Make Way for the Lord!

Image from agnusday.org

Hear the devotional read here: https://bit.ly/39qohdW

1 The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 2 As it is written in the prophet Isaiah, "See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way; 3 the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: "Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,' " 4 John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 6 Now John was clothed with camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 He proclaimed, "The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. 8 I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit." (Mark 1:1-8 NRSV)

Happy Monday, dear ConCafe Family! And a special day be yours, dear Friend! Why do we pray dear friends? Because God answers prayer! We rejoice in the progress those for whom we are praying. Our sister, Donna Hisey is home as of Sunday afternoon! Dr. Hisey reports her being home is answered prayer; we say, "Amen!" Gina Zapata is also on the mend, as are many others; God indeed is hearing and answering our prayers! And we say, Thanks be to God!

The season of Advent would not be complete without this powerful passage from Mark. Mark took it upon himself to write an account of the good news of Jesus Christ. The word gospel means good news, and the good news is that God acted on our behalf by sending Jesus Christ to die for us as our Redeemer. He paid the price of our sinfulness. That, dear friend, is good news. Mark quotes the foretelling by the prophet Isaiah who heard God say, "See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way; the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make His paths straight.'" And the one of whom Isaiah spoke is John the Baptist, who appeared strangely dressed, with a diet that may have turned some stomachs, but with a powerful message that touched the hearts of all who heard it. The time was ripe for someone to remind people of their sinfulness and the fact that God was ready to forgive, and with a visible display of that cleansing, the rite of baptism. Please keep in mind that this rite of cleansing was reserved for those known as Gentles, a nice way of saying non-Jews. The Jews truly believed their birth was clean, and those not fortunate to be born as Jews were considered to be born unclean. And those who felt the need to become Jews had to present themselves for baptism; and here is this Jew calling on all Jews to come forth and present themselves for the cleansing they needed. And John hit a chord with all who knew that something in them was not right; something had to change; and to hear a message that said our sinfulness could be removed, was just what the people needed to hear. Mark reports that people from the entire region, including the capital city of Jerusalem presented themselves to God and were baptized by John in the river Jordan, and as they were being cleansed, they confessed their sins. This was a pivotal moment in Israel's spiritual history; that the one true God was fully capable and fully willing to not only confess, but also repent of their sins. And John uses this moment to declare that this that was happening was but the first part of a greater event that was coming. John is declaring this baptism is the first of two baptisms that we must receive; water and the Holy Spirit. And John referenced the coming of "the one who is more powerful than I is coming after me..." Jesus Christ.

This was an advent event. John preparing the way of Jesus, the powerful one, who with the power and presence of the Holy Spirit, would transform the world. This was but the first of many steps those believers needed to take; for the work of God depends on our faithfulness and our frutifulness so that the whole world would come to believe in the good news of Jesus Christ.

You and I have come to faith in Jesus. We can, or should, honestly say that our lives will never be the same again because we have had an encounter with the living God of the universe, who has made us whole and worthy, and that news, dear friends, bears sharing with all with whom we know!

PRAYER: Loving God, thank You for this special season of Advent. Indeed, prepare us from the inside out, and top down, for all You have done through Jesus, and we pray that we might win over those who have been lost and wandering in the wilderness for too long. We praise You and thank You for answered prayers and we entrust to You those for whom we continue to pray; be glorified in all things; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Share the Good News with someone today!

Receive my blessings of love and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Show Up!

Image from steadfastlutherans.org

Listen here to the devotional: https://bit.ly/2HCqjfE

1 Oh, that you would rip open the heavens and descend, make the mountains shudder at your presence - 2 As when a forest catches fire, as when fire makes a pot to boil - 3 To shock your enemies into facing you, make the nations shake in their boots! You did terrible things we never expected, descended and made the mountains shudder at your presence. 4 Since before time began no one has ever imagined, No ear heard, no eye seen, a God like you who works for those who wait for him. 5 You meet those who happily do what is right, who keep a good memory of the way you work. But how angry you've been with us! We've sinned and kept at it so long! Is there any hope for us? Can we be saved? 6 We're all sin-infected, sin-contaminated. Our best efforts are grease-stained rags. We dry up like autumn leaves - sin-dried, we're blown off by the wind. 7 No one prays to you or makes the effort to reach out to you Because you've turned away from us, left us to stew in our sins. 8 Still, God, you are our Father. We're the clay and you're our potter: All of us are what you made us. 9 Don't be too angry with us, O God. Don't keep a permanent account of wrongdoing. Keep in mind, please, we are your people - all of us. (Isaiah 64:1-9 The Message)

A Happy Wednesday and a very Happy Thanksgiving to you, dear Friend! This will serve as the last devotional for this week, and we will resume on Monday with a new ConCafe then. I pray you will enjoy a safe and sacred time of feasting, fellowship, and worship at your table; may your actions truly make it the Lord's Table for that special meal. Remember to share your blessings with all.

How often have you said to either God, or yourself, "Lord, if only You would show up and show them!"? I know I used to, but it was very tempting to think that at our whim, God would show up in person and everyone would believe, become converted, and life would be great; but... it does not work that way. Remember even the Twelve once asked Jesus if they could just call down fire from heaven to rectify a situation? Jesus did not agree with them, and He would, and does not, agree with our random thoughts about Him just showing up. The prophet at a point in his ministry believes that if only God would show up, the shock on God's enemies would be worth it! The prophet remains, as should we, convinced of God's presence, being, and power, for we join the faith behind those words, "No ear heard, no eye seen, a God like You who works for those who wait for Him." And then he gets back to his prophetic job of lamenting the actions of his flock, who again, have sinned and strayed away from God; getting to the point where he asks, as do many a pastor, "Can we be saved?" The answer, of course, will always be yes, though some times it seems harder than ever to believe we can make our way back to God. The better question becomes are we trying enough through our prayers and daily actions to reach out to You and join You in making things right again? Yet, the truth remains God is our Father and "We're the clay and You're our potter." We pray, as Isaiah prayed, "Don't be too angry with us, O God." We beseech God to grade us on the curve, and as He adds up our sins, that his eraser would be more active than His lead on the ledger; for we are God's people.

PRAYER: Awesome God, be blessed in our lives as we ask Your blessings on us. As we gather to give You thanks, may we also ask for Your forgiveness for our readiness to sin. Lord, our lists of things for which we are thankful is long, even during what has been for many of us, the roughest year in our memory. Help us to see beyond today to that glorious "tomorrow" that we will enjoy with You present with us. Bless those loved ones that we can't physcially see or touch; may the strength, peace, and patience to await the days when we can again see and hug and kiss them come quickly in Your time. We love You, dear Father and we praise You in our prayer in Jesus' name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Be a reason people are thankful this year!

