The Big Ten!

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Hear the narration of this devotional here: https://bit.ly/2Sgl1rD

1 Then God spoke all these words: 2 I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; 3 you shall have no other gods before me. 4 You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and the fourth generation of those who reject me, 6 but showing steadfast love to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments. 7 You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not acquit anyone who misuses his name. 8 Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work. 10 But the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall not do any work—you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the alien resident in your towns. 11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but rested the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and consecrated it. 12 Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. 13 You shall not murder. 14 You shall not commit adultery. 15 You shall not steal. 16 You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. 17 You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor. (Exodus 20:1-17 NRSV)

A Wonderful Wednesday be yours, dear Friend!

We have learned that the entire Exodus journey was a formational process; God wanted to form a people and used the 40 years in the wilderness as a moveable classroom, and it leads us here to Mount Sinai, where God lays down the law, written by God's hands onto two stone tablets with monumental instruction that became the basis for many of the world's judicial systems, called Mosaic Law. These are commandments, not suggestion nor guidelines. They are the foundational structure upon which to build a solid relationship with God, oneself, and one's neighbor. Each merits a careful examination.

The first is a declaration of love and the revealing of an exclusive domain; God declares, "I am the Lord, and I am yours, by being your God. And a reminder; I brought you out of the land of Egypt and all the evil and hardship that that represented in your history there; slavery, oppression, hardship and an alien residency in a land that was not yours then, nor now. You are to have no other gods other than me.

The second is plain and simple; Do not make any handmade image and call it a god. That's nonsense. If you form a bird, that's a bird, not a god. If you form a snake, it's a snake, not a god. And who looks foolish bowing down and worshiping creation? You who do this. I am a jealous God, and I will punish those who do worship other things. My wrath will visit other generations of your family if you do such things, but if you love me, I will love you with a steadfast love; so show your love by keeping my commandments.

The third, and quite possibly the most violated almost on a daily basis; you shall not make wrongful use of my name. God's name, like God Himself, is holy, and to use it in any other setting or context, is to violate the sacredness of God's name. And to use that Holy name in a swear or cuss? We should know better!

The fourth is to keep the Sabbath as a holy day. Out of the seven days that God has given us in a week, six of them are days in which we can work, but set aside one as a day for God. Keep it consecrated, and by so doing, you consecrate yourselves as well.

The fifth is to honor your father and mother. To do that is to receive the fullness of life extended even into a longer life.

The sixth is to respect the sacredness of life by not murdering. As a child you heard it as, "Thou shall not kill." It still holds true.

The seventh is to not commit adultery. To do so is to violate the sacredness of marriage.

The eighth is to respect things that do not belong to you; if you take what is not yours, you're breaking God's law and, as holds true for all of the commandments, we break God's heart.

The ninth is for us to not bear false witness against our neighbor. We are to be honest and truthful with each other, and certainly with Him who knows all things.

The tenth is to not covet, or desire, those things which belong to our neighbor; his wife, servants, property and livestock.

To live a life that follows all of those commandments puts us in a right relationship with God. Seek to bless God by blessing yourselves in being righteous and faithful before God. Imagine the fullness of life's blessings that come to those who follow and live these as being the only way to live.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, beyond being nice wall decorations, these are Your laws for us to live as responsible and caring beings with You and with others. Guide us to faithfully following them in ways that bless You. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen!

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Ask someone today if they know all Big Ten by memory! Then dazzle them by YOU showing that you do!

Receive my blessings of joy and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Keep Pressing On!

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Hear the devotional here: https://bit.ly/3kSt8an

If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless. 7 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. 10 I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. 12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:4b-14 RSV)

A tremendous Tuesday be yours, dear Friend! Our prayers for a wonderful day and for opportunities in which to shine forth the love of Christ to a needy world. As you may have received the word that the Alegria Family shared with me, our prayers for Elizabeth Alegria Riley should continue in a fervent way; the family has been advised that her condition is not improving and she may soon join the Church Triumphant. Please be in prayer for her daughters and grandchildren, her brothers and all of here family and friends. Pray for one another, pray for yourselves. Also, I ask prayers for my cousin, Mrs. Rachel Meza Rivera, of Kentucky, who underwent massive surgery to battle cancer this morning; internal bleeding made it necessary to reenter the operating room, so please be in prayer for her and her family.

"I can do this myself!" Have you ever heard that? Especially from a little one who finally masters something you used to do for them? Have you ever told God that very thing? Well, the Apostle Paul was hearing from people who were saying that and uglier things to God. Yes, from his Jewish brethren and also from the Christian believers; but Paul says quite plainly, I have the right pedigree and education, and upbringing, and anything else you want to compare with, but that counts for nothing when I compare it to what Jesus has done for me, and Who Jesus is in my life. "I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ." Paul is simply saying, what can compare to the incredible things that Jesus has brought into my life? Nothing. Paul is affirming that in his having encountered the living, risen Christ, he has encountered life and that life that never ends and to which he aspires daily, knowing that one day he will attain it; this was his daily motivation for living. Everything that happened yesterday has stayed there, and he "presses on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Which is for all eternity.

Every day we are handed choices; and this happens the moment our eyes open for the day. What's the first thought that enters your mind? For most of us it is the thought to stay right where we are! The bed is so warm and comfy, and we know that we could do no harm to anyone if we just closed our eyes again and dozed off. Second thought? The to-do list that kept haunting your dreams. The report that is due. The final exam review that must be prepared, or attended. The bills that have to be paid. Yes, there are enough choices handed to us that cause many of us to get out of bed with a predisposition to be grumpy. It's at that moment we can say a thought prayer or two, about the joy of being alive one more day, of the new opportunities that are certainly coming our way to do good, and make a difference in the world. This week I shared with my oldest grandson the song "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these thing shall be added unto you, Ale-lu, ale-luyah." I explained it to him. I said, "Mijito, it's not enough to just live and seek to be happy, you have to seek to be good, and beyond good, with God's help to be righteous. That means to be fully God-led into living a life that is pleasing and obedient to the Lord; it's the kind of life that impacts others." And that should be our first and second choices; thank the Lord for the day, and seek God in ways that please Him and bless His people. The rest will all fall into place.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, as we pray, we do so with a grateful heart for life and the blessings that have come our way. But we also seek, with Thy help, to be those who truly seek You and Your righteousness. Move us beyond seeking to be only happy, we want to be good; and beyond good, we want to be righteous. We pray that in Your mercy You would be with those who need Your healing touch. Make a difference in all things; this we pray in He who died for us, Jesus our Lord, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Talk to someone about moving from good to righteous in a way that is inviting!

Receive my blessings of joy and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

"Wait! Is He Talking About Me?"

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Hear the Devotional Here: https://bit.ly/36eqWGe

33 “Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and moved to another place. 34 When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his fruit. 35 “The tenants seized his servants; they beat one, killed another, and stoned a third. 36 Then he sent other servants to them, more than the first time, and the tenants treated them the same way. 37 Last of all, he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said. 38 “But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and take his inheritance.’ 39 So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. 40 “Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” 41“He will bring those wretches to a wretched end,” they replied, “and he will rent the vineyard to other tenants, who will give him his share of the crop at harvest time.” 42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: “ ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes’? 43 “Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. 44 Anyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; anyone on whom it falls will be crushed.” 45 When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus’ parables, they knew he was talking about them. 46 They looked for a way to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowd because the people held that he was a prophet. (Matthew 21:33-48 RSV)

Happy Monday to you, dear Friend! I pray this finds you doing well in all your endeavors, especially your daily walk with Jesus. I pray you had an opportunity to worship God either in person or online. I pray that we continue to pray for one another, especially those who have been on our hearts as we seek their healing and wholeness. In the needs of Ms. Elizabeth Alegria Riley, we see the seriousness of this disease, that some days are better than others; one of the nurses told her friend, Ruth Vera, who's been keeping us constant with Elizabeth's situation, "You take six steps forward, and one back." We pray that after that "back step" she will take nothing but forward steps, and that is our prayer. As you have updates on others, please share those with me, so that we can adjust our prayer emphases. God is faithful; so should we be with Him.

The parable is a wonderful teaching tool. It is usually a short story and it contains truth for all to identify with, and it usually connects with most in the audience. And sometimes, as is the case with this one, the teacher tells a hard truth that someone in the audience needs to hear. Jesus tells a story about a vineyard, which helps most in the audience to hear and identify with; vineyards were common in that area and the purpose and running of such businesses were understood, and usually benefited many. The story concerns a landowner who started the vineyard, a walled one with a watchtower for sentries to protect it. As a wise landowner, he rents the vineyard to some tenants, and he moves to another place. When it was harvest time, the landowner sends workers to the renters to collect their share of the rent in the form of his share of the crop. The reaction of the tenants is not the one expected; they seized the servants, beat them, killing one in the process, stoning another. The landowner sends another group, this group larger in size, and the same treatment awaited them. Finally, he decides to send his own son, thinking they will respect the son. The tenants, upon seeing the son, think that if they kill the son, they would receive his inheritance. They grabbed the son, threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. The question Jesus asks is an honest one; "When the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?" And, those listening to this teaching replied, "He will bring those wretches to a wretched end, and he will rent the vineyard to other tenants, who will give him his share of the crop at harvest time." Remember, even the religious leaders of the day were answering Jesus' question!

Those in Jesus' audience know exactly what He is talking about; more importantly, they know who He is talking about. Yet, Jesus is not finished; He reminded them of their own scriptures and how "the stone the builder rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes." Ouch. If you were part of the "religious" group there, you know this is hitting close to home. And the heat is turned up when Jesus says to them, "The kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. Anyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; anyone on whom it falls will be crushed." Double ouch.

I have had some similar reactions during my preaching days, even to the point of anger. Truth has a way of hitting home and hitting hard. Truth has a way of convicting people and their responses and reactions vary, but those who were convicted during a sermon were hearing the word of God hitting them, not my words. The Rev. Charles Stanley, soon-to-be-the-retired pastor of First Baptist Church in Atlanta, years ago during his broadcast said he raised his children with the Bible being the basis for his rules for living in his house. He would say, "If you have a problem with these, take it up with God because these are His rules, not mine!" And the same is true for us, as we read something that disturbed us or convicts us; it is God who has spoken a word, for our good, that rubs, even scrapes us hard. And, here we see Jesus doing the same thing in person with the very people who would soon grab Him, beat Him, take Him outside the city and kill Him.

The Good News is that God forgives! And God gives us another chance. And, if that is not enough, God will give us another chance. And, if that is not enough, God will give us another chance. The hope is that we will learn, we will repent, and truly change our lives to be better children of the Most High God. And all we have to do is ask!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your love and grace. Bless us on our journey and draw us nearer to Thee. We pray for the healing of those for whom we have been praying; bless those at their bedsides or who are kept away because of this virus; we pray that You be glorified; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Show someone a new opportunity in their life if you can!

Receive my blessings of joy and peace,

Pastor Eradio

Lest Ye Forget...

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Hear this devotional right here (with some extra salsa thrown in, free!) https://bit.ly/2HqvD5k

1 My people, hear my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth. 2 I will open my mouth with a parable; I will utter hidden things, things from of old— 3 things we have heard and known, things our ancestors have told us. 4 We will not hide them from their descendants; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, his power, and the wonders he has done. 12 He did miracles in the sight of their ancestors in the land of Egypt, in the region of Zoan. 13 He divided the sea and led them through; he made the water stand up like a wall. 14 He guided them with the cloud by day and with light from the fire all night.15 He split the rocks in the wilderness and gave them water as abundant as the seas; 16 he brought streams out of a rocky crag and made water flow down like rivers. (Psalm 78:1-4, 12-16 The Message)

Happy Thursday, dear Friend! I pray God's rich blessings on you and yours on this special day. I pray you've made a commitment in your life to grow and learn as much as you can; the things of God are always new, and we should strive to bless ourselves by reading and reading our Bibles, books about the Bible, worshiping in person or online, singing, etc. All these things can bless us with new insights and new strategies to better live life. I once heard a preacher ask, "Do you want to grow in your Bible readings? Read the stuff you haven't underlined yet!" And he was right; we underline John 3:16 (and we should!) but what does the verse before it say? The one after? How does that chapter begin at 3:1? May God bless our time together in ways that will amaze us not only today, but a week from now or even a year from now.

Reading the opening verses to this passage, the psalmist was foretelling of the way Jesus would teach and preach. Jesus shared parables, and Jesus revealed what had previously been hidden, and He was also very familiar with the things of old, things that others had already shared, and even things our parents and grandparents shared. Oh, how I wish I had at least one more chance to ask my grandparents more questions about our family, or my mom and my dad. The things that really mattered they tried to pass down, and as this writer is saying, we must commit to sharing precious things with our precious ones; our children and grandchildren. The things of God count as the most precious things we have, and those need to be passed down to them.

The psalmist then shares the history of liberation from bondage in Egypt; the dividing of the sea, and their walk through dry land with two walls of solid sea on both sides of them. The way God guided them through the wilderness with a cloud by day and a fire by night. God even, from yesterday's lesson, split the rock so that it would flow abundant water for them to drink; all precious reminders that our God is a powerful God who holds nothing back to bless those who love Him.

PRAYER: Awesome Father, bless our minds with newness and strength so that we can always recall that which has been precious to You and in turn, to us. May our lips share that on our minds in ways that bless our little ones and our not-so-little ones; Your story is worth repeating. May Your story bring us life and that in abundance. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord. Share a memory with someone today to bless them.

Receive my blessings of peace and joy,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

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Are We There Yet? PART TWO!

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Hear the narration here: https://bit.ly/32TaGrL

1 All the congregation of the people of Israel moved on from the wilderness of Sin by stages, according to the commandment of the LORD, and camped at Reph'idim; but there was no water for the people to drink. 2 Therefore the people found fault with Moses, and said, "Give us water to drink." And Moses said to them, "Why do you find fault with me? Why do you put the LORD to the proof?" 3 But the people thirsted there for water, and the people murmured against Moses, and said, "Why did you bring us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?" 4 So Moses cried to the LORD, "What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me." 5 And the LORD said to Moses, "Pass on before the people, taking with you some of the elders of Israel; and take in your hand the rod with which you struck the Nile, and go. 6 Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, that the people may drink." And Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel. 7 And he called the name of the place Massah and Mer'ibah, because of the faultfinding of the children of Israel, and because they put the LORD to the proof by saying, "Is the LORD among us or not?" (Exodus 17:1-7 RSV)

A Happy Wednesday to you, and Happy Fall, Friend! As if, we could tell the difference! Just kidding, the weather in these parts has been cool because of the rain and the storm clouds thanks to Hurricane Beta. I pray all are staying safe, especially in those areas. Our daughter in Houston is safe, but their neighborhood is connected to the outside world by two major thoroughfares that are flooded. They are fine, thanks to God. As we pray, we learn of another death, Coach Sonny Detmer, of Somerset High School, but formerly of Mission High School; Sonny was one of the winningest football coaches in the state, having two sons who excelled at the sport. When he and I were in Mission, we enjoyed each other's company and he would come to speak at our Rotary Club in the fall at my invitation, and always presented a superb program. His youngest son is now the head coach at Mission High School. Pray for the family's comfort and peace. We continue to pray for any, anywhere and everywhere who need God's special touch of healing upon their lives.

Are we there yet, part two! First, it was the food situation. No Golden Arches in the wilderness and no Buc-ees! And we studied how God answered that question and plight; by providing out-of-this-world bread that you can only get in good panaderias* in South Texas, and every white wing hunter's dream, quail for supper. Every.single.night. Now, the traveling youth caravan with no chaperones reached that point of realizing that no one can live on Slurpees and boba teas; they were thirsty. They needed H2O for swallowing the salt tablets, because Gatorade was not yet invented! (Raise your hands if you were one of the many victims of handfuls of salt tablets after hot summer workouts and practices. Where were you, Gatorade in those days? To this day I would rather drink a bottle or two of cold Gatorade than a handful of sweaty salt tablets! I I digress... We know that sand, sun, and scorching heat do not go well without water. It's like going to the beach and expecting to drink ocean water if you get thirsty. No bueno. The miles of walking in the hot sun of the wilderness were enough for them to reach the point of asking youth minister Moses, if he could please stop the church van at the next Stripes convenience store, please? Please!! PLLLEEEZUS!!

And, do you notice this group never forgets where they have come from, in terms of there being plenty of food and plenty of drinking water, but conveniently forget they were slaves there. They worked harder there and risked severe beatings and punishments for not meeting quotas and their chances for a good future were very limited. "I'd rather be there than here!" This is said on the necessity at hand, rather than a careful reflection of what is truly at stake. It's not wonder that Jesus said, "They who set their hand to the plow should not look back." He knew what was at risk by looking back and not concentrating on the hard work necessary to make possible the crop for the year, etc. etc. And so, the congregation was very angry at Moses. Some were even composing letters to the bishop and the district superintendent. (If you're in ministry and never had a letter written about you, you weren't doing your job well!). And, Moses takes it to God. "What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me." The only bright spot was Moses didn't have a parsonage to go home to pack up his things if he got the "call" informing him that his tenure at Salt Lick Desert, TX was over. God simply says for Moses to take the rod which he had used at the Nile and go in front of the people and there at the rock where God would be present, Moses was to strike the rock and water would come out of it! And he did. And the water it did flow! And friends, the water in the Holy Land is something to behold. Our trip two years ago took us to some beautiful places where the water was stunning in beauty and in strength. One can only imagine this divinely-touched water from God out of a rock! And Moses named that place, I TOLD YOU GOD WAS HERE BUT YOU WERE TOO BUSY GRIPING THAT YOU DIDN'T REALIZE IT! Okay, it was named Massah and Mar'ibah, which basically means the same thing. Okay, "Is the Lord among us or not?"

How much the above looks like points in my life, and perhaps yours; where we need something and we begin to think that God should provide it right then and there. Because God knows how busy we are! And God knows how important we are! And how much ahead we are of others, so, it's the least God can do is to serve me first! Honestly, it is our privilege to suffer for God, and it is a special privilege to wait on God while God is with us. And the blessings come when we realize that not then, nor now, are we ever alone.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, sometimes the journey does seem long. And sometimes it seems as if we are going around in circles. And sometimes the challenges of food and water, shelter, clothing, all seem to attack us at once; but Father we rest in You and Your promises, that we would never face anything alone, and without Your guidance. You know our situation and we pray You guide and lead us; this we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Help a fellow believer in his/her journey today!

Receive my blessings of peace and joy,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Your Self-Centered Days Are Over!

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Hear the Narration and Bonus Material here: https://bit.ly/3mGCg3t

1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any incentive of love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfishness or conceit, but in humility count others better than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for God is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. (Philippians 2:1-13 RSV)

Happy Tuesday! May it be a tremendous one in the Lord for you and yours, dear Friend! May our time together bring us joy and peace from the Lord Jesus, in Whose presence we are! We celebrate good news when we hear them and we should be encouraged to continue our prayers. The report from the hospital in Corpus Christi is that Ms. Elizabeth Alegria Riley's levels have dropped to 50 and maybe today is when they can finally wean her off the respirator. She is wearing an oxygen mask and more oxygen will flow through it in hopes of no longer needing the respirator. We pray that if this is God's will, that it be so! I did find out that The Rev. George Emerson Villegas died from Covid-19 on Sunday. night. Our prayers are with his family and his church family at Skidmore UMC. Our prayers turn to those along the Gulf Coast and the threat of Hurricane Beta headed towards them. We pray for God's mercy and protection on all people and animals in those areas, especially the low-lying areas. We pray for this to weaken and not affect the area in horrific ways.

I don't know about you, but once I encountered Jesus as my Lord and Savior, my outlook on life changed. I still enjoyed riding my bike, playing along Tranquitas Creek, working in Chapa's grocery store on Saturday, going to the Kingsville high school Brahama games, and the Texas A&I University Javelinas games, but my favorite day of the week was rapidly becoming Sunday. I started to love to go to church! And go to church I did; I remember walking with my mother and grandmother along the tracks to a certain point, then down the street to our church where they would quilt and have meetings, and we kids had time to play with our church friends. I soon discovered I enjoyed my church friends more than my school friends and wondered how it had turned out they went to different schools even in a town the size of Kingsville? All that the Apostle Paul shares in this passage was true for me. I found encouragement in Christ, I found love being among people whose beliefs were like mine, the singing and learning, the sharing of the same generic cookies and Kool-Aid were a delicious part of the fellowship, and my desire became to learn as much about God as I could. I still remember asking my mom and dad why we couldn't have Sunday school five days a week and regular public school on Sunday. They dismissed that question but now I wonder if it didn't make them wonder that I might end up doing with my life what I did; serving the Lord in ministry.

Paul encourages believers to live lives like Jesus, which may sound strange to those who do not know the church all that well, but the truth is that the church is not, to resurrect that old cliché, "The church is not a showcase of saints, but a hospital for sinners." Indeed. The preacher in Paul has him sharing the words of verse 2: "Complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind." That's great foundational groundwork for all behaviors, but adds, "Do nothing from selfishness or conceit, but in humility count others better than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his/her own interests, but also to the interests of others." In other words, put your humanness aside, and let the divine guide you! Imagine the change that would come over those lives who commit to be guided and influenced by God's Holy Spirit? The centrality of the Church, just like every life, should be Christ Jesus, and He crucified, dead, and resurrected. And we should be so moved and touched by Him that even at the mention of His name our knees and hearts should bow in reverence, obedience, and thanksgiving for all He has done for us, and then allow that same grace to move our tongues to confess the truth of Thy works in us; all for the glory of God!

PRAYER: Loving God, we humble at the mention of Jesus' powerful name. Our knees and hearts bow in reverence and love for You. May this prayer move us beyond lip service and a life centered only on us, towards a life centered on You and Your lovingkindness towards us. May we seek wondrous ways to glorify You is our prayer. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Make today count with Your work for Him in the lives of others.

Receive my blessings of peace and love,

Pastor Eradio

By Whose Authority?

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Listen to the narration by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3iV2Aos

23 When he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching, and said, "By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?" 24 Jesus said to them, "I will also ask you one question; if you tell me the answer, then I will also tell you by what authority I do these things. 25 Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin?" And they argued with one another, "If we say, "From heaven,' he will say to us, "Why then did you not believe him?' 26 But if we say, "Of human origin,' we are afraid of the crowd; for all regard John as a prophet." 27 So they answered Jesus, "We do not know." And he said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things. 28 "What do you think? A man had two sons; he went to the first and said, "Son, go and work in the vineyard today.' 29 He answered, "I will not'; but later he changed his mind and went. 30 The father went to the second and said the same; and he answered, "I go, sir'; but he did not go. 31Which of the two did the will of his father?" They said, "The first." Jesus said to them, "Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you. 32 For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him; and even after you saw it, you did not change your minds and believe him. (Matthew 21:23-32 NRSV)

Happy Monday to you, dear Friend! I pray the weekend was nice to you, and you to one another. As we spend time with God, let's take advantage of prayer time with Him. A couple of updates; Ms. Elizabeth Alegria Riley's oxygen levels have stay strong at 60% and that's a good sign, but still on the ventilator. Please pray for her to recover quickly. The Rev. Emerson Villegas was admitted and intubated at a Corpus Christi hospital; pray for his healing as well. I had a good eye surgeon whose nurse told me as she prepped me that he is a man who does not like to do surgery on my type of condition without not being the only option because the risks are very high, so after my exam, the doctor said my condition was the same as last year and that was a good thing and he would check me again in six months to be sure it didn't worsen. My cataracts will be up to my ophthalmologist to decide when those would need to be tended to, so I consider that answered prayers. Thank you all for your faithfulness to prayer. Please pray for yourselves. Pray for each other.

Authority. When I was first hired in a paying church job, I was the summer youth director for St. Matthew's UMC in Houston. And it was a great summer for me, but the crowning moment of the first days was getting handed the keys to the church's office building and to my office. St. Matthew's was a very significant church in terms of its size, location, etc for that day and time. And it was also very interesting to me that the outgoing senior minister, who hired me, was the son of the minister who baptized me when I was a baby in Kingsville. A small world indeed!

The second question regarding authority was in Preaching class, when our professor spent one class session speaking about having authority to preach. His question for that first day, "By what authority, or whose authority, does one have to preach?" That stumped the class, as did most first-day questions of any class in seminary. The answer was when people show up for church, they are giving you permission to preach to them. That made sense. Now, consider the question asked of Jesus regarding His authority. Jesus arrives in the Temple and begins to teach, The chief priests and the elders already know of His teachings and miracles and all He was doing in the region and thus they ask. Jesus replies he will ask them a question and if they can answer it, He will answer their question about authority. Jesus is never one to be out-smarted. His question immediately puts them on guard, because He asks about John the Baptist's baptisms in the Jordan River; "Did it come from Heaven or was it from human origin? They know there's no way to answer that question because either answer they gave would put them in jeopardy. Their only safe answer was, "We do not know." Jesus then can say, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things." Then a story; a man had two sons; the man asks the first one to go and work in the vineyard. He answers that he won't. But changes his mind and goes and does the work. The dad goes to the second son and asks the same thing, and this one says, "I will go, sir," but doesn't. "Which of these two did the will of their father? They answer, "The first." Jesus then shocks them by saying "the tax collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you. Because John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him; and even after you saw it, you did not change your minds and believe him." Bam.

The question then comes to us; Do you give authority to God to allow Jesus to be your Lord and Savior? Will you surrender your will and personal authority to He who gave it to you? The so-called righteous of the day rejected the man who came to do the way of righteousness, and stuck to what they considered a better righteousness, and kept leading people away from God and God's Holy way. The ones who believed are precisely the ones everyone has already condemned and rejected, the tax collectors and the prostitutes. We as humans tend to grant authority only to those things that benefit us and leave the God-things far behind. If we are not careful, we can be just like the chief priests and elders of the temple. And authority given to the wrong persons leads us not to the place of righteousness, but to alienation. Today is the day to make a decision to give your authority to the Almighty, if you haven't done so already.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, as we pray today, we start by asking healing for those mentioned above, and those whom we carry in our hearts, minds, and spirits. Bless us with whatever needs we have, the burdens we carry, and the obstacles we face. We pray that we might give You authority to bless us. Receive our confessions as we pray them in silence, and grant us forgiveness; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Show someone the authority that God can have on us by living a life that glorifies Him.

Receive my blessings of joy and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Seek the Lord Always!

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Listen here to the narration of today's devotional: https://bit.ly/35HBvky

1 Hallelujah! Thank God! Pray to him by name! Tell everyone you meet what he has done! 2 Sing him songs, belt out hymns, translate his wonders into music! 3 Honor his holy name with Hallelujahs, you who seek God. Live a happy life! 4 Keep your eyes open for God, watch for his works; be alert for signs of his presence. 5 Remember the world of wonders he has made, his miracles, and the verdicts he's rendered - 6 O seed of Abraham, his servant, O child of Jacob, his chosen. 37 He led Israel out, their arms filled with loot, and not one among his tribes even stumbled. 38 Egypt was glad to have them go - they were scared to death of them. 39 God spread a cloud to keep them cool through the day and a fire to light their way through the night; 40 They prayed and he brought quail, filled them with the bread of heaven; 41 He opened the rock and water poured out; it flowed like a river through that desert - 42 All because he remembered his Covenant, his promise to Abraham, his servant. 43 Remember this! He led his people out singing for joy; his chosen people marched, singing their hearts out! 44 He made them a gift of the country they entered, helped them seize the wealth of the nations 45 So they could do everything he told them - could follow his instructions to the letter. Hallelujah! (Psalm 105: 1-6; 37-45 The Message)

May this be a terrific Thursday for you and yours, dear Friend! I thank the Lord for your life and your willingness to travel with this community in our prayer and devotional life. I pray that God blesses you as we journey in the scriptures; and as we pray that the first blessing be yours. I ask for prayers for a dear sister in the Lord, who is yet another Covid-19 patient. She is, at the time of this writing, doing better, and just this past Tuesday did I find out about her situation and her grave condition. I'm referring to Elizabeth Alegria Riley, of Corpus Christi. She's a member of Kelsey Memorial UMC, and sister to The Rev. Frank Alegria, who early in this pandemic also had Covid, but recovered; we pray the same for Elizabeth. She's in ICU, intubated and receiving treatment. Her vitals are the best she has had since she was admitted, and we pray it is a sign of her coming recovery. Please join in prayer for her and others who suffer this disease. Pray for one another, and pray for yourselves.

The psalmist was not a shy person. He did not believe in keeping things, especially wonderful things, to himself. We remember him as a boy, and the outspoken, confident way that he approached King Saul when the Israelites were frozen in terror agains the giant Goliath. His also being a songwriter and singer make this psalm truly stand out in his views about sharing/witnessing for God. One sometimes thinks, why would it be necessary to witness among a group of people whose main religion is Judaism? Their history was a rich, long, story of God leading and interceding for them, but as happens, even among Christians; not everyone is paying attention, and not everyone is believing what they should be hearing. The Rev. Dr. Fred Craddock, wrote once that he returned back for a funeral in a small church he had served and quickly remembered the woman who died only had a daughter as family, and every Sunday this was the girl that distracted Fred because she was never listening to his sermons and was a pretty rambunctious child. At the end of the service at graveside, he approached her hoping to comfort her and as he started to talk about comfort and strength, she interrupted, "It was something you said when I was a child that has helped me throughout this sad time of Mother's death..." And he had to admit, one never knows. We need continue to share and witness, regardless of the immediate reaction or rejection, trusting God that His message is getting through.

It's in verse four (4) that we find the key to this passage, "Keep your eyes open for God, watch for His works; be alert for signs of His presence." He was one who knew that if we look close enough, and long enough, the hand of God in our midst will be seen and experienced. He also reminded them of the Exodus presence and power of God; God led them out, and they didn't leave Egypt empty-handed; "their arms filled with loot," a cloud to keep them cool during the day and a fire to light their way through the night; when hungry, they prayed and God sent them quail and manna, the bread of heaven; from rocks spew forth drinking water, and that water was like a stream in the desert. All because God never forgot His covenant with Abraham, all in hopes of having their love and obedience. Hallelujah, amen!

If we take time each day to remember our day, make note of the way God blessed you. If you keep a list, you will soon run out of paper.

PRAYER: Loving Father, thank You for all You do, have done, and will do in our lives. May we be like David in our bold way to sharing with others the great things You have done for us. We pray for healing of our sister Elizabeth, for others like her, and for those in our hearts right now as we pray; in Christ Jesus' name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Share your list of God-things with someone in need today!

Receive my blessings of hope and comfort,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Witness to your faith by wearing a Praise Mask! https://bit.ly/2XAvMZ4

"We Miss the Covered Dish Suppers!"

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Hear the devotional narrated here: https://bit.ly/3kgO1eQ

2 The whole company of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron there in the wilderness. 3 The Israelites said, "Why didn't God let us die in comfort in Egypt where we had lamb stew and all the bread we could eat? You've brought us out into this wilderness to starve us to death, the whole company of Israel!" 4 God said to Moses, "I'm going to rain bread down from the skies for you. The people will go out and gather each day's ration. I'm going to test them to see if they'll live according to my Teaching or not. 5 On the sixth day, when they prepare what they have gathered, it will turn out to be twice as much as their daily ration." 6 Moses and Aaron told the People of Israel, "This evening you will know that it is God who brought you out of Egypt; 7 and in the morning you will see the Glory of God. Yes, he's listened to your complaints against him. You haven't been complaining against us, you know, but against God." 8 Moses said, "Since it will be God who gives you meat for your meal in the evening and your fill of bread in the morning, it's God who will have listened to your complaints against him. Who are we in all this? You haven't been complaining to us - you've been complaining to God!" 9 Moses instructed Aaron: "Tell the whole company of Israel: 'Come near to God. He's heard your complaints.'" 10 When Aaron gave out the instructions to the whole company of Israel, they turned to face the wilderness. And there it was: the Glory of God visible in the Cloud. 11 God spoke to Moses, 12 "I've listened to the complaints of the Israelites. Now tell them: 'At dusk you will eat meat and at dawn you'll eat your fill of bread; and you'll realize that I am God, your God.'" 13 That evening quail flew in and covered the camp and in the morning there was a layer of dew all over the camp. 14 When the layer of dew had lifted, there on the wilderness ground was a fine flaky something, fine as frost on the ground. 15 The Israelites took one look and said to one another, man-hu (What is it?). They had no idea what it was. (Exodus 16:2-15 The Message Bible)

Happy Wednesday to you and yours, dear Friend! May this find you well and enjoying God's blessings and favor in all your endeavors for today and this week. I ask we continue to pray for one another, for those beloved family members on our churches' prayer lists and just for those whom you know need a rich blessing from God! Pray for one another; pray for yourselves.

If we reread verse one we get the general theme of this people for the next forty years. And, if there is anything that can deflate the spirit and energy of most pastors is for us to constantly complain about him/her, the church, the committees, the hymns, the use of masks indoors, the lack of closeness and constant contact. Oh yes, one more thing, our fellowship dinners, aka covered dishes! And you kinda get the sense that this was bothering the new members of Moses' First United Traveling Ministry. By the second verse, they lit into Moses with that refrain, "We miss the covered dishes from back home!" This version has lamb stew as one of the menu items, as well as "all the bread we could eat." And we're just about talking about the UMW's reason for living; the preparation of delicious and interesting jello molds, jello salads, bean salads, Boston Baked Beans, pinto beans, kidney beans, navy beans, lima beans, corn salads, potato... well, you get the idea. A traveling church is very similar to a church in a pandemic. They had miles to go before they could eat and from the looks on the cooks, there wasn't much to choose from. The complaint was a solid one, there were no take-out places on this route. In and Out was simply Out. Whataburger was What burger? The golden arches were mirages in the sand, and quickly a committee to gripe against Moses was quickly formed. This was more a Pastor (we're) Perishing Committee, and only one agenda item to discuss; food and the lack of it. And in this case, God heard the complaint a little before it reached Moses' ears. God's reply, "I'm going to rain bread down from the skies for you." There will be so much bread, you will not know what to do; but the test will be that each do as I command. Sunday through Thursday, plenty o'bread and on Friday, double servings so that Saturday the UMW can have the day off for Sabbath worship.

A clear lesson is learned here as Moses discovered; all this complaining was being directed to God (verse 8); but God had planned the response; God would provide a bread unlike any they had ever eaten before, and they'll have plenty of meat as well. And it went as God directed; in the evenings, quail would fly in and the men of the group would show their licenses to the warden and bam! Bagged their limit and the women folk prepared the meat. In the mornings, dew would roll in and when it would lift, under the dew was a flakey bread unlike anything they had ever tasted before, evidenced by their using Hebrew to say to one another, "man-hu!" which is East Texan for I dunno. What they should have known was the simple lesson you and I already know; God provides.

And that was the purpose of the traveling church/university; God forming a people during the Exodus. The majority of the group as it left Egypt was mostly Hebrews, mixed in with a small group of disgruntled Egyptians and as they traveled they met up with people who chose to join them and so were assimilated into this new people that God wanted to form, the Jews. Their first lesson and constant lesson; if you cry out to God, God listens and responds. God intervenes and delivers. And wasn't this the same group, who in last week's OT lesson saw the Red Sea parted? Of course it was! And if God can split the ocean to set your free, you'll have your meals too. God always provides.

Now, what's making you want to complain in your life? (And you're not alone!). Universally, the thing we still hear is "When is this pandemic going to finally be over? When will I be able to hold my new grandchild? When will I see my son and his family again? And the list is valid, but quite lengthy. We can say a Biblical thing in response: God will provide; in His time.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, as people of the clock we find distraction in keeping and watching the minutes and hours drag on. It seemed like only last week we trimmed our nails and here again today they need our attention. Lord, deliver us from the captivity that is time and usher us into the freedom that is hope and joy. May we be open to being formed again as Your people, whatever that may ultimately look like. You know our needs and yes, even our gripes, but we humbly request Your pardon for the negatives in our lives. We are better than that, thanks to You; make us that way again. For this dear reader I pray blessings upon blessings in whatever area of life they are needed, and all of this in the name of He who is our Lord and Savior, Christ Jesus, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Shower someone with heavenly things (yes, ask God what those may be, but watch out, He does answer!)

Receive my blessings of joy and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Living is Great! How Does Dying Rank with You?

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Listen to the narration here: https://bit.ly/3iw03kf

21 For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain. 22 If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which I prefer. 23 I am hard pressed between the two: my desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better; 24 but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you. 25 Since I am convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for your progress and joy in faith, 26 so that I may share abundantly in your boasting in Christ Jesus when I come to you again. 27 Only, live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that, whether I come and see you or am absent and hear about you, I will know that you are standing firm in one spirit, striving side by side with one mind for the faith of the gospel, 28 and are in no way intimidated by your opponents. For them this is evidence of their destruction, but of your salvation. And this is God's doing. 29 For he has graciously granted you the privilege not only of believing in Christ, but of suffering for him as well— 30 since you are having the same struggle that you saw I had and now hear that I still have. (Philippians 1:21-30 NRSV)

Happy Tuesday, dear Friend! I pray this finds you well and brings a blessing to your heart, mind, and spirit! That's my prayer and I'm sticking with it! I thank you all for your prayers for those mentioned in the last few days. That is why we pray, because God answers prayer! If we could only get that message out to more people; can you imagine. I think silly things from time to time and I was wondering as I took my walk yesterday; I'm listening to my music by something I cannot understand or explain, bluetooth. And as cars drive by, the newer these cars are the more likely they have a bluetooth signal from their dashboard to their phone. We can't see bluetooth, but we can imagine if it were like a blue laser beam, we could lose focus on the road, in our homes! The same for the cell signal from towers to phones to other phones to towers; we cannot see cell signals but we know they're passing right through us; can you imagine if we could see prayers being lifted up? It would be an amazing sight! But I rejoice that what we can see are answered prayers on a daily basis!

We come to a new Epistle, the one from Paul to the church in Philippi. He writes from his heart, reflecting exactly where he found himself in the grand scheme of things; he was going to die soon. He knew it from his first day as a Christian; the Risen Lord Jesus revealed to him just how he, Paul, would die. And still, Paul said, "Great! Let's go! I'll do whatever you need to me to do, to go where you need me to go, to reach whomever it is you need me to reach - I.will.go. And, he kept one thought, actually, a reality, with him the rest of his life; Jesus is alive and He has promised that when I die, I would join Him. I believe Paul no longer had any fear of death from that point on; quite the opposite, he longed for the day to come when he would be with Jesus. Nowhere does he write, "I can't wait to see my mom again soon," or "My dad I know is going to grab me when I get there, and we're going to have a great time together again." Nope. He may have had those thoughts, but his heart, dear friends, belonged to Jesus. He saw Him. He talked with Him. He learned from Him, and he lived for Him. So, as he writes to this church, he shares his heart; "For me, living is Christ and dying is gain." He is convinced that death would not be so terrible as most of us have imagined. And you know this season of Covid-19 has made more than one of us think, with every scratchy throat or cough, or ache and pain, "Is this it? Do I have Covid and if I do, will I be called home because of it?" Tell the truth! Sadly, we know too many who have died that did not have the luxury of too much time to think about death because they went too quickly. And their families are still struggling with the suddenness of death. And that is true because of other reasons, but here's the point of this letter to the ancients in Philippi and to us; if you love Jesus, every day on this side is great, and if one day we wake up and we're on the other side, that'll be even greater. Paul said that every day he was alive was a day in which to work. And we're talking full day work, filled with excitement, about reaching souls for Christ! And while living, Paul writes, we should live our lives in a manner that makes the Gospel of Jesus Christ look good. Remember the scene from Men In Black, where the younger man puts on his black suit and when comparing himself to the older man says, "I make this look good!" We should have the same attitude about the way we live; our witness, our words, our greetings and farewells, our time with others should all make God look good in us!

Paul knew the Philippians had enemies, as do we, but we should not let whatever enemy we have, intimidate us; for the better we live, the tougher death they will have, and the more evidence we will share with the world the fact that we are saved! This is how God wanted it, and this is how we should be living!

PRAYER: Loving God, grant us what we need to make Your Gospel look good in a way that draws more people to You. We do that not by being holier than them, but by being more loving and accepting of the greatness of life as we find it in others. May this dear reader find inspiration in You to go forth and serve You. May we all be directed by Your Spirit to be faithful and fruitful; for it is in Christ Jesus that we pray, amen!

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Share the love!

Receive my blessings of joy and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Half-Day's Work?

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Listen to the narration of today's devotional here: https://bit.ly/2Rmh8Rw

1 "For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2 After agreeing with the laborers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 When he went out about nine o'clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace; 4 and he said to them, "You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.' So they went. 5 When he went out again about noon and about three o'clock, he did the same. 6 And about five o'clock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, "Why are you standing here idle all day?' 7 They said to him, "Because no one has hired us.' He said to them, "You also go into the vineyard.' 8 When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, "Call the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.' 9 When those hired about five o'clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage. 10 Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage. 11 And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, 12 saying, "These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.' 13 But he replied to one of them, "Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? 14 Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. 15 Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?' 16 So the last will be first, and the first will be last." (Matthew 20:1-16 NRSV)

A blessed Monday to you and yours, dear Friend, is my prayer. I pray you had a wonderful weekend. May this week bless you with what you need to honor God more in your life and adventures. As we pray this morning I ask continued prayers for The Rev. Rob Clopton who is undergoing chemotherapy in Houston; I spoke with him this weekend and he's thankful that so far no side effects have affected him. He and wife Sandra found accommodations in a home sponsored by M.D. Anderson Hospital. Pray for his healing. Pray for those on your church's prayer list, your personal prayer list, and others who come into your heart and mind during the day. Pray for one another. Pray for yourselves.

When I was a boy I learned a song that I sang joyfully and excitedly. I don't remember the name of the song, but the lyrics were quite clear: Don't do a half-day's work for the Lord and expect a full-day's pay; only what's done with all of your heart, counts on the judgment day." The older I got and the more we sang it, it didn't seem to hit me right especially after I started studying the Bible and especially this parable of Jesus. I know the author probably thought about the work we need to be doing for God and probably wanted to emphasize more the whole-hearted enthusiasm we should all hold in our hearts toward the work of Jesus.

Jesus is speaking of the Kingdom of Heaven, and who can get in. In this story, the landowner hires people at different times of the day, having promised the first group hired a wage recognized as "the usual daily wage." At nine o'clock, the landowner hires another group and says he would pay them "Whatever is right." At noon, and later at 3 p.m., he hires more workers, and then at 5 pm, he hires yet another group. Then at quitting time, all the workers received the same pay, much to the dismay of the 9 am group, who felt they had done more work and thus deserved more pay. Jesus simply says, "We agreed on a certain amount, and I paid you that; and because I am the owner I can pay the last group whatever amount I choose." Then Jesus' awesome saying, "So the last will be first, and the first will be last."

What I believe this means, since the year those present when Jesus taught this, the people who heard that, believed it and received it, then lived it out, died. They entered into the Kingdom of Heaven. You and me, more than 2,000 years later, the same holds true for us. If we hear this, believe this, and receive this, at the end of our days, we, too, will enter into our enteral reward. Can you imagine one of us going up to Jesus and saying, "Lord, it does not seem fair to me that I came here so much later than Peter, James, and John!" Our reward will be the same as the first martyrs. And in all honesty, I don't believe our standing before Jesus in His Heavenly Kingdom will allow us to even think things like this! I, for one, will be thankful to stand before my King, and to hear His invitation for me to join Him for all eternity. I will not expect a refund on the days that others have spent there while I was on earth.

The same applies even today. As a youth growing up, we saw kids come to Jesus later than us, and then they were blessed with things others of us may not have received, but we rejoiced in their presence. As a pastor I had kids come and ask why when they had been members of the church longer, did they get overlooked for an office or a scholarship. This parable came to mind. And I said of the countless other places this your brother/sister could be, a gang, a drug dealer or drug user, so many other things, s/he is here with you and me, in the kingdom, doing kingdom work. And guess what? There's plenty of work to go around!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, may Your will be done on earth, while we wait and while we work, in ways that perhaps we do not yet fully understand, and know that we should accept all who labor alongside us. Bless us in our desire to do more to reach more. This we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Bless someone with kingdom work that they need to receive.

Receive my blessings of joy and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Running and Finishing!

DARE TO DREAM!

Life! What a precious gift from God. What a blessing to be alive in a wonderful, vibrant world of unlimited possibilities. Then, adversity strikes, and this "gift" feels more like a curse. "Why? Why me?" we ask. Yet we never get an answer, or do we? After contracting Hodgkin's disease at age seven and being given six months to live, I triumphed over the odds. Call it luck, hope, faith or courage, there are thousands of survivors! Winners like us know the answer - "Why not us? We can handle it!" I'm not dying of cancer. I'm living with cancer. God doesn't make junk, regardless of what comes our way, and I don't have to be afraid anymore. In my sophomore year of high school, the class was scheduled to run the mile. I will always remember that day because due to the swelling and scars from surgery on my leg, for two solid years I had not worn shorts. I was afraid of the teasing. So, for two years I lived in fear. Yet that day, it didn't matter. I was ready - shorts, heart and mind. I no sooner got to the starting line before I heard the loud whispers. "Gross!" "How fat!" "How ugly!" I blocked it out. Then the coach yelled, "Ready. Set. Go!" I jetted out of there like an airplane, faster than anyone for the first 20 feet. I didn't know much about pacing then, but it was okay because I was determined to finish first. As we came around the first of four laps, there were students all over the track. By the end of the second lap, many of the students had already quit. They had given up and were on the ground gasping for air. As I started the third lap, only a few of my classmates were left on the track, and I began limping. By the time I hit the fourth lap, I was alone. Then it hit me. I realized that nobody had given up. Instead, everyone had already finished. As I ran that last lap, I cried. I realized that every boy and girl in my class had beat me, and 12 minutes, 42 seconds after starting, I crossed the finish line. I fell to the ground and shed oceans. I was so embarrassed. Suddenly my coach ran up to me and picked me up, yelling, "You did it. Manuel! Manuel, you finished, son. You finished!" He looked me straight in the eye waving a piece of paper in his hand. It was my goal for the day, which I had forgotten. I had given it to him before class. He read it aloud to everyone. It simply said, "I Manuel Diotte, will finish the mile run tomorrow, come what may. No pain or frustration will stop me. For I am more than capable of finishing, and with God as my strength, I will finish." Signed, Manuel Diotte - with a little smiling face inside the D, as I always sign my name. My heart lifted. My tears went away, and I had a smile on my face as if I had eaten a banana sideways. My classmates applauded and gave me my first standing ovation. It was then I realized winning isn't always finishing first. Sometimes winning is just finishing.

By Manuel Diotte from Chicken Soup for the Surviving Soul Copyright 1996 by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Patty Aubery & Nancy Mitchell, R.N.

1000 Marbles

The older I get, the more I enjoy Saturday mornings. Perhaps it's the quiet solitude that comes with being the first to rise, or maybe it's the unbounded joy of not having to be at work. Either way, the first few hours of a Saturday morning are most enjoyable. A few weeks ago I was shuffling toward the basement with a steaming cup of coffee in one hand and the morning paper in the other. What began as a typical Saturday morning, turned into one of those lessons that life seems to hand you from time to time. I turned the dial up on my ham radio in order to listen to a Saturday morning swap net. Along the way I came across an older sounding chap with a tremendous signal and a golden voice. You know the kind, he sounded like he should be in the broadcasting business. He was telling whoever he was talking with something about "a thousand marbles". I was intrigued and stopped to listen to what he had to say. "Well, Tom, it sure sounds like you're busy with your job. I'm sure they pay you well, but it's a shame you have to be away from home and your family so much. Hard to believe a young fellow should have to work sixty or seventy hours a week to make ends meet. Too bad you missed your daughter's dance recital." He continued, "Let me tell you something, Tom, something that has helped me keep a good perspective on my own priorities." And that's when he began to explain his theory of a "thousand marbles." "You see, I sat down one day and did a little arithmetic. The average person lives about seventy-five years. I know, some live more and some live less, but on average, folks live about seventy-five years." "Now then, I multiplied 75 times 52 and I came up with 3900 which is the number of Saturdays that the average person has in their entire lifetime. Now stick with me, Tom, I'm getting to the important part. It took me until I was fifty-five years old to think about all this in any detail", he went on, "and by that time I had lived through over twenty-eight hundred Saturdays. I got to thinking that if I lived to be seventy-five, only had about a thousand of them left to enjoy." "So I went to a toy store and bought every single marble they had. I ended up having to visit three toy stores to round-up 1000 marbles. I took them home and put them inside of a large, clear plastic container right here next to my gear. Every Saturday since then I have taken one marble out and thrown it away." "I found that by watching the marbles diminish, I focused more on the really important things in life. There is nothing like watching your time here on this earth run out to help get your priorities straight. Now let me tell you one last thing before I sign-off with you and take my lovely wife out for breakfast. This morning I took the very last marble out of the container. I figure if I make it until next Saturday, then I have been given a little extra time. And the one thing we can all use is a little more time." "It was nice to meet you Tom, I hope you spend more time with your family, and I hope to meet you again here on the band. 73 Old Man, this is K9NZQ, clear and going QRT, good morning!" You could have heard a pin drop on the band when this fellow signed off. I had planned to work on the antenna that morning, and then I was going to meet up with a few hams to work on the next club newsletter. Instead, I went upstairs and woke my wife up with a kiss. "C'mon honey, I'm taking you and the kids to breakfast." "What brought this on?" she asked with a smile. "Oh, nothing special, it's just been a long time since we spent a Saturday together with the kids. Hey, can we stop at a toy store while we're out? I need to buy some marbles."

Author Unknown

With the current conditions in the USA right now, this seems very appropriate.

So Help Me GOD

This is by a daughter of a murdered couple in Raytown who had a Bible and Bookstore on 63rd Street.

When I had to testify at the murder trial of my parents a week ago, I was asked to raise my right hand. The bailiff started out, "Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth ?

I stood there and waited but she said nothing more. She said, "Do you?" I was so stunned I blurted out, "What happened to "so help me God?" She came back with "Do you?" I replies yes, but I was perplexed. Then the judge said, "You can say that if you want to." I stopped, raised my right hand and finished with "so help me God!"

I told my son and daughter that when it came time for them to testify, they should do the same. It's no wonder we have so many problems in this country. If I'd had my wits about me, I'd have told them that taking God out of the courtroom is only going to result in more criminals and murderers like him being in there. I don't know what can be done about it, but it's time we stepped up and did something.

CNBC had a poll on this question. They had the highest number of responses that they have ever had for one of their polls and the percentage was the same as this: 86% to keep the words; 15% against. That is a pretty commanding public response.

I was asked to send this on if I agreed or delete if I didn't. Now it is your turn. It is said that 85% of Americans believe in God. Therefore, I have a very hard time understanding why there is such a mess about having "In God We Trust" on our money and having "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance. Why don't we just tell the 14% to sit down and SHUT UP! Think about it

Moses and the people were in the desert, but what was he going to do with them? They had to have food, and feeding 2 or 3 million people requires a lot of food. According to the Quartermaster General of the Army, Moses would have to have 1,500 tons of food each day. And to get it there it would take two freight trains a mile long each day.

Besides you must remember, they are out in the desert and they all have to have firewood to use to cook the food. This would take 4,000 tons of wood and a few more freight trains, each a mile long, just for one day. And just think they were in transit for forty years. Oh yes they would have to have water. If they only had enough to drink and wash a few dishes, it would take 11 million gallons each day, and a freight train with tank cars 1,800 miles long just to bring water! And then another thing: They had to get across the Red Sea in only one night. If they went on a narrow path, double file, the line would be 800 miles long and require 35 days and nights to get through. So there had to be a space in the Red Sea, 3 miles wide so they could walk 5,000 abreast to get across in one night.

But then another problem: Each time they camped at the end of the day, a campground two-thirds the size of the state of Rhode Island was required , or a total of 750 square miles long. Think of it! This space just for nightly camping.

Do you think Moses figured all this out before he left Egypt? I think not! You see, Moses believed in God. God took care of these things for him.

Now, do you think God has any problem taking care of all your needs?

In The Presence of God

Image from dustoffthebible.com

If your kids/grandkids have TikTok, please listen here for narration of devotional and a thought on what your kids may be facing: https://bit.ly/3jUHq9Y

1 After Israel left Egypt, the clan of Jacob left those barbarians behind; 2 Judah became holy land for him, Israel the place of holy rule. 3 Sea took one look and ran the other way; River Jordan turned around and ran off. 4 The mountains turned playful and skipped like rams, the hills frolicked like spring lambs. 5 What's wrong with you, Sea, that you ran away? and you, River Jordan, that you turned and ran off? 6 And mountains, why did you skip like rams? and you, hills, frolic like spring lambs? 7 Tremble, Earth! You're in the Lord's presence! in the presence of Jacob's God. 8 He turned the rock into a pool of cool water, turned flint into fresh spring water. (Psalm 114 The Message)

A blessed and joyous Thursday be yours, dear Friend! At this writing we are thankful for the rain, though it has come in larger doses than we're used to. This set of clouds have come with thunder. But the ground was thirsty for renewal and refreshing. Friends, thank you for responding so quickly to our prayer request from the Haley family. I would add the name of Sherri Schellenburg's uncle for our prayers as well. He too, has pancreatic cancer, and Sherri's mom died from that, and just Tuesday had his second round of chemo. He also has a spot on his liver, so please fervent prayers for those mentioned and those whom. you know that need healing from cancer, and Coronavirus. Rev. Steve Purdy reports that his daughter, Jenna has undergone five chemo treatments and has had no side effects, for which we praise God and pray those are signs of the work being done on her body. As always, please pray for one another, and offer up a prayer for yourselves.

For some still unexplained reason, when I watched Saturday morning cartoons back in the 1950s, I was very frightened of the thought of finding a blasting cap in my neighborhood. I know the government was aware of the amount of construction going on in most of the U.S. and there was a possibility that some workers might leave blasting caps accidentally, and the fear was that kids would pick them and play with them, and then something terrible might happen to those children. That very small item could do great damage, and that's why it was invented; ours was to be aware and to be frightened by them. Which I am to this day! I'm also afraid of quicksand, which were not part of a national ad campaign, but Tarzan sure did seem to find a lot of places where he or the hunters would fall into such places! But, can you imagine the fear creation has of a God who is angry and on the side of a people facing danger and exploitation? The imagery of this psalm is awesome. It might even have inspired a Walt Disney to make movies giving inanimate objects, life and movement. The sea is verbally painted as having the ability to run, and run it does when confronted by God. The River Jordan, also ran away from the powerful presence of God; the mountains "turned playful and skipped like rams, the hills frolicked like spring lambs." And so, the psalmist asks, "What's wrong with you" that you would do what you did, to run away from God? Then he answers his own question; "Tremble, Earth! You're in the Lord's presence! In the presence of Jacob's God." For after all, he writes, God has the power to turn "the rock into a pool of cool water, (and) turn flint into fresh spring water." Wow! God can take the immovable and make it flee, and in the same way God can take strong solid things and make them liquid. Weapons-grade material turned into refreshing, nourishing things, that instead of killing become the sources of quenched thirsts, and renewed life.

What oceans are blocking your view of a fullness of life? What rivers do you think are preventing you from moving forward? What mountain range of almost uncountable things coming against you needs to flee? And what hills are blocking the blessings that seem to lie just beyond them? What weapons do you see being formed against you, that should instead be sources of healing and refreshing? Who can do that for you? Only God.

PRAYER: Awesome God, as we pray for pray for those listed above who stand in need of healing. Father, you can turn pneumonia and cancer into pools of cool water and not the weapons of destruction they want to be; so be it! And Lord, You can take the mounting worries, concerns, and anxieties of everyday things and make them flee when they become aware of Your presence in our lives. Father, be glorified in us and in our needs; re-kindle the fires of Your Holy Spirit in us so that others can come and see us burn with blessings and joy, and yet, not consumed, just like the burning bush you showed to Moses. This we pray in faith, in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen!

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Show a faith that is so fired up, people will run to you to watch you burn!

Receive my blessings of peace, comfort, and love,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Dad Splits the Sea; Son Walks On It!

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Bonus things included in the narration! https://bit.ly/2R5JVJY

19 The angel of God that had been leading the camp of Israel now shifted and got behind them. And the Pillar of Cloud that had been in front also shifted to the rear. 20 The Cloud was now between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel. The Cloud enshrouded one camp in darkness and flooded the other with light. The two camps didn't come near each other all night. 21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea and God, with a terrific east wind all night long, made the sea go back. He made the sea dry ground. The seawaters split. 22 The Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground with the waters a wall to the right and to the left. 23 The Egyptians came after them in full pursuit, every horse and chariot and driver of Pharaoh racing into the middle of the sea. 24 It was now the morning watch. God looked down from the Pillar of Fire and Cloud on the Egyptian army and threw them into a panic. 25 He clogged the wheels of their chariots; they were stuck in the mud. The Egyptians said, "Run from Israel! God is fighting on their side and against Egypt!" 26 God said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand over the sea and the waters will come back over the Egyptians, over their chariots, over their horsemen." 27 Moses stretched his hand out over the sea: As the day broke and the Egyptians were running, the sea returned to its place as before. God dumped the Egyptians in the middle of the sea. 28 The waters returned, drowning the chariots and riders of Pharaoh's army that had chased after Israel into the sea. Not one of them survived. 29 But the Israelites walked right through the middle of the sea on dry ground, the waters forming a wall to the right and to the left. 30 God delivered Israel that day from the oppression of the Egyptians. And Israel looked at the Egyptian dead, washed up on the shore of the sea, 31 and realized the tremendous power that God brought against the Egyptians. The people were in reverent awe before God and trusted in God and his servant Moses. (Exodus 14:19-31 The Message Bible)

A joyous mid-week day to you, dear Friend. I pray the full blessings of God be with you and yours on this awesome day.

I have sat in classes where the professor has shared a theory or two, making me wonder if these were his, or where they truly someone else's? One said that the Red Sea, split in two by God's mighty hand, was nothing more, at the time, than a small stream, and the name of it wasn't the Red Sea, it was the Reed Sea, meaning it was shallow and hard plenty of reeds to hold on to as the people of God made their way across. I respect the right of those who don't believe, to not believe; and I reserve the right to believe sometimes we make a mockery of faith when we try so hard to make "sense" of what is clearly God-works, miracles, that are not meant to be explained, but enjoyed. But, here is the story. As God promised, He delivered His people from the oppression of Pharaoh and thus began a forty year journey of formation. Ask any bride who has been married at least 40 years, and she'll be quick to tell you, she finally got hubby where he needed to be. It took that long, to form that man into the husband she always wanted. And you ask any man who's been married that long, and he will quickly reply, "Yes, dear!" All joshing aside, examine what we have in the few verses shared here. The camp did not simply wander out into the wilderness alone. The very first verse, verse 19 says, "The angel of God led the way, and it was at that point of the story, that the angel goes to the rear of the group. And the Pillar of Cloud also shifted to the rear." Those were visible symbols of the presence of God Himself present with them! The shift occurs as the mass of people realize that the free walking range of endless desert was now quickly coming to an end into the ocean. And with every step they took, the armies of Pharaoh were quickly gaining on the fleeing slaves. You have to stop and realize that the armies had all lost someone in their family to the last plague. Every father in the army lost a firstborn son. That meant they were in mourning and enraged at the people whose God caused these deaths. Most wanted to be home with the preparations necessary to bury their dead. Instead, here they were trying to stop this free labor from escaping. What slowed them down was that there was now a cloud blocking their view of the escaped slaves. The same Cloud that darkened the camp of the Egyptians was making the camp of the Hebrews bright as midday noon. And as the scripture says, "The two camps didn't come near each other all night." It'd at that realization that had I been in camp I'd be hollering "Hallelujah!"

As the Hebrews neared the sea, Moses stretched his hand over the sea and God, with a terrific east wind all night long, made the sea go back, then the water receded and the seawaters split. And right through that once terrifying sea, walked the people of God away from the danger of being caught and being sent back as slaves once again. Once they were mostly across, God allowed the Egyptians to come in, only to find their chariot wheels getting stuck in the mud, and most of them are confused but not enough so they said, "Run from Israel! God is fighting on their side and against us!" It was then that God said to Moses, "Stretch your hand over the sea once more and the waters will come back over they Egyptians, over their chariots, over their horsemen." And so it was. Egypt defeated; Israel with a big W in their column. Everyone in the armies of Pharaoh now dead. "Not one survived." It was then the Israelites realized the great power that God brought against their enemy. "The people were in reverent awe before God and trust in God and His servant Moses." It sounds just like the end of some Sundays we have had in church. The music hit just right, the prayers lifted up included our need, and then the pastor preached the sermon that truly spoke to us about where we were and where we needed to be. Amen, let's go home and enjoy a fine meal, take a nap, watch whatever game may be on; for God is truly in His Heaven and He has smiled upon us. Then the game does not go as we wanted; the Cowboys lose again! Or, the crowd was so large at the eating place, we decided to pick up curbside and eat it at home. Or an email comes that says the boss wants us in earlier than ever with a to-do list that is longer than the receipt from CVS! We have soon forgotten about all that God has done in our favor; and this is a spoiler alert to the remaining years that Israel faces in the wilderness. Above all things, that special worship time should be enough to help us float past Sunday afternoon, and Monday morning, and into a time of reflection and gratitude for all that God has done. What we receive on Sunday usually is more than enough to help us with the rest of the days coming directly towards us.

PRAYER: Loving God, we thank You on this midweek day, for what You have done for us in past days. May the sweet memories of worship victories speak to the small defeats that we seem to receive when we don't really want them. May Your Spirit lift us gently up and guide us through the rest of this week; preparing us to once again worship and praise You in ways that bring honor and glory to You. This we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord. Show someone today that you're still blessed by what God has done in your life, and that is enough to carry your onward and upward.

Receive my blessing of peace and love,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Live or Die, Honor the Lord!

Hear the devotional narrated here: https://bit.ly/336lKAW

1 Welcome those who are weak in faith, but not for the purpose of quarreling over opinions. 2 Some believe in eating anything, while the weak eat only vegetables. 3 Those who eat must not despise those who abstain, and those who abstain must not pass judgment on those who eat; for God has welcomed them. 4 Who are you to pass judgment on servants of another? It is before their own lord that they stand or fall. And they will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make them stand. 5 Some judge one day to be better than another, while others judge all days to be alike. Let all be fully convinced in their own minds. 6 Those who observe the day, observe it in honor of the Lord. Also those who eat, eat in honor of the Lord, since they give thanks to God; while those who abstain, abstain in honor of the Lord and give thanks to God. 7 We do not live to ourselves, and we do not die to ourselves. 8 If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's. 9 For to this end Christ died and lived again, so that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living. 10 Why do you pass judgment on your brother or sister? Or you, why do you despise your brother or sister? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. 11 For it is written, "As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall give praise to God." 12 So then, each of us will be accountable to God. (Romans 14:1-12 NRSV)

A blessed and happy Tuesday to you, dear Friend. I pray you had a great Labor Day. Nellie and I enjoyed a Starbucks breakfast and then a long drive out towards the Hill Country and back. Then I enjoyed a nice nap. I ask for continued prayers for pastor Emerson Villegas of Skidmore UMC, who continues to struggle with the illness of Covid-19. Pray for his healing and breathing. Pray for those recovering from surgeries. Pray for one another, and pray for yourselves.

"Dear Church" should be the theme of Paul's life. As he traveled and preached and made new converts, and made churches, he would establish a church, tend to it for a bit, and then go on to the next place, always guided by the Holy Spirit. And as happens with human organizations that stray away from the Lord, trouble pops in and problems began. And with Paul being the founder of the church and with no organized system of governance beyond the local church, Paul becomes the go-to person and so they write letters with their problems and questions about the situation. The main problem in the capital city of the Roman government, was that throughout the city, statues of Caesar were everywhere, and emperor worship was expected of all residents of the city. To be in Rome and profess faith in Jesus was a violation of the law. And further, some Christians would not eat meat that had been first offered as a sacrifice to an idol (Caesar). As The Message version says it, some would rather be vegetarian rather than meat-eating idol people; to eat meat offered to an idol was too tainted to be pure for a believer. Paul believed that meat is meat and to eat it if you were hungry and were from Texas, like Paul, then go for it. When the lottery began here in Texas, many pastors asked the bishop about receiving a tithe from a church member who might win the lottery. The bishop at the time was a wise man and he replied, "You gladly take the money and say, 'Satan has had it long enough, now let God have a chance at it.'" And, you might be asking, how many United Methodists within this area have won the lottery? At last count, none. Or, we have some very silent winners in our midst. I loved telling church members that would tell me, "Just wait Pastor when I win the lottery, the church's money problems will all be over!" I'd laugh and say, "Honestly, if you win the lottery I will never see you again! You'll be the hardest person to find in all creation." And, Paul had the same idea about eating meat that had first been offered to idols. No thought would be given to Caesar as they enjoyed beef. Paul says, "Don't despise those who abstain, and if you're an abstainer, don't despise those who eat; because God welcomes all of them. We will all stand before God one day and give an account for what we did and didn't do, but more so for the judgments we passed on others.

Paul's simple and sincere advice is that we must give honor to God in all things; our worship, our daily life, our work, our play, and our private time; are we honoring God? Paul truly believed and preached "We do not live to ourselves, and we do not die to ourselves. If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's." He then stresses, that is why Jesus came in the first place; to get us all right with God. We should be so about Jesus that we don't have time for the negative things we used to do, like judging one another, and despising one another. Our final judgment day says we will stand before the Lord so that we can give an account of how we lived our lives. Paul was motivated, as we should, by this belief,"As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall give praise to God." Our call is to worship our Lord with our lives, our prayers, and we should lift up praises to God, but seeking always to lift Him high; for we will all be accountable to God.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, as we pray, we ask for a change in our lives where it is most needed. Forgive us those times we found it so easy to judge, and to condemn. May we start our days in sincere, powerful prayer, and may we be guided by the voice of Your Holy Spirit. Our aim, dear Father, is to glorify You; this we pray in Christ Jesus our Lord, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Show the opposite of judgment and condemnation by offering up uplifting praise and words.

Receive my blessings of love and joy,

Pastor Eradio Valverde