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Hear the devotional read here: https://bit.ly/39kiG7H
38 “Teacher,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.” 39 “Do not stop him,” Jesus said. “For no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, 40 for whoever is not against us is for us. 41 Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward. 42 “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea. 43 If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out. 45 And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. 47 And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, 48 where “ ‘the worms that eat them do not die, and the fire is not quenched.’ 49 Everyone will be salted with fire. 50 “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt among yourselves, and be at peace with each other.” (Mark 9:38-50 New International Version)
Happy Monday, ConCafe Family. We pray that your life, witness, words, actions, reflect the light that so many are in need of seeing, hearing, and/or receiving; and you, dear Reader, may be just the one for the job. As we pray, let us pray for comfort and peace for the family of Lea Ann Brzozowski Wyant, a young wife, mother of two, and daughter, who died this past Friday. Hers is another of the deaths in the First UMC of Gonzales' family in so few days. May God's peace be with all who loved her and who miss her tremendously. Let us pray for the eradication of Covid, the victory over cancer, the spread of kindness among all people, and whatever needs you believe are needed at this point in time.
Should there be jealousy among Christians, Churches, religious movements, etc? The obvious answer is of course, no; but the truth is that there does arise tinges of it when some lines are crossed. In 1998 I made the most difficult decision of leaving my home conference, the Rio Grande Conference, and transfer into the Southwest Texas Conference. In my heart and soul, it was the necessary thing to do for my family, and for the work of the Lord. Most people understood. Some held me to be a traitor. I had a young man who joined my church, who was also from the old conference, In his dealings with his home church, a pastor said to him that I was a traitor. He paused and said, "Pastor Valverde has not preached any sermons on serving Satan, so as far as I can tell, he's still on the same side!" And that was a very good point. I understood the feelings of the one who thought I had truly "changed" sides, but I was still preaching the name of Jesus, inviting all to surrender to Him. And I remember my university days in Georgetown, when I noticed that two UMCs were across the street from each other. And some years later I saw the same thing in Ohio. The reality was that in Georgetown, it was a language issue that had one church across from the other. And the language was Swedish, if I am remembering correctly. In Ohio, these churches were from pre-1968 when the Evangelical United Brethren church merged with The Methodist Church, creating the United Methodist Church. Though the papers were signed in 1968 that year I preached among those churches of Ohio I discovered that The EUB was alive and well in some parts of Ohio. And as 2022 draws near, the question that many are asking, "What will become of The United Methodist Church?"
The disciples, in their travels for Jesus, had seen someone, who was "driving out demons in Your name, and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us." Ouch. Aggressive disciples, no? And just this past Friday, on our way home, we were at a McDonald's near a shopping center where, as senior pastor of First UMC of Harlingen some years earlier, I saw a sign for a tiny church that had as its logo, the very familiar UM logo fo the cross and flame. I so wanted to leave a note saying, this logo is a copy-righted trademark of The United Methodist Church and as such, you must have permission to use it, or you must stop and desist. But, I figured I would instead pray for them and let the Lord use them for whatever purpose He had called them. So, I am guilty of having the same feelings as John and the other disciples who might have started this discussion with Jesus.
"Do not stop him," Jesus said, "For no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, for whoever is not against us is for us. Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward." Jesus knew the power of teamwork, especially when it came in the form of trying to defeat the common enemy. Satan is our enemy, not the church down the street. Pray for your neighbors who attend different churches, and thank God they belong to Him.
Jesus further says that our self-control as we do ministry is best kept under check. Any action we take to stir them up and away from God is not worth the effort. Jesus illustrates by speaking about our hands and how if our hands cause us to stumble, we should cut them off, as we should of our feet, and eyes. For Jesus believed it was better to enter life maimed than into hell with all our parts. Jesus spends time describing hell and the place it is, mainly separated from God and God's love. And quoting again from HIs Sermon on the Mount, Jesus speaks of salt and of saltiness losing its saltiness. The best use of salt, Jesus say, is amongst us, the believers and enjoying peace with each other.
Life is too short to be spent in conflict and battle. At the end of the day it is best to rejoice in what we have, especially among each other, than to go to sleep in anger or frustration. This month marks yet another sad anniversary of the Alton, Texas bus accident, where almost 30 children lost their lives in a senseless early-morning bus crash with a Dr. Pepper truck. The local funeral director and I were tasked with setting up the temporary morque in a county pavilion. One little girl still had a hair brush in her hair, and later we found out the agony of the mother of one of the girls was that she and her daughter had fought about something, and now her daughter was gone. She would have given anything to have those last moments together and made them different. She cannot, nor can we. It is best to take stock of what truly and eternally matters, and seek peace among ourselves.
PRAYER: Loving Father, so heavy a cloud of sadness and sorrow surrounds our world due to countless deaths and ill-spoken words. Grant us the mind and peace of Jesus to truly enjoy each other, seeking that which unites us and makes us truly siblings in faith instead of that which can eternally divide us. May we truly be peace-makers as Jesus wants. In His name we pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Seek ways where you can make a difference between war and peace!
Receive my blessings of love and peace,
Pastor Eradio Valverde