Receive my blessing of love and thanks,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Strength to the End

Image from lifemeetstheology.com

Hear the Devotional read here: https://bit.ly/2UUOXLt

3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 4 I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus, 5 for in every way you have been enriched in him, in speech and knowledge of every kind— 6 just as the testimony of Christ has been strengthened among you— 7 so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ. 8 He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. (1 Corinthians 1:3-9 NRSV)

Happy Tuesday, ConCafe family! And a special blessing for you, dear Reader. I pray this finds you well and preparing your heart and soul for the giving of thanks this coming Thursday. I just saw a clip from CBS' On the Road with Steve Hartman. During this pandemic, he has been on the road some, but when home shows his three small children some very educational clips about the human condition. The clip I saw was about a man named Gabriel, who wouldn't give his last name. I suspect that Gabriel may be homeless. Steve, when introducing him said, "Gabriel, just like the angel!" Steve asked him how he was going to spend this Thanksgiving. He said, "I'm just going to sit on a park bench and think back to all the wonderful Thanksgivings I've had in my life. One out of 63 are not bad odds, I've been very blessed!" One of Steve's sons, had tears in his eyes. What an amazing attitude to have about this coming Thursday when most will think about what we do not have versus what we have had in the past. What lessons could you teach someone with your attitude on the actual day of Thanksgiving?

When I was a senior in high school I learned that I was to be a delegate to the first national meeting of the Hispanic Caucus of the United Methodist Church in El Paso, Texas. I also learned that I was to fly from Houston to El Paso. Please keep in mind I was not yet that far removed from my home in Kingsville, and I had never seen a commercial jet, let alone boarded one to fly anywhere. The news of this part of my being a delegate made me fearful of the method I was to take from Houston to El Paso. It deepened my prayer life (think about it!) and I prayed that the Lord be with me on that trip to El Paso. And on the day of the flight I discovered that I would be seated next to an adult friend I had from the other Hispanic UMC in Houston, Mr. Dan Garza. Dan was a friendly man, and active lay person of El Mesias UMC, and I was a senior in high school. I had known Dan for many years; he and his wife had been active with the young adult ministry of our conference back in the day and now here I was sitting next to him. I made no secret of my fear of flying for the very first time in my life. Dan smiled and said, "There's nothing to it; it'll feel just like an elevator ride!" Hmm. I searched my memory for the number of times I had actually ridden in an elevator and came up with, none. Okay. Elevator ride. Maybe one or two in visits to a hospital I had actually ridden up two floors in an elevator. The flight was smooth and before tool long we were landing. I was super excited! El Paso!? Dan smiled and said, "No, this is San Antonio." Huh? And the delight in landing in SA was that several of my high school friends from MYF were boarding our plane! That helped the longer leg of our flight be a much better, even smoother ride.

Well, again, an advent story of sorts; news of my having to experience something I had never done before, in order to attend something I had never attended before, and the role of my faith in helping me cope and conquer those fears. God provided a way and more importantly, God was with me. Paul had been with the people of Corinth some years earlier and he knew the people well, for it was they who heard and responded to the invitation to become believers and followers of the Lord Jesus Christ. He had prayed for them constantly, and in this letter was responding to some concerns that he knew they were having, among many, questions and quarrels among themselves about many issues, including resurrection. The main theme of this letter is that their faithfulness and the presence of Jesus among them has already blessed them and would continue to do so until the very end. Don't you love reading, "God is faithful..." What God has shared, He will continue to share; and what God has promised to do, He will do!

PRAYER: Loving God, as we prepare our hearts, minds, and souls for this coming national day of giving thanks, make me grateful in ways that will glorify You. May my words match my match my moods, and may my hands in service reflect the love I have in my heart for You and Yours. Lord, You better than me, know the many Thanksgivings where we took for granted so many things; but this year may we bless you indeed with our gratitude for all You have shared. I invite You to continue to walk with me, picking me up when I falter and fall, and holding me steady when my knees buckle; wiping my tears when that becomes the best response I can share with You. This I pray, not by my merits, but by those of He who is the same today, as He was yesterday, and will be this way forever; Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior, amen!

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

Receive my blessings of joy and love,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Keep Awake!

Image from covenantcommunity.net

Hear the devotional here: https://bit.ly/35W96qN

24 "But in those days, after that suffering, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, 25 and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. 26 Then they will see "the Son of Man coming in clouds' with great power and glory. 27 Then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven. 28 "From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. 29 So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. 30 Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. 31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. 32 "But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come. 34 It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his slaves in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch. 35 Therefore, keep awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn, 36 or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly. 37 And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake." (Mark 13:24-37 NRSV)

A Blessed and Happy Monday to you dear ConCafe Family; and may God's rich blessings of opportunities and challenges be with you, dear Friend, and make you shine for the Lord! As we pray, I ask for continued prayers for Norma Ehrig and her family on the loss of her husband, Larry, this weekend. May the Lord's comfort be with them all during this difficult time. This update from my cousin regarding Gina Zapata: "Today was a good day for her, she had occupational therapy and she responded to all commends. She even got to tough her shaved right side of her head and moved her head no, it’s done. It will grow back soon. She gets a fever almost every day and the nurses place ice bags to help. Not out of the woods yet so let’s keep on praying. Amen." We will continue to pray.

As children in Kingsville, we looked forward to the coming of our Aunt Nina, who was the sister of our grandmother, whom we called Momo, and who lived in McAllen, Once a year she would board a Greyhound bus and make her way to visit her sister, her nephew, and us. She always sat behind the driver and always bought a huge bag of Fritos on which to snack on, and to give to us. I came to realize she only ate maybe a handful, because we found more than enough to share among us; but the real joy was seeing her. From the moment we knew she was coming we felt the excitement of her visit. She was special to us and we were blessed to have her and Momo hug, cry, and visit. From the time of her notice until her arrival was for us, an advent; a time of preparation and excitement.

We start the special season of the Christian Year called Advent. Many automatically think of that time prior to Christmas, and that is partially right; but Advent is the time of preparation before the Lord's coming. In some ways, the Church prepares to celebrate Christ's first coming as a baby in Bethlehem, but also refers to His return. At the time of this sharing, Jesus was here and He announces when He would return again. The disciples never gave up asking Him, "Lord, when will this be?" At the beginning of this chapter, the 12 were playing the tourists of the temple, marveling at the majesty of that ancient building and all it represented. The temple still to this day holds a special place in the hearts of devout Jews. And their hope is that the Messiah will one day reclaim it for their worship. And Jesus gives what we can classify as general hints of when He will return. What we can learn from this sharing is that the entire created world will be a part of that return. The light of day, and the light of night, the sun and the moon, will not shine like they usually do. And the stars will fall from heaven (the sky), and the powers in the heavens will be shaken," meaning that all the energy that is found in the skies will no longer hold the power they once had. And at that precise moment, the power will shift to the One (Jesus) "coming in the clouds with great power and glory." The shift of power will be from nature to Creator, and this will be topped with the sending of angels, and the gathering of all who love Jesus from the four corners of the world; the beginning of a glorious reunion!

Jesus points to nature again as a lesson; the fig tree one can know that summer is near, as one will know of Jesus' return from the culmination of these signs. "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away." Jesus asserting that with Him in control, we need not fear anything. Yet, the truth remains; "But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." It will be a surprise. Ours is to "keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come." And, like last week's lesson, Jesus gives an illustration of a man going on a journey, and his slaves are left in charge and the doorkeeper is on watch; so "Keep awake" for His arrival could be at any hour; but do not let Him find you asleep, and again Jesus says, "Keep awake."

There was no way I was going to sleep through the day of my aunt's arrival, nor of her visit, nor her departure (though it was always very tearful); nor would any believer and lover of the Lord Jesus to fall asleep in knowing of His arrival, and since we do not know the day nor the hour it makes sense for us to be ever vigilant of living and doing what He would have us do, so that we are not only not asleep nor found not worthy of spending the rest of eternity with Him.

