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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.
