What Does Your Face Show About You?

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Moses came down from Mount Sinai. As he came down from the mountain with the two tablets of the covenant in his hand, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God. When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, the skin of his face was shining, and they were afraid to come near him. But Moses called to them; and Aaron and all the leaders of the congregation returned to him, and Moses spoke with them. Afterwards all the Israelites came near, and he gave them in commandment all that the Lord had spoken with him on Mount Sinai. When Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil on his face; but whenever Moses went in before the Lord to speak with him, he would take the veil off, until he came out; and when he came out, and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, the Israelites would see the face of Moses, that the skin of his face was shining; and Moses would put the veil on his face again, until he went in to speak with him. (Exodus 34: 29-35)

Wonderful Wednesdays begin with time spent with God! I pray this is a great day already for you dear Friend! Dear friends, the Called General Conference 2019 is over. The conference approved the plan called the Traditional Plan. It maintains our orthodox stance on Scripture and its authority and addresses our long-standing stance on homosexuality. The other plans brought forth were defeated including the well-funded and Bishop-supported One Church Plan. The conference also adopted exit plans for those churches and pastors who cannot in good conscience stay within The United Methodist Church. The votes were close and you can imagine those who supported the One Church Plan and the Simple Plan were very upset and hurt. We must continue to pray for God to bring comfort to all who were present at this conference, and safe travel for all delegates who travel home today. I also ask that as we pray today, we pray for Mary Ckodre's sister-in-law Ingrid, who underwent surgery early on Tuesday. Also, a praise report on Peter Seale, whose tumor has not only stopped growing, it has shrunk in size! Praise the Lord! Peter must undergo chemo 5 days a month and get regular checkups, but we pray that the tumor continue to disappear! Pray for the family of Mr. Marden Barnes, grandfather of our son-in-law Eric Cortez, who died last night while on vacation in Mexico. He was with his wife, Lenore. Prayers as Eric and his parents, Joe & Cathy Cortez travel to Mexico to be with Lenore. Pray for each other; pray for yourselves.

In today's Old Testament reading, we see Moses having an interesting problem. The time he spent on the mountain talking with God would leave his skin glowing brightly. It was so bright the people were afraid to get close to him! Moses then got the bright (sorry pun intended!) idea to cover his face with a veil., removing only when he would go back to talk to God again.

Later in the book of Acts 4:13, the Pharisees could tell that the disciples had been in the presence of Jesus. Not so much the brightness of their faces, but the boldness of their actions and deeds revealed the connection they had with the Lord. As I shared on Tuesday, Paul addressed this too. And I believe if we spend quality time with God where we not only talk to Him but listen to Him, we get a rich and wonderful blessing, and that helps to bless others.

So, what does your face say about you? Are there worry lines or scowls of defeat? What does that say about your faith? Are there lines of joy because you smile a lot? That says positive things about your faith. Time spent with God is never wasted time; it is blessed time. Moses discovered that in his mission leading the people out of Egypt and through the wilderness. Jesus had that moment on the mountain where His face was transfigured; and Paul said those who belong to the Lord have the veil removed and one can see the truth of God's love.

So, thank you for spending time with God and His word in this devotional time; but it also involves talking to God later in the day and listening, really listening to God. This will increase your faith and bless your face!

PRAYER: Come, Heavenly Father and bless us. Help us radiate the love You have for us in ways that bless You and draw others to You. May we overcome darkness with light, fear with hope, and hate with love. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Use the mirror of God's word to help improve the blessings your face can share!

Eradio Valverde

Connect with God; Act Boldly!

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Since, then, we have such a hope, we act with great boldness, not like Moses, who put a veil over his face to keep the people of Israel from gazing at the end of the glory that was being set aside. But their minds were hardened. Indeed, to this very day, when they hear the reading of the old covenant, that same veil is still there, since only in Christ is it set aside. Indeed, to this very day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their minds; but when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit. Therefore, since it is by God’s mercy that we are engaged in this ministry, we do not lose heart. We have renounced the shameful things that one hides; we refuse to practise cunning or to falsify God’s word; but by the open statement of the truth we commend ourselves to the conscience of everyone in the sight of God. (2 Corinthians 3: 12- 4:2)

On what seems like the second week here in St. Louis, I know it is but Tuesday, and I pray it is a Tremendous and Terrific Tuesday for you, dear Friend!  I thank you for your prayers, we have all needed them.  This has been a very stressful conference for all who are here; delegates, bishops, staff, observers, etc.  I can report that the process has been followed.  We prioritized the plans and petitions brought forward, then the entire conference because a legislative committee, whose work ended last night.  The committee is proposing the Traditional Plan to the General Conference today, awaiting a ruling on each part of it from Judicial Council.  It is the hope of the majority to have it perfected and legal and be the plan that the General Conference approves.  The committee also brought forth several exit plans, which would allow for those churches who do not agree or accept the Traditional Plan to leave the denomination in a fair, responsible way.  These recommend a move away from the trust clause which currently allows a church to leave but without its property since the owner is the denomination.  These plans allow for each church to pay off its financial obligations to the denomination and conference before they exit.  Please continue to pray for all who are here.  Pray for each other, pray for yourselves.

The Apostle Paul is writing to the people in Corinth a letter of encouragement; live a bold life since you are connected to the Living God.  Like Moses in the Old Testament, he was truly connected with God every time he climbed up the mountain and the glory of God stayed on his face on his way down.  The brightness of that encounter with God was so bright,, he wore a veil on his face.  These encounters with God by Moses did little to most of the people below.  Their hearts were "hardened" and away from God, and Paul tells the Corinthian people (one of the cities we hope to visit on our upcoming tour in September!) that even to this day, when people hear the old covenant, the law as found in the Old Testament, the veil is still there.  Only Jesus can remove that veil and allow for full understanding of God's grace.  And, each day that we seek to connect to God, we begin to mirror that same image as Moses, as one who has been in the presence, glory, and power of God; and that serves to equip us for better living life, and doing the work of God even among those who reject Him.  Time with God's word, prayer time, and devotional time should make your face brighter, because you have been in the presence of the Most High.

Friend, we face the daily challenges of life; the valley experiences after having been on the mountaintop of worship and prayer, but like Paul writes, we cannot let anything or anyone veil our face.  We should shine the love of God that has come over us in our relationship with Him.  We should smile smiles of joy for the hope and joy of the Lord is our strength.  We should walk with gratitude and serve with faithfulness; for we all have been blessed by God.  Seek today to shine more, smile more, do more!

PRAYER:  Awesome God, come to us in Your own way, but shine brightly Your love so that our faces may radiate that to all.  Speak to our hearts in ways that bring us to fullness of life and love and these we can share to all.  This is our prayer, lifted in faith in the Name of Jesus our Lord and Savior, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Be the blessings that someone needs to day; God will show you how!

Eradio Valverde

Thank you all also for the prayers for our anniversary.  We had a lovely evening and we enjoy being together even to this day.  We commented that we have lived with each other longer than we had with our own parents; what a joy and blessing that is! God is good!

From the Splendors of Glory to the Realities of Life...

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Now about eight days after these sayings Jesus took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep; but since they had stayed awake, they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. Just as they were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, ‘Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah’—not knowing what he said. While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were terrified as they entered the cloud.Then from the cloud came a voice that said, ‘This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!’ When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and in those days told no one any of the things they had seen.On the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a great crowd met him. Just then a man from the crowd shouted, ‘Teacher, I beg you to look at my son; he is my only child. Suddenly a spirit seizes him, and all at once he shrieks. It throws him into convulsions until he foams at the mouth; it mauls him and will scarcely leave him. I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.’ Jesus answered, ‘You faithless and perverse generation, how much longer must I be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.’ While he was coming, the demon dashed him to the ground in convulsions. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. And all were astounded at the greatness of God. While everyone was amazed at all that he was doing. (Luke 9: 28-43)

Greetings from Saint Louis, Missouri, dear Friend! I trust this finds you and yours doing well. We are still in need of your prayers for the Lord to guide and bless our time together here in St. Louis. It may prove to be an interesting time together. We pray come, Holy Spirit, come!

There have been very holy moments in my life, as I suspect there have been those for you as well. Take for example. a weekend retreat, where one feels the love and presence of God and one wishes for the event to never end, for we know that when the event ends, so will the mountaintop experience for us. My early mountain top experiences were held in the beauty of Mount Wesley, where for the life of me, these were not hills, thought I, a boy from Kingsville, these are mountains! What made them more so were the prayers, sermons, songs, fellowship, and encounters with Jesus. Many were the lives touched and transformed, and a significant number of campers experienced the call into ordained ministry. And as the camp or retreat ended, so did the holiness of the moments just spent together with God.

After Jesus has spent some incredible moments displaying God's power in Him, He takes His inner circle up to the mountain to pray. The mountains were important to Him and He found space and time on them to pray; and this day was no different. This time of prayer comes at a crucial point of His ministry; He knew the end was coming and He needed time alone with His Father. He brings Peter, James, and John with Him, because He knew He could depend on them to support Him and to be witnesses where they could affirm what they had seen with Him. And it was on this day that the splendor of Heaven shone in Jesus. Jesus' face shone forth the glory of Heaven, and His clothing also dazzled in a brightness that the three disciples had never seen before. And, to top this experience off, two men appear beside Jesus, and through the power of the Holy Spirit present with them, they knew the two men to be Moses and Elijah. Though they were weighed down with sleep, they stayed awake (wouldn't you?) and knew the importance of this event and experienced the awesomeness of God. Yet, being human and surprised at the same time, they did not know how to respond to this event. Peter comes up with the idea of building three shelters, one for each of these great spiritual leaders. This gets interrupted by a voice from Heaven that said, "This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to Him!" The mountaintop experience was awesome; the three were blessed who witnessed it, as was Jesus who was in need of this affirmation from God. The retreat was over, and down the mountain they went.

As happens to many of us, while we feel we have changed in a mighty way during a camp or retreat, the reality is that the world we left behind is just as we left it. There are bills to be paid, laundry to be done, dishes to be washed, time with family to be spent, and those who disliked us are still around and still ready to pounce on us. Satan knows that nothing can deflate the high of a mountaintop experience like a sharp word of criticism or rebuke. In Jesus' case, His ministry continued, and that with those in the deepest part of misery and need. And nothing like being asked by a man whose son was demon-possessed, to be freed. The man had asked the nine disciples who had stayed behind but they were unable to rid the demon from the boy. Jesus rebukes the generation as being faithless and perverse, and Jesus states the need for Him to be with them, and asks for the boy to be brought to Him. The demon tries to hurt the more once more, but he was no match for the power of God in Jesus, and the boy is healed. The response of the crowd was amazement at the greatness found in Jesus and all that He was able to do.

In all circumstances, God is with us; the great and the not-so-great. Sometimes we marvel and/or stumble in trying to make sense of the greatness of God in our lives. Regardless, God is good. And sometimes we sink low into the harshness of life and its realities; still, God is with us. The main reality is that we need to stay with God, trust Him, and share Him like no other; for the world still needs the marvel and majesty of the Lord. Whatever it may be that is making your marvel or miserable, stop long enough to know that God is with you; Jesus will see you through.

PRAYER: Loving God, guide and bless us into Thy purpose and meaning of this life. Bless this dear reader with either the marvel or misery they may be feeling, and bring them Your victory. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Make people marvel at the mystery of God's presence in your life!

Eradio Valverde

P.S. A Happy Anniversary to my darling wife, Nellie for putting up with me these past 41 years! I thank God for you! And I love you!

Gnats? Flies? Goodbye?!

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For if you will not let my people go, I will send swarms of flies on you, your officials, and your people, and into your houses; and the houses of the Egyptians shall be filled with swarms of flies; so also the land where they live. But on that day I will set apart the land of Goshen, where my people live, so that no swarms of flies shall be there, that you may know that I the Lord am in this land. Thus I will make a distinction between my people and your people. This sign shall appear tomorrow.' " The Lord did so, and great swarms of flies came into the house of Pharaoh and into his officials' houses; in all of Egypt the land was ruined because of the flies. Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron, and said, "Go, sacrifice to your God within the land." But Moses said, "It would not be right to do so; for the sacrifices that we offer to the Lord our God are offensive to the Egyptians. If we offer in the sight of the Egyptians sacrifices that are offensive to them, will they not stone us? We must go a three days' journey into the wilderness and sacrifice to the Lord our God as he commands us." So Pharaoh said, "I will let you go to sacrifice to the Lord your God in the wilderness, provided you do not go very far away. Pray for me." Then Moses said, "As soon as I leave you, I will pray to the Lord that the swarms of flies may depart tomorrow from Pharaoh, from his officials, and from his people; only do not let Pharaoh again deal falsely by not letting the people go to sacrifice to the Lord." So Moses went out from Pharaoh and prayed to the Lord. And the Lord did as Moses asked: he removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his officials, and from his people; not one remained. But Pharaoh hardened his heart this time also, and would not let the people go. (Exodus 8: 21-32)

May this be a Fabulous Friday for you dear Friend! I pray the blessings of the Lord guide you this day and all days. This is another of those Bible Stories You Should Know!

If you're an outdoorsy person you know the joys of gnats and flies. If you're not an outdoorsy person I can guess why. There has never been perfect, bug-free weather for a picnic as far as I can guess for most of you. The aroma of food and human flesh attract the species created to wreck the joy out of outdoor events such as picnics and barbecues. But, imagine a plaque of gnats and flies? These were the plagues that Moses was told by God would come upon the Egyptians if Pharaoh did not authorize the Hebrews request for a 3-day journey into the wilderness to worship their God. The swarm of gnats didn't do the job, but when it came to the flies, that seemed to do the trick. Especially when Pharaoh saw the Goshen, where the Hebrew slaves lived, was an area free of flies, and as we read in the passage, Pharaoh decided that that was enough. Notice he gave permission for the Hebrews to leave Egypt for a three-day journey into the wilderness, but then changed his mind; game still on.

Sometimes something that we need does not happen immediately or even as soon as we would like. This was the case with the desired freedom from slavery. The heart of Pharaoh would Harden as the Bible describes it. Sometimes it's our own heart that hardens and we decide not to risk what we know we need to do to flee an addiction or to receive freedom from something that is holding us down. And this is true even with God offering us help and assistance. You can imagine how difficult it was for Moses to hear again and again, the word he did not want to hear, "No!" He persevered again and again. As should you and me.

PRAYER: Loving Father, You know what it is that is holding us back, please be at work in us to help us. If it is something beyond our control, please help us overcome and gain that which is from You for our own good and benefit. Grant us strength and peace in the meantime. This we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Seek to be free from that which can kill, steal, and destroy. Christ came to bring us life, and that to the fullest!

Eradio Valverde

Patience and Trust Beats out Fret and Worry!

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Do not fret because of the wicked; do not be envious of wrongdoers, for they will soon fade like the grass, and wither like the green herb.  Trust in the Lord, and do good; so you will live in the land, and enjoy security. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord;  trust in him, and he will act. He will make your vindication shine like the light, and the justice of your cause like the noonday.  Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for him; do not fret over those who prosper in their way, over those who carry out evil devices. Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath. Do not fret—it leads only to evil. For the wicked shall be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land. Yet a little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look diligently for their place, they will not be there. But the meek shall inherit the land, and delight in abundant prosperity. The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; he is their refuge in the time of trouble. The Lord helps them and rescues them;  he rescues them from the wicked, and saves them, because they take refuge in him. (Genesis 37: 1-11, 39-40)

This may well be a Tremendous Thursday for you, dear Friend!  Any day spent in prayer and Biblical study results in tremendous blessings!  And dear friends, as we pray, may we please pray for The Rev. Larry Altman, a retired UMC pastor and former DS with whom I had the pleasure of serving with on the cabinet.  He is undergoing heart surgery at TexSan Hospital tomorrow.  Please pray that all go well for our brother.  Please also pray for Patty, his wife.  Pray for one another, pray for yourselves.

Today's psalm is one that influenced Jesus.  One of the powerful statements he made about the meek in His Sermon on the Mount is found in today's psalm.  This is a psalm of strength and calm.  It is a psalm that calls for focus; our focus should be on God during all our trials and worries, and not on other things or other persons. Focus will bring us delight in the Lord, and help bring us the solutions we seek to daily challenges and worries.  Focus is another way of saying commitment.  Focus on God keeps our hearts and minds away from fret, worry, and even anger.  And even meekness comes as a result of our focus on the Lord.  Meekness was defined as knowing when to get angry, and when to keep still; not being a doormat, as so many think of meek people.  The true meek person is one who will get angry at the right time for the right reason. Focus brings patience, and patience brings peace.  And these, when focused on God will bring us the rescue we need from Him.

Many of us keep a to-do list, but do you keep a worry list?  We may not write it down, but it sure piles up in our brain and before we know it, we're just worrying about this and that, instead of focusing on God.  That's the beauty of this devotional time for me.  It comes usually after a morning run, yes, even in the cold, then after a time of reading two devotionals, then prayer on my prayer kneeler, during which time I ask God to give me clarity on the passage before us; then I sit and begin to type.  Many of you have noticed that I usually just write from the heart, and then press send.  Later, my darling wife, will lovingly say, "Did you notice that you said..."  Oops, yes, I did. Or, some of you will reply with a tease about, Jesus being a traveling rabbit.  Oops, Jesus was a traveling rabbi, but given that I may have typed rabbit more than rabbi, it's only natural.  But that does not mean I lose focus on Him who is greater than I.  (I love the little bumper sticker I've seen that have simply: HE>I). So, dear friend, focus on the love and strength that God gives.  This will take care of all the rest.  

PRAYER:  Loving God, bless me today in my focus.  May You be the focus I need before getting distracted by what may challenge me away from You.  I seek to know You better and to claim that which Your word shares.  Grant me focus, patience, trust and faithfulness in Thee; and the rest will fall into place.  This is my prayer; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Focus, dear one!

Eradio Valverde

PRAYER UPDATE:  Greetings from Texarkana this morning.  Nellie and I enjoyed our trip up this way, even in the super heavy afternoon traffic rush of Dallas!  Please continue to pray for that which is before us as we gather as a called General Conference of The United Methodist Church.  It will not be an easy time, but our prayers is that God will be glorified, not us.  May the Lord bless you and keep you today and all days!

Family Reunion! (No Matching T-Shirts!)

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Then Joseph could no longer control himself before all those who stood by him, and he cried out, ‘Send everyone away from me.’ So no one stayed with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers. And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard it. Joseph said to his brothers, ‘I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?’ But his brothers could not answer him, so dismayed were they at his presence. Then Joseph said to his brothers, ‘Come closer to me.’ And they came closer. He said, ‘I am your brother Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. And now do not be distressed, or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life. For the famine has been in the land these two years; and there are five more years in which there will be neither ploughing nor harvest. God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. So it was not you who sent me here, but God; he has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt. Hurry and go up to my father and say to him, “Thus says your son Joseph, God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me, do not delay. You shall settle in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near me, you and your children and your children’s children, as well as your flocks, your herds, and all that you have. I will provide for you there—since there are five more years of famine to come—so that you and your household, and all that you have, will not come to poverty.” And now your eyes and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see that it is my own mouth that speaks to you. You must tell my father how greatly I am honoured in Egypt, and all that you have seen. Hurry and bring my father down here.’ Then he fell upon his brother Benjamin’s neck and wept, while Benjamin wept upon his neck. And he kissed all his brothers and wept upon them; and after that his brothers talked with him. (Genesis 45: 1-15)

Happy Thursday, dear Friend!  I pray this finds you well and ready for the day.  I thank you for your prayers for Nellie and me; we will leave today having decided the demands of yesterday and the rain were not the ideal conditions for leaving.  We will travel slowly with hopes of arriving in St. Louis on Friday afternoon.  Pray for one another, pray for yourselves.

There were no matching t-shirts at this reunion.  In fact, the majority of the family half-expected prison orange jumpsuits given the situation. This was the great reveal!  Joseph would now shock his brothers with letting them know it was him after all these years and after these exchanges they had had with the second in command in Egypt.  Joseph ordered everyone out of the room except his brothers.  It was a very emotional moment that the writer describes as "he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard, and the household of Pharaoh heard it."  He identifies himself and then asks about his father.  Their shock did not easily disappear and again he has to say that he is Joseph and begins to explain how he understood God to be at work in even their diabolical scheme.  God was involved in bringing good ultimately after the initial evil done by the brothers.  

Oh, dear one, how this story could have gone a completely different way.  Imagine if it had been you in Joseph's sandals?  Or me?  Many of us respond to hurt and anger in different ways, and sometimes even in the way God would like; but I would fear that the anger might get the best of me or you.  Yet, given Joseph's heart and all that he had seen, he learned valuable lessons on the way.  He learned to never forget where he had come from.  The nights of fear and hunger.  The menacing dialogues thrown at him in languages he did not understand.  To realize he was not now, and possibly never, going to be free again.  To be sold as a houseboy into a home where the Missus did not behave and to have her lie about him, and once again thrown into captivity.  He never forgot his family and all they had been to him at one time.  Though he was one of the youngest and the brunt of many a joke, he still loved and accepted them.  The love and counsel of his father, he never forgot; and he longed to see him and his little brother, Benjamin.  Then the day he became the second in command of the most powerful and prosperous nation in the known world; to enjoy freedoms and liberties like never before; luxuries and wealth.  All of these combined, made him, better said, kept him as a true man of God.

What about you dear friend?  What lessons have gotten you to where you are?  And have all things worked for good because you love the Lord?  Or, do you find yourself miserable, lonely, or sad because things could be a little better?  Friend, if you are a man or woman of God, just wait; God is not finished with you!

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, You know my heart.  I ask to be re-affirmed as a person of Your heart.  If my heart, or the heart of this dear reader is low, lift it high with the promises of victories and joys that are coming our way if we but serve You.  Open our eyes and ears to hear the work needed by us all around us.  And this we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen!

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Be a man/woman of God in all you say, think, and do this day!

Eradio Valverde

Ask Questions or Enjoy the Blessing?

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But someone will ask, ‘How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?’ Fool! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies.And as for what you sow, you do not sow the body that is to be, but a bare seed, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain. But God gives it a body as he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own body. So it is with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable, what is raised is imperishable. It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. It is sown a physical body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a physical body, there is also a spiritual body. Thus it is written, ‘The first man, Adam, became a living being’; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. But it is not the spiritual that is first, but the physical, and then the spiritual. The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. As was the man of dust, so are those who are of the dust; and as is the man of heaven, so are those who are of heaven. Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we will also bear the image of the man of heaven. What I am saying, brothers and sisters, is this: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. (1 Corinthians 15: 35-38, 42-50)

Happy Tuesday, dear Friend!  May the unexpected, unexplainable blessings of the Lord be yours today; and may we learn to be generous with all we receive!

Have you ever received a gift that you did not expect?  One to which you had no clue that it was coming?  And one which you opened in front of the giver only to stand there, open-mouthed, confused between crying or laughing as a response?  I think we do that more often with the gifts and promises of God.  That was certainly the case with the converts Paul won over to the Lord who are now asking questions about death and resurrection.  Paul's urgency won them over; Christ is coming back! he preached, and now some years later, they were asking, "Where is He?"  And meanwhile, loved ones were dying savage deaths at the hands of those who opposed their faith.  

Last week's Epistle reading was from this same chapter, where Paul addresses that, and today's addresses some of the questions that believers were asking about resurrection.  And again, this takes us back to the question asked in the title of today's devotional?  Do we ask questions about gifts and promises?  Or, do we just enjoy the blessings that come with those gifts and promises? When I met my wife, I did not ask her how love works, or have her draw a diagram of what was coming out of her heart that was sure making my heart happy.  Besides not being romantic, that would have made her run away from me.  Yes, we can ask what is love, and poets, artists, hymn writers and theologians have tried to explain it; but when we experience it and just bask in it, that's the best. And Paul is trying his hardest to say, listen, resurrection happens in an unexplainable, irrational way.  The world says death is the end; God says it's just part of life that leads to new, eternal life for the believer; why ask questions about it when you can just bask in the promise of life beyond this life?

More times than I can count, I have read the liturgy for committal of a body.  The promise of Paul from this passage is there about a seed being planted; "What is sown is perishable, what is raised is imperishable.  It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory.  It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power.  It is sown a physical body, it is raised a spiritual body."  Through tears and grief at my mother's and father's burial, I couldn't hear nor receive these words as the pain was too real and too strong; but regardless of my understanding or lack thereof, God's promise still held.  This morning as I read and write these words, they ring stronger and true.  This is our hope.  This is our faith.

PRAYER:  COMFORTING God, bring Your peace to this dear reader and to me.  Many are the memories of dear ones who now stand in Your presence.  Their absence here still hurts from time to time, and often we find ourselves weeping in hidden places; but Your truth still stands, and our hope still remains in You.  Be our rock when we are wet sand; lift us up when we seek to hide in lower places; grant us life when we think we are surrounded by death.  This we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen!

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Be a Resurrection Person today!  Be Good News walking!

Eradio Valverde

Prayers for Nellie and me as we travel towards St. Louis for the General Conference.  Prayers for our daughter Carli's dog, Winston, who for three weeks has been battling an eye infection and we go back for a third checkup today.  Thank you for your love and prayers!  Pray for one another, pray for yourselves.

Respond with the Energies of Prayer!

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 "To you who are ready for the truth, I say this: Love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst.  When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer for that person.  If someone slaps you in the face, stand there and take it. If someone grabs your shirt, gift wrap your best coat and make a present of it.  If someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff. Live generously.  "Here is a simple rule of thumb for behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you; then grab the initiative and do it for them!  If you only love the lovable, do you expect a pat on the back? Run-of-the-mill sinners do that.  If you only help those who help you, do you expect a medal? Garden-variety sinners do that. If you only give for what you hope to get out of it, do you think that's charity? The stingiest of pawnbrokers does that.  "I tell you, love your enemies. Help and give without expecting a return. You'll never - I promise - regret it. Live out this God-created identity the way our Father lives toward us, generously and graciously, even when we're at our worst.  Our Father is kind; you be kind.  "Don't pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults - unless, of course, you want the same treatment. Don't condemn those who are down; that hardness can boomerang. Be easy on people; you'll find life a lot easier. Give away your life; you'll find life given back, but not merely given back - given back with bonus and blessing. Giving, not getting, is the way. Generosity begets generosity."  (Luke 6: 27-38 The Message)

A very happy and blessed Monday to you, dear friend!  I pray this finds you well, rested and ready for the day and this coming week.  I thank you for your prayers; worship and sermon went well at First Presbyterian Church here in Seguin.  Nellie, our daughter Saraí, husband Eric, and our granddaughter Saraí Evangelina, and I, were received in a loving way.  As we pray I ask prayers for the family of Kyle Felix, a senior at Bowie High School in Austin who died yesterday from cancer.  A very promising young man, who loved to pop into the office of our daughter Carli, and say, "Here I am Miss V your favorite student!"  Prayers for all the teachers and staff from Bowie who are mourning this loss.  May God's comfort be with all who mourn today.  Pray for one another; pray for yourselves.  

Today's passage is the continuation of Luke's version of the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus bears His heart on the things that matter to God and God's Kingdom.  Some have called this an invitation to upside down living, for the things Jesus said are important to God, the world does not understand nor accept or expect.  The starter in today's passage, "Love your enemies."  What?  I hate those who hate me! screams the world.  God says the opposite.  I love the way this version says, instead of them bringing out the expected worst in you, "Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst."  Wow!  And who here hasn't had someone give you a hard time ?  Jesus says, "respond with the energies of prayer for that person."  I had never thought of it that way, to be honest, but you can see what Jesus means.  Let prayer be a positive force in your life as the words escape your lips or your mind.  The old adage of "I used to pray that God change that person; now I pray that God change me" rings in this.  Prayer is a force, but does more good when we allow prayer to work in us first.  

The sermon continues; don't be so possessive of your things!  Share as the need arises, and if you are asked for a coat, give them more!  "Gift wrap your best coat..."  Such should be our attitude.  Live a servant life, with humility and peace; and while we're at it, we should I've a generous life.  I love this: "Ask yourself what you want people to do for you; then grab the initiative and do it for them!"  I will always remember and treasure the morning of my ordination as an Elder in the United Methodist Church.  We were in a hotel room in Albuquerque, NM, and I was shaving.  Our only baby, Nellie Maria, was in a walker and was watching me and as I rinsed my face, she rapidly maneuvered her walker to grab a towel and to bring it to me.  I still get tears thinking of that and an earlier moment when I was kneeling in prayer by my bed and she awoke and saw where I was and she crawled slowly to my face and made a little noise she used to make of joy.  She's always been one step ahead of our needs and now her own family's needs.  Jesus said for us to be aware of other's needs and respond with love.  Jesus also says to love the unloveable and to rise above what this version calls "run-of-the-mill sinners" who do that too.  If we only help those who help us, we're just like the "garden variety sinners" who also do that.  Servant life people do the unexpected and rise higher than others think possible or necessary.  "Live out this God-given identity the way our Father lives towards us, generously and graciously, even when we're at our worst."  Just as God is kind, we should be kind.  Don't pick on people, don't be a bully, don't condemn, especially those who are down; be easy on people, and life will become a lot easier for us."

"Give away your life" and we'll find that life is given back to us, with a bonus and a blessing!

PRAYER:  Awesome God, mark me among those who want to be identified as a God-person because of my actions and attitudes.  I want to soar above the crowd in being and doing good. Grant me a generous heart and let life be a joy.  And Father, You who know our hurts and pains, be with the Felix and Bowie HS families.  We pray that Kyle is in Your loving embrace now, and that those who knew him and mourn him find in You the comfort only You can provide.  We thank You for his life and pray that his memory continue to bless those who knew him.  Bless this dear reader in all that he or she is facing; be glorified in them, and this we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Live a generous life; giving your life and love away to all people.  No exceptions!

Eradio Valverde

And you, He made alive...

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when you were dead through the trespasses and sins  in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience.  Among these we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, following the desires of body and mind, and so we were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.  But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),  and raised us up with him, and made us sit with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 2: 1-7)

Dear Family,

I wanted to wish you well and pray the Lord's blessings on you; and to take this opportunity to again share with you the great faith-blessing opportunity that is coming in September for us to go to Greece and Walk in the Footsteps of Paul the Apostle.  Paul, who wrote the above passage to the church in Ephesus, a place we will visit, was the world's greatest evangelist.  He boldly took the Gospel of Jesus Christ to all the world but died a martyr's death before he accomplished all he wanted.  He's an amazing man in whose amazing steps we hope to walk. We will also visit the Island of Patmos, where John wrote the Book of Revelation, and the last earthly home of Mary, the Mother of Jesus.

I share the link which is the online brochure of this tour.  It's below, click on it and find out more details.  And, if you have any questions or would like a registration form, please email me at eradiovalverde@gmail.com.  Or you may call me on my cell:  830-433-2968.

I pray you enjoy a wonderful weekend and that you make plans to go and hear Pastor Matt's awesome sermon for tomorrow at 8:30 am  and 10:45!  Pray for him and for each other.

I plan on seeing you all after the called General Conference of our church.  Please pray for me as I am one of the clergy delegates.  

Blessings,

Pastor Eradio

https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/924557

Blood & Frogs!?

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Moses and Aaron did just as the Lord commanded. In the sight of Pharaoh and of his officials he lifted up the staff and struck the water in the river, and all the water in the river was turned into blood, and the fish in the river died. The river stank so that the Egyptians could not drink its water, and there was blood throughout the whole land of Egypt. But the magicians of Egypt did the same by their secret arts; so Pharaoh’s heart remained hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the Lord had said. Pharaoh turned and went into his house, and he did not take even this to heart. And all the Egyptians had to dig along the Nile for water to drink, for they could not drink the water of the river. Seven days passed after the Lord had struck the Nile. Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Go to Pharaoh and say to him, “Thus says the Lord: Let my people go, so that they may worship me. If you refuse to let them go, I will plague your whole country with frogs. The river shall swarm with frogs; they shall come up into your palace, into your bedchamber and your bed, and into the houses of your officials and of your people, and into your ovens and your kneading bowls. The frogs shall come up on you and on your people and on all your officials.” ’ (Exodus 7:20-8:4)

I know this is gross to some, and you probably haven't had breakfast yet, but it's a Bible story, okay?  Good Friday to you, dear Friend!  I pray this finds you well and ready for the last day of work for this week and for whatever plans you may have for the weekend.  I lovingly remind you to worship the Lord at the church of your choice; surprise your pastor if you haven't been in a while!  They can take the shock!  (joking!)  And if you are in the Seguin area and don't have a church home come visit First Presbyterian where I will be preaching one service at 10:30 a.m.  Everyone is welcome and I'd love to see you there!

The story of Moses continues, today's passage gives you a clue of what was to come.  God sent Moses before the most powerful king in the world at that time, Pharaoh with the command to release the Hebrews from slavery.  Their request for permission to go into the wilderness to have a worship festival did not work and the first of the plagues begins.  The first was to turn the Nile River into blood.  Remember the Nile was the source of drinking water as well as water for all tasks, including bathing.  One cannot drink blood unless you are a vampire, but even vampires, I believe, do not like to bathe in blood.  "You shouldn't waste/play with your food!"  This first plague was matched by the magicians of Egypt so this left no impression on Pharaoh. The next plague was the plague of frogs.  The cute one in today's photo seems harmless enough; it's in its natural habitat; all is well.  But imagine a frog in your house.  This would send the grandkids squealing with delight, others would squeal with fear, and I'm not telling you which camp I'm in!  Suffice it to say one frog in our house, in say, the kitchen would keep some out of that area.  But, imagine a houseful of frogs!  On your bed, in your toilet, bathtub or shower, your easy chair, your remote control?  You get the point of this plague!  God said they would be even in the oven, and no one, short of some of our Louisiana brethren, would want baked frogs or biscuits with frogs in them!  This plague got to Pharaoh.  He said to Moses to rid the land of the frogs and he would release the slaves tomorrow.  Just like, "The check's in the mail!"  The frogs died, workers piled them up and the whole land stank of dead frog.  (Are you enjoying your cereal?  Sorry)

God went to extraordinary, supernatural lengths to bring release to the captives in the entire drama that was the showdown with Pharaoh.  Blood and frogs were but the start.  God goes head to head with our enemies and seeks our release.  There is not an enemy that God cannot defeat to bring about our release.  Is your life plagued with worry?  Is worry your enemy?  God can defeat it.  Is it sickness?  God can defeat it.  Is it debt?  God can defeat that too.  In all the things that plague your life, turn them over to God and seek from Him the release you need, and it will begin in your life.  If it's sin, again, through Jesus Christ, God has brought our release and we are free to live our lives in Him!  Say this aloud today at various times, to yourself, to your loved one, or to your coworkers, "God is at work in my release and God will prevail!"  Okay, you might scare some, but it gives you an opportunity to share a witness of God's love and power!

PRAYER:  Awesome Father, be at work in this dear reader's life. You know the burdens they've carried for some time now, and I pray, we pray together, for their release.   Bring a glorious victory into their lives so that they may glorify You!  Strengthen our faith and make great Your name among us.  This we pray, in faith, in the Name above all names, Jesus Christ, the Lord and Savior, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Remember to share "God is at work in my release and God will prevail!"  And He will!

Eradio Valverde

Friends, we still have room, and the March 5th deadline is coming soon, if you're interested in our tour to Greece, please let me know.  For more information for yourself or that you would like to share with friends, click on the link provided here:   https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/924557

"Deeply Rooted and Thriving!"

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Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or take the path that sinners tread, or sit in the seat of scoffers; but their delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law they meditate day and night. They are like trees planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season, and their leaves do not wither. In all that they do, they prosper. The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgement, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; for the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish. (Psalm 1)

Happy Valentine's Day to you, blessed Friend!  I pray the joys of the Lord's love reside and thrive in you as you share God's love with all those around you today!  

If the question were to be asked of you today, "How is it with your soul?"  You should respond, "Deeply rooted, and thriving, thanks to God!"  I know John Wesley would love that answer and he would know exactly what passages you read this week.  Pray for me, as this week's lections have made me want to preach on each one, and I know the first time this old Methodist preaches at First Presbyterian shouldn't be a time to have them walk out on me!  

It is my belief that every child in Israel during their history, quite possibly until the end of the time of Malachi learned several key passages from their scriptures, and this may well have been key among them all.  Yes, the Shema from Deuteronomy 6 is the most important, as is the question Jesus answered about the greatest commandment, but to hear your mother and/or father tell you daily in a loving voice, "Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or take the path that sinners tread, or sit in the seat of scoffers; but their delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His law they meditate day and night.  They are like tress planted by streams of water..."  If you had heard this most every day of your life, you would either love it or hate it.  My guess is that you would come to love it especially when your mother and father were gone.   The psalm they shared would become the model for your daily life; I will seek the advice of the wise, I will avoid the path of sinners, I will not sit in the seat of those who mock God and all things holy; I will seek to delight in the law of the Lord, this will be my meditation both day and night.  I want to be that tree planted by the streams of water!"  

When Jesus in this week's gospel lesson from Luke shared His "Bless are those..."  He was remembering Mary and Joseph's voice as they shared their thoughts on this psalm.  Jesus made it come to life as they had; not only word from God's law, but words of life and hope, peace and certainty.  Jesus speaks of the true prosperity, which are the blessings from God for one's heart and soul - riches that can never be taken away.  One who seeks to live deeply rooted and thriving is the one who knows the voice of God as he or she has heard it during their daily readings in the word of God.

PRAYER:  Loving Father, I and this dear reader seek to live a life that gives us away as being deeply rooted and thriving; for we seek to prosper in You.  Make real Your love in me today that I may bring a blessing to all who see me and talk with me.  I seek to be truly Thine.  In Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Be a true *Valentine to those you love, but especially to those who may not care for you...!

Eradio Valverde

*One account of Saint Valentine can be found here:http:// http://www1.cbn.com/st-valentine-real-story 

On Muscle Alone? Hardly!

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God's Message: "Cursed is the strong one who depends on mere humans, Who thinks he can make it on muscle alone and sets God aside as dead weight.  He's like a tumbleweed on the prairie, out of touch with the good earth. He lives rootless and aimless in a land where nothing grows.  "But blessed is the man who trusts me, God, the woman who sticks with God.  They're like trees replanted in Eden, putting down roots near the rivers - Never a worry through the hottest of summers, never dropping a leaf, Serene and calm through droughts, bearing fresh fruit every season.  "The heart is hopelessly dark and deceitful, a puzzle that no one can figure out.  But I, God, search the heart and examine the mind. I get to the heart of the human. I get to the root of things. I treat them as they really are, not as they pretend to be." (Jeremiah 17: 5-10 The Message)

Here it is, the day camels like!  (think about it); may this indeed be a Wonderful Wednesday for you, dear Friend!  I pray that this time with God's word, a devotional, and genuine prayer will bless you to be a blessing for God and all of God's people.

I pity people who think they don't need God.  I pray for them too.  I pray that I might in some way bring the saving knowledge of Jesus be theirs as well.  Yet, as you read this devotional there are those who are at the gym, or in their home gym, or on the road, building up their muscles.  And while there is nothing wrong with that, re-read the prophet's first sentence again:  "Cursed is the strong one who depends on mere humans, Who thinks he can make it on muscle alone and sets God aside as dead weight."  Ouch.  The prophet knew God and he knew what it was like to walk with Him and to trust Him.  He knew what it was to be connected to God deeply; and he knew that mere muscle is nothing; the years will, if one is not careful, turn that muscle into flab.  And Jeremiah also believed that the muscle man truly is a tumbleweed on the prairie, no longer rooted, but blown about by the wind; rootless and aimless in a land where nothing grows.  Double ouch.  Lord, bless those who live like this, and use us to help reach them!

Now, the next part of this passage is the powerful and beautiful part.  It's one that I loved to teach and each time came to know it better and better during Wednesday night church.  Remember those days when schools almost shut down so that Wednesday might be a day set aside for God.  Well, school was still in session and no homework, nor band practice, nor football or sports practice was allowed, and kids were urged to go to church with mom and dad.  We had a midweek service that was more a Bible study with hymns.  And this is the verse that spoke of what we were becoming because of an evening dedicated to God:  trusting, rooted people in God much like a thriving tree whose roots were near a river.  Never thirsty, never barren, "Never a worry through the hottest of summers, never dropping a leaf, serene and calm through droughts, bearing fresh fruit every season."  What a difference between the two types of people!

Daily we have a choice.  Will I connect and stay connected with God?  Or, will I seek to be my own person, make my own way, and let God become a dead weight in my life?  Honestly, it's never quite that clear.  Subtle decisions, which we believe minor, lure us slowly away, all the while unaware there's a better choice to be made.  And before too long, Wednesdays are better spent at home, or at the club, or at work, in front of the tv, etc., etc.  Seek, dear friends, to be rooted, deeply connected with God!

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, help make my roots in You deeper than ever.  I seek to live a life that glorifies You in all that I think, say, and do.  Help me be Your person, thriving, strong, and fruitful.  This I pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Show others that you're connected with God, and God alone!

Eradio Valverde

The Bedrock of Our Faith!

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Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation has been in vain and your faith has been in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified of God that he raised Christ—whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised. If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have died in Christ have perished. If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died. (1 Corinthians 15: 12-20)

May this be a Tremendous Tuesday for you, dear Friend! The sun set last night on yesterday's worries and when it peaks through this morning it will be on the new day before you! Make the most of it!

The late humorist Will Rogers used to say, "I love colleges and universities, because they take our young right when they're asking all the tough questions." And he was right, though I think nowadays, with tiny heads buried in tiny screens some tough questions are already coming their way. Chief among the questions that our young will ask, especially those not exposed to a praying, worshiping family; is God real? They have looked carefully at their parents and have decided whether mom and dad truly believe in God; if there was any doubt, they will more than likely go the doubter's way. And many an adult when faced with tough situations such as the loss of a parent, spouse, child, may also wonder and question whether God is real or not. Imagine the job of Paul. He knew God to be real, he always did; though he was on the Jewish side and the persecuting side at that; but when he met Christ in a real face-to-face encounter, he came to know Him as Lord and Savior and his faith deepened. And off he went preaching and sharing Jesus with whomever would listen. And many were quick to listen, as Jesus had foretold in the parable of the sower; but when persecution came against Christians, many fell away and questioned every part of Paul's message. It's hard to believe in resurrection at the grave of a loved one. But that is precisely where the believer should be energized with faith! Paul wrote this passage to the doubters and questioners. "How can some of you say there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is not resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation has been in vain and your faith has been in vain."

The bedrock of our faith is the resurrection of Jesus. The Apostle some years after the actual event, had that encounter with Jesus. Jesus knew Paul by name and even changed it from Saul to Paul. He spent three days instructing him on the faith and all he was to do and even suffer and die; and still Paul said yes. Just yesterday I was talking about one of the professors I had in seminary who boldly told us that the objective eye of a camera would not have captured the resurrection of Jesus because it was a "faith event," and not an actual occurrence. I dropped my pen and stopped taking notes. I listened, but I also prayed. He was sharing something that went against the core of my faith. I, like Paul, truly and really believe that Jesus rose from the dead, and no one can convince me otherwise. A faith event does not count except to say it's pretty close to mass hysteria. A real bodily resurrection counts. It builds up and strengthens the Body of Christ. We the believers are not to be pitied; we are a people blessed with the bedrock of a living faith that will see us through all trials and challenges here and one day lead us to the side of those who went before in death.

Dear friend, may our prayer be today that our faith be made stronger, and that we live a bold life strengthening the faith of the little ones around us. And the big ones, too!

PRAYER: Lord, count me among the bold, not the pitied. Count me among those who believe and who share that faith with others. Grant me opportunities to share with others as You share with me the words to bless and build up. My faith is not in vain, but in truth. In Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Bless someone today with a word of truth and hope!

Eradio Valverde

Maybe not too late for a Valentine's Day gift if you order today: Bold Faith Necklace based on Joshua 1:9 (look it up!) Click here to order: https://amzn.to/2V0gFEL

Your Task is to be True, not Popular!

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Coming down off the mountain with them, he stood on a plain surrounded by disciples, and was soon joined by a huge congregation from all over Judea and Jerusalem, even from the seaside towns of Tyre and Sidon. They had come both to hear him and to be cured of their ailments. Those disturbed by evil spirits were healed. Everyone was trying to touch him - so much energy surging from him, so many people healed!  Then he spoke: You're blessed when you've lost it all. God's kingdom is there for the finding. You're blessed when you're ravenously hungry. Then you're ready for the Messianic meal. You're blessed when the tears flow freely. Joy comes with the morning. "Count yourself blessed every time someone cuts you down or throws you out, every time someone smears or blackens your name to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and that that person is uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens - skip like a lamb, if you like! - for even though they don't like it, I do . . . and all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company; my preachers and witnesses have always been treated like this. Give Away Your Life  But it's trouble ahead if you think you have it made. What you have is all you'll ever get. And it's trouble ahead if you're satisfied with yourself. Your self will not satisfy you for long. And it's trouble ahead if you think life's all fun and games. There's suffering to be met, and you're going to meet it. "There's trouble ahead when you live only for the approval of others, saying what flatters them, doing what indulges them. Popularity contests are not truth contests - look how many scoundrel preachers were approved by your ancestors! Your task is to be true, not popular. (Luke 6:17-26 The Message)

Happy Monday, dear Friend!  I pray the weekend found you enjoying the blessings of fellowship and worship and this week will be an opportunity for you to shine the love of God into the lives of those who need it!  Nellie and I enjoyed a great trip down and back from Kingsville where we were received with love by the congregation of First United Methodist Church.  Thank you for your prayers.  Pray for me as I prepare to preach at First Presbyterian Church this coming Sunday.  Interesting for me as my great-grandfather Carlos Valverde, Sr. was a Presbyterian layman in Kingsville.  His faith impacted my father, Eradio, Sr.  I pray I may bring a blessing to the kid folks of FPC.

There are so many things here on earth that we feel the need to touch.  And to me it's interesting that the Bible employs all the senses for us as we read the stories of faith in its pages.  The sense of touch is awesome.  With it we can feel soft textures, or even feel pain on rough or sharp, pointy things.  I remember seeing my first Jello and wanting not so much to eat it as just touch it and make it wiggle.  I can't resist holding a puppy or picking up my grand babies to hug and hold them.  In this reading, the people wanted to touch Jesus for one reason only; Jesus possessed healing power in Him, and the people had discovered that.  Impossible ailments removed by the touch; the blind could see, the lame could walk, the demon-possessed were freed of their demons, a woman's 12 year suffering from a blood flow - all healed by the touch of Jesus or their having touched Him.  But it's also interesting to note that some came to hear the word of God.  Jesus taught the Law in new and loving ways; indeed His message was all about Good News.  They heard God's perspective and found it to be in conflict with the world's take on things.  This passage, by the way, is Luke's account of the Sermon on the Mount and the powerful things Jesus shared; blessed are you right now, right where you are, just as you are.  Have you lost it all?  You're blessed with greater things!  Are you hungry?  The Messianic meal is served and ready for you!  Have you been crying?  You're blessed because your joy is coming!  Have people sought to put you down, shredding your self-confidence?  You're blessed because they're the ones who are truly hurting and uncomfortable!  And Jesus even says, "Give away your life!"  Even with trouble ahead, you're still going to come out on top!  Seek to be true to God and not to be popular with the people!  Jesus reminded them of the many "scoundrel preachers approved by their ancestors" and the title of today's message, "Your task is to be true, not popular."  Boom!

Just yesterday a lay person and I spoke of that; he shared how his Sunday school class did not want to read from the Bible but instead wanted to talk about what the world thought and what the world was asking to have everyone approve.  You have not to look too far, it may be closer to you than you think.  Our task is to be true to God and God's teachings, not the world's and their desire to make true the popular.  Stand with Jesus, or you'll fall for anything.

PRAYER:  Awesome Father, speak to my heart about my life.  You better than anyone know what has been coming my way.  May the words of my Savior speak to me and may I seek to be true to You and not to the world.  Set my eyes on my Lord and His way; this is my prayer in Christ Jesus, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Seek to be true to God today; you can win the popularity contest later.

Eradio Valverde

Let My People GO! (Bible Stories You Should Know)

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Afterwards Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, “Let my people go, so that they may celebrate a festival to me in the wilderness.” ’ But Pharaoh said, ‘Who is the Lord, that I should heed him and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, and I will not let Israel go.’ Then they said, ‘The God of the Hebrews has revealed himself to us; let us go a three days’ journey into the wilderness to sacrifice to the Lord our God, or he will fall upon us with pestilence or sword.’ But the king of Egypt said to them, ‘Moses and Aaron, why are you taking the people away from their work? Get to your labors!’Pharaoh continued, ‘Now they are more numerous than the people of the land and yet you want them to stop working!’ That same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people, as well as their supervisors,‘You shall no longer give the people straw to make bricks, as before; let them go and gather straw for themselves. But you shall require of them the same quantity of bricks as they have made previously; do not diminish it, for they are lazy; that is why they cry, “Let us go and offer sacrifice to our God.” Let heavier work be laid on them; then they will labor at it and pay no attention to deceptive words.’ (Exodus 5: 1-9)

The day many of you have been waiting for!  Friday!  I used to look forward to Thursday because Friday was my day off, and yes, I did have to work on Sundays, like I'm doing this Sunday, and the next Sunday, and the Sunday after that!  Thanks be to God for all the opportunities that come our way!  And speaking of that, this is the 20th year of ConCafe!  Yes, back in 1999 when I didn't know better, I started an email devotional while serving as senior pastor of Trinity United Methodist Church in San Antonio.  I may have had a smaller venue through strictly emails, but in 1999 I discovered that yahoo.com provided a free mail service called yahoogroups and I started sending it to members of my church.  I may have started even earlier because when I was a campus minister and having not to preach every Sunday, at campus minister meetings I would hear my fellow CMs saying they were dying spiritually because they no longer had to read the Bible.  What?  So, what they meant was they no longer spent the time in prayerful reflection of the work through which they prepared a sermon and so in that way they were dying.  I resolved then and there that I would study the lectionary for my own blessing and benefit and in case I got an invitation to preach at a church.  But, in 1999 with the introduction of Consecrated Coffee through yahoogroups and thanks to my district superintendent who read them faithfully, one day he says, "I love your devotionals!  What are they called again?  Con Cafe?"  And I said, Yes, that's what they're called and so thank you, Rev. Harold Sassman, who is now in glory, for the name!  And thank you for being faithful readers for as long as you have!

Well, dear Friend, here is another Bible story you should know.  You may have already read it or heard a sermon on it, but I pray it blesses your devotional life today.  

Last week we studied Moses' call.  He was very reluctant to say yes, but here in today's passage, he and Aaron approach the Pharaoh with their request on God's behalf, with a message no king or pharaoh wants to hear, "Let my people go."  These rulers have not achieved their position by being necessarily dumb or good, well, some have, but that's another story; pharaoh knew the reason behind the request.  The Hebrews were slaves, which meant free labor for the Egyptian government.  They were a free work force that worked from sun up until sundown.  They had been forced to lose their male children and even harder work quotas given to them.  Their prayers were what drove God to call Moses, for through Moses God would set His people free.  This first attempt resulted in a fiasco for the working Hebrew.  They were viewed by suspicion by the Egyptians for now there were more Hebrews than them, and in case of war, the Egyptians feared the Hebrews would turn against them and fight with the enemy.  Moses' approach, as inspired by God, was that Pharaoh simply let the people go into the wilderness to have a worship festival unto the Lord.  Pharaoh asks, "Who is the Lord that I should do what he says?"  Moses tries to explain and Pharaoh's response is to require that the Hebrews find their own straw, while still meeting the daily quota of brick production.  This was cruel and unusual punishment.  The brick makers are now being asked to be farm workers as well.  Pharaoh's thinking was with more work to do they won't be asking for any festivals.

Here's a reality lesson for Moses.  God was on his side, but this first request met with rejection and an added burden to the people of God.  The end of chapter 5 has Moses asking, "Why have you done harm to these people, and why have you called me?  Pharaoh has not done what You want him to do and has made life worse for the slaves!"  Ouch.  We've been there, perhaps more than we care to remember.  The smaller picture that reality brings sometimes hides the bigger picture of the Lord, yet we pray, "Why, Lord, why?"  We tend not to understand and we either let it get us down or we learn from it and move onward and upward knowing that God is not yet through and some day we will understand the why.  All the while, knowing that God is still with us.  The entire Moses story is one of severe challenges, just like life.  There were miracles, but there were also complaining and moaning, all while the journey of 40 years had barely begun. Think about it.  Every step that the people took towards the promise of God, Moses did too.  There is no account of Moses riding a camel or donkey or carried on the shoulders of servants while his people walked.  He walked alongside them.  And every step of the people, God walked with them too.  Visible by day as a cloud and by night as a fire; God was with them.

Dear one, God is with you and with me.  Whatever life may be throwing our way, God is still with us.  Our challenges may not make sense to anyone right now, but rejoice in the fact that we are not alone.  Yes, some days sure feel like no one cares and that we cry alone, but think again, God is with us.  

PRAYER:  Loving God, as I pray, I pray for this dear reader.  You, Heavenly Father know what they are facing and we all who read this join together in one voice and under the name of Jesus our Savior to pray a wonderful blessing upon our dear friend; may it be just what they need to strengthen their day and their faith.  Be glorified in their life, dear Father, for we pray in faith in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Share this devotional with someone who needs to hear this message.  And share hope with all who need it!

Eradio Valverde

Everything in Me Says, "Thank YOU!"

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Thank you! Everything in me says "Thank you!" Angels listen as I sing my thanks.  I kneel in worship facing your holy temple and say it again: "Thank you!" Thank you for your love, thank you for your faithfulness; Most holy is your name, most holy is your Word. The moment I called out, you stepped in; you made my life large with strength. When they hear what you have to say, God, all earth's kings will say "Thank you." They'll sing of what you've done: "How great the glory of God!" And here's why: God, high above, sees far below; no matter the distance, he knows everything about us. When I walk into the thick of trouble, keep me alive in the angry turmoil. With one hand strike my foes, With your other hand save me. Finish what you started in me, God. Your love is eternal - don't quit on me now. (Psalm 138 The Message)

Happy Thursday!  May this be the day that the Lord fill you with much goodness and joy and may that truly make us all the kind of people who can say, "Thank YOU!" to the Lord.  I pray this is you, dear Friend.

I never heard my father gripe about his situation or station.  He was a blessed man and he knew it.  He knew the true wealth lay in the blessings that God shared with him, and he was thankful.  And like him, perhaps one or both of your parents was that way, and our prayer is that we also would be that way.  Nellie and I were thinking about some appointments that God shared with me that angered some other pastors.  The very first appointment because it paid so well, and others thought it was their "turn" to go there.  The second was supposed to go to someone with at least ten years of pastoral experience some said.  The third was an election that someone else should have won, and the fourth, at my age, appointed to the church I was going to?  Attitude determines altitude, and an attitude of gratitude goes much farther than trying to fly with your wings clutched behind your back in anger or disappointment.  Don't get me wrong, I am not perfect, nor do I play a perfect person on television.  The psalmist had that joy of knowing God had blessed him.  He knew that his only but best response was to say thank you in all situations and circumstances.  He knew that angels would listen in as he sang his thanks to the Lord.  He knew that if he couldn't be in the temple he should at least face the temple and say, "thank you!"  And then he lists the reasons why:  Thank You for Your love, Lord.  Thank You for Your faithfulness.  David knew God's love.  Davis also knew that all that he had was because God had blessed him richly.  He was thankful for God's word, and for how God answered his prayers, and how, as a result of his prayers, God had made him bold, or "large" with strength.  David says even kings will sing thanks to the Lord if they realize how blessed they are.  And he lists why; God is all-knowing and knows all about us, especially as we walk into trouble or face turmoil in our lives.  With one hand God can destroy our foes, and with the other hand save us.  

Our work may seem incomplete for now, but God is at work in us.  We join David as he said, "Finish what You started in me, God.  Your love is eternal - don't quite on me now."  Amen.

PRAYER:  Loving Father, as we start this day, bless us with Your love and strength.  May this psalm we just read and studied be part of our prayer as well.  Bless me with the right ways to return thanks to You.  May everything in me say, "thank You!"  I am richly and wonderfully blessed, thanks to You.  I pray this pray in the name of my Lord, Jesus Christ, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Live a Thank You life where others may see in you the gratitude towards God.

Eradio Valverde

PRAYER UPDATE AND REQUEST:  Friends, I ask continued prayer for The Rev. Virgilio Vasquez Garza, his eye is found to be leaking again, and the pressure is dropping to levels where it should not be.  He faces yet another surgery, which as you can imagine is quite stressful for our brother.  Please pray for him, his wife Acacia, and their sons and family.  Pray for one another, pray for yourselves.

Whom Shall I Send?

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In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty; and the hem of his robe filled the temple. Seraphs were in attendance above him; each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, and with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. And one called to another and said: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory.’ The pivots on the thresholds shook at the voices of those who called, and the house filled with smoke. And I said: ‘Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!’  Then one of the seraphs flew to me, holding a live coal that had been taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. The seraph touched my mouth with it and said: ‘Now that this has touched your lips, your guilt has departed and your sin is blotted out.’ Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I; send me!’ (Isaiah 6: 1-8)

Happy Wednesday to you, dear Friend!  As I lift up my prayers to the Lord this morning I pray that you be lifted up and out of whatever has been getting you down.  If it's pain, may God's soothing comfort lift you from pain; if it's the life of a dear one, may he/she be lifted up and out of harms' way and into the path that leads to life!  In Jesus' name, amen!

One of my favorite hymns is Here I am, Lord.  It became first known to me during Emmaus retreats and later it was in the United Methodist Hymnal.  It's a simple, but powerful song inspired by this passage and I believe it has been key to many a life lost or running, that finally heard God speaking through these words so they could say, as the beautiful photo above, "Here am I.  Send me."  Boom! E. Stanley Jones, as a young minister was asked to go and speak to a group of other young people to invite them to consider a ministry among the people of India.  He spoke his heart out and no one responded.  Well, except him.  He felt that the one God was truly calling was him.  He moved to India where he had a tremendous impact on that nation and on many here in the United States.  He was even elected bishop and he turned it down, wanting to remain among the people he had come to love as he served Jesus.

This past weekend, a great youth retreat was held near here.  Out of the almost 300 youth there, ten accepted a call into ordained ministry!  God is still moving and God is still asking, "Whom shall I send?"  The work is ever before us.  So many are not finding Jesus in the church, and the church is failing, for the most part, in making new disciples; God is still asking, "Whom shall I send?"  And the tempter still works against God asking, "You really don't want to go in there (church); you'd rather do this or that; that place is full of hypocrites and haters, bigots and Bible-thumpers!  The really cool people are out here.  Join us!"    It would appear that God is losing, but you and I have read the end of the book; God wins!  But we also know many will be lost.  If anything, if anyone is sent, why not you?  A yes to God may not mean having to move halfway around the world to India, but it may mean being nicer to all; it may mean sharing from what you have in a way that points to Jesus.  It may even mean walking across the room to speak to someone you usually don't want to speak to, or even sitting in a different pew or chair in your worship service.  Ouch!  A yes to God does involve a move of some sort.

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, as You search the world, search my heart.  Where is it that I am to move?  Is it out of my comfort zone?  Is it out of my long-held beliefs?  Is it into the realm of the spiritual and supernatural to fully trust You?  Wherever it is, here am I.  Send me.  And I can't make it unless You come with me.  This I pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Start today by moving towards someone and inviting them to your church!

Eradio Valverde

Prayer Request:  For Nellie and I as this Sunday, 2/10, I will be preaching in Kingsville at First United Methodist Church, and for the following Sunday, 2/17, when I will be preaching at First Presbyterian Church here in Seguin. And the Sunday after that I will be in St. Louis for the Called General Conference. Pray for one another, pray for yourselves.  May the Lord bless you and keep you!

The Gospel According to Paul the Apostle

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Now I should remind you, brothers and sisters, of the good news that I proclaimed to you, which you in turn received, in which also you stand,through which also you are being saved, if you hold firmly to the message that I proclaimed to you—unless you have come to believe in vain. For I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to someone untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace towards me has not been in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them—though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. Whether then it was I or they, so we proclaim and so you have come to believe. (1 Corinthians 15:1-11)

Happy Tuesday, dear Friend!  May this Tuesday be filled with tremendous blessings of joy and wonder for you and yours.  Time spent with God is a powerful investment in faith.

Not everyone in your church believes as you do.  There may be even some who do not believe in Jesus' resurrection.  Shocked as you may be in hearing or believing that, it is true.  One of the great sadness for a pastor is to discover years later that a child or youth from a church one has served publicly admits his or her unbelief.  Such was the case in the Corinth Church.  Paul shared the Gospel with them, and many accepted it and believed, but word got back to him that some did not believe in the actual, physical resurrection of Jesus.  It is a hard thing to believe.  It goes beyond natural or scientific explanation; but it is the basis of the Gospel, the good news of God's action in our lives; that God destroyed sin and death in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, thus we have this morning's epistle reading.  Paul states again, "This what I proclaim has come to me through those who were there; eyewitnesses to His rising from the dead!  Christ died for your sins as was expected and explained in scripture, then after three days, He rose from the dead!"  Then Paul lists the eyewitnesses who witnessed the Risen Christ; Cephas (aka Peter), to the twelve, then to more than 500 witnesses, then to James, then to all the apostles, then, late in time as he believed himself to be, Paul himself.  (Reread the story in Acts 9).  Paul knows his work to be one of an apostle, a disciple who comes to fully understand then goes and lives out his life, doing what he learned as a disciple.  And God's work, Paul says, has not been in vain.  I have worked hard, maybe even harder than all the others, but he adds, only because the grace of God is with me.  We continue to share that gospel and through that you came to believe.

What does this mean to you?  First, it should reaffirm that you do indeed believe in Jesus as One who rose from the dead.  That makes you a believer and disciple.  Secondly, because you believe and have been blessed by what Jesus has done and is doing in your life, you live out the good news, for you are now an apostle.  Your life should give witness to a deep faith in Christ Jesus.  Everything about you should yell out life!  God is a God of Life, one in fullness and abundance here, and One who believes that life never ends and so our reward awaits us in Heaven.  Share that whenever possible, share it with conviction and compassion, loving and understanding that God is leading you to make a difference.  And leave it to God to finish the work.

PRAYER:  Loving God, come into my heart afresh today.  Let me be the disciple, then apostle You want and need me to be.  Guide my thoughts, words, and actions to speak wonderful words of life.  Grant in me, through You, the hope and love that the world needs to hear.  All this I ask in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Hug someone today with a life-giving hug.

Eradio Valverde