PRAYER: Loving Father, may we bless You by staying awake and at work doing Your will. Help us to contagiously share Your Good News with those who have not yet heard, or have said no repeatedly in the past. May we truly grow Your Kingdom we pray in Jesus' name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Help keep someone "awake" today with the Good News of Jesus.

Receive my blessings of grace and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Make a Joyful Noise!

Image from dailyverse.knowing.jesus.com

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

1 A Psalm for the thank offering. Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the lands! 2 Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! 3 Know that the LORD is God! It is he that made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. 4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him, bless his name! 5 For the LORD is good; his steadfast love endures for ever, and his faithfulness to all generations. (Psalm 100 RSV)

A Blessed and Happy Thursday to you all, dear ConCafe Family, and especially for you dear Friend! I ask for ramped up prayers for my dear brother and colleague in Christ, The Rev. Rob Clopton, who finds himself hospitalized at the main campus of M. D. Anderson Hospital in Houston, TX. Pray for his healing and comfort; among the hardest thing to imagine is his being away from his wife, Sandra, during this time. Pray for Sandra, their children and all the family that God's comfort be with them during this time. Prayers also for Mr. Tom Lester, recovering from a back injury. Also, prayers for Ms. Lavonne Hyden, who underwent a heart procedure in San Antonio. Prayers for one another. Prayers for yourselves.

Among some of the things one hears post-funeral, at least in the Spanish speaking world, I used to be tickled to hear, "May the Lord have him/her in a choir of angels," and I would remember that the person they were talking about was not known for their singing ability and the temptation was to say, "Maybe God has need for a great bookkeeper, or telephone operator..." not wanting to say, "Poor sister/brother couldn't sing well at all!" Okay, that was not nice and I'm slapping my hand as I type... We close out our scriptural studies for Christ the King with this psalm. Maybe not as well known as the 23rd Psalm, but it's up there. And it begins with what I was referencing, "Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the lands." The emphasis was on joyful, not so much the noise, the meaning being that one should feel joy in one's heart as they sing or clap, or tamborine; our joy for and in the Lord is what matters. Right after that, the psalmist says for us to "Serve the Lord with gladness!" It's one thing to sing joyfully in church on Sunday and then loaf the rest of the week; God wants us active in serving those in need. "Come into His presence with singing!" Oops, this comes after "noise," so there's that. The meaning though is that through singing, one can be brought into God's presence by the words and music of whatever it is we are singing.

"Know that the Lord is God!" Worship should be all about knowing the Lord better and closer. And it begins with what the psalmist wrote next, "It is He that made us, and we are His; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture." Worship is about our attitude, and humility is a beginning part of knowing God. "It is He that made us, and we are His; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture." No room for "me, me, me when it comes to worship; it's "Him, Him, Him." Our hearts should be full of thanks as we gather to worship, with praise being a part of our offerings to the Lord. "Give thanks to Him, bless His name!" A prelude to what is coming next week, a time as a nation to return thanks to God for all God has shared with us. "Bless His name," means that as much as we ask for God to bless us, we should bless God too!

Friends, before the table is set this coming Thursday, may our hearts, spirits, thoughts, and energies be set to full worship and service of the Lord God. It will make the food taste better and richer, and it will bless our souls. Now, this Thanskgiving may not have all the usual people around the table, and that will make it a more somber meal, but we trust the Lord and His promises and we will be thankful for what is, and hopeful for what will be. As a dear sister pastor posted, "A Zoom Thanksgiving is better than an ICU Christmas," and we know what that means. May God be glorified!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, as we await the day of giving thanks, remind us that tomorrow, just as much as the actual day of Thanksgiving, is just as good an opportunity in which to show our thanks for all You have done, are doing, and will do, for each of us. Comfort those away and apart from their families; bring healing to the hurting, and may Your joy reign in all hearts. This we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Show your thanks for God today!

Receive my blessings of joy and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

The King with the Shepherd's Heart

Image from slideplayer.com

Hear the Devotional read here: https://bit.ly/3nzWZpc

11 "'God, the Master, says: From now on, I myself am the shepherd. I'm going looking for them. 12 As shepherds go after their flocks when they get scattered, I'm going after my sheep. I'll rescue them from all the places they've been scattered to in the storms. 13 I'll bring them back from foreign peoples, gather them from foreign countries, and bring them back to their home country. I'll feed them on the mountains of Israel, along the streams, among their own people. 14 I'll lead them into lush pasture so they can roam the mountain pastures of Israel, graze at leisure, feed in the rich pastures on the mountains of Israel. 15 And I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep. I myself will make sure they get plenty of rest. 16 I'll go after the lost, I'll collect the strays, I'll doctor the injured, I'll build up the weak ones and oversee the strong ones so they're not exploited. 17 "'And as for you, my dear flock, I'm stepping in and judging between one sheep and another, between rams and goats. 18 Aren't you satisfied to feed in good pasture without taking over the whole place? Can't you be satisfied to drink from the clear stream without muddying the water with your feet? 19 Why do the rest of my sheep have to make do with grass that's trampled down and water that's been muddied? 20 "'Therefore, God, the Master, says: I myself am stepping in and making things right between the plump sheep and the skinny sheep. 21 Because you forced your way with shoulder and rump and butted at all the weaker animals with your horns till you scattered them all over the hills, 22 I'll come in and save my dear flock, no longer let them be pushed around. I'll step in and set things right between one sheep and another. 23 "'I'll appoint one shepherd over them all: my servant David. He'll feed them. He'll be their shepherd. 24 And I, God, will be their God. My servant David will be their prince. I, God, have spoken. (Ezekiel 34:11-24 The Message)

Happy Wednesday, ConCafe Family! May God's special blessings be with you and yours, dear Friend. As we pray, let us continue to pray for those whose needs are before the Lord and in our hearts. I have an update from my cousin regarding Gina Zapata. She is responding to commands of yes or no, feels pain in her fingers when the nurses pinch her, and has slept a lot. I take those as positive signs and I urge us to continue to pray for her complete healing. Also, please pray for Michelle Lavender who underwent ankle surgery yesterday morning; pray for a healthy and speedy recovery. And prayers for the family of Ruth "Baby" Denham, who passed away last Thursday in Gonzales,TX. Our sister was 100 years old.

Our daughter, Nellie, was raised with plenty of stories, books, movies, etc about kings. Unfortunately, her little mind processed the idea of a king with someone evil We were not awared of this until we were in worship at an annual conference session at Southwestern University's majestic chapel. The worship service began with the awesome choir of La Trinidad UMC of San Antonio, and they chose to sing "The King is Coming." She was in my Dad's arms when the song registered in her brain and she said loudly, "Oh my God, grandpa, get me out of here! The king is coming!" Those around her chuckled and her Dad could not stop laughing. And indeed in many children's books and stories, the king was not usually known for his kindness or concern for others. History has shown why some of these stories came about. To be a human king is quite an honor and a huge responsibility. In present times, this title has become mostly ceremonial, with most monarchies having a prime minister and a governing body to help in the day-to-day decisions. The kings from biblical times were those with absolute power over their subjects and their power even included life and death of their subjects If you have ever studied those in the Bible you've seen why God had a great reluctance to establish monarchs at first. God was king and the earthly rule for many years was by those who were judges and/or prophets. Samuel was the last of the prophets for it was under his watch that Israel cried out for a king. He first took it personally, and God had to tell him that it was not him they were rejecting, it was Him. The first king of Israel was Saul, chosen for his height and good-looks as the bible writer tells it; there was not much more to that first king. The second king was David.

This passage reaffirms the heart of the king with a shepherd's heart; while this passage affirms God having the power to make Jesus our king, we should take note of the positive attributes of a great king, who should possess shepherd qualities (re-read Psalm 23 to see a brief summary of a great shepherd!); this passage affirms a love that will go searching for the lost. A shepherd also rescues the lost and brings them safely back home, especially during difficult times like storms or wars. This shepherd king will also bring all the exiles scattered throughout the world, back home; and once home will see they are adequately fed and watered. This king will also be a physician who will see the injured healed; the weak made strong, and oversight will be given to the strong so they are not exploited. And there in verse 17, what our gospel lesson on Monday says that God will judge between sheep and goats. And God stresses the need for us to be content without takjng advantage of the less fortunate; and God's promise of salvation is in this message that finally says that His Son, David, will be the shepherd, and God will be our God.

Here again, we have our reminder that if we are followers and believers in Christ Jesus, we are of His Kingdom first, and whatever other place we find ourselves falls to second in our allegiance and service, careful not to blur the two; Christ Jesus is the King, and for that we are thankful.

PRAYER: Loving Father, help us to see with eyes of faith that realm to which we belong. We affirm You as God, and Your Son, Jesus, as our King. May our loyalties to Him fuel our faithfulness and fruitfulness; in His Name we pray, amen!

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Show the Kingdom off by the way you live today!

Receive my blessings of peace and love,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

This Glorious and Blessed Life!

Image from generation.church

Listen to the narration here: https://bit.ly/35A7W48

15 That's why, when I heard of the solid trust you have in the Master Jesus and your outpouring of love to all the Christians, 16 I couldn't stop thanking God for you - every time I prayed, I'd think of you and give thanks. 17 But I do more than thank. I ask - ask the God of our Master, Jesus Christ, the God of glory - to make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally, 18 your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is he is calling you to do, grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life he has for Christians, 19 oh, the utter extravagance of his work in us who trust him - endless energy, boundless strength! 20 All this energy issues from Christ: God raised him from death and set him on a throne in deep heaven, 21 in charge of running the universe, everything from galaxies to governments, no name and no power exempt from his rule. And not just for the time being, but forever. 22 He is in charge of it all, has the final word on everything. At the center of all this, Christ rules the church. 23 The church, you see, is not peripheral to the world; the world is peripheral to the church. The church is Christ's body, in which he speaks and acts, by which he fills everything with his presence. (Ephesians 1: 15-23 The Message)

Happy Tuesday, blessed ConCafe Family! And may God's full and rich blessings be yours, dear Friend! As we pray, I ask continued prayers for Gina Zapata, whose condition as of Monday afternoon was very critical. I also ask prayers for Ms. Linnea Cowan, who undergoes knee replacement surgery tomorrow and should be home on Thursday. Pray for a successful surgery and a speedy recovery. Pray for one another. Pray for yourselves.

Solid trust. Outpouring of love. To all the Christians. Quite an opening from Paul to the church in Ephesus. Can it be said of us that we have those three qualities, and that we are indeed doing as they did? To find that in people among whom he had ministered prompted Paul to be in constant prayer of thanksgiving and intercession asking that their work for the Lord would continue. What was his prayer request to the Lord? Paul prayed, Lord, make these believers be intelligent and discerning in knowing You personally, with their eyes focused and clear, so that they can see exactly what it is You are calling them to do, and grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life You have for Christians, and Paul adds his own words, "oh, the utter extravagance of His work in us who trust Him - endless energy, boundless strength!"

Can you imagine being on the "ground floor" of Apple Computer Company back in the day? It wasn't a smooth ride for all, but just the experience of tapping into the mind of Steve Jobs surely left an imprint on all those who started soon after Jobs and Wozniak moved out of that small garage. It has become the first corporation in history to be worth a trillion dollars. Then, Bill Gates, add to it the name of Jeff Bezos, who probably has profited more than any one individual during this pandemic. It took him several years to make the billions he made, then matched that in a matter of months thanks to people staying indoors and buying most things online. And of course, this is not about money, but what their drive and insight shared with those around them. Then, look at Jesus and the first twelve who shared their lives with Him; their lives were never the same; add to that number Paul the Apostle, and those whom Paul impacted with his life and zeal and love for Jesus. Lydia, the first European Christian convert, and others. That's why we read those above words, which we can paraphrase as "The more you know Jesus, the more you will love Jesus, and the more you love Jesus, the more you will get done on His behalf." Add to that, the power God used to raise Jesus from the dead; and the way God placed Jesus "on a throne in deep heaven," who is "in charge of running the universe, everything from galaxies to government, no name and no power exempt from His rule." Are we hearing the true description of a King? Yes! And, like a true king, Jesus "has the final word on everything." Christ is at the center of all things, where He rules the church, which is Christ's body, in which Christ speaks and acts, by which He fills everything with His presence.

As we find ourselves in Christ's presence, we find ourselves at His disposal, and our attitude should be, "Speak, Lord, for we, your servants, hear and will obey whatever it is You would have us do."

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, we are blessed to be Your church; and we are more blessed when we seek to do Your will in the church as we try to fill Your kingom with Your love and peace. We want to seek the lost and bring about the coming of Your kingdom here on the earth. We will do as You ask. We pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Share your joy in the Lord with at least two people today.

Receive my blessings of joy and love,

Pastor Eradio Valverde.

Christ the King!

Image from churchlifejournal.nd.edu

Hear the devotional narrated here: https://bit.ly/32KHaUY

31 "When he finally arrives, blazing in beauty and all his angels with him, the Son of Man will take his place on his glorious throne. 32 Then all the nations will be arranged before him and he will sort the people out, much as a shepherd sorts out sheep and goats, 33 putting sheep to his right and goats to his left. 34 "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take what's coming to you in this kingdom. It's been ready for you since the world's foundation. 35 And here's why: I was hungry and you fed me, I was thirsty and you gave me a drink, I was homeless and you gave me a room, 36 I was shivering and you gave me clothes, I was sick and you stopped to visit, I was in prison and you came to me.' 37 "Then those 'sheep' are going to say, 'Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink? 38 And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?' 39 40 Then the King will say, 'I'm telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me - you did it to me.' 41 "Then he will turn to the 'goats,' the ones on his left, and say, 'Get out, worthless goats! You're good for nothing but the fires of hell. 42 And why? Because - I was hungry and you gave me no meal, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, 43 I was homeless and you gave me no bed, I was shivering and you gave me no clothes, Sick and in prison, and you never visited.' 44 "Then those 'goats' are going to say, 'Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or homeless or shivering or sick or in prison and didn't help?' 45 "He will answer them, 'I'm telling the solemn truth: Whenever you failed to do one of these things to someone who was being overlooked or ignored, that was me - you failed to do it to me.' 46 "Then those 'goats' will be herded to their eternal doom, but the 'sheep' to their eternal reward." (Matthew 25:31-46 The Message)

Happy Monday, dear ConCafe Family! And a special greeting to you, dear Reader! I pray the rich blessings of God be with you as you spend time with Him and His word. As we pray, I ask for prayers for a cousin, Gina Zapata, who they've discovered has cancer. Surgery has removed most of it, but chemotherapy follows to fully conquer the cancer. Prayers for her mom and dad, Ester and Raul.

This coming Sunday, the Sunday before Thanksgiving Day, we as believers affirm that Jesus is King. Remember, you and I are citizens of a heavenly kingdom, and temporary residents of whatever country you live in. And as such, we should live a life beyond the realm of this one; it takes a special understanding of that realm for all to understand how we live (If we are indeed following Jesus) a life that is way beyond the expected and justified selfish ways that we see so many embracing; ours is a life called and set apart by God to live an exemplary life of service and compassion, and as our King, He can expect of us this type of living. If we truly live this way, we will shock and maybe even offend others; but this should not deter us from living in this higher way.

Jesus says that when He, as King returns, there will be a judgment of all nations; and the judgment will be like the separation of sheep and goats; sheep on the right, and goats to the left. To those who have lived like lambs, the King will say to them, "Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take what's coming to you in this kingdom. It's been ready for you since the world's foundation. And here's why:" We stop to reflect on what's already been shared. There's a place, and it's a special place that has been made ready for us, even before the foundation of the world, and we are to be invited in because we have been faithful to God in our daily lives. We, who have been faithful, will be seen as sheep, purified and cleansed, with no blemish on us, and we will be gathered with like-minded believers, to live together in the presence of each other, and more importantly, in the presence of God. And the King explains why:

The king says, he found himself, like so many around us, yes, even today, hungry. I don't know why so many Americans do not believe there is hunger among us. Many believe that the poor have food stamps; sadly, there are some who do not know or want, to apply for that kind of assistance. And there are so many children, through no fault of their own, go to bed hungry. As a father and a grandfather, I would do whatever it takes to make sure my children and grandchildren had something to eat. I would work extra hours, if I were blessed with a job, and if I didn't have a job, I would search for one; but I would not want my children, or any children to go to sleep with hunger. And I know you are the same way. The King said, "I was hungry, and you fed me."

Likewise, the King will say, "I was thirsty and you gave me a drink, I was homeless and you gave me a room, I was shivering and you gave me clothes, I was sick and you stopped to visit, I was in prison and you came to me."

What? You? Surely not! You, the King? The King of Kings? And unlike many ancient and modern rulers, He speaks of the poor and the oppressed; "Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me - you did it to me." Wow.

The opposite side, the goats, is sent to the other place for ignoring and not sharing with the King the basics of food, water, hosptiality, housing, compassion, and visits. We should know that to ignore the overlooked and ignored, was to ignore Him, the King. No bueno. In fact, that is quite an embarrassment, not only to the guilty, but a heart-breaking moment to the King. And to God, the Father.

You and I are children of the King and as such have a much higher calling to decency, compassion, love, and outreach than those who have not yet accepted citizenship in God's Kingdom. We chastise not, but encourage, with our actions, that we are indeed subjects of the King by living and giving.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, to You we bow our hearts in adoration and worship, asking that our hearts be filled with the love we need to truly help those Whom you will send our way. Elevate our minds and spirits to be truly caring and loving people. We seek to be truly citizens of Your Kingdom, but servants and subjects of the King. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord. Bless someone with your acts of caring and kindness.

Receive my blessings of joy and love,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Mercy!

Image from biblexploring.com

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

1 I look to you, heaven-dwelling God, look up to you for help. 2 Like servants, alert to their master's commands, like a maiden attending her lady, We're watching and waiting, holding our breath, awaiting your word of mercy. 3 Mercy, God, mercy! We've been kicked around long enough, 4 Kicked in the teeth by complacent rich men, kicked when we're down by arrogant brutes. (psalm 123 The Message)

God is in His Heaven, and here we are, again, needing mercy. I for one, am so glad God never tires of that old song; for our God is a God of love and mercy. God is always with us, in the good and the bad. We who normally would deserve destruction and death, are rewarded with a second chance and a new opportunity to make ourselves and the world around us, better than ever!

My brother worked in an office supply store in the mid-70s where a fixture at the store was a man who knew the store inside and out; where all the bodies were buried, and whose favorite word was mercy. He would say something, and conclude his statement with mercy. If someone shared a story or a concern, he would answer back, mercy. It can serve as a catch-all word, but when David uses it, he truly and deeply means it; "We're watching and waiting, holding our breath, awaiting Your word of mercy. Mercy, God, mercy!" Mercy is favor shown a debtor who deserves nothing and by mercy, especially God's mercy, gets everything. David more than once, just like you and me, have felt like his next sentence, "We've been kicked around long enough, kicked in the teeth." Mercy is being at the point of powerlessness, and getting full power back. Mercy is having the wind knocked out of your breath and suddenly it all returns. Mercy is being at your weakest and then having the stamina to endure and overcome. Mercy is knowing where the Source of all power, strength, life, and love lies, and that is in the heart of God. Mercy.

So, dear Friend, you may be at wit's end with the unexpected, but take heart, the same place a king knew to get all he needed for himself, we as servants of the King can go and expect the same. Mercy.

PRAYER: Loving King, You who sits on the throne of Heaven, know what has come that we didn't expect. It has truly banged us up, and down; and all around. We turn to the only One in whom we trust, and that is You. Raise us up, fill us up, and use us up in doing good for someone today; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord. Show someone mercy today. You know who I'm talking about!

Receive my blessings of joy and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Here We Go Again!

Image from maxthedork.podbean.com

Hear the narration here: https://bit.ly/3n4SC5s

1 The Israelites again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, after Ehud died. 2 So the Lord sold them into the hand of King Jabin of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor; the commander of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth-ha-goiim. 3 Then the Israelites cried out to the Lord for help; for he had nine hundred chariots of iron, and had oppressed the Israelites cruelly twenty years. 4 At that time Deborah, a prophetess, wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel. 5 She used to sit under the palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim; and the Israelites came up to her for judgment. 6 She sent and summoned Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali, and said to him, "The Lord, the God of Israel, commands you, "Go, take position at Mount Tabor, bringing ten thousand from the tribe of Naphtali and the tribe of Zebulun. 7 I will draw out Sisera, the general of Jabin's army, to meet you by the Wadi Kishon with his chariots and his troops; and I will give him into your hand.' " (Judges 4:1-7 NRSV)

Happy Wednesday ConCafe Family! Blessings to you, Friend, for joining us in our daily study of God's word and time in prayer. As we pray, we know the needs of the world, of our nation, of our community, of our neighbors, and of our family and friends. Pray for one another, and say a prayer for yourself as well.

This is our story (again). It's part of what scholars call the prophetic cycle; the people of God sin, they find themselves far from God, they suffer a catastrophe of some kind, cry out to God, God saves them; and they sin again. That's my story. And I'm trying not to stick to it! Someone once said, "It's just like what shampoo bottles say, "Lather, Rinse, and repeat." And that's true. In spite of what they knew and celebrated, they always found an excuse to sin and do what was wrong in God's eyes. Instead of staying on the "straight and narrow," they found the crooked path and down that path they walked. It's like those on a diet; tough road to follow and as long as we stay away from the most tempting foods, we're fine, but along comes a seven-layer chocolate cake, or rich banana pudding, and it's all over. And so it was Israel. Their king died and they decided it was best to do what they wanted to do all along.

