! I'd Rather Do It Myself!

Image from agnusday.org

On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, ‘They have no wine.’ And Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come.’ His mother said to the servants, ‘Do whatever he tells you.’ Now standing there were six stone water-jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons.Jesus said to them, ‘Fill the jars with water.’ And they filled them up to the brim. He said to them, ‘Now draw some out, and take it to the chief steward.’ So they took it. When the steward tasted the water that had become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward called the bridegroom and said to him, ‘Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now.’ Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him. (John 2: 1-11)

Happy Monday, dear Friend!  I trust you had a great weekend and are enjoying the blessings of this new week.  This passage would not have been a popular one during what started this Wednesday back in 1920.  That was the start of Prohibition and I wonder how preachers handled this during their sermons that Sunday?

Mary had a most interesting but difficult life.  After all, it's not every woman who gets asked to bear the Son of God.  Scripture has her treasuring things in her heart, and it has her heart pierced by the anguish her Son suffered.  And trying to raise her first born was no easy task.  I believe she loved Jesus very much and like a mother worried a lot about Him.  I believe Jesus loved her very much as a son loves his mother for He knew all she had gone through and what was yet to come.  And their relationship is on display in this passage.

This is the spiritual gospel, John.  John goes into stories and details the other gospels do not.  I recently saw a cartoon where the four gospel writers were seated at the same table, and the professor said, "I need to speak to the three of you, Matthew, Mark, and Luke. I suspect there was some copying going on!"  John smiles smugly.  John has the first of Jesus' many miracles happen at a family wedding.  Mary was there, and Jesus and his crew were also invited.  It was a typical Jewish wedding of the day, lasting many days and the host family providing many things to celebrate the wedding and to show their appreciation to the guests for their attendance.  The wine of the day was fermented grape juice, which was totally dependent on vineyards, type of grape, the grade of the grapes, etc.  Fine wine was known and used first, as the host tells Jesus.  The fine wine was to impress the guests, and after a certain point, the fine wine was either put away or they no longer had any, and in would come the cheap wine.  In this wedding, perhaps a poorer family, the wine simply runs out.  Mary sensed the tension on the part of the host and so she approaches Jesus with her concern, "They have no wine."  She knew the party would soon be over and guests would leave, and the guest would probably talk about this family who did not have enough wine.  Topic A at the water cooler!

Jesus' response I listed as one that was prevalent in some earlier televisions commercials and in some households, "Mother! I'd rather do it myself!"  Indicating the frustration of the child with his well-meaning mother.  We probably have all heard that in some form or another when we have tried to share out two cents worth.  Jesus shares His concern that it was not yet His time, meaning the time for a glimpse into HIs glory and power was not yet expected; and while the response could have served as a response meaning He would do nothing, Jesus orders the jars of the water for purification to be filled; all six of them.  And in the process of filling them and bringing them back to the host, the first miracle occurs; Jesus had turned the water into wine.  As soon as it is tasted, the quality of the wine is complimented; "Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine after the guest have become drunk.  But you have kept the good wine until now."  This action did reveal Jesus' glory and it was enough for the disciples to believe in Him.

The lambs above jokes about "Talk about Jesus being the life of the party," and the second one responds, "We always do."  Jesus' presence in our lives brings life and that in abundance.  His perspective, His love, His joy, comfort and peace, transforms what the world expects into what the world is not used to.  There is fullness of life in Jesus and once we have it, those around it sense it and want it.

PRAYER:  Loving God, bless our lives with the joy of Your presence.  May our lives be blessed by the "new wine" of Your love, joy, comfort and peace.  There are many whom we will meet today who may need a blessing of hope, and we have it to share.  May we receive from You the words we can share to bring life to life in their lives.  This we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  If you're going to be a grape, be a grape for Jesus; the finest there is, filled with the joyous flavor of life!

Eradio Valverde

Payback is a Kiss!

Image from keyway.ca

Now Joseph was governor over the land; it was he who sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph's brothers came and bowed themselves before him with their faces to the ground. When Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he treated them like strangers and spoke harshly to them. "Where do you come from?" he said. They said, "From the land of Canaan, to buy food." Although Joseph had recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him. Joseph also remembered the dreams that he had dreamed about them. He said to them, "You are spies; you have come to see the nakedness of the land!" They said to him, "No, my lord; your servants have come to buy food. We are all sons of one man; we are honest men; your servants have never been spies." But he said to them, "No, you have come to see the nakedness of the land!" They said, "We, your servants, are twelve brothers, the sons of a certain man in the land of Canaan; the youngest, however, is now with our father, and one is no more." But Joseph said to them, "It is just as I have said to you; you are spies!  Here is how you shall be tested: as Pharaoh lives, you shall not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here! Let one of you go and bring your brother, while the rest of you remain in prison, in order that your words may be tested, whether there is truth in you; or else, as Pharaoh lives, surely you are spies." And he put them all together in prison for three days. On the third day Joseph said to them, "Do this and you will live, for I fear God: if you are honest men, let one of your brothers stay here where you are imprisoned. The rest of you shall go and carry grain for the famine of your households, and bring your youngest brother to me. Thus your words will be verified, and you shall not die." And they agreed to do so. (Genesis 42: 6-20)

Happy Friday to you and yours, dear Friend!  As we pray this morning, I ask prayers for a little baby abducted in San Antonio.  King Jay Davila was taken from his mother's car as she had gone inside a convenience store to pay for gas.  He has been missing now about nine days.  We can only imagine her anguish and we pray the Lord would convict the abductor, believed to be the baby's father, to bring him back safe and sound.

I trust you have been keeping track of this Joseph story; it is quite interesting and deals with all sorts of human conditions, the major one in today's could be revenge.  The world has many clever sayings about revenge, but the Bible teaches us another path, which is exactly what we have read today.  The ten older brothers of Joseph had sold him into slavery because of his dreams, one of which came true in the above underline verse.  He had dreamed that ten sheaves would bow down to him; and what do you know?  It came true.  Joseph plays it cool and has some fun, albeit some serious fun.  The famine had finally hit Israel and their desire to stay alive has the old man, Jacob, sending his ten sons to Egypt to buy some food.  And this was their request.  Joseph wanted to see his father and his youngest brother and so sets up the rest of the story in that way.  

If you read the rest of the chapter, you will discover more twists and turns that Joseph does, all of which might have driven some of us crazy.  He returns their money back in the sacks of grain.  Once they discover this they are scared of what to do.  When they return, with the money and more, they bring their youngest brother with them as they had promised; only to have them return again with their money and this time the very cup of Joseph.  But it ends in an emotional way.  Joseph was so glad to see his brothers, even if they had sold him into slavery, and especially glad to see Benjamin, his youngest brother, and finally the dad.  He, with the Pharaohs' permission to move to Egypt; which sets up another new story altogether.  But, for now, a man who could have easily ordered his brothers killed for their evil action, instead rejoices in having seen them again, and though he put them through the paces, finally reveals himself and provides for them in a grand way.

How do we respond?  Some of us have been harmed or hurt in some way, and the training the world has given us makes us ready to respond with anger and vengeance, but here we see a better way; of peace and provision.  Joseph never quit being a man of God, and neither should we.  We should respond in ways that confuse the world and may confuse those who have hurt us; but in all things we seek to glorify God.

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, help us to be better brothers and sisters to all people.  Let us look beyond political lines, and anger issues, and hurts and pains that others have brought us; and allow us to live a life that blesses all people.  This we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Show someone how loving you can be today!  Repay good for evil.

Eradio Valverde

Bravo, God, Bravo!

Image from bibleverseimages.com

Bravo, God, bravo! God and all angels shout, "Encore!" In awe before the glory, in awe before God's visible power. Stand at attention! Dress your best to honor him! God thunders across the waters, Brilliant, his voice and his face, streaming brightness - God, across the flood waters.  God's thunder tympanic, God's thunder symphonic.  God's thunder smashes cedars, God topples the northern cedars.  The mountain ranges skip like spring colts, The high ridges jump like wild kid goats. God's thunder spits fire.  God thunders, the wilderness quakes; He makes the desert of Kadesh shake.  God's thunder sets the oak trees dancing A wild dance, whirling; the pelting rain strips their branches. We fall to our knees - we call out, "Glory!"  Above the floodwaters is God's throne from which his power flows, from which he rules the world.  God makes his people strong. God gives his people peace. (Psalm 29 The Message)

Happy Thursday, dear Friend!  If I were to ask my grandson, Liam, what Thursday is good for, he'd say, without having to think about it, tacos!  He loves breakfast tacos from Seguin.  It's also a good day to thank the Lord!  For you who work inside or outside your home, most of the work week is done; Friday provides a day for many to go through the motions if they want, today can be a day of saying, as the title says, which comes from verse one of this psalm, "Bravo, God, Bravo!"  We don't use the word ascribe much in today's world.  I can't remember the last time I've used it.  But, bravo works!

As we remember and celebrate the baptism of the Lord and the purpose it still serves (look at the last italicized verse above!), we praise the Lord for His wanting to relate and identify with us, and for giving us peace through the actions He took to present Himself for baptism.  It was an active day in Heaven, as the second verse says, where God and the angles shouted, "Encore!" for the power demonstrated through the voice from above that said Jesus was God's beloved Son.  The psalmist calls for all to be at attention, as military might, for the power our God demonstrates. All creation joins in with their thanks and praise; thunder and lightning, even earthquakes are part of the joyous praise that God deserves.  And in that strength, we find ours.  And through that strength we find peace.

PRAYER:  Awesome God, may we bless you with our thanks and praise.  May we find, even in the midst of things that weaken others, the strength to find peace.  Bless the troubled, and trouble the blessed; we must respond with joy and thanksgiving to the gifts that are Yours to us each day.  This we pray in Christ Jesus, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Tell someone today how blessed you are and why that has allowed you to find peace.

Eradio Valverde

PRAYER JOYS AND UPDATES:  Dear friends, I must thank you for your faithfulness in prayers.  Why do we pray?  Because God answers prayers!  We received notice that Mr. Tom Lester, Jr., after participating in a special cancer treatment has responded well, and for that we say, "Thank You, Lord!"  He still needs our prayers as he is limited in his activities that he can do, and those who know him and his work ethic, this is not an easy thing, but he's closer than ever!  Please be in prayer for Rev. Richard Young, our pastor in El Campo, Texas because yesterday his beloved wife, Ruth, was killed in an auto accident.  She was an active part of Richard's ministry, and I can't imagine the loss he has suffered.  Pray for the family as they make plans to celebrate her life and grieve her loss.  Joshua Luther Gonzalez is an infant suffering from RSV who was transferred to Driscoll Children's Hospital in Corpus Christi.  Please pray for his healing and for his mom and dad, Abigail Hinds and D. J. Gonzalez.  If you have a prayer concern and would like our prayer warriors to lift up you or your loved ones in prayer, either respond to this email or send requests to concafeprayers@yahoo.com.  May the Lord bless you and keep you is my prayer for you!  e.v.

Don't Be Afraid, For I am With You!

Image from wafm.com

But now, God's Message, the God who made you in the first place, Jacob, the One who got you started, Israel: "Don't be afraid, I've redeemed you. I've called your name. You're mine. When you're in over your head, I'll be there with you. When you're in rough waters, you will not go down. When you're between a rock and a hard place, it won't be a dead end -  Because I am God, your personal God, The Holy of Israel, your Savior. I paid a huge price for you: all of Egypt, with rich Cush and Seba thrown in! That's how much you mean to me! That's how much I love you! I'd sell off the whole world to get you back, trade the creation just for you.  "So don't be afraid: I'm with you. I'll round up all your scattered children, pull them in from east and west.  I'll send orders north and south: 'Send them back. Return my sons from distant lands, my daughters from faraway places.  I want them back, every last one who bears my name, every man, woman, and child Whom I created for my glory, yes, personally formed and made each one.'" (Isaiah 43:1-7 The Message)

Happy Wednesday, the 9th of January!  Where has this year gone Friend?  It seemed just like a week ago we were celebrating the start of a New Year!  And for all you resolution-makers, you have three days left to hold onto those resolutions!  Yes, experts (those who don't make them) say most Americans give up on the 12th day of the New Year!  I hope you heard or saw my video on Resolutions versus Revolution.  In it I walk about our resolutions being our Declaration of Independence, then we have to strategize on how to fight the actual battles of say, giving up cigarettes, alcohol, cakes, pies, candy, etc.

In November of 2005, Nellie and I had not seen our daughter Carli for four months.  She was studying abroad in Grenada, Spain.  We had talked about and finally put into action, a trip to London, where Carli would fly in to meet us, we'd spend a few days seeing Jolly Ole England, then fly back to Grenada with her, then back to London for two days, then home.  You can imagine our anticipation of seeing Carli.  Our youngest, Caty, was still at home and she flew with us.  She and Carli are very close and the excitement on her face made the trip so special.  We were reunited at the airport once Carli flew in.  We spend a wonderful time seeing and getting to know London.  Then we flew to Grenada and spent those day in peace.  The difficult part was saying goodbye to our baby at the Grenada airport.  Security was more secure than here.  It was late late at night, Carli rode a bus with us to see us off and then would go home on another bus close to midnight by herself.  Now, she was an adult and had been living there for four months, but parents worry!  It was so hard to hug and kiss her goodbye because we would not see her until May.  There was that point where only the three of us could continue, and Carli had to wait there and just wave to us.  I can't describe the feeling.  We could see her behind the thick glass and then she started her walk towards the bus and away form us.  Dads and Moms know the power of prayer and boy did we employ it!  

The biblical message of God and angels for us humans usually begins with "Don't be afraid."  In this passage, God begins the message to the people through the prophet Isaiah in the same way, "Don't be afraid, I've redeemed you.  I've called your name.  You're mine."  Like Israel, we have been set free from our captivity to sin; God knows and calls us by name, and we belong to God.  And then the message gets even more personal:  "When you're in over your head, I'll be there with you," and who among us hasn't found ourselves in such predicaments?  "When you're in rough waters, you will not go down."  Yes, some of us have sailed through some of life's roughest seas, but here we still are, thanks to God!  "When you're between a rock and a hard place, it won't be a dead end - because I am God, your personal God... I paid a huge price for you; all of Egypt... that's how much you mean to me!  That's how much I love you!  I'd sell the whole world to get you back, trade the creation just for you.  So, don't be afraid: I'm with you."  Wow.  The feelings Nellie and I had at that moment in Spain for our daughter Carli, God has for you and me.  The fear that we felt, God has removed and blessed us with strength and peace.  And God's promise is that we shall not be eternally divided from our loved ones nor from Him.  The God who personally formed and made us, loves us and is with us.

PRAYER:  Loving God, guide me through the days of this new year.  Make permanent in my mind the message from today, that You are with me and I should not be afraid.  Lord, You better than anyone know the pressures and demands of my job, family, responsibilities, faith; and these I turn over to You.  Bring healing, joy, peace, calm, and love into me and my loved ones.  Let us be a blessing to You and Yours; this I pray in Christ Jesus' name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Show your faith by showing your peace in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Here is Chapter Four of the study of the Gospel of Mark on youtube.  Please share with those who might need a blessing! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuAOFAo1kok&t=13s

Baptism by Fire; just as John had said!

Image from livingthelectionary.blogspot.com

Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. The two went down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit (for as yet the Spirit had not come upon any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus). Then Peter and John laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. (Acts 8:14-17)

Happy Tuesday, dear Friend!  I hope this finds you and yours well as it leaves us blessed!  Thanks be to God!  It is a bit foggy here in Seguin this morning and I pray for a safe day for you as you go and come.

The invitation to all the people from John the Baptist was a simple one.  He said that the Kingdom of God was at hand and people needed to repent.  That struck a cord with many.  Remember yesterday we talked about how Jesus identified with us, and John's message did as well.  Many a time someone will say something and we will say, "Yes, I was thinking that too," or "I did see it that way as well."  But more importantly our heart will say, "You need to get rid of all the sin in here!"  And that's what the people sought.  They came to the Jordan River and were washed of their sins.  When the question of the Messiah came up, John said the One coming after him would baptize with fire.  He was referring to the event in today's passage.

Philip the disciple, after the murder of Stephen, goes to preach Jesus in Samaria.  And his message was the same as John and Jesus'; repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.  They heard it, received it, and rejoiced in the new way of life they could now live.  Yet, they felt they needed to send Peter and John to pray for them to be baptized in fire, which is the Holy Spirit as they had experienced it in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost.  As Peter and John prayed for them with the laying on of hands, they received the Holy Spirit.  The verses that follow have Simon the magician having accepted Jesus and seeing the results of the disciples' prayer, wants the same power.  It is Peter who rebukes him for wanting this power and says because of the intent of his heart he would not be a part of that ministry; to his credit, Simon asks Peter to pray for him so that none of the other things Peter said would happen to him would.

The Holy Spirit is ours.  If you were baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, He is indwelling in you.  His role is as comforter, who brings us peace in difficult times, even interceding for us when we can't pray - He interprets our sighs and moans to the Lord; Sustainer, we look to His strength to lift us when we are down, and He helps us in our walk when we are weak.  He is also our help when it comes to needing power and strength, He provides it, as He guides us into all truth.  He's with you now and our asking him for further interpretation of God's word comes through Him.  Invite Him and use Him to bless your work for Jesus!

PRAYER:  Come, Holy Spirit, into our lives.  As the hymn says, "Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh on me; melt me, mold me, fill me, use me."  So may it be.  In Christ Jesus we pray, amen!

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Be the provider of grace to someone today!

Eradio Valverde

The Baptism of Jesus: He's One of Us!

Image is a photo by Eradio Valverde at the Jordan River taken 3/9/2-18

The interest of the people by now was building. They were all beginning to wonder, "Could this John be the Messiah?"  But John intervened: "I'm baptizing you here in the river. The main character in this drama, to whom I'm a mere stagehand, will ignite the kingdom life, a fire, the Holy Spirit within you, changing you from the inside out.  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."  After all the people were baptized, Jesus was baptized. As he was praying, the sky opened up  and the Holy Spirit, like a dove descending, came down on him. And along with the Spirit, a voice: "You are my Son, chosen and marked by my love, pride of my life." Son of Adam, Son of God."  (Luke 3: 15-17, 21-22 The Message)

If you're like me, you like identifying with others.  It could be a sports cap that has one of my teams on it; or hear them speaking Spanish, or seeing them at church.  Identify is important and nowhere do we see God's stamp on that for us than the event that we will be celebrating this coming Sunday:  The Baptism of Jesus.  Yes, indeed, dear Friend, Jesus is one of us!

The photo above I took on Friday, March 9, 2018 at the Jordan River.  I saw doves all around the roofs of the shelters of the river and I hoped to get a shot of a white dove in flight in honor of the verse above that speaks "of a dove descending, came down on Him.  And along with the Spirit, a voice:  'You are my Son, chosen and marked by my love, pride of my life.'"  It was quite an emotional experience to be at THE place where Jesus was baptized.  I thought of the crowds who came to present themselves to John the Baptist and they began to wonder if perhaps, because of his message and appearance, that maybe he was the Messiah, long awaited Savior of the Jews.  John heard this and answered, "It's not me; there's one coming who is greater than me, so much so, that I'm not worthy of untying His sandal."  And the message, in modern English speaks to us as we start the New Year and worry about past mistakes or errors; Jesus came "to clean house - make a clean sweep of your lives."  That's comforting and scary at the same time.  Jesus came to make us clean, to sweep out the evil and the bad, the very things that can kill us spiritually.  And all we have to do is ask.  Notice that this version says, "Everything false He'll put out with the trash to be burned."  This was John's invitation to the people to be washed clean of their sins.  And Who should come and walk alongside the people wanting sins out of their lives?  Jesus.  Jesus identified with the need of humanity to be made right with God; though He himself did not have sin in Him.  But, He wanted us to know He was one of us.  Through His life, He knew all about the human condition and He experienced it; but made no room in His life for the evil or bad that we too often give in to.  He was the model of a life lived in faith and relationship with God.

Whatever your resolve for this New Year, it should include our desire to be made right with God through Jesus and all that He offers to us.  A new life begins with a new walk with Jesus.

PRAYER:  Loving God, bless the life of this dear reader; speak to their hearts and spirits and make them new in You.  May the days of this new year be filled with evidence of Your power and grace.  This we pray in His precious and powerful name, amen!

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde