I Want To Do Good...

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Hear the Devotional Narrated here: http://bit.ly/2nnDZRj

15 I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. 16 Now if I do what I do not want, I agree that the law is good. 17 But in fact it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot do it. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me. 21 So I find it to be a law that when I want to do what is good, evil lies close at hand. 22 For I delight in the law of God in my inmost self, 23 but I see in my members another law at war with the law of my mind, making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. 24 Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! (Romans 7:15-25a NRSV)

Happy Tuesday to you and yours, dear Friend! I praise God for good prayer updates that I have received! The baby who was to have corrective ear surgery, underwent the first one successfully and will be in recovery and a special time of rehabilitation, after which he will be tested to see if the surgery has allowed him to hear. Please pray a prayer of thanksgiving for the first part being completed, and pray that the surgery is a success and that he can hear his loved ones after his rehab time! God continues to move among us, through us, and sometimes, even in spite of us! Pray for one another. Pray for yourselves. May we be open to God's leading among us in all things.

As I finished the recording of my podcast, Pimples and Wrinkles, it was on the last chapter of Paul's letter to the Romans. In it, Paul said his goodbyes to his dear friends and coworkers in the special ministry he had of preaching in Asia and in Europe. I was moved at remembering my goodbyes to my grandmother, mother, and father; as well as goodbyes to dear churches throughout the years. I in no way can compare my accomplishments to Paul, for I hold him to be a giant of faith; even inspired to read of his struggles within himself to be the person Jesus called him to be. Paul struggled, just as you and I struggle. This passage is an open confession of a deeply spiritual man, whose amazing works touched many and saved a multitude of people from their sins and were ushered into the Kingdom of God by his sermons, letters, visits, works, etc. And yet, in the hours of his writing, he ponders within himself, as some of us do; what difference have I truly made in my own life? Paul admits, "I do not understand my own actions." I've been there. I have said, done, and thought things that I should not have said, thought, or done. There are words that escaped my mouth before I could haul them back in, and only to see the harm I did not intend to cause to someone close, someone I loved. Paul knew that feeling. Paul even admits, "I do the very thing I hate." Some of us swore growing up that we never wanted to sound like our parents especially when it came to important matters in a youth's life, like music. The one phrase I disliked hearing from my father was, "That's not music! That's noise!" I swore, I will never say that to my children. And what happened? Well, someone invented some new music and what was the first thing I said to my girls as they were jumping around to that noise?? "That's not music! That's noise!" But, of course, I was right. Not! Paul knew, as I know, and as many of us know, that sin living within us; that sin not surrendered to Jesus, will continue to bother and torment, and if we are not careful, even begin to guide our decisions and our words; and we find ourselves realizing that we have become the very thing we hated. It is a war, Paul says; a war that we cannot win on our own. And even though he had surrendered his life to Jesus so long ago, he still fought within himself that desire to do evil, when he knew he should be doing good.

We sing the hymn that speaks of this very thing. It is a hymn of power and honesty; a loud song of praise from a man who realized that the wretched man he had become of making money capturing, transporting, and selling human beings was evil; and he heard a man named John Wesley preach against his life's choice and he repented and renounced the slave trade; returning home and setting his own slaves free and employing them as workers, free to leave if they wanted. And it was when he felt that peace in his heart that he set pen to paper and wrote, "Amazing grace! How sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now am found; was blind but now I see!" Indeed, that saving grace of Jesus is what we read in verse 25 above. It is only Jesus, my dear friend, who can lift us up out of the muck and mire of our sin and onto the solid foundation of love and life; if we but confess and turn over to Him that which bothers and troubles us.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, let Heaven rejoice in the hearts who today can say, I no longer want to be at war with myself. I renounce the evil in me and accept the freedom Jesus gives me to lead a better, more wonderful life. I surrender to You, loving God, through Jesus, accepting You to guide me onto a richer life. And this I pray, not by my merits, but by those of He who died for me, Jesus my Lord, amen!

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Set someone free by praying for those you know who are still in bondage to sin!

Receive the good news of your new life in Jesus!

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Keep Company with Jesus!

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Hear the devotional narrated here: https://bit.ly/38c5qk1

16 "How can I account for this generation? The people have been like spoiled children whining to their parents, 17 'We wanted to skip rope, and you were always too tired; we wanted to talk, but you were always too busy.' 18 John came fasting and they called him crazy. 19 I came feasting and they called me a lush, a friend of the riff-raff. Opinion polls don't count for much, do they? The proof of the pudding is in the eating." 25 Abruptly Jesus broke into prayer: "Thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth. You've concealed your ways from sophisticates and know-it-alls, but spelled them out clearly to ordinary people. 26 Yes, Father, that's the way you like to work." 27 Jesus resumed talking to the people, but now tenderly. "The Father has given me all these things to do and say. This is a unique Father-Son operation, coming out of Father and Son intimacies and knowledge. No one knows the Son the way the Father does, nor the Father the way the Son does. But I'm not keeping it to myself; I'm ready to go over it line by line with anyone willing to listen. 28 "Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. 29 Walk with me and work with me - watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. 30 Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly." (Matthew 11: 16-19; 25-30 The Message).

Happy Monday, dear Friend, and may all of God's blessings and joys be yours is my prayer. The worldwide count of Covid-19 cases hits 10 Million plus, and the number of deaths is approaching 500,000. Friends, this is serious and the thing that can keep us safe is to wear a mask, washing your hands , and keeping social distance to about 6 ft between you and others. This is affecting people we know and love and we need to be in prayer for all we know who have been hit with the virus, or are sick of other illnesses Brian Gibson, son of Sammie and Ginger Gibson, has tested positive for the virus; please pray for him and his family. A report on Lauren Williams is that she's off the ventilator, praise God! She's awaiting more results from tests. Pray for her healing and comfort for her family. Pray for one another; pray for yourselves.

A meme I saw last night said that a deleted scene from the movie Back to the Future, has Doc Brown telling Marty, "Whatever you do, don't set the time machine to go to the year 2020!" This has been, for the most part, the most unexplainable year on record. None of what we have received and experienced seem like it was planned or intentional; what we have lived seems to have come straight from a wicked Hollywood script. And that applies to all areas of life, even the church. Jesus' opening question in this passage could be easily asked of us: "How can I account for this generation?" And His description might fit us a bit too snugly; "The people have been like spoiled children whining to their parents, 'We wanted to skip rope, and you were always too tired; we wanted to talk, but you were always too busy.'" Ouch. Are we guilty as charged?

Jesus came to reveal the hidden nature of God's love that the Church of that day did well in keeping it truly hidden. Jesus came with love, and a love worth celebrating; that we matter to God and because of that, sent Jesus to the earth to share that message with us.

Several years ago, there was a community of people living just outside the city limits of the town where I served as pastor. They were known for their distinct dress; men with western style shirts, the women with floor length dresses and long hair usually in buns. As a city, we experienced a lot, including a major vehicular accident that claimed the lives of nearly thirty school students. We saw the appearance of Satanic material in our city, and the police chief confirmed that there were several covens of witches in our town. I helped form the city's ministerial alliance, and as a group we knew we had to share the Good News with the town like never before. We set our sights on having a citywide parade called, "Mission for Jesus," which went with our city's name. We were to march as a presence and witness of the love of Christ for our community. The plan was to march down the city's main street to a pavilion in a park near downtown. There we would have music and singing and testimonies about Jesus' love. I will never forget the faces and smiles of those who took part and how God blessed that event. Sadly, I will never forget the conversation I had with one of the leaders of that commune. He never smiled and had a stern look on his face. "What's this all about?" he asked me. "It's all about Jesus and His love for us." He answered, "What kind of Jesus is that? Our Jesus is a warrior Jesus..." and the rest of the conversation was about views I did not share with him. Apparently, our public show about Jesus' love was not warrior enough for him or his group. Within a year that group disappeared.

Our Jesus wants a loving, intimate relationship with us; no secrets, no hidden agendas, just the open way of saying how He loves and cares for each of us; and He offers to us the kind of lifestyle that blesses us and allows us to find in Him real rest and recovery in our lives; a life defined by the obedient following of Jesus' "unforced rhythms of grace," unencumbered by that which is "heavy or ill-fitting on " us. And all this is ours, if we would just "keep company with" Jesus.

Those who keep company with Jesus are keeping company with the Author of Life. Those who don't, find themselves keeping company with the Thief of life, whose main desire is to "steal, kill, and destroy." Sadly, we know how that story ends. But the pen set to the paper of our lives is held by Jesus, who will write a story that impacts lives with hope, peace, and love. And why should we choose any other path or any other person with whom to keep company?

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, if the pen on my life is writing the wrong ending for us, lift that pen and toss it away, and bring Your pen of life on our souls so that we can truly keep company with You. Help us be the means of grace, and instruments of peace, and the bringers of hope; so many stand in need of this, and we want to bring those gifts to the hurting world. This we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Show others how blessed you are in keeping company with Jesus!

Receive my blessings of love and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

"Friend to All. Enemy to No One"

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"I'm sorry. Please forgive me! I don't mean to hold you up," he said as he struggled to get off the escalator.

I'll admit to it. There have been times when walking or driving behind an older person I've gotten impatient and upset. I've huffed and zoomed around them because I was in a hurry to get nowhere. Perhaps I'm more aware of it now because I see myself there one day soon.

Today I saw myself in this old man's shoes and it caused me to slow down, stop and ask for his forgiveness.

He was about five or six people ahead of me. I was in a hurry and saw him as an obstacle. I've seen people get off the end of an escalator and stop dead in their tracks, gather their things and suddenly there's a pile up of angry people behind them. You can't stop an escalator full of people behind you. Like the Energizer bunny, they keep on goin'.

This man was well aware of the challenge. He tried desperately to step aside. Fumbling with his small packages, struggling to gain his footing, you could see how troubling this was for him.

"I'm sorry. Please forgive me! I don't mean to hold you up," he said as he struggled to get off the escalator.

I suddenly saw this in a whole new light. It was like I was watching my future. I felt sorry for him because this man was apologizing to everyone, when we should have been helping him and calming his fears.

One by one, people zipped around him. I heard a few angry comments whispered as one lady passed by him. By the time I got to him he was just about steady on his feet.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know there was more," he said.

"No, sir. No more folks after me," I said.

This really hit me hard. I realized right then how sad it was that the world was in such a hurry. That, of course, included me. But...no more with me. Count me out.

This wonderful man paid his dues. For whatever time he had spent on this earth, he most likely walked many rough roads and too many important miles. Now he should be apologizing for moving slower?

I wished that I could see what he had seen all those years. His face weathered from life itself, was creased and wrinkled. The small soft pockets under his eyes and the gentle lines that curved up and around them told me he had many happy moments, too. Those were traces left behind from laughter and a smiling, happy man.

"My friend, can I help you with those things?" I asked.

Hesitant at first, he finally said, "Well, yes, thank you!"

I placed my hand under his left arm and walked with him a safe distance away from the rush of people.

"So what are you shopping for, sir?"

"Oh, just a little something for my neighbor. She's a young mother raising kids on her own. She's always so nice to me. I thought a box of candy for Mother's Day..." he said, stopping suddenly as he searched his inside pocket of his sport coat.

"Do you need something?" I asked.

"Oh, no. I have it right here. I always carry them with me," he said. He handed me a business card that read:

"John A. Pomicter Friend to all...enemy to no one! I said a prayer today and you were the answer. Thank you!"

"That's for you," he said. "Thanks for stopping to help an old man."

"My friend, you helped me. I discovered that I was unhappy with the world and I was part of the problem. Now I'll be part of the solution!"

"Then this was meant to be," he said smiling.

"You know God sends me gifts every day and always at least one special person. You were my gift for today! Let's go get some chocolates, my friend."

~ By Bob Perks

Heavenly Father, because of Your strength, I can let go of the past and step forward with faith.

View a video while hearing my latest on my podcast entitled "Accepting Other, Just Like Jesus!" Click on this link: https://youtu.be/BKAjn20U9ns

God's Time, Not Ours

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Hear the Devotional Read here: http://bit.ly/2nnDZRj

1 Long enough, God - you've ignored me long enough. I've looked at the back of your head 2 Long enough I've carried this ton of trouble, lived with a stomach full of pain. Long enough my arrogant enemies have looked down their noses at me. 3 Take a good look at me, God, my God; I want to look life in the eye, 4 So no enemy can get the best of me or laugh when I fall on my face. 5 I've thrown myself headlong into your arms - I'm celebrating your rescue. 6 I'm singing at the top of my lungs, I'm so full of answered prayers. (Psalm 13 The Message)

Happy Thursday, dear Friend! I pray this is a tremendous Thursday for you; filled with blessings of health, joy, and peace; free from worry and pain. We have a need for prayer for Lauren Williams, the daughter-in-law of Lee and Dana Williams of FUMC-Gonzales. She needs our prayers as doctors are trying to determine what the cause of her illness may be. Pray for her healing, for her husband and all who love her. We pray for Mrs. Susie Ponce and her son, Carlos. Susie went to care for Carlos who is battling cancer, but fell and was injured and hospitalized for a time. She's out now and now someone else is caring for them both. Pray for their healing and comfort. And prayers for 9 month-old Bowan Napper, who is undergoing bilateral cochlear implant surgery to correct the severe deafness that has plagued him since birth. Pray that the doctors can repair his hearing so he may hear for the first time in his life! CELEBRATION: Today, June 25th, Mr. and Mrs. Virgil and LaFern Swift celebrate 70 years of marriage! They are a lovely couple who have faithfully served the Lord in many ways. Virgil taught a Sunday school class at FUMC-San Marcos and Nellie was one of his students. They have blessed many! Pray for one another. Pray for yourselves.

The timeless wall plaque says, "Lord, give me patience, and I want it NOW!" Interesting that how many of us pray. We ask for something and we want it immediately. Nellie and I took a medical team down to Puebla, Puebla, Mexico, where the last of the Aztecs live. They're a lovely people with one interesting quirk; they believe that all medicines should work immediately. The clinic staff where we worked prepared us; "They will come to see you about a problem last week's medical team already saw and treated." And sure enough, that was their complaint. "The doctor last week gave me these pills but they haven't worked yet!" They, like many of us, don't like the idea of waiting 10-12 days for some medicines to work. And we pray with the same attitude. And given the psalmist's words, he was getting a little impatient with God. And the way this version writes it, it sounds like the demands of our children on a long trip. "When do we get there? This is taking too long! There's nothing to see but the back of your head!"

Waiting is difficult. Waiting on God is a matter of faith. We realize that God's watch doesn't run as fast or as slow as ours. God's time is what matters. And the sooner we accept that the better our coping skills will be. I believe God allowed David to write his feelings as a way to teach us and others, that prayer is powerful and effective (as James says) but all in God's time, not ours. Even as we face an enemy we deem "arrogant" who looks "down their noses" at us; God has the last word. David also shares a key for us; keep your eyes on God and not on your challenge or problem. Look into the face of He who gives life, not the things that can take it away. Know that the smiling face of love belongs to God and as we walk towards Him, we will be close enough to embrace us and reassure us. Celebration follows surrender.

PRAYER: Loving Father, grant to us Your peace, and may that peace mark the pace by which we are to wait and/or walk with You. Shine Your light into those dark spots that seem to lack light; and may Your answer be the answer we need. This we pray in Christ Jesus' powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Be the watch by which people measure their prayers.

Receive my blessings of love and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Hear Here the newest episode of my podcast as we study Chapter 15 of Paul's letter to the Romans: https://soundcloud.com/evalverde/accepting-of-others-just-like-christ

Trust God Enough?

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Hear the devotional read here: https://bit.ly/2YYnD0s

1 After all this, God tested Abraham. God said, "Abraham!" "Yes?" answered Abraham. "I'm listening." 2 He said, "Take your dear son Isaac whom you love and go to the land of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I'll point out to you." 3 Abraham got up early in the morning and saddled his donkey. He took two of his young servants and his son Isaac. He had split wood for the burnt offering. He set out for the place God had directed him. 4 On the third day he looked up and saw the place in the distance. 5 Abraham told his two young servants, "Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I are going over there to worship; then we'll come back to you." 6 Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and gave it to Isaac his son to carry. He carried the flint and the knife. The two of them went off together. 7 Isaac said to Abraham his father, "Father?" "Yes, my son." "We have flint and wood, but where's the sheep for the burnt offering?" 8 Abraham said, "Son, God will see to it that there's a sheep for the burnt offering." And they kept on walking together. 9 They arrived at the place to which God had directed him. Abraham built an altar. He laid out the wood. Then he tied up Isaac and laid him on the wood. 10 Abraham reached out and took the knife to kill his son. 11 Just then an angel of God called to him out of Heaven, "Abraham! Abraham!" "Yes, I'm listening." 12 "Don't lay a hand on that boy! Don't touch him! Now I know how fearlessly you fear God; you didn't hesitate to place your son, your dear son, on the altar for me." 13 Abraham looked up. He saw a ram caught by its horns in the thicket. Abraham took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 Abraham named that place God-Yireh (God-Sees-to-It). That's where we get the saying, "On the mountain of God, he sees to it." (Genesis 22:1-14 The Message)

Happy Wednesday dear Friend! I pray this finds you well, and finds you praying for one another. We continue to pray for those who have been asking for prayers because of the Covid-19 virus. Pray for one another. Pray for yourselves.

I have to be honest. There are some stories in the Bible that make me realize that maybe I'm not strong enough in my faith to be as obedient as the characters. This is one of them. The father in this story is the old man who at his advanced age had two sons. Not too long ago, we read about how the servant girl who gave birth to his first son was found to be annoying to his first wife, and so he sends both of them off. The days after his son's departure must have been really heavy and sad for him. And then this day comes. Abraham woke up as usual, fumbled around in the dark for his sandals, made his way to his wash basin, washed his face, and knelt to pray. It would not be a normal day if he did not check in with God. But today, God spoke to him, as always happens in true prayer, if we but listen. And this is what God spoke, "Abraham?" "Yes, sir, this is me!" And then the command for the old man to take his son Isaac and to travel with him to a foreign land and there on that mountain, he is to offer him as a burnt offering. Gulp. Are you still with us, readers? You read that correctly. Abraham was to take his son, tie him up, kill him, and then burn his body as an offering to the Lord. Double gulp. Let's pause for a second.

Abraham is known as the "Father of the Faith." He was the one who loved, trusted, and obeyed God when God asked him to leave his family and home and venture off into a new land. That qualified his entrance into the Faith Hall of Fame. It was a major thing for anyone to do something like that in that day. He could not go on Google to see the satellite photos of the new land. There was no YouTube in which to see the travel videos that others who had traveled there had shared online. And he could not get on his smartphone and find Zillow to find a new home. If we were able to ask our great-grandparents, we might see the last and fading generation of those who did not normally venture far from where they were born. Yes, there are still many who still don't; but let's just say it was very rare for a man to take his wife, at the ripe age of 75 and leave Poth for Philadelphia in Abraham's day. That, dear friends, impressed those who ran the Faith Hall of Fame and placed Abraham in that hallowed chamber. So, we're dealing with a man with a super strong faith. He truly could go and do what God asks, without asking questions like, "Is there a Walmart in the Promised Land? What about Whataburger? (Hey that rhymes!). Is there a place to buy cold Dr. Pepper?" These, friends, mattered not for dear old Abe. He knew enough about God to do what God asks. And, even if God asked for this, how many of us would consider the ultimate test, he was willing to comply, even with a very heavy heart. Every step the father and son took away from the tent and into the fields to find the path that led to Moriah, was a painful one. If he had had a cellphone, Abe would have checked it every few steps to see if God texted "J/K! Good one! Tnx for saying YES!" or better yet a phone call! "Abe, this is God. Turn back. I was testing you and you passed. Well done." Nope.

Abraham got to the actual place after many sighs, deep sighs, and terrible thoughts and made his way to where he would do this act of obedience. And oh, the son's questions! "Are we there yet, Daddy? Is there a McDonald's nearby? I need to find a Buc-ees quickly!" And when there, it was when the son asked the horrible question to his daddy; "Dad, I see the flint and the wood, the rope and even the knife; where is the lamb that we get to offer?" I would have lost it right there. But Abraham, notice his faith, says, "God will see to it that there's a sheep for the burnt offering." Abraham truly believed that; he didn't know how or where, but he believed it. Would I? Would you?

Abraham got as far as reaching for the knife and it was at that point, almost the point of no return, when God calls out through the angel, "Don't lay a hand on that boy! Don't touch him! Now I know how fearlessly you fear God..." The stage was set for you and me, and all of humanity to see how difficult it is for even a human of faith to offer a son for sacrifice. Imagine a God who would do that as well? This says, it is not easy for a parent to offer up a child. Most parents, especially those of faith, would step forward and say, "Take me. Let my child live." God shows that for humanity, God would not even spare His Son; for in so doing, God saved you and me." And we say, "Thanks be to God!" Now, can we go and live like that? Can we show that we are truly loved and blessed enough to say, "Praise be to God?"

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, with tears in our eyes and in our hearts, we realize the sacrifice You and Your Son suffered for our sake. Help us to live a life that truly praises and thanks You. Let us reach more; this we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Show mercy to someone today, and share how God showed us mercy.

Receive my blessings of love and joy,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Which Paycheck Do You Want?

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Hear the Devotional Read here: http://bit.ly/2nnDZRj

12 Therefore, do not let sin exercise dominion in your mortal bodies, to make you obey their passions. 13 No longer present your members to sin as instruments of wickedness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and present your members to God as instruments of righteousness. 14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace. 15 What then? Should we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! 16 Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God that you, having once been slaves of sin, have become obedient from the heart to the form of teaching to which you were entrusted, 18 and that you, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. 19 I am speaking in human terms because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to greater and greater iniquity, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness for sanctification. 20 When you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21 So what advantage did you then get from the things of which you now are ashamed? The end of those things is death. 22 But now that you have been freed from sin and enslaved to God, the advantage you get is sanctification. The end is eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:12-23 NRSV)

Good day, dear Friend; may this Tuesday bring you plenty of blessings to you and yours. I pray you are well and enjoying good health. I pray we continue to take every precaution to keep us away from the coronavirus. A dear friend, Mrs. Debra Scott Brown, former worship leader at one of the churches where we worshiped has come down with the Covid-19 virus in Corpus Christi. She herself has said that she took all precautions and wore a mask, washed her hands, etc., but when things relaxed, so did she and she came down with the virus. Pray for her healing. Also, The Rev. Sterling Allen, music pastor in Houston has been tested for the virus and will know tomorrow if he has it or not. Please pray for Sterling and his wife and daughter. Pray for one another. Pray for yourselves.

Paul loved preaching and writing about the freedom he found in Jesus. Paul knew that he had been a slave under the law to the law and it was the law that dictated his actions to persecute the Christian church. But it was Jesus who freed him from the bounds of the law, and freed him to be obedient to grace. It was also Jesus who showed Paul about the power of sin and how He, Jesus, was stronger than sin, more so because He defeated sin on the cross. Paul accepted that freedom immediately and wanted the same for everyone, especially his brothers and sisters the Jews. Free is free, is what Paul is saying, yet he knew so many of us are drawn to sin like moths to the flame. Many of you commented on the dove from last week's story; it did not know freedom and was comfortable with what it knew. Paul says we should know at least this much about sin; sin kills. It is the final paycheck of this life, and once cashed, that is it. It is not a paycheck to work for.

It was temptation that led Adam and Eve to circle the forbidden tree time and time again, leading Eve to stop and touch the fruit. It was temptation that directed her mind to say, "It's not sinful to touch this as long as I don't bite it..." And finally temptation led Eve to say to herself and her husband, "Let's go back and check out that tree once again!" And once there, the tempter was able to add to the temptation by saying what the couple didn't expect to hear; a contradiction to what God said. "You will not die... Your eyes will be open and you will know the difference between good and evil..." The deal was sealed and the deed was done. Sin entered the world. And so did death.

Paul asks the logical question in verse 21, "So what advantage did you then get from the things of which you are now ashamed? The end of those things is death." The once nicotine addicted person; the once alcohol dependent person; the once pornography hungry person; the once drug addicted person; all can be asked that question (and you can make as long a list as you want) and with God's help answer, "I have no need of those things that were killing me! I have tasted the fullness of life and I'd rather have that!" This is the victory that Christ offered and that Christ loves to hear His children say, "Loving Savior, because of you I no longer need that any more."

Dear one, if you are still fighting that battle against the very thing that is killing, stealing, and/or destroying you, turn to Jesus and take His hand and be led away from evil and into life, and that in abundance.

PRAYER: Awesome Savior, we celebrate those who have taken Your hand and who have followed you joyfully away from death and into the fullness of life. We pray for those still hearing the loud whispers of temptation; lead them away from death, and into life. In Thy name we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Be a voice of hope to those who are hopeless.

Receive my blessing of peace and love,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Give to Save

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Hear the Devotional Read here: https://bit.ly/3doZq8J

40 "Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. 41 Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet's reward; and whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of the righteous; 42 and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple—truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward." (Mathew 10:40-42 NRSV)

Happy Monday, dear Friend! I pray all the dads who read ConCafe had a splendid day and that love was shared and received. I loved the quote my brother had on his wall during high school years, attributed to Bishop Patrick Flores, Diocese of San Antonio, that said, "The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother." I also believe fathers should show their love and affection to their children. Make time for your kids always!

Like most of you, my thoughts were on my Dad. I miss him so much. I miss his calls and my calling him. Sundays were days we touched base, and I miss that contact. My father was all about hospitality. He was usually the initiator of visits to the homes of all of our relatives. We visited all of my aunts and uncles, and one uncle and my dad, had a trick they would play on each other when they would not find the other at home. I don't know who started the prank, but it was fun for us kids to get quickly out of our car, grab all of my uncle's lawn furniture and stack it all against his front door. I'm beginning to realize who may have started it! ha ha. And, we would often come home to find our lawn furniture up against our front door as well.

The passage for today has Jesus saying a powerful truth; "Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcome me welcomes the One who sent me." Such is the authority given to disciples by Our Lord that anyone who welcomes those who call on others in the name of the Lord, also welcomes Jesus, and God. So, a visit done to someone in the name of the Lord is a powerful one. And it is part of the Lord's mandate to reach as many as we can to grow the kingdom. Our words, our actions, our affections should demonstrate our love of God and our love for others; anything less and we have not fulfilled what we were called to share.

Jesus continues that those who welcome prophets in the prophet's name will be recompensed with a prophet's reward. We remember that a prophet was a spokesman for God, who spoke an unpopular, but truthful word about what God expected, but was not getting. And a prophet's reward is that which is eternal and not of this world. We also remember that most prophets were rejected, ridiculed, beaten and even killed. Yet, we know the story of Elijah who was rewarded with a trip to Heaven without death on a chariot of fire.

Those who welcome a righteous person in the name of the righteous person will receive the reward of the righteous, which again is the eternal reward of life in the presence of God. And a perfect setting, with a perfect beginning gesture? "Whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple -- truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward." My wife tells the story of a long walk she and her mother and siblings took from their home in La Joya almost all the way to Rio Grande City in the heat of summer along the mostly unpaved Military Highway to go and wish my father-in-law a Happy Birthday. Along the route, a kind old woman, who was blind, heard them coming and stopped them to offer them cool water and even boiled potatoes. The stop provided them with a time of rest and refreshment and they were able to complete their nearly twenty mile journey. A kind gesture, given with fullness of heart, blessed an entire family and whose deed is being shared even to this day so many years later.

What Jesus is asking is to show hospitality and love to all people. A place to rest, a cup of water with which to refresh and be strengthened, but in the name of those who know God and God's love blesses us in ways we may not even see now, but we will in the presence of God. For some, this is easy, we are already doing it; for others it is asking a lot, and fear cripples them from moving forward to showing the most basic of human decency. But, we hide not behind excuses, but move ever forward and upward.

PRAYER: Loving Father, as we start this work week, make us aware of the needs all around us. There are, as hard as it is for some to believe, people who have never been welcomed with love; help us to welcome them and to show them compassionate rest like no other. Help us to see the thirst in the lives of those who have yet to taste the sweet waters of life that Jesus offers, and grant us the wisdom and the boldness with which to share it. We pray in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Start by quenching your own thirst, then share waters of hope with as many as you can today!

Receive my blessings of love and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

It's Friday, but Monday's Coming! Wait! What?

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Charity Begins At Home

A local charity office realized that it had never received a donation from the town's most successful lawyer. The person in charge of contributions called him to persuade him to contribute. "Our research shows that out of a yearly income of at least $500,000, you give not a penny to charity. Wouldn't you like to give back to the community in some way?" The lawyer mulled this over for a moment and replied, "First, did your research also show that my mother is dying after a long illness, and has medical bills that are several times her annual income?" Embarrassed, the rep mumbled, "Um...no." "Or that my brother, a disabled veteran, is blind and confined to a wheelchair?" The stricken rep began to stammer out an apology but was interrupted, "Or that my sister's husband died in a traffic accident," the lawyer's voice rising in indignation, "leaving her penniless with three children?!" The humiliated rep, completely beaten, said simply, "I had no idea..." On a roll, the lawyer cut him off once again: "And if I don't give them a penny, why should I give any to you?!?"

Giving Generously Father O'Malley answers the phone. "Hello, is this Father O'Malley?" "It is." "This is the IRS. Can you help us?" "I can." "Do you know a Ted Houlihan?" "I do." "Is he a member of your congregation?" "He is." "Did he donate $10,000 to the church?" "He will." ~~Author Unknown~~

Paid In Full In Fairfax County, Virginia, Judge Donald McDonough usually handles landlord-tenant disputes in his courtroom on Fridays. A typical Friday will see him judging over 150 cases, one right after the other. However, on Friday, June 9, 2000, at 10 a.m., McDonough's courtroom came to an abrupt halt. Standing before him was a middle-aged deaf couple, who owed $250 in back rent. Their landlord was attempting to evict them, and was insisting on a judgment in his favor. But seeing the couple got to McDonough. He abruptly left the courtroom, something he had never done before. He returned a minute later with two crisp $100 bills and a $50 bill in his hand. McDonough announced, "Consider it paid," as he handed the money to the landlord's stunned attorney.

FAITH CAN MOVE MOUNTAINS

A small congregation in the foothills of the Great Smokies built a new sanctuary on a piece of land willed to them by a church member. Ten days before the new church was to open, the local building inspector informed the pastor that the parking lot was inadequate for the size of the building. Until the church doubled the size of the parking lot, they would not be able to use the new sanctuary. Unfortunately, the church with its undersized lot had used every inch of their land except for the mountain against which it had been built. In order to build more parking spaces, they would have to move the mountain out of the back yard. Undaunted, the pastor announced the next Sunday morning that he would meet that evening with all members who had "mountain moving faith." They would hold a prayer session asking God to remove the mountain from the back yard and to somehow provide enough money to have it paved and painted before the scheduled opening dedication service the following week. At the appointed time, 24 of the congregation's 300 members assembled for prayer. They prayed for nearly three hours. At ten o'clock the pastor said the final "Amen". "We'll open next Sunday as scheduled," he assured everyone "God has never let us down before, and I believe He will be faithful this time too." The next morning as he was working in his study there came a loud knock at his door. When he called "come in", a rough looking construction foreman appeared, removing his hard hat as he entered. "Excuse me, Reverend. I'm from Acme Construction Company over in the next county. We're building a huge shopping mall. We need some fill dirt. Would you be willing to sell us a chunk of that mountain behind the church? We'll pay you for the dirt we remove and pave all the exposed area free of charge, if we can have it right away. We can't do anything else until we get the dirt in and allow it to settle properly." The little church was dedicated the next Sunday as originally planned and there were far more members with "mountain moving faith" on opening Sunday than there had been the previous week!

Would you have shown up for that prayer meeting? Some people say faith comes from miracles. But others know:

MIRACLES COME FROM FAITH! Keep on believing!!! God IS in control and He DOES listen AND hear our prayers!!!!

Special Thanks to Dr. Richard Evans who sends out a e-daily devotional that blesses me and many. Dr. Evans is a member of University UMC-San Antonio and my eye doctor!

For Our Sake

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Hear the devotional read here: http://bit.ly/2nnDZRj

7 Because of you I look like an idiot, I walk around ashamed to show my face. 8 My brothers shun me like a bum off the street; My family treats me like an unwanted guest. 9 I love you more than I can say. Because I'm madly in love with you, They blame me for everything they dislike about you. 10 When I poured myself out in prayer and fasting, All it got me was more contempt. 11 When I put on a sad face, They treated me like a clown. 12 Now drunks and gluttons Make up drinking songs about me. 13 And me? I pray. God, it's time for a break! God, answer in love! Answer with your sure salvation! 14 Rescue me from the swamp, Don't let me go under for good, Pull me out of the clutch of the enemy; This whirlpool is sucking me down. 15 Don't let the swamp be my grave, the Black Hole Swallow me, its jaws clenched around me. 16 Now answer me, God, because you love me; Let me see your great mercy full-face. 17 Don't look the other way; your servant can't take it. I'm in trouble. Answer right now! 18 Come close, God; get me out of here. Rescue me from this deathtrap. (Psalm 69:7-18 The Message)

A blessed and terrific Thursday to you, dear Friends, is my prayer for you and yours. I thank you for the birthday wishes for my darling wife. She sends her thanks to you all. We ask for continued prayers for the world during this pandemic and especially for those who are ill with the virus. Pray for peace and understanding among all people during the events that show racial divisions in our midst. Pray that God would show us how to receive and share His love. Pray for one another; pray for yourselves.

This is a question that may be difficult to answer; but have you ever been angry with your father or mother to the point where you avoided speaking to them? I have, and it's funny that this passage comes to us as we prepare to celebrate Father's Day. I love and miss my Dad so much; and Sunday without him is a sad part of an otherwise joyous day. Or the way that they used to be, given all we face today, I may not see all my girlies nor my grand babies, but I'm blessed to be a Dad to four wonderful daughters, Father-in-law to my three sons-in-law, and grandpa to five and a half grandchildren. And yes, my girls have been angry with me at one time or another, and so have my grandchildren. I thank God that the anger did not last a long time, because forgiving one another and loving each other beats anger. To this day I do not remember the reason of my last quarrel with my Dad, but though it was late in the evening and we were visiting them in Houston with our home in the Valley, I loaded up the wife and family in our car and we went home, with me believing that I would never again speak to my Dad. Soon it was Father's Day and as I shared the Children's Sermon I asked how many of the kids had a grandfather. All of them raised their hand except our youngest, who kept her hands to her side. Gulp. It hit me hard that I hadn't spoken to my Dad, and my girls had not spoken to their only Grandpa. I went home and called my Dad, and though I swear I was not to blame, I apologized to him and told him that I loved him. And we made up, and I promised myself that nothing was worth not having a father to talk to.

The psalmist shared prophetic words about Jesus in this passage. These are perhaps the very words used by our Lord on that night in Gethsemane, when Jesus poured out His heart to His Father. This modern version makes it all the more real, as a son might share with his father in anger. And honestly, the words in the first part of this passage, just as easily could have come out of our mouths in anger towards our dad or mom. We tend to forget that Jesus faced the cross with much fear and trembling; even asking there in the garden that if it were possible to go another route; but He does say that God's will mattered more than His.

Jesus suffered all for our sake; the humiliations, the spits, the scourges, the death on the cross; all for you and me. Jesus loved His Father so much, He was willing to suffer all things and anything, just to reconcile us with the Father. And as the gospel lesson on Monday reminded us, sometimes there is an absence of peace in what we do as believers even to the point of disagreements and silence. And there is no greater silence than the perceived silence of God. Sometimes the silence is not really all that long, but for us when we are in agony or in fear, each second seems like an hour, and each hour seems like a day; when in reality God has been speaking to us in ways we had never experienced or understood. And we were never alone. I can only imagine the thoughts and feelings of Jesus in that Garden made it seem like He was in an eternity of solitude and misery. You and I may have been there at one time or another. So, whenever we may visit there again, we know that Jesus was there before us, and so He understands and can relate, comfort, and strengthen us as a result of His experiences.

There is no swamp, nor whirlpool, Black Hole, or anything created, that can keep you away from the love and purpose God has set aside for you. Whatever it is, God will reveal to you. It may not be ranked among the greatest experiences nor will it get you into the limelight; but it will get you through whatever it may be that you're facing or fearing. And God is with you and God will sustain you. God answered Jesus' prayers and gave Him the glory of Heaven. Whatever it is that God may have for you, will bless you in ways that one day will be completely understood.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, we thank You for the prayers of our Lord, for He has surely endured all things and won all things; and He has understood all things for our sake. May we receive from this passage the wisdom and courage to continue on with our life's journey. Bless those who have not yet understood or accepted that which is from You for them, and use us to help and bless them. This we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Pray for those whom you know to be lost or suffering.

Receive my blessings of joy and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

The Other Brother From Another Mother

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Hear the devotional read here: http://bit.ly/2nnDZRj

8 The child grew, and was weaned; and Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned. 9 But Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, playing with her son Isaac. 10 So she said to Abraham, "Cast out this slave woman with her son; for the son of this slave woman shall not inherit along with my son Isaac." 11 The matter was very distressing to Abraham on account of his son. 12 But God said to Abraham, "Do not be distressed because of the boy and because of your slave woman; whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, for it is through Isaac that offspring shall be named for you. 13 As for the son of the slave woman, I will make a nation of him also, because he is your offspring." 14 So Abraham rose early in the morning, and took bread and a skin of water, and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, along with the child, and sent her away. And she departed, and wandered about in the wilderness of Beer-sheba. 15 When the water in the skin was gone, she cast the child under one of the bushes. 16 Then she went and sat down opposite him a good way off, about the distance of a bowshot; for she said, "Do not let me look on the death of the child." And as she sat opposite him, she lifted up her voice and wept. 17 And God heard the voice of the boy; and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven, and said to her, "What troubles you, Hagar? Do not be afraid; for God has heard the voice of the boy where he is. 18 Come, lift up the boy and hold him fast with your hand, for I will make a great nation of him." 19 Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. She went, and filled the skin with water, and gave the boy a drink. 20 God was with the boy, and he grew up; he lived in the wilderness, and became an expert with the bow. 21 He lived in the wilderness of Paran; and his mother got a wife for him from the land of Egypt. (Genesis 21:8-21 NRSV)

May this Wednesday bring you rich and wonderful blessings is my prayer for you, dear Friend. If I can ask for a personal privilege, I wish my dear, beautiful, and always young wife, a HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Yes, God blessed the world with her birth some years ago in Falfurrias, Texas. I was born just down the road in Kingsville, and how I wish I could say we visited each other in the nurseries of our respective hospitals. But I'm proud to say we met in church, which was much better! Nellie, you have made my life so blessed, and I love you more than ever.

Years ago while serving a church a dear church member on his way to being truly a dear friend and brother in Christ called me his "brother from another mother." I had not heard that before but really liked it. And I have recently heard women saying, "My sister from another mister." Interesting connotations of affection don't you think? I wish that were true for this passage as well, but it is not so. From Abraham came two sons. The first born was Ishmael, born to Hagar; the second was born to Sarah and his name was Isaac. You know the story; Sarah was the wife of Abraham, and Hagar was a servant woman. You might also remember it was Sarah's idea for Abraham to sleep with Hagar to have the son he desired. God had other intentions and these were revealed in the birth of the second son. We truly don't know the tensions that existed between the two women but we can guess that things were not that rosy between them. For a time the servant woman held it over her mistress that she had a child and Sarah did not. What we do know is what we read above, that once Isaac was weaned and could play with his brother, the older brother, according to other versions, taunted the boy thus leading Sarah to tell Abraham to make Hagar and her son leave the compound for she did not Hagar nor Ishmael to inherit what would be Issac's. And the old man had no choice but to do as his wife ordered. What's the saying? "Happy wife, happy life."

The narrative tells that even though the trip through the desert was almost fatal for Hagar and Ishmael, God provided for them. What we have read was the start of what seems to be an eternal strife that only God could heal, for Ishmael goes on to become the father of the Arabian people, and Isaac the father of the Jews. From the two sprang up two of the world's most powerful religions as well as countless wars. There is no love lost between the descendants of these two men even to this very day. The Hatfields and the McCoys couldn't compete in this contest such as it is. We remember also that from Adam and Eve came two full brothers, Cain and Abel, and from them came the first fratricide; brother killing brother. We saw brother fighting brother in our own Civil War; and on our streets even these days, brothers who should be loving one another, fight and kill. God, please have mercy.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, may peace reign in our hearts. May old wounds and angers melt in the presence of Your love. Teach us to love one another as we should. May Your peace reign in every corner of the world. Allow us to be part of the healing processes; this we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Bless one another with words of love and life today; build each other up.

Receive my blessings of joy and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Free Us for Joyful Obedience!

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Hear the devotional read here: https://bit.ly/2UMpEM0

1 What then are we to say? Should we continue in sin in order that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin go on living in it? 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 We know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 For whoever has died is freed from sin. 8 But if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. 10 The death he died, he died to sin, once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. 11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. (Romans 6:1-11 NRSV)

Happy Tuesday, dear Friend! I spent today visiting with people who are just now slowly coming back to as normal a life as they used to live before the Coronavirus hit. I met a man who was joyously unpacking huge bags of sugar in hopes of getting his shaved ice business back on track. I met a woman who was more fortunate than others in that her boss paid her 70% of her salary to stay home while the store was closed. I read from dear friends who had to say their final goodbyes to their mother in hopes that one day soon a proper goodbye and celebration of her life can take place. For these and many more, our prayers. Prayers also for one another; prayers for yourselves.

At the conclusion of a funeral at which I officiated a fraternal order asked to have their rites after the Christian rites. These consisted of some scriptures and a final farewell that included the release of a dove as a symbolic departure of the deceased's spirit from the earth to the sky. The gentlemen doing that part of the graveside brought a nice gilded cage with the dove inside. From memory I recall them saying something to the effect that (Name of the Deceased), we release your spirit to the heavens, or something along those lines. They opened the door of the cage and nothing. The bird was content in the cage. They first tried to find a branch of a tree that they could use to poke the bird into action. The bird was just uncomfortable and ignored the pokes. One of the men then reached in and and grabbed the bird and lifted it up and let it go. The bird flew up a couple of feet and right back into the cage! It was both frustrating and embarrassing to the order; but nothing the men could think to do would make the bird leave its cage. To be fair, the bird knew no other way to live. It was fed and watered in that cage, and the idea of flying free among other birds was part of a world that it had not discovered.

Sadder still, there are some of us who resemble the remarks that Paul wrote in this passage. The cage of sin has had its doors flung wide open and regardless of what a free world holds for us, we still choose to stay in the cage. The idea of freedom cannot compete with the comforts of sin. This frustrated Paul, and one can only imagine what it does to God's heart. Jesus' death brought us freedom, but our stubbornness keeps us caged up. The certain restrictions of a cage that eventually include certain death seem at times more inviting than the yet unexplored life of freedom.

I will always treasure the memory of our first born exploring the "world" beyond the blanket on the floor. She crawled to the edge and using her hands touched it to make sure that it was secure enough to crawl onto. Once she discovered it was indeed solid, she turned to us and laughed and then crawled onto the floor and off the carpet and soon she was down the hallway away from us. She found freedom and she enjoyed it. One can only imagine a baby that chooses never to crawl and choosing to stay on the blanket on the floor for all time.

Paul celebrates the freedom he discovered in Christ. And he proceeds to explain the reality of all Jesus did for us through His death. Paul knows that we are invited to "walk in newness of life." That's a wonderful way to walk. A walk of faith and surety that Christ walks with us. This is the walk of one who has achieved something important and valuable in their life. Think a graduate who walks across the stage after 12 years of schooling; an athlete who has won an important victory for their organization; a sinner who rises from the altar a changed person because they have surrendered their lives and hearts to Jesus, and walks away from the altar in a new life. That person has surrendered his/her ticket to death to Jesus and walks away in the hope of a life that will never end.

Friend, how are you living your life? Are you content in your cage, or have you discovered that all that Jesus has done for you truly has blessed and released you? It it has, then tell someone so that more can enjoy the freedom offered to them by God through Jesus.

PRAYER: Awesome God, forgive us for the times we have been content to stay caged. We confess that being confined keeps us from doing the work we should be doing. Free us for joyful obedience so that we can truly reach the world in ways that bless God and God's kingdom. This we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Help open the doors of cages today; begin with the door on your cage!

Receive my blessings of love and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

All In!

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24 “The student is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25 It is enough for students to be like their teachers, and servants like their masters. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household! 26 “So do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. 27 What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. 28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. 30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. 32 “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven. 34 “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to turn “ ‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—36 a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’ 37 “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it. (Matthew 10: 24-39 NRSV)

Happy Marvelous Monday to you dear Friend! I pray this finds you well, blessed and recharged for the week! Prayers for God's love and His peace be felt in every corner of the world during this week especially among those who try to hide in secret, dark corners away from attention. Be not fooled, we cannot hide from God. And that is a wonderful thing!

I remember loving roller coasters as a child. Well, okay, the kind I would ride were the ones that came to me. Downtown Kingsville, during Christmas, had the Main Street blocked off and a carnival would set up shop there, with all sorts of rides, including a made-for-children roller coaster. The circus would come to town as well, and they would have other carnival attractions, including small rollercoasters. Then we moved away from Kingsville to Houston. Soon, Houston had Astroworld and one of the biggest wooden rollercoasters I had ever seen! I believe it was called the Texas Cyclone. The intention by Astroworld was to buy the Coney Island Cyclone and move it to Texas, but realized that would be more expensive than making their own, so soon the 93 feet high, 3,180 feet long rollercoaster was introduced to Astroworld in 1976. The ride lasted only two minutes and 13 seconds. The lines were long enough for me to analyze and study and realize that I had outgrown rollercoasters! I did not want to ride the Texas Cyclone or anything like it. I did try some smaller coasters that were equally as scary, but it was interesting that as the long line made its way to the point of entry and departure, there were no Exits or places where one could say, "Nope! I changed my mind!" And to do so, would be super embarrassing. Not to mention if one was on a date and then you had to tell your date, "You know what? I've changed my mind/I'm not feeling well/That hotdog didn't agree with my stomach; best not get on this ride/I will marry you if you don't make me ride this rollercoaster!" One does not get to the point of full commitment and then walk away.

This passage is all about that. Jesus is explaining the Kingdom of God and what is expected of those who would commit. God expects full commitment and once we are in, we should strive to stay in, completely in, and fully participating and contributing. It will never be easy, but it will always be blessed. Yes, you might get name-called, so was Jesus, even a terrible name like Beelzebul. You have to give witness to what you have learned, what you have seen, what you have experienced, and how you were blessed. Always be respectfully fearful of God; for it is God the Ultimate One who in in charge. God will care for you and will always know where you are. Never be afraid; boldly say who you are, and Whose you are. If you ever disown God, God will disown you. Jesus also warns that to follow Him might not be the best news your family has ever heard; some will even disown you for what you hold special and sacred; not to fear, you belong to God. You have to love God more than anyone, or anything. And even that does not measure to the love that God has for you.

Our daily duty in following and serving God may be called a cross, precisely because that is what Christ was willing to endure for our sake, and some, even today, pay with their lives to be called a Christian ("little Christ"). In finding your life in Jesus, you will find eternal peace.

PRAYER: Loving God, make us worthy of this calling. May our journey always, always involve You. Hold us steady when we need, and surely pick us up when we fall. Grant us wisdom, grant us courage; for the living of these days; for the living of these days; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Bless someone by showing how fully committed you are to this ride of your life!

Receive my blessings of joy and peace!

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Enter the Password: "Thank You!"

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Hear the devotional read here: https://bit.ly/2UxPqn1

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

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

A Blessed Thursday to you, dear Friend! May this be a day filled with opportunities to show gratitude towards God and towards those who seldom hear it. Pray for our world, our nation, our communities, and our homes. Pray for each other. Pray for ourselves.

The worst job I ever had in my life, yes even more than working with fiberglas, was the one with a Houston developer. I was going to be a telemarketer and when the instructor said, "If the person who answers sounds Black, hang up!" I walked out. Yet, after several phone calls to our landline, which obviously belonged to someone else, that instructor is still alive and well. I will name the two companies who called me today. Wyndham Resorts and Marriott Vacation Club. The thing that makes them hang up is hearing me pronounce my name perfectly, which means en Español. Click. The other trigger is to show too much enthusiasm for their call. "Have you been on a vacation or cruise in the last three years?" "WHY YES I HAVE!" Click.

I shared the psalm for this coming Sunday in two different versions, knowing the Message, a paraphrase translation by a man who knew the Bible, because as he always said, "The Bible reads me," will always give us a different insight into these marvelous and blessed ancient words. I love all versions of the Bible; I find the NRSV the most inclusive and closer tied to ancient texts, and the Message just bounces all over the place. The image of someone standing to applaud God gets me! I love hearing someone sing and doing such a great job that people will, without having been told, stand and either sway or applaud the singer. God has done better than any singer I know and God deserves our praise. And imagine taking with you to church (of all places!) "a gift of laughter." Oh my. Some don't like laughter in church, or giggles or wiggles or squirms. Given the stories my Mom told of me to me, I wouldn't be a believer in church had some called me on being a giggling, squirmy kid. But laughter mixed with a song that leads us into God's presence? Wow! Sign me up! I could misspell it and say, sing me up! And that works too! God is our God and we are God's people! God is such an awesome Shepherd, the psalmist says of us, "His well-tended sheep." Thank God, he didn't write well-minded, because you and I know that we fail. And get a load of the password that gets us in; Thank You! The old usage of the password was the word or phrase that would get a solider back inside the fort or the safe area where s/he belonged. No better password to use than in church, thank you! And, the idea of making ourselves at home in God's house; no better place! "For God is sheer beauty," writes the psalmist, and He is generous in love, and loyal to us always and for ever. For us to be made in God's image is to declare that you and me are "sheer beauty" as well, more for the love we show and the way we welcome others into God's house and ours. There is no room in the house of God or the beautiful children of God who show no love for others, especially those who are or look different from us. The person who struggles to be generous with their thanks you's and I love you's needs to come to that house where love reigns and love is freely shared with all.

The Rev. Dr. Maxie Dunnam once preached a complete sermon on this psalm. Only a man who knows the Shepherd can preach on psalms with love and conviction, as only Maxie can. He took every sentence and made it come alive and joyful before us, and by the time he had finished we knew we had been in that church that I described above. Look at the words: Joyful. Worship. Gladness. His presence. Singing. Knowledge, full and complete that God is God. We are His creation. Sheep. His pasture. Open gates. Thanksgiving. Praise. Giving. Thanksgiving (again!). Blessing His name. God is good. Steadfast love. Never-ending love. God's faithfulness to all generations. Amen.

PRAYER: Loving Shepherd, into Your fold we want to enter and stay. We want to be a part of this household of Heaven here on the earth. Shower and clean us with Your love and grace so that we may enter as those who know and love You. We confess that we are not perfect and have failed you many a time, but receive us again and bless us with all that this precious psalm shares. Grant us this and more so that we might invite all people in. All people. No exceptions. All people. In Jesus' mighty name, amen!

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Welcome someone by sharing the password, Thank You with as many people as you can today!

Receive my blessings of love and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Me Volunteer in the Nursery? (God Does the Impossible & People Laugh)

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Hear here the devotional: https://bit.ly/3dSvItN

1 The Lord appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the entrance of his tent in the heat of the day. 2 He looked up and saw three men standing near him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent entrance to meet them, and bowed down to the ground. 3 He said, "My lord, if I find favor with you, do not pass by your servant. 4 Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. 5 Let me bring a little bread, that you may refresh yourselves, and after that you may pass on—since you have come to your servant." So they said, "Do as you have said." 6 And Abraham hastened into the tent to Sarah, and said, "Make ready quickly three measures of choice flour, knead it, and make cakes." 7 Abraham ran to the herd, and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to the servant, who hastened to prepare it. 8 Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree while they ate. 9 They said to him, "Where is your wife Sarah?" And he said, "There, in the tent." 10 Then one said, "I will surely return to you in due season, and your wife Sarah shall have a son." And Sarah was listening at the tent entrance behind him. 11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in age; it had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. 12 So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, "After I have grown old, and my husband is old, shall I have pleasure?" 13 The Lord said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh, and say, "Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?' 14 Is anything too wonderful for the Lord? At the set time I will return to you, in due season, and Sarah shall have a son." 15 But Sarah denied, saying, "I did not laugh"; for she was afraid. He said, "Oh yes, you did laugh." 1 The Lord dealt with Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah as he had promised. 2 Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the time of which God had spoken to him. 3 Abraham gave the name Isaac to his son whom Sarah bore him. 4 And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him. 5 Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. 6 Now Sarah said, "God has brought laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh with me." 7 And she said, "Who would ever have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age." (Genesis 18:1-15; 21:1-7 NRSV)

Happy Wednesday, dear Friend! Prayer is the blanket that helps us sleep, while also being the charge we need to awaken to better serve the Lord; the key is to pray, pray, and then pray again. As we pray, please pray for the needs of your neighbor, both the next-door variety as well as the one who may live in areas you might not visit. Pray for one another; pray for yourselves.

Abe and Sarah were having a barbecue. Well, they were, as we say in Texas, "fixin' to," when some strangers show up. Again, being Texas, these three were immediately seen as guests and not visitors. They were welcomed and the BBQ started. Oh yes, some are wondering what the difference is between guests and visitors. Guests are the kind you clean your house before they arrive because you know they are coming, and you're ready for them. Visitors show up, ring your doorbell, which has become the universal alarm for all to run as quickly and as silently as they can so that the visitors don't know anyone is home and they leave as soon as possible. (Some churches are like that... or, so I've been told...) Now, this is strictly my point of view, but watch how this barbecue progresses. Abe tells Sarah to make flour tortillas. Not the "HoneyGoGet" style tortillas, but honey, mix the harina and make fresh tortillas. And, to keep the theme of fresh fresh, Abe has the ranch hand kill a young calf for the meat part of the BBQ. And, in keeping with being aware of other likes and dislikes, yogurt dip with chips and pretzel chips are served as appetizers while the meal is prepared. Then the business part of the visit began.

These men knew of the promises God had made to this couple when they were in their 70s. Do you remember? That both would be the parents of descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky. That was twenty or so years ago, and Abe and Sarah had moved on and may not have given much thought to parenthood. But, one of the men, and scripture says it was the Lord, says that when he returns, Sarah would have a son. Sarah, who was within earshot of this conversation (by coincidence, of course!) hears this and laughs. "Me volunteer in the nursery to watch my own son?? Ha ha ha!" Of course, her being in earshot of this conversation also allowed her laugh to be heard by these men. Now Sarah is scared and denies she has laughed. I love the response, "Oh yes, you did laugh." Keep this in mind as you find out what her son was named. Yes, he was named, "She laughed."

God does some incredibly impossible things possible. God can take a shy, self-conscious chubby boy and make him a pastor. God can take the grim news of a medical exam only to have negative results baffle medical personnel. God can take the dire reality of scarcity and then fill the pantry with more than enough food. God can take our deepest fears and worries and turn them around into manageable realities. And God can take a 99 year old woman and make her the president of the M.O.P.S. (Mothers of Pre-Schoolers). God can take an AARP card carrying, retired barbecuing retiree and make him learn how to change diapers. And, in whatever way God chooses, God can change your situation and make it a brighter reality. It may not be exactly as you'd like, but you will realize that God is with you and is, indeed, blessing you.

The guests were sent by God, and we believe them to be angels and the Lord, and one of them, the Lord, shared such a powerful statement, "Is anything too wonderful for the Lord?" No, nothing is too wonderful for God to transform and make better, for it is God's will that gets done, not ours. And as Paul wrote so many years later, "We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28). God's promise was true. Abraham and Sarah would have a son, and this son would produce many offspring even to today in keeping and blessing the earth according to God's own word. My Ancestry.com DNA test shows me to be among that lineage, as it does Nellie, and maybe even yours if you've done that type of exam. God is awesome as are you. You have been created for a purpose and as a part of God's plan. You're free to follow your own desires if you want, but to trust and follow God will bless you in ways you did not expect. Now, please don't fret about having to change diapers if you're in your 90s, because if that does happen, God will equip you!

PRAYER; Awesome God, so many have been the times You have blessed us in ways that have left us speechless; allow us to have the words to say Thank You in ways that bless You and that bless Yours. Father, you know our situations and our challenges; into Your hands we turn these over, trusting Your will be done. For those things that keep us awake or makes us toss and turn, please help us know how to handle them. We thank You for your love and blessings. Help us be faithful and fruitful; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Bless the Lord and share His goodness with someone today.

Receive my blessings of love and joy,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Peace with God

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Hear the devotional right here: https://bit.ly/37bUkuU

1 Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. 3 And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. 6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. 8 But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us. 9 Much more surely then, now that we have been justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more surely, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life. 11 But more than that, we even boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. (Romans 5:1-11 NRSV)

Happy Tuesday, dear Friend! May the blessings of the Lord Jesus be with you and yours is my prayer. May we continue to pray for our world and its health. May we continue to pray for our nation and that peace, compassion, and understanding take hold in every heart and reign in ways that can show God's love for all people. And may we pray for one another, and learn to pray for ourselves and our needs.

Shalom is a word many of us know. We know it to be a Hebrew word for peace. Yet, by simply saying that peace is the absence of conflict or war, we limit the meaning. The word shalom means the presence of complete and total wellbeing in the welfare of the person to whom we say, "Shalom." As I write this I realize that we don't use even the English word that often in our day to day speech. As a pastor I have prayed it many times, and in correspondence I may have closed a letter or two, with the word "Paz," which is the Spanish word for peace. Pax is the Latin word used to describe the Roman Pax, which was more military-oriented than the Hebrew word. When was the last time you wished someone peace? Did you mean it? Okay, don't raise your hands! I can't see you!

The better question is this; do you have peace in your heart dear friend? It's a tough question given all we have seen or felt in the last few days, but to Paul, it was key to his preaching and teaching. Yes, he was a Roman citizen, but he was a Jew. He did not come to know real peace until those days after his life-changing encounter with Jesus. And his life is a good road map for us in terms of where real peace, the "Shalom" of full peace can be found.

Paul was raised well. A natural born Roman citizen, he was educated by the most famous of the Pharisees and rabbis, Gamaliel. Paul became a Pharisee, and was well connected. His connections allowed him to get a high profile job as prosecutor of Christians. And while he may have thought all of these brought him peace, it was not until that day on the way to Damascus that he found the real peace that satisfied him. Paul thought he had found the peace he needed through his years of keeping the Mosaic law. His was a works-based faith; the more good you do, the closer you get to God. And in this thinking, he drove harder and faster in his arresting and trying to stop the Christian community from growing. Jesus showed him a better way.

Ours is a relationship that begins with faith, not works. If we believe Jesus died for us, then we are in. There is no checklist of things that we have done in order for us to be allowed in. Just last week, a dear friend sent out a devotional that I have "borrowed" from very freely, that contained the old joke about the man who dies and finds himself before Saint Peter, who explains that in order to get into eternal paradise, one must score 100 points. The man begins to list what he has done, like singing in the choir, Saint Peter says, "That's good for 1 point;" tithing one point. Teaching Sunday school, another point. Finally, thinking there is no hope, the man exclaims, "So far I only have three points! The way I'm going there's no way I can get it. It seems that only by the grace of God can I get in!" St. Peter said, "Did you say, 'Grace of God?' You're right! 100 points! And you're in!"

Our peace comes through our faith that got us into a relationship with God. The shalom that we need; all of our needs are met in Him. And on top of that, Paul found that we have hope, the hope that shares the glory of God. And, as we encounter the challenges of the world we find many things; our suffering produces endurance. Now, that's faith, to say that things that trouble and bother us can actually bring us something on which to build! And endurance, of all things? Yes, says Paul. And our endurance in the sufferings helps shape us in what we call our character. And our character brings us more hope. And not just any hope, writes Paul, but the hope that does not disappoint, because this hope has been made from God's love that was poured into our hearts through the work of the Holy Spirit. And the crowning verse that has blessed many a soul, "For while we ere still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly." Amen. And then Paul adds, "But God proves His love for us in that while we were sinners Christ died for us." And, all this brings about full reconciliation with God, which equals peace, total peace. The true shalom.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, our lives need peace like never before. The stresses of life have tried to dissuade us from the right path; we need Your peace, the complete shalom that builds and blesses. Father, give us eyes to see that while we may suffer, we are in a building process that will bring greater blessings and joys. Grant to us strength and peace. This we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Be a person of faith today for someone who may be lacking it.

Receive my blessings of joy and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Sometimes We are the Answer to Our Own Prayers!

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Hear the devotional read here: https://bit.ly/2YagXMq

35 Then Jesus made a circuit of all the towns and villages. He taught in their meeting places, reported kingdom news, and healed their diseased bodies, healed their bruised and hurt lives. 36 When he looked out over the crowds, his heart broke. So confused and aimless they were, like sheep with no shepherd. 37 "What a huge harvest!" he said to his disciples. "How few workers! 38 On your knees and pray for harvest hands!" 1 The prayer was no sooner prayed than it was answered. Jesus called twelve of his followers and sent them into the ripe fields. He gave them power to kick out the evil spirits and to tenderly care for the bruised and hurt lives. 2 This is the list of the twelve he sent: Simon (they called him Peter, or "Rock"), Andrew, his brother, James, Zebedee's son, John, his brother, 3 Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew, the tax man, James, son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, 4 Simon, the Canaanite, Judas Iscariot (who later turned on him). 5 Jesus sent his twelve harvest hands out with this charge: 6 Go to the lost, confused people right here in the neighborhood. 7 Tell them that the kingdom is here. 8 Bring health to the sick. Raise the dead. Touch the untouchables. Kick out the demons. You have been treated generously, so live generously. (Matthew 9:35-10:8 The Message)

Happy Monday, dear Friend! May the blessings of God be yours today as we embark on a study and devotional in His Name and word. I pray you had time to worship the Lord and to receive His blessings. I ask your prayers for the family of Mrs. Terri Hernandez, mother to Rev. Andrew, Mr. Robert, and Ms. Becky Hernandez. The Hernandez household was my residence for almost every weekend church trip during my junior and senior high school years. I hold fond memories of Mr. and Mrs. Hernandez and I pray God's comfort upon her family. I ask that you pray for one another, and pray ror yourselves.

The late Rev. Dr. E. Stanley Jones, early in his ministerial career, was asked to speak on behalf of a missionary society to help recruit new missionaries to India. Rev. Jones accepted rather unwillingly, and arrived to find a room full of young clergy to whom he preached with all his heart. It was towards the end of his sermon that he realized the only one who was going to say yes to this challenge was he himself. He at first kicked himself for having said yes to this invitation to speak, but then realized the work to which he was called was one he could do rather well. So in love was he of Jesus and the work the Lord did in India through him that one year he was elected bishop of the Methodist Church and he turned it down saying he was not yet finished with the work God had called him to do in India.

In today's passage we read how Jesus and His disciples encountered many with "diseased bodies" and "bruised and hurt lives." With a broken heart, Jesus asked His disciples to pray to God to send "harvest hands." The prayer was almost immediately answered when Jesus sends the 12 as the very answer to their prayers. They were the ones to whom the bruised and injured received to help heal their lives and bodies. Hmm. Has this even happened to you? The answer should be yes. We have sometimes prayed for a group or a need only to find the one to whom this need corresponds is we ourselves! We hear the pastor ask for Sunday school teachers, or new choir members, or greeters, or acolytes, and we look around the congregation in hopes of helping the pastor spot the victims, I mean, the target of the challenge only to realize, but sadly dismiss, that we could be the new teachers, singers, greeters, etc. If we have a heart filled with love and compassion, then the action needed can come from us.

The needs are still very much with us. We still have people who are lost, who are confused, who have not heard that the Kingdom message has come, who are dying, diseased, and untouched, demon-possessed and in need of ministries only we can provide. And how do we respond? Jesus said it plainly, "You have been treated generously, so live generously."

PRAYER: Loving Father, we have sung so often the powerful words, "Open my eyes, illumine me, Spirit Divine," and yet we still do not see that we can be the answers to our own prayers, especially when it comes to loving those who seem unloving; seeking those not yet found; helping the hurt and bruised; feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting those in need. We ask for new opportunities to serve, and this we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Pray again and again that we might be answers to our own prayers!

Receive my blessings of peace and joy,

Pastor Eradio Valverde