The consequences are usually attributed in a way that says what it says in today's passage, "The Lord sold them into the hand of ______ (fill in the blank). And this was a terrible thing, and soon Israel cries out to the Lord for help! "We'll never do it again, we promise!" Well, it's not actually in the scripture, but you know they said it! So, for twenty cruel years, they suffered under the oppressive hand of King Jabin and his ruthless general, Sisera. And where do you think God went to find a deliverer? To a woman by the name of Deborah, who was a prophetess and the ruling judge of Israel. She sat under a palm named in her honor, and as the people ask for judgment, she sends for Barak, from Kedesh in Naphtali and it is on him to bring an army to fight against Sisera, and the army of Jabin. What we do know is that God has said they would be victorious in that fight. Who could possibly be afraid at this point?

The story ends with a tease; those of us who are familiar with the story know the answer. Suffice it today with this; how do we handle our failings before God? Are we willing to "fight" to regain our standing with God in a faithful relationship? Or, do we surrender and hide? We must repent and turn away from whatever led to our being alienated from God; and then work/fight hard to see that we not fall into a constant failing before the Lord.

PRAYER: Loving God, may my actions today reaffirm my faith. May my decisions come from that faith. May the direction of my faith be ever onward and upward. Hold my hand, steady my pace, and certainly, pick me up when I falter and fall. Let my life be a witness to those who also struggle; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Bless someone with an encouraging phone call or note!

Receive my blessings of joy and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Is the Date Set?

Image from davidjeremiah.blog

Hear today' devotional here: https://bit.ly/3k9r2SI

1 I don't think, friends, that I need to deal with the question of when all this is going to happen. 2 You know as well as I that the day of the Master's coming can't be posted on our calendars. He won't call ahead and make an appointment any more than a burglar would. 3 About the time everybody's walking around complacently, congratulating each other - "We've sure got it made! Now we can take it easy!" - suddenly everything will fall apart. It's going to come as suddenly and inescapably as birth pangs to a pregnant woman. 4 But friends, you're not in the dark, so how could you be taken off guard by any of this? 5 You're sons of Light, daughters of Day. We live under wide open skies and know where we stand. 6 So let's not sleepwalk through life like those others. Let's keep our eyes open and be smart. 7 People sleep at night and get drunk at night. 8 But not us! Since we're creatures of Day, let's act like it. Walk out into the daylight sober, dressed up in faith, love, and the hope of salvation. 9 God didn't set us up for an angry rejection but for salvation by our Master, Jesus Christ. 10 He died for us, a death that triggered life. Whether we're awake with the living or asleep with the dead, we're alive with him! 11 So speak encouraging words to one another. Build up hope so you'll all be together in this, no one left out, no one left behind. I know you're already doing this; just keep on doing it. (1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 The Message)

Happy Tuesday, ConCafe Family! I pray this finds you blessed and well, dear Friend! I pray rich and wonderful opportunities to come your way to share who you are, what you know, and Who you know!

That date will always be blank on our calendars, as it was on Jesus'. He did not even know; the Father does, but Jesus did not. And it wasn't because God didn't trust Him, it was that this is the last surprise that the world will realize one day; His triumphant return. Of course through the ages, people have wondered and prayed, thinking, hoping, wishing that that day would be soon. Others hide their fear by saying they don't want to know, and sadly some believe that there will be no second return of Jesus. Paul knew it to be true and he says so in this letter. "He won't call ahead and make an appointment any more than a burglar would." True words. Like Jesus, Paul emphasizes that we will be about our daily routines, even "complacently, congratulating each other" with mundane things, that He will appear. Paul reminds us you and I are "sons of Light, (and) daughters of Day," meaning we belong to God, and as such we cannot "sleepwalk through life like others." Our eyes should be open and our minds intact to what is going on around us; ours is to present ourselves for who we are, children of God "dressed up in faith, love, and the hope of salvation." We have not been rejected by God; quite the opposite, we have been saved by the God of love; always awake in love in His embrace. So, speak words of encouragement, build each other up, remembering and reminding each other, we're in this together, with "no one left out, no one left behind." Do this in an effective way, and others will follow!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, so be it; may my words today reflect that I belong to You and no one nor anything else. May my words be words of life and hope for all people; shared with a ready smile and a bright hope on my face; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen!

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Encourage one another with hope!

Receive my blessings of joy and peace!

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Is It Criminal to Live Cautiously?

Image from agnusday.org

Hear the Devotional here: https://bit.ly/2GL6UZw

14 "It's also like a man going off on an extended trip. He called his servants together and delegated responsibilities. 15 To one he gave five thousand dollars, to another two thousand, to a third one thousand, depending on their abilities. Then he left. 16 Right off, the first servant went to work and doubled his master's investment. 17 The second did the same. 18 But the man with the single thousand dug a hole and carefully buried his master's money. 19 "After a long absence, the master of those three servants came back and settled up with them. 20 The one given five thousand dollars showed him how he had doubled his investment. 21 His master commended him: 'Good work! You did your job well. From now on be my partner.' 22 "The servant with the two thousand showed how he also had doubled his master's investment. 23 His master commended him: 'Good work! You did your job well. From now on be my partner.' 24 "The servant given one thousand said, 'Master, I know you have high standards and hate careless ways, that you demand the best and make no allowances for error. 25 I was afraid I might disappoint you, so I found a good hiding place and secured your money. Here it is, safe and sound down to the last cent.' 26 "The master was furious. 'That's a terrible way to live! It's criminal to live cautiously like that! If you knew I was after the best, why did you do less than the least? 27 The least you could have done would have been to invest the sum with the bankers, where at least I would have gotten a little interest. 28 "'Take the thousand and give it to the one who risked the most. And get rid of this "play-it-safe" who won't go out on a limb. 29 30 Throw him out into utter darkness.' (Mathew 25:14-30 The Message Bible)

Happy Monday! May the blessings and challenges of this day bring us opportunities to shine for Him, dear Friend! May our prayers glorify the Lord as we pray for our nation, those elected, and those who offered themselves as candidates. May we love those who voted differently from us, so that true unity in this nation begin with me, and you.

This is a parable about us. Aren't they all? And in this one, the unit of mesasurement of money in the 12th Century was turned into a measurement of ability. The word is talent in the original versions of the Bible, and this modern paraphrased version converts it into understandable amounts of money. A man, preparing to take an extended trip calls his servants together and assigned them their responsibilities. An apocryphal tale I read many years ago, shortly after the death of Walt Disney said that a few days after his funeral, a Memo came from his office calling his executive team to the studio's theatre. Upon arriving, they noticed that their names were on assigned seats, and they proceeded to sit down. A film began showing on the screen and it was the man himself, the founder, and creative genius behind the marvelous art of animation and nature movies. Walt began with some remarks about his vision for the future of the studios, and then he began pointing at each animator, and imagineer, and calling them by name, addressed them with his expectations for them. The staffers did not know to be scared, honored, or both. When he was finished he smiled and said, "You'll hear from me again soon."

Back to our story; this master did not have technology like Disney to have this meeting; he did it the old fashioned way, and it allowed him to personally hand out money. To one of his trusted servants, he handed him five thousand dollars. I've not had that kind of meeting before, least not where money was given to me personally. A life-long friend was a member of my last church and he was a successful attorney and he invited me to coffee and a taco. As we sat down he handed me a check for ten thousand dollars! I said, you misspelled my name, my name is not First United Methodist Church. And of course I said, "I'll be here next week for more coffee and another check." The other man received a two thousand dollars, and the third servant received one thousand. Once the money was distributed he set off on his trip. The servants, well, two of them, sprang into action. The first servant doubled his master's investment; five thousand dollars times two, ten thousand dollars! The second one, likewise, doubled his, four thousand dollars! The servant with the one thousand dollars, simply dug a hole (Okay, that's hard work, but...) and carefully buried his master's money in the hole. The master finally returned and the three servants joined him for their reporting back to him. The first one presented the master with his ten thousand dollars. "Wow! Great work! You did so well, you are now my partner." The second servant presented the man with his four thousand dollars. The master to him said the same thing; a new partner for his great work. Finally, the third servant presented himself and began by explaining, "Master, I know you have high standards and hate careless ways, that you demand the best and make no allowances for error. I was afraid I might disappoint you, so I found a good hiding place and secured your money. Here it is, safe and sound down to the last cent." The master was furous. "That's a terrible way to live! It's criminal to live cautiously like that! If you knew I was after the best, why did you do less than the least? The least you could have done would have been to invest the sum with the bankers, where at least I would have gotten a little interest. Take the thousand and give it to the one who risked the most. And get rid of this 'play-it-safe' who won't go out on a limb. Throw him out into utter darkness." Ouch.

While the parables always begin with a seemingly earthly point of view, the endings tend to shift to the divine. Jesus means all along however, the "Master" of this story is God. The servants are you and me. The "thousands" or "talents" are our God-given abilities and responsibilities, our witness and service to others; basically what we do, or don't do, to grow (or shrink) the kingdom of God. Those of us who fail, will suffer the wrath of God, and the scary reality of being thrown "into utter darkness." So, what is Jesus talking about? He's saying that all of us, yes, you included, have been endowed with something we can use to bless God. It could be our voice, our singing voice, our ability to teach, or learn, to give, to share; whatever, are we using that for the good of God's kingdom? Or, are we hiding it under a wonderful assortment of "good" excuses? Truthfully, there will be no excuses allowed; we either serve or we fail. No matter the wonderful explanation we think we will be able to give to justify our actions; none will suffice. If we are found lacking, we will be lacking. And that's not where we hope to be. Get busy.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, we thank You for the gifts You have shared with each of us. We are thankful even for those we have yet to discover; but grant us the boldness and courage to live like You have called us to do; we do want the kingdom to grow; we want the lost found, we want the perishing saved, and the ones in darknes now to be brought into the light; grant us that Father, according to Thy will; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Discover and use your talent to glorify God!

Receive my blessing of joy and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

House Signs

Image from cove-bibletalk.blogspot.com

Hear the devotional read here: https://bit.ly/388dSmw

1 Then Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and summoned the elders, the heads, the judges, and the officers of Israel; and they presented themselves before God. 2 And Joshua said to all the people, "Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Long ago your ancestors—Terah and his sons Abraham and Nahor—lived beyond the Euphrates and served other gods. 3 Then I took your father Abraham from beyond the River and led him through all the land of Canaan and made his offspring many. 14 "Now therefore revere the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness; put away the gods that your ancestors served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. 15 Now if you are unwilling to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served in the region beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." 16 Then the people answered, "Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods; 17 for it is the Lord our God who brought us and our ancestors up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, and who did those great signs in our sight. He protected us along all the way that we went, and among all the peoples through whom we passed; 18 and the Lord drove out before us all the peoples, the Amorites who lived in the land. Therefore we also will serve the Lord, for he is our God." 19 But Joshua said to the people, "You cannot serve the Lord, for he is a holy God. He is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions or your sins. 20 If you forsake the Lord and serve foreign gods, then he will turn and do you harm, and consume you, after having done you good." 21 And the people said to Joshua, "No, we will serve the Lord!" 22 Then Joshua said to the people, "You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the Lord, to serve him." And they said, "We are witnesses." 23 He said, "Then put away the foreign gods that are among you, and incline your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel." 24 The people said to Joshua, "The Lord our God we will serve, and him we will obey." 25 So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and made statutes and ordinances for them at Shechem. (Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25 NRSV)

Happy Wednesday, ConCafe Family, and to you faithful reader, and dear Friend! I pray this finds you well; and above all, calm. We may or may not know the results of last night's election, but we pray for a united nation, as we pledge, "under God," for the wellbeing of all who live within our bounds. Pray for both candidates and their families, and supporters. Pray for one another, and pray for yourselves.

Today's passage contains a passage that you've seen in stores like Cracker Barrel, or touristy places like in Fredericksburg, or Round Top, and it is from verse 15: "As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." And it's an awesome declaration. More so as we have read how it fits into the context of this situation. Joshua, the heir of Moses' leadership, has led God's people into the promised land. He gathered the twelve tribes of Israel, along with the elders, the heads, the judges, and the officers of Israel. And in a religious worship experience within a very political setting, before God, Joshua calls the people to account for all they have experienced; an overview of their history, and the role God played in each step of their deliverance and development. In his address, Joshua instructs the people to "revere the Lord and serve Him in sincerity and in faithfulness;" and to do away with the false gods they had encountered along the way and who are now neighbors to them. "We cannot forget Who God is, has been, and always will be, for us," to paraphrase Joshua's speech. And, like a good leader, he gives those who might oppose God's worship, "Now, if you are unwilling to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served in the region beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; " then his classic declaration, "but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." His speech set up the unanimous response from the people, "Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods." And then they list the things that God had done for them on this journey. Then Joshua reminds them of the basics; "God is holy. God is jealous. God will not forgive those transgressions against Him (like worshiping other gods). Harm and destruction will come to those who blatantly disobey God. And there and then, they people ratified their allegiance to God at the city that would serve as their capital in their early history.

What "signs" does your home have that "give you away?" What about what you own, how you act, how you receive or not, your neighbors and those who are not from your neighborhood, say about who you are? Because you know, we can have as many signs, flags, bumper stickers, and what-nots we have that may boast that we are believers, but our actions may give away our hearts. Don't be like the old joke of the car being driven like it was stolen, honking impatiently at others, the sharing of the Hollywood "howdy" flashed from the driver's side of the car; and other things, and all while the stickers on the car said things like "Follow Me to Sunday School," "I Love Jesus," etc. The police officer pulls the car over and discovers a gentleman who asks sweetly what's the matter, why was I pulled over? The police said given the stickers and the actions, he believed the car to have been stolen. May it not be said of us!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, our prayer is simple; change what is inside of me that needs to change, so that my actions reveal that I truly belong to You. Guide us gently on, ever onward and upward; in Jesus' name we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Live a life that says very loudly, I serve the Lord!

Receive my blessings of love and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Newest episode of YourBestDayEver on Handling Discouragement: https://open.spotify.com/episode/66v5ycI7WXbNxhiTq3pxjz

O Blessed Hope!

Image from pottypadre.com

Hear the devotional read here: https://bit.ly/322rv2T

13 And regarding the question, friends, that has come up about what happens to those already dead and buried, we don't want you in the dark any longer. First off, you must not carry on over them like people who have nothing to look forward to, as if the grave were the last word. 14 Since Jesus died and broke loose from the grave, God will most certainly bring back to life those who died in Jesus. 15 And then this: We can tell you with complete confidence - we have the Master's word on it - that when the Master comes again to get us, those of us who are still alive will not get a jump on the dead and leave them behind. In actual fact, they'll be ahead of us. 16 The Master himself will give the command. Archangel thunder! God's trumpet blast! He'll come down from heaven and the dead in Christ will rise - they'll go first. 17 Then the rest of us who are still alive at the time will be caught up with them into the clouds to meet the Master. 18 Oh, we'll be walking on air! And then there will be one huge family reunion with the Master. So reassure one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 The Message)

Happy Tuesday, ConCafe Family, especially you, dear Friend! Let us approach the day bathed in God's word, washed clean and strong in prayer, and armed with joy, peace, and love to face the blessings and challenges of this new day. Today is Election Day and an already emotionally charged day; please pray that God's comfort and peace be with us during this day and the days ahead. Pray for our nation and for all who are running for office. Pray for calm and peace to reign in our hearts, our homes, and our streets. Pray for one another. Pray for yourselves.

LIfe's biggest and perhaps hardest questions to answer is "What happens to me when I die?" Closely related to that, "Where do the dead go?" or "Did my Dad make it to heaven?" I've shared how one day after a funeral in our church my oldest had helped me with the music for that service and we were walking across the alley to our home. She asked, "Daddy, have you ever done a funeral where you know the dead person went to the other place?" I smiled and said, "No, baby girl; we leave that to God and how that person lived his/her life." We in our time have the assurances given us by Jesus and later shared by Paul, like in this passage, where he writes, "we don't want you in the dark any longer." And he addresses the common responses of wailing and weeping in manners that sometimes make it seem like we are beyond consoling; though those still happen and naturally so, because separation of loved ones is the hardest thing to face. Life seems super difficult to face without having that special someone with us any longer. Death comes as a part of life, sometimes happening in unexpected ways, like accidents, and those usually at too early an age. Death can come to the ill as a welcomed friend, who takes us away from pain and suffering; and even sometimes, those nearing 100 or older may even ask why God has forgotten them. We have in Paul's words, words from an eyewitness to One who had risen from the dead and who spoke to him about many things, including death. Remember it was Jesus who even told Paul how much he was to suffer and even how he would die if he accepted to follow Him, and still Paul said yes.

Paul was sure of resurrection as he states in verse 14, "Since Jesus died and broke loose from the grave, God will most certainly bring back to life those who died in Jesus." There's the promise that Jesus Himself shared, "I will come again and take you with me, so that where I am, there you may be also. "(John 14:3b). Notice this version's descriptions of death, "broke loose from the grave," meaning that the grave, either our fear of ours or the sorrow caused by the grave of a loved one, can and does imprison us and we need Jesus to break us free from the grip of death. Paul quickly adds, "God will most certainly bring back to life those who died in Jesus; and follows that with the assurance to us still alive that "the Master (will) come to get us, those of us who are still alive will not get a jump on the dead and leave them behind. In actual fact, they'll be ahead of us." And his description of Jesus' return is awesome and classic and has inspired a hope that has not now, nor will ever, fade or disappear, "He'll come down from heaven and the dead in Christ will rise... and the rest of us who are still alive at the time will be caught up with them into the clouds to meet the Master. Oh, we'll be walking on air! And there will be one huge family reunion with the Master. So reassure one another with these words."

This goes with yesterday's gospel lesson, "be ready!" And don't fret or argue about the furniture in heaven or the temperature in (the other place). Those who love and belong to Jesus will never suffer death again! In the meantime we are free to live our lives to the fullest in Him who died for us!

PRAYER: Loving Father, some who are reading these words still ache from the freshness of death of a loved one. Others, though the years have passed, still ache with sorrow; comfort them and us. For those of us facing a "death sentence" given by an illness or judge, strengthen us to face life and all it brings with Your hope and sureness of victory. We pray for the election today, Father, that You would bless this nation with the leaders that we pray will honor and serve You, bless this nation, and allow us to be a blessing to other nations; and us, by our role, let us bless You and those around us in loving and kind actions. This we pray by the merits of He who is our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Share the hope that Jesus has shared with You; comfort those whom you know need it.

Receive my blessings of joy and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Be Ready!

Image from goodnewsshared.wordpress.com

Narration of the devotional here: https://bit.ly/3kPzwzz

1 "Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; 4 but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5 As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. 6 But at midnight there was a shout, "Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.' 7 Then all those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish said to the wise, "Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' 9 But the wise replied, "No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.' 10 And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut. 11 Later the other bridesmaids came also, saying, "Lord, lord, open to us.' 12 But he replied, "Truly I tell you, I do not know you.' 13 Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour. (Matthew 25:1-13 NRSV)

I pray a blessed and Happy Monday to you, dear Friend. May all the blessing of God be with you. We rejoice in all the answered prayers shared with everyone who have asked of us to pray. Nellie and I rejoice in the way all of you prayed for our newest grandson, Eli Ryan Muñoz, who is home and enjoying his new formula. We pray he gain weight as the doctor has asked. We pray for those who remembered loved ones during All Saints Sunday remembrance services. Read were the names of those who joined the Church Triumphant, and we pray God's comfort and peace be with them all. Pray for one another. Pray for yourselves.

Weddings in most parts of the world are lavish affairs, ranging from a 20-minute civil service done in a Justice of the Peace's office, to multi-day affairs. The prices for weddings also run the gamut of inexpensive to Oh My Lanta! The weddings in Jesus' day were of the lavish, many days involved; with food for all the days, as well as a drama of sorts that involved the arrival of the bridegroom. No one knew exactly when the groom would arrive and that added an entertainment or frustration factor (depending on whose side of the bridal party you belonged!). The addition of the ten virgins or bridesmaids was also part of the drama. They would light the way for the groom and the bride, and they especially had to be ready for the arrival of the groom.

Jesus uses this well-known tradition in His culture to illustrate the seriousness of being ready for anything that involved the kingdom of heaven. Jesus speaks of the kingdom being here already with workers needed now and thus the readiness part is important, as well as to refer to His coming again, and no one knowing exactly when that would be. Again, readiness is a key factor for all who want to be a part of the reunion and celebration. The reality of what may happen in either case is illustrated by those bridesmaids who planned poorly and were not able to be full participants in the ceremony and were left out; as will be the case for those of us who regard other things are being more important and which merit our dedication to them rather than the things of God. Surely, nothing is worth more than being included in all things God, rather than being left out for good when Jesus returns for us.

Those who are ready are known by the Lord, and their entry into the joy of the Lord will be theirs; but those who have not prepared and are not ready will hear the sad words of those who came too late, "Truly I tell you, I do not know you." Jesus' last words in this passage should be our inspiration for that joyous day, "Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour."

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, help us be awake and ready for work in Your kingdom now and on that day in which You return for us. We strive to know You and serve You even now, and await to enter the joy of Your return whenever that day may be. In Christ Jesus' name we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Help someone be ready today by sharing this lesson with them!

Receive my blessings of joy and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde