Pure and Clean on the Day of Christ?

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3 I thank my God every time I remember you, 4 constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers for all of you, 5 because of your sharing in the gospel from the first day until now. 6 I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ. 7 It is right for me to think this way about all of you, because you hold me in your heart, for all of you share in God's grace with me, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. 8 For God is my witness, how I long for all of you with the compassion of Christ Jesus. 9 And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight 10 to help you to determine what is best, so that in the day of Christ you may be pure and blameless, 11 having produced the harvest of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God. (Philippians 1:3-11 NRSV)

Happy and blessed Tuesday for you and yours, dear Reader. I ask for continued prayers for the family of Rev. Francisco Gaytan, who passed away this morning (Monday) at 2:14 a.m. Pray for Gods traveling mercies for his family members who will be traveling to be with each other at the funeral. Prayers for this old man as I have been asked to officiate at his funeral. Prayers for those in need, for those who feel stressed even to the point of breaking; for those who face financial burdens, and for those whose time with family during the holidays is more troublesome than calming. Pray for one another. Pray for your needs.

As we journey through Advent, we find that in this passage, Paul is reminding us that prayer is a key part of preparation and awaiting the arrival of that for which we prepare to receive. Prayer is very much a part of the equipping work for any disciple. If we fail to pray, we end up failing. And if we pray without feelings, like joy, we're not living up to the reality of God's presence in our prayers and in our lives. Paul, in spite of all the dangers he faced, he prayed with joy and gratitude for those like-minded believers who supported his work by sharing the good news of Jesus; and Paul affirms their efforts by saying a famous verse, "I am confident of this, that the One who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ," which was a reference to Christ's promised second coming. It is Paul encouraging those who may think that their efforts seem in vain; but he says, Jesus is coming back and when He returns, He will complete the work that He started among us. And another essential part of Advent is to increase our love for each other, for others, for those who need love, and to increase a proper self-love for us. A Christian's love should be an overflowing love, not a trickle or a drip, drip sort of love. The love that comes to us from God is like that which comes from Niagra Falls, and for us to hold on to that love and withhold it from others, is not justice nor very Christ-like. Overflowing love is one that is fueled by knowledge and fulll insight; which helps us to determine what is best and helps prepare us so that on that day when Christ appears again, we may stand pure and blameless, because that overflowing love has helped produce a harvest of righteousness that we have received from Jesus Christ; and all for the honor and glory of God.

Many of us had an Advent of sorts as we prepared for Thanksgiving. Trips to the store for the proper foods we wanted to serve; housecleaning chores, the right place settings, and a million and one other tasks that most undertook with some stress, but most undertook all tasks with love and gratitude; thankful for family, prayers for safe travel; then the waiting. When the moment arrives and the hugs and kisses begin, everything was well worth the effort and stress. When gathered around the table, news and updates were shared and the people gathered together truly became family once again, and the common goal of family was stressed; stay together, pray together, and work together for the common good of the family. In the same way, Paul is stressing that for God's familly, and one day it will all make sense.

PRAYER: Loving Father, hold and strengthen Your family. May we bound together in prayer, work, and devotion to You, to each other, and to those who have not yet heard or believed. Make us more loving, the kind of love that overflows in all directions to all people, without conditions or reservations. Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord. Share hope and love to all in great joy.

Receive my blessings of joy and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Prepare the Way for Jesus!

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1 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar—when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and Traconitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene— 2 during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 3 He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 4 As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him. 5 Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low. The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth. 6 And all people will see God’s salvation.’ ” (Luke 3:1-6 NIV)

A very blessed and joyous first Monday of Advent to you and yours dear Friend, is my prayer for you. The time of Advent is the time we prepare spiritrually for the coming of the Lord. We take that to mean, the celebration of His birth as well as His second return. May this devotional play an important part in that preparation for us all. We had a wonderful Thanksgiving as I pray you all did as well. I just learned that Mr. Perry Heath is recovering from a medical issue and needs our prayers for his complete recovery. Perry is a member of FUMC-San Marcos, and he is our CPA. And also, this morning at 2:14 a.m., The Rev. Francisco Gaytan passed away in Edinburg, Texas. Please keep Elisa, Cindy, Sylvia, Frankie, and Carmen and their respective families in your prayers. The family has asked for me to officiate, which I am honored to do, if invited by their pastor. Please pray for Nellie and me as well.

It was ten months ago that while watching videos here at home with Nellie and Carli, Carli showed us a different type of video. We tend to like YouTube videos on Disney, and this one was Disney-related. It showed an itinerary for somone from Seguin going to Disney World. I thought "How nice for that person whomever it could be!" And Carli kept saying things like, "Look closer," and I could, but it never clicked. She said "You all are going to Disney World during Thanksgiving!" My first reaction was disbelief. "Nuh huh," I said, and then I could see our names on the airplane flight, and the park admissions, and she said, "We're also staying at the Contemporary Resort." No way! She was doing this because almost fifty years ago, my Mom and Dad took our family to Disney World in June, 1972, the very first summer it was opened. And this being the year that Disney World is celebrating their 50th Anniversary, it was fitting for us to be there during a week that Carli had off from work and we could join her during that week. It was a dream come true. I fell in love with the Disney World experience that first summer and having already been a fan of Walt Disney and his movies and television show, it went hand in hand, and then to be a part of the first summer crowds to come to the Magic Kingdom, well, it was beyond description. So, I set my phone's Countdown feature for the day when we would depart Seguin for Orlando; ten months. It seemed like it could have been the 32nd of February, a day that never comes around. And almost weekly I would go to that app and hear the Disney music assigned to it and see the number of months, days, and hours before the trip. As the day approached, I suggested we leave earlier than the Sunday before Thanksgiving so that we could explore some of the attractions in the Orlando area before our commitment to the Disney bubble. By that I mean, one usually flies in and is met at the airport by Disney's Magical Express, on which our luggage is loaded and taken to the resort hotel. Now, thanks to technology, and the pandemic, going to the front desk to check in is no longer necessary. Once we check in by phone or watch, we are assigned a room number and the Magic Bands we received in the mail a few weeks before our departure, we use them to hold to the door and the room opens. The wristband also can be set up to charge items on it, like meals and souvenirs. And still, it seemed like the day would never arrive.

Advent is a time of preparation and waiting. In today's passage, we read God's hand was all over the details and the preparations about who would do what, and when. God was preparing for the world's greatest event, the birth of God's only Son, for saving the world from sin and death; well, that was a big event and careful preparation and events would have to happen. The task of one who could go before the Lord's arrival, would require a special person who would be faithful and strong to prepare the way of the Lord. After all, this would be the fulfillment of prophecy of many years. And as other gospels tell the story, God's angel appeared to John, son of Zechariah, who was told what his son would do and even what he was to name that son. The son was John the Baptist, a name given to him because he offered baptism for the forgiveness of sins to all who would receive it. And off into the wilderness he went with this message, "Repent, for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand." his passage shares the fuller message of the prophetic message preached by prophets, "A voice of one calling in the wilderness, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him. Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low. The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth. And all people will see God's salvation." All that John did was to fulfill prophecy and to indeed make ready the way of the Lord. It was not an easy task, and like most biblical characters, he lost his life for his faithfulness to God. And all for the salvation of all people. Advent is a time to remember that God's love is so great, He wants all people to come to a saving knowledge of that love, and by surrendering to Him, can enter into a trusting relationship with God; that is salvation. We know that God has, through His Son, Jesus, paid for our sins, through Jesus' death, and as a result, we enjoy fullness of life now, and later, eternal life.

Carli's preparations included, keeping a secret for ten months from us. She excitedly invited all of our daughters, if they could, to make plans to join us in Orlando. They were not to tell us and she coordianted a way to surprise us once we were at the park. We arrived on Friday, we rented a car, and stayed at a hotel off-property, and we enjoyed Orlando. Our shift in plans helped our avoiding to see one of our girls' airport arrival at the same time as us. Sunday night, our first night in the park, we were sitting by a stand where we could buy Dole pineapple ice cream. I got a text with a photo of our son-in-law Eric, and our oldest granddaughter, Sarita. The photo was dark and looked very much like where we were sitting! And while I'm trying to make heads or tails of the photo, someone comes and sits very close to me. This startled me and I stare at her, and realize it's our daughter, Sarai! And I hug her and realize that Nellie is hugging our granddaughter and soon Eric is hugging me. What an unexpected surprise! We went to bed that night very happy and blessed. The next morning Nellie and I said that the trip would be more special if the other daughters and sons-in-law and grandchildren would have made it, espcially our little one, Eli. So, a bit later, we're in a shop inside of The Magic Kingdom and as we're looking around, we hear a familiar voice say, "Grandma, do you mind looking after Eli for a second?" It was Liam's voice and not only was he there, but he's pushing the stroller with Eli inside! Momma, Caitlin and Daddy, Jesse were also there. Another blessing! We lamented not seeing our firstborn and her family, but learned they were in Orlando, but at Universal Studios. The pandemic had made it necessary for them to cancel a trip, which they made up on this trip. Later, Nellie's knee problem allowed us to take our daughter Nellie's offer to use their van if we needed, They drove over to the urgent care and drove us to get the Rx and dropped us off at our hotel. We got to spend precious memories with Eliana and Adabelle. Our grandson, Caleb, had fallen asleep and stayed in their room; but great blessings were ours, thanks to the proper coordiation and planning done by our daughter Carli. The most awesome part was their keeping the entire trip a secret from us.

Advent is not about keeping secrets, it's for shouting from the housetops that Jesus Christ was born to save us from ourselves and our sinful ways. And the better news is that Jesus will come again!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, for the things You do and provide, we are amazed and thankful. For the way of salvation we are also indebted. May we truly seek to be right in You and with You; and may we share that joy with others. We pray again for those who need Your healing touch, and may Your will be done; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Seek ways to share the joy of salvation with someone today.

Receive my blessings of joy and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Robed and Ready!

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1 The Lord is king, he is robed in majesty; the Lord is robed, he is girded with strength. He has established the world; it shall never be moved; 2 your throne is established from of old; you are from everlasting. 3 The floods have lifted up, O Lord, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their roaring. 4 More majestic than the thunders of mighty waters, more majestic than the waves of the sea, majestic on high is the Lord! 5 Your decrees are very sure; holiness befits your house, O Lord, forevermore. (Psalm 93 New Revised Standard Version)

Happy Thursday, ConCafe Family! May the fullness of life enter into your spirit, heart, and mind, and equip you for fullness of service to the King of Kings, King Jesus! And may you, dear Reader, be one of God's most effective servants in all you set out to do as directed by God!

It amazes me to think that the shepherd king of Israel felt what he felt, saw what he saw, and wrote down those images that God placed in him, to give us a glimpse of majesty and power from on high. In keeping with this Sunday's Christ the King theme, this psalm closes out the passages in an awesome way. Nellie read recently a story about Queen Elizabeth going to an event there in London and almost was denied admittance into the event because the person at the door did not recognize her! That, of course, seems almost funny (And probably now that person can laugh again!). But she was gracious about it and laughed it off. The Queen is a fancy dresser, but nothing compared to the royal trappings with which she dresses for national events; no one would mistake her on her throne or addressing or knighting someone; she is dressed as a monarch. I cannot begin to image what God wears, but the psalmist saw God robed in majesty, and repeats robed again, and his robe is girded with strength. The One who created and ordered and watches the earth has all power! The world is not going anywhere without Him! God's throne knows no beginning nor end; for God's realm is everlasting. All of creation joins in on their praises of God; and above all them is God Himself; all that God decrees and declares, are sure promises from Him; and God's home is bathed in holiness; from now until evermore.

Nowhere is this illustrated better than in the lives of the disciples and their gradual transformation from regular ordinary men with vocations that most people knew and were familiar with, into the supernaturally charged disciples charged by Jesus to become fishers of people. What they saw, experienced, and heard, changed them forever. The list is too long to list here of the miracles they saw; but suffice it to say the saw they ancient words of the prophets become realities right before their very eyes. The deaf could hear, the blind could see, the lame could walk, even the dead raised from their graves; they heard the powerful voice of God declare that Jesus was His Son; and at the start of that last week of Jesus' life on earth they saw Jesus mount a donkey and ride into Jerusalem as a king with shouts of "Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!" and then saw the way He was placed on trial, found guilty, nailed to a cross, saw Him die, saw Him buried and three days later, witness that He lived again! And for fifty days after, they spent time with Him and finally saw Him ascend into Heaven. Truly, they believed, and proclaimed, that He, Jesus, was Lord, Savior, Messiah, and King. And one day, He's coming back, to take us with Him.

PRAYER: Loving God, fulfill Your plans for our lives in the directions You only can provide to us. Make us ready, holy, and prepared, to serve You and make great Your name; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Show others the fullness of life in all you say, think, and do.

Receive my blessings of hope, love, joy, and peace!

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Christ the King!

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9 As I watched, thrones were set in place, and an Ancient One took his throne, his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames, and its wheels were burning fire. 10 A stream of fire issued and flowed out from his presence. A thousand thousands served him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood attending him. The court sat in judgment, and the books were opened. 13 As I watched in the night visions, I saw one like a human being coming with the clouds of heaven. And he came to the Ancient One and was presented before him. 14 To him was given dominion and glory and kingship, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not pass away, and his kingship is one that shall never be destroyed. (Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14)

A blessed and supernatural day be yours today, ConCafe Family. And may you, dear Friend, be blessed richly as you seek to bless God and God's people today. I ask prayers for The Rev. Jacinto Alderete, a retired pastor from the Rio Grande Conference, who served as the director of a Wesley Community Center in Amarillo, and how is now in failing health, notably Parkinson's Disease. Rev. Alderete was a faithful servant of God and blessed my life as a youth. May God bring him comfort and peace during this time, and may God's comfort be with his wife and family. Pray for one another, and lift up your needs to the Lord.

I pity the souls who believe that there is nothing after we die. Yes, I know several, who believe we live on only in the minds and hearts of people we love. My Jesus says otherwise, and I tend to believe Jesus more than those who have given themselves a title of theologian. We not only believe in an afterlife, in the region of the world in which we live, we celebrate it! Joyously! Proudly. Yes, we mourn, hurt, and grieve at the loss of loved ones, but we also believe that even in the tears, we can feel the One who is the author and sustainer of life, who holds us up when we are down; Who gets us through when we think we are at the end; and who receives us home when it is our turn to leave this earth. You see, where we live, we have just finished a time not all the world experiences. We are blessed here in this area with those who celebrate Dia De Los Muertos (Day of the Dead), a unique holiday that pays homage to loved ones who have died, and the entire day reinforces the idea of supernatural beliefs, practices, and realities. My first exposure to this day and its importance was when I was an intern minister in Mission, Texas. This was the time there was a certain young woman whom I was pining after, but she did not want to affect my acadmic standings; but that's another story for another day. I took a day trip, alone, to Rio Grande City, and I was blown away by the vision of what was a gaily decorated cemetery at the outskirts of RGC making it look like it was going to host a birthday party, rather than be a resting place for the dead. I put two and two together and figured out it was for the Dia de Los Muertos. I later found out that families head to the graves of loved ones and enjoy a meal and a time of fellowship in honor of the deceased. In their homes, these families have altars or memorials to the loved ones, decorated with photos, favorite things, favorite foods and drinks; all are reminders of the loved one's likes, and the time it is up it is for joyful purposes. This is closely related to the Protestant All Saint's Day, but the two differ in some areas, but still affirm there is a realm of life we don't yet fully see. The passage we are studying today affirms that too.

We meet up again with the young man named Daniel; a faithful man of God. His entire story is amazing and this prophetic word from him serves to help our coming celebration of Christ the King Sunday. You see, kingdoms have thrones, and courts, and palaces, and power and majesty; and in all of that we find He who sits in the only eternal throne that the universe holds, and that is the throne of God. God's realm, God's kingdom, is a powerful realm where there is purity and holiness and other things we can't yet fully understand. It truly is a realm of love and awe. The stage as set by the prophet paints an awesome picture of that heavenly court. God on His throne, and those who worship and serve Him number in numbers so high it does us little good to try to assign any number to them. His court is a setting of judgment, where books will be opened, and assignments and rewards will be given to all who have ever lived; and before God will come His Son, Jesus, our Lord, Who has been given "dominion and glory and kingship, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him." And this dominion is unlike any the earth has or will ever see, for it will know no end; it will never pass away; and Jesus' kingship is one that shall never be destroyed. And those whom the King knows will rejoice in being in that presence, for they know, they too, will live forever.

May this glimpse of Glory gathered during a brief devotional fuel us into action, to reach more for God's touch to be with them as He lifts them up from the pits of despair and suffering, and restores those who believed they were beyond repair, and their hearts filled with love and hope, where once they were empty and void. And the time to start is now.

PRAYER: Awesome God, fill our hearts, souls, and spirits with everlasting joy and peace. Help us reach those whom we have not yet reached, and let us bring honor and glory to You in all that we say, think, and do; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen and amen!

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Witness to your faith in life-affirming way of love and compassion; put away selfish and self-centered ideas from you now!

Receive my blessings of hope and peace!

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Jesus is the Ruler of the Kings of the Earth

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4b Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood, 6 and made us to be a kingdom, priests serving his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. 7 Look! He is coming with the clouds; every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and on his account all the tribes of the earth will wail. So it is to be. Amen. 8 "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty. (Revelation 1:4b-8 NRSV)

A blessed Tuesday to you, ConCafe Family, and may you, dear Reader, enjoy God's favor; may your today, and all of your tomorrows bless you in wonderful ways is my prayer for you. May we pray for Mrs. Sharon Alsbrooks, wife of The Rev. John Alsbrooks, who underwent surgery today and is recovering at home. May we pray for one another and for our needs as well.

It was almost two years ago that a group of six from our church went on a tour in Greece, called In the Footsteps of the Apostle Paul. We toured most of Greece and several of its islands. One of those islands was the Isle of Patmos, and we were blessed in taking a tour of the cave on that island (pictured above) that is called the cave of the apocalypse, for it was in that cave that the disciple John had the vision that was the unveiling of what is to come. The experience was supernatural. The vision to John was shared by our Lord, Jesus, Who when He first entered the cave and spoke, split the ceiling of this sold rock cave with His voice into a cross formation. To see the cross and to know that Jesus' voice made that gave many of us chills. The voice that many of us will one day hear spoke to this beloved disciple and revealed to him what was yet to come and how all things would end. This further proves, in my opinion, that believers in Jesus Christ are supernatural people; we have a connection with another realm where God resides. Too many distractions of today obscure the connection we have or could have, with the truly divine side of life. But to those whose hearts, minds, and spirits are in tune with the Lord can still hear and respond to God's call and command and further help in the recruitment of new believers to this new way of living.

The passage is quite short, but no less powerful. John writes as he hears from the Lord Himself, beginning first with a word of grace and peace to all believers from the Lord Himself, and from the seven spirits who are before His throne. Jesus is called "the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth." Who can doubt the faithfulness of our Lord? Who can dispute the fact that of the dead, only He resurrected from the dead and never has died again, nor will He die either. All of the ones blessed with new life after death by the hand of Jesus, all died. Jesus still lives. And Jesus is called for what He truly is, "the ruler of the kings of the earth." We are reminded that Jesus loves us; Jesus freed us from our sins by His blood, and has come to make us a kingdom with priests who serve God and Father, and Who deserves our glory and praise, for He has dominion and glory forever and ever. The passage speaks of Jesus returning with the clouds in a way where every eye will see Him, even those who crucified Him; and crying and wailing will come from all the tribes of the earth. Jesus declares, "I am the Alpha and the Omega; "Who is and Who was, and Who is to come, the Almighty." Amen.

It falls on us to be ready and to help others be ready; to live lives that help bring God's Kingdom to the earth, where truly our prayer is like Jesus taught us, to have "His will done on the earth, as it is in Heaven." It is work that started many thousands of years ago and has still so many more to go; though only God knows for sure how many; but still we work and labor to bring about hope, joy, love, and peace to all people.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, truly bring about Your will here on the earth as it is in Heaven. Empower us to live as those who truly know and serve You; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Share hope with someone today in ways that bless God and those who hear it.

Receive my blessings of joy and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Jesus is King!

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33 Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” 34 “Is that your own idea,” Jesus asked, “or did others talk to you about me?” 35 “Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What is it you have done?” 36 Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.” 37 “You are a king, then!” said Pilate. Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” (John 18:33-37 New International Version of The Bible)

Happy Monday, ConCafe Family! May you, dear Friend, shine Christ's love to all today! Prayers for all for whom we have been praying; that God may be glorified and that we bless Him by listening to whatever direction He may share with us.

This coming Sunday is Christ the King Sunday. It is the day the Christian Church affirm a basic tenet of our fatih that Jesus is the King. Yes, even for us Americans who have no clue of what having a king is all about. In fact, we fought against staying under a king's reign, and having a king, for many, is the last thing we would want for our nation. Yet, for those who were born in a nation with a monarchy, most like, or at best, tolerate, that system of government. Ours is a spiritual kingdom, with Jesus as our eternal king.

I have shared how our firstborn, being raised on Disney and other fairy tale type tales, had a great fear of kings. Kings in some stories are shown to be absolute tyrants with life and death power over all subjects. At a session of the Rio Grande Annual Conference years ago, held in the Lois Perkins Chapel, a majestic and beautiful worship space, the choir from La Trinidad UMC of San Antonio was singing "The King is Coming." That's all our baby Nellie had to hear. She was in my Dad's arms, and when she heard the refrain, she looked to the back and down the aisle and exclaimed quite loudly, "Oh my God, grandpa, the king is coming! Get me outta here!" Those around them chuckled, but she was serious and Dad took her outside to explain things to her. Some of us do fear the return of The King, Who will come to judge us; others of us look forward to seeing His face and being reunited with Him in our heavenly home.

The gospel lesson centers on a discussion Jesus has with Pilate. Here, the King of the Universe is meeting with the Roman governor of Judea. The Roman's supreme leader was not known as king but as Caesar. Interesting to note that Caesar was first a family name but came to be known as the title of the ruler over the Roman Empire. Pilate's loyalty was to Caesar Augustus, and enjoyed that special position of authority and priviledge. It would ultimately be Pilate's word that would lead to Jesus' death. But for now, Pilate has to ask, "Are you the king of the Jews?" Pilate had heard the rumors and gossip. Jesus had to be the Messiah, in Jewish expectations, of the one who would set Israel free from the Roman rule, and lead the nation back into greatness. Jesus wants to know if he came up with this idea of His being a king on his own, or if others had talked to him about it. Pilate defends himself by asking "Am I a Jew?" He knew that everyone knew he was a Roman and a proud one at that. Then, he wanted to know why his own people would have turned Jesus in. Jesus says, "My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom if from another place." Pilate then declares, "You are a king, then!" Our Lord replies, "You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me."

Jesus knew that if He had been an earthly king, there would have been a fight to keep Jesus away from the Jewish leaders. And He also reveals to Pilate that His kingdom is from another place, meaning another realm, the one to which we belong. How I wish more people would that that seriously, and that all of us would live with that understanding, that we are from another kingdom, and our time here is just temporary. If we truly are "on the side of the truth" as Jesus said, we know and recognize and bow down to Him, who is our King. As Jesus answered His questioners about the greatest commandment, that appies to us and our love for God and for Jesus, our King. All aspects of our lives should be devoted and in love with Jesus; and the second commandment which is just as important, is to love our neighbor as ourselves. That means, no other gods, and no other nations. I love the United States, but not as much as I love Jesus. While I believe our country is great, it is not perfect, and we, like other nations, have our faults both internal and external, and we have to realize that our country, like the Temple, will not last forever. Jesus will. And so will we, if we surrender all our being to Him and love Him and serve Him as we should.

PRAYER: Loving King, we humble ourselves before You in total love and adoration of You. Forgive us for the times we have placed other things and even other people before You. There is none like You; and there is no one Who loves us like You do. Help us to continue our task to form Your kingdom here on the earth and to include all we can so that Your Kingdom grows. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Pledge your alligiance to God's Son, Who is our King; as the hymn says, "And crown Him, Lord of all!"

Receive my love and blessings for a great and blessed day today!

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Hannah's Song!

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1 Hannah also prayed and said, "My heart exults in the LORD; my strength is exalted in the LORD. My mouth derides my enemies, because I rejoice in thy salvation. 2 "There is none holy like the LORD, there is none besides thee; there is no rock like our God. 3 Talk no more so very proudly, let not arrogance come from your mouth; for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. 4 The bows of the mighty are broken, but the feeble gird on strength. 5 Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread, but those who were hungry have ceased to hunger. The barren has borne seven, but she who has many children is forlorn. 6 The LORD kills and brings to life; he brings down to Sheol and raises up. 7 The LORD makes poor and makes rich; he brings low, he also exalts. 8 He raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap, to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor. For the pillars of the earth are the LORD'S, and on them he has set the world. 9 "He will guard the feet of his faithful ones; but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness; for not by might shall a man prevail. 10 The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; against them he will thunder in heaven. The LORD will judge the ends of the earth; he will give strength to his king, and exalt the power of his anointed." (1 Samuel 2:1-10 Revised Standard Version)

Happy Thursday, ConCafe Family! May God's awesomeness fill your tongue with awesome praises which you, dear Friend, will share with as many people as you can! Prayers please for those for whom we have been praying as well as for those we carry close in our hearts. Pray for our children, our grandchildren, and all the little ones that look up to us! Pray for one another; pray for your personal needs.

First, let us say this song of Hannah is a beautiful work of art. It reflects her gratitude towards God for what God did for her and through her. Let us also say it set the stage for another grateful mother, Mary, for her song after she learned what God would do through her. We must also know that some scholars say this poem or song, was not necessarily the work of Hannah, but a poetic license the writer took to increase the appeal of this passage. You, dear friend, are free to believe what you want about this song. I had a professor who stressed story over structure; meaning knowing the story is more important than the analysis that comes from study rather than enjoyment or the blessings that comes from it. In popular music, I would be the first to confess that some songs that I loved as a child were more for the music, the beauty, the enjoyment that it brought to me, and not necessarily the structure or even the words. For example, the first record I asked my Mom to buy for me was This Diamond Ring, by Gary Lewis. It was all the music that sold it to me and it was years later that I came to understand the message behind it. If you tried telling five year old me about a jilted lover wanting to rid himself of an engagement ring I would have said, "?Que?" I think we profit more from hearing gratitude on the part of a once barren woman now blessed with a child. Her worldview changed and she exalts God and plays down God's enemies. And the most famous line is the one quoted in the graphic, "There is none holy like the Lord, there is none besides Thee; there is no Rock like our God." Boom. And she lists the accomplishments of God. Scholars would say, this is part of the nationalist part of the hymn that give them reason to suspect it is a later work of another hand, not necessarily Hannah's. And the list is quite impressive of the wonderful works of God: God provided opportunies for work; the hungry were fed, the barren moms have borne many children, God works among the dying and brings life to those who need it; God is involved in the making of rich and poor; the needy are lifted from their ashes, and invited to sit among the powerful and privileged. God guards the feet of the faithful, and sets the wicked on their deserved paths. God's enemies will be broken into pieces; and judgment will come from God; and God's strength will be upon His king who rules over Israel, and the anointed will be exalted.

Most of us would not be capable of sitting down and writing a poem or song like Hannah or Mary; but God does not expect that. Truly, God delights in hearing a simple, but heartfelt "Thank You" from us when we really and truly mean it. Those two words would be a symphony to God's ears and that is sufficient for Him. Of course, if you are a talented writer, than write away! If you are a composer, compose the song that shares your thank yous to God for the multitude of things that God has shared in your life. This evening I made a video for our granddaughter Eliana, who is in a UIL competition and she responded with the sweetest message that melted my heart and when I shared it with Nellie, it melted hers as well. I didn't even expect it, but man, did it hit the spot in my heart. A darling granddaughter that I truly love sending a simple thank you was the symphony which closed out a beautiful day in a beautiful way. I believe that if I could multiply that by a billion, I'd have a tiny glimpse of what God's heart feels like when He hears from us our thank yous. We're so, so close to our national day of Thanks, and this sets the tone for which should take place every day, but certainly on that special day we call Thanksgiving Day.

Dear one, thank you for reading this, and for sharing your prayers with me. I cannot begin to explain God's faithfulness in sharing words that I share with you. It is your prayers that help me a bit when I press Send; usually I think who will even understand this mess of words that I have somehow put together in some sort of order, but I pray, "Glorify Yourself in the hearts of those who read these," every time I press the send button.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, in Your mercy be glorified in this dear person's life. Help them with their battles and struggles, but fill their minds with refreshing to the multitude of times You have poured out a rich blessing on them, so that the heavens would be filled with the symphonies of thank yours from those who love and trust You; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Say thank you to those in your life who need to hear it from you!

Receive my blessings of joy and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

In God's Time...

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4 When Elkanah sacrificed, he passed helpings from the sacrificial meal around to his wife Peninnah and all her children, 5 but he always gave an especially generous helping to Hannah because he loved her so much, and because God had not given her children. 6 But her rival wife taunted her cruelly, rubbing it in and never letting her forget that God had not given her children. 7 This went on year after year. Every time she went to the sanctuary of God she could expect to be taunted. Hannah was reduced to tears and had no appetite. 8 Her husband Elkanah said, "Oh, Hannah, why are you crying? Why aren't you eating? And why are you so upset? Am I not of more worth to you than ten sons?" 9 So Hannah ate. Then she pulled herself together, slipped away quietly, and entered the sanctuary. The priest Eli was on duty at the entrance to God's Temple in the customary seat. 10 Crushed in soul, Hannah prayed to God and cried and cried - inconsolably. 11 Then she made a vow: Oh, God-of-the-Angel-Armies, If you'll take a good, hard look at my pain, If you'll quit neglecting me and go into action for me By giving me a son, I'll give him completely, unreservedly to you. I'll set him apart for a life of holy discipline. 12 It so happened that as she continued in prayer before God, Eli was watching her closely. 13 Hannah was praying in her heart, silently. Her lips moved, but no sound was heard. Eli jumped to the conclusion that she was drunk. 14 He approached her and said, "You're drunk! How long do you plan to keep this up? Sober up, woman!" 15 Hannah said, "Oh no, sir - please! I'm a woman hard used. I haven't been drinking. Not a drop of wine or beer. The only thing I've been pouring out is my heart, pouring it out to God. 16 Don't for a minute think I'm a bad woman. It's because I'm so desperately unhappy and in such pain that I've stayed here so long." 17 Eli answered her, "Go in peace. And may the God of Israel give you what you have asked of him." 18 "Think well of me - and pray for me!" she said, and went her way. Then she ate heartily, her face radiant. 19 Up before dawn, they worshiped God and returned home to Ramah. Elkanah slept with Hannah his wife, and God began making the necessary arrangements in response to what she had asked. Dedicating the Child to God 20 Before the year was out, Hannah had conceived and given birth to a son. She named him Samuel, explaining, "I asked God for him." (1 Samuel 1:4-20 The Message Bible)

A blessed and marvelous Wednesday to you, ConCafe Family, and may you be an agent of change for good among God's people, Friend, is my prayer for you. I request prayers for Ms. Terry Schoenert, of San Antonio, who underwent surgery, the surgery went well, but complications made it necessary for her to be in ICU. There have been no updates on her condition, but we trust God with her healing. Also, Please pray for the family of Carolyn Spillers (Jeanette Mayer’s sister). Carolyn passed away on Sunday. Please pray for all who are on your prayer list; pray for one another, and pray for your personal needs.

We come to a famiiar story from 1 Samuel. Yet, as most of us well know, the familiar doesn't always stay familiar; sometimes our eyes see beyond the familiar and get challenged with the new, the outrageous, and the unexpected. There are several characters in this drama; God, Elkanah, the husband to two wives; Peninnah, who is quite fertile and has children, and the second wife, Hannah, who had no children, thus setting the stage for what is going to transpire in this familiar story. Oh, yes, to make the story more soap-opera worthy, the two wives don't really care for each other. Well, to be honest, Peninnah liked to flaunt that she had borne their husband some heirs, and Hannah had not. I will throw in that Hannah means "Favor," which will be more obvious as our story moves forward. I should also say that Hannah was a woman of faith. And patience. Penni was not one to keep to herself her boasting of having had children, and so year after year, she would taunt Hannah, especially when they were in Jerusalem at temple. This would lead the poor woman to tears every year. And this particular year she was driven to not eat as she had no appetite. Her husband grieved alongside her and has to ask her, "Why are you crying? Why aren't you eating? And why are you so upset? Am I not of more worth to you than ten sons?" This at least allowed her to eat, and slipped into the temple while no one was looking and cried and cried in the temple, while the priest Eli was on duty. And it was shile she cried and prayed, that she made a vow to God. "Oh, God-of-the-Angel-Armies, if you would but grant me my request of giving me a son, I will give him completely to You. I will set him apart for a life of holy discipline." Eli, being at the entrance of the temple watched her as she moved her lips as she was praying in her heart, and the priest thought that she had to be drunk and so he approached her and yelled, "You're drunk! How long do you plan to keep this up? Sober up, woman!" Hannah replies that she is not drunk and has ony pouring out her heart to God, and shared with him the pain and sorrow she held in her heart. The priest can only say that she should go in peace, with the blessing that God grant to her the request of her heart. She, in leaving, asks that he also pray for her. With her appetite back, she ate heartily and her face was radiant again. Early the next morning, she joined the family in worship and they returned home to Ramah. I love the verse where it says, "Elkanah slept with Hannah his wife, and God began making the necessary arrangements in response to what shd had asked, dedicating the Child to God. And before the year was over, Hannah was pregnant and delivered a son, whom she named Samuel, which meant "I asked God for him."

Hannah is one of several women in the Bible who were considered barren but with God's blessings deivered children. Remember Sarah (Gen. 17:16-19), Rebekah (Gen 25:21-26), Rachel (Gen 29, 31), the mother of Samson (Jg 13:2-5), and Elizabeth (Lk 1:5-17)? These stories underscore the power of God to work amazing things when every one has already given up hope; reminding us that God is a God of hope and new life. And the Bible being the honest book that it is, shares the pain and hopelessness some women feel when it comes to childbearing and infertility; and while not all who want children may not have them, we still believe that God is with us and can guide and use us, and that our self-worth in God's eyes does not count on who we think we need to be; God loves us just as we are and what we offer to Him, and through Him, to others. What Hannah requested and what she promised not many women, or men, would be capable of doing. She wanted a son and had a son, but enjoyed him only untill he was weaned. At that point of his life, she presented him back to God to serve Him. Yes, sometimes our children act in ways that at some moments we would gladly present them to God for God to take them off our hands, but it would be very difficult to truly surrender our children to God. I remember discussing ministry with a mom whose son showed interest in knowing more about serving God in that way, and she replied, without much hesitation, en espanol, "Ni lo mande Dios!" which means quite expllicity, "GOD FORBID!" Indeed.

PRAYER: Loving God, You know our situations, our pains, our sorrows, and the needs we have expressed to You. Our prayer is that You would bless us with what we need to better serve You; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Render unto God the things that are God's.

Receive my blessings of joy and hope,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Christ Will Not Remember Our Sins

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11 And every priest stands day after day at his service, offering again and again the same sacrifices that can never take away sins. 12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, "he sat down at the right hand of God," 13 and since then has been waiting "until his enemies would be made a footstool for his feet." 14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. 15 And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us, for after saying, 16 "This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds," 17 he also adds, "I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more." 18 Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin. 19 Therefore, my friends, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh), 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (Hebrews 10:11-25 NRSV)

Happy Tuesday to you, ConCafe Family! May the joy of the Lord be your strength, dear Reader, is my prayer for you.

In reading the first verse of this passage I thought back to the days where I had to do something extraordinarily special in worship, like baptism or the celebration of Holy Communion, and I would look at my hands and I would wonder why God selected me to be His means of grace knowing full well how far from perfect I am. I cannot answer for the priests of Jesus' day, but I do know that among that vast number that served there were those who did take their work/calling seriously and truly believed that in their work and words, God would be at work taking away sins and making right the lives of those who presented themselves as needing forgiveness. And, of course, our work pales to the work of Jesus, Who did take away the sins of the world with His supreme sacrificial act of His death; and rightly deserved His place of honor - the right hand of God, where He awaits the day when the enemies of God will become "a footstool for His feet." And Christ also awaits the day when God's law will be placed in our hearts and minds; meaning God will have our perfect love and we, His. And to top this all off, Jesus adds, "I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more." Haste the day, dear Father, when that will be, so that peace and hope may truly reign in us now and until then. May our true sacrifice be our surrendering of ourselves to Him daily as those who have been perfected and made holy by Him to more faithfully serve Him in all ways that build us His kingdom. May our hearts be truly filled with the full assurance of faith; and completly washed from evil, and our bodies washed with pure water. May our faith never waver knowing He who promised all this is He who is faithful. Let our employ be to provoke one another to be loving and good towards all. May we be driven to meet with others of the faith to encourage one another until that Day when He will come for us.

I'm old enough to remember blackboards as in the most modern medium for communication and instruction. A good teacher and a good blackboard got along mighty fine, and every day, there would be miles of chalk to erase. Enterprising students or those who knew they were in trouble, would volunteer or be volunteered to erase the chalkboards for the day and that was an interesting task. I remember getting into trouble with two of my friends in band practice and our lovely teacher very wickedly saying, "You, you, and you, after class - one swat!" We were busted for laughing in class, a no-no from this delightful band director. I laughed more until I remembered my Dad's strict Day One talk. "If you get in trouble in school, you're in trouble here at home. If you get a swat at school, you're going to get one here too." Gulp. I didn't know how hard Miss Hull could swat, but I sure knew the swift powerful arm of Eradio Valverde, Sr.! I just smiled and thought, oh well; it was worth it. My friend Mike and I lined up with no complaints, but Nacho; it was as if he was standing on the gallows of a South Texas courthouse and he was pleading for his very soul. "Nooo, Miss Hull, I am so sorry for laughing and I will never laugh again; please don't swat me! If you like, I'll clean the blackboards for a whole week if you don't swat me!" I think Mike and I were going to get more swats added because we found his pleading to be hilarious and quite cowardly! He giggled with delight when Miss Hull spared his life and Mike and I took our swats like real men. Miss Hull was quite good with that paddle. But when I got home I waited until Dad was home and I fessed up that I had gotten a swat at school. "What for?" my Dad asked. "For laughing during band rehearsal." He laughed and said, that's good. And no swat was added to my punishment. Dad knew that I got my sense of humor from him; and he and I found humor in pretty much the same places. God offers a clean slate. Not a mark on it. God's records of our wrongdoings is blank. The dusty fingers of a week's work of cleaning a blackboard are not necessary. Our marks have been wiped clean with the blood of the Lamb. And where that happens, the writer says, "There is no longer any offering for sin." He goes on to say one can live with confidence in God's grace and pardon; and full access to our high priest is now ours. I cannot think of better news for a sinner such as myself. How bout you?

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your love and pardon. May we truly live as pardoned sons and daughters; may we live with boldness in our hearts, minds, and spirits, as we seek new way to serve You and grow Your Kingdom. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Be someone's advocate of mercy today by speaking up about the clean slate we can have through Christ Jesus.

Receive my blessings of joy and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Always Be Ready!

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1 As Jesus was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!” 2 “Do you see all these great buildings?” replied Jesus. “Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.” 3 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John and Andrew asked him privately, 4 “Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are all about to be fulfilled?” 5 Jesus said to them: “Watch out that no one deceives you. 6 Many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and will deceive many. 7 When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 8 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains. (Mark 13: 1-8 NIV)

A joyous and blessed Monday to you, dear ConCafe Family! May you bless the Lord, dear Friend, with our loving acts of kindness to all around you today is my prayer for you. Please pray for the family of Mrs. Chavela Gonzalez, of Kingsville, who passed away this weekend. Her funeral will be on Friday and we pray God's comfort on all who loved her and appreciated her. Chavela was one of those loving fixtures at El Buen Pastor since my chlidhood and she seems to stay young all these years and I thought she would live forever; and she does now in the Kingdom of Heaven. Please pray for a dear friend and colleague in ministry, The Rev. John Alsbrooks, who underwent surgery this past Thursday and hit the floor running with so many things to do. May God heal him during this recovery is my prayer. Pray for one another; and pray for your needs as well.

As I mentioned above, there are some people, and some things that we believe will last forever. We especially hold dear some landmarks, both personal, and historical, that we believe will never go away. My childhood home has been gone since about 1965. The grocery store where I worked is long gone, as is my beloved place of employment during my high school years, The South Main Drive-In Theatre of Houston, the second-oldest drive-in theatre in Texas went down in the early 70s. I remember very vividly coming home from college and going somewhere with my Mom and she drove us by the location that was the theatre. "Where is the drive-in?" I asked, in sheer disbelief. "It was torn down," she calmly replied. And we can add to the list the names of those whom we loved and hoped would live forever. And, yesterday most churches had All Saints Sunday where the names of those who died this past year were remembered. In our church, Pastor Matt Pennington shared the name of seventeen persons from our church who died since last All Saints Day.

And so it was with the disciples, tourists that they were, like most Jews, in love with the temple; its symbolism, its place in their history, the imposing structure that it was, and for God to whom the temple pointed. They, like most of us, thought it would never go away. Yet, Jesus replies to their gushing of admiration, "Do you see all these great buildings? Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down." Gulp. Wait. What? It begged the question from four of them, "Tell us, when will all these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are all about to be fulfilled?" I believe they wanted an exact day on which to look forward to, or fear. They probaby thought, "If anyone knows when all this will be, it has to be Jesus!" However, Jesus says, "Be careful that no one leads you astray with false teachings. There will be many who will come pretending to be me, and thus lead many astray. And you will hear of wars and rumors of war, yet do not be afraid; the end is still not yet coming. You will hear of nation going against nation; kingdom against kingdom; you will hear of earthquakes, and famines. These are but the beginning of the pains of child birth."

The temple fell just as Jesus said. And the world has not yet ended. We have had two world wars and too many other wars, and nations still go up against nations; there's been too many famines; but we know that God is still in control and only He will decide when it all ends. What we do know is that we have to always be ready. We cannot pause just to wish that the end was already here, though there are some days when we do say, "Lord, if You're coming, this would be a great time!" But still it is up to God and on God's time, not ours. Ours is to continue the work needed to reach more and prepare more, and to help more and bless others as best we can. There is still much to do.

PRAYER: Loving God, in Your hands are we, and the many who need you. Help us be ready, but bless us to be in service to all. Let no one deceive us, but help us as we seek to find those who will receive You. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Be those who bless God today and all days.

Receive my blessings of hope and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

God's Construction Company

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1 If God doesn't build the house, the builders only build shacks. If God doesn't guard the city, the night watchman might as well nap. 2 It's useless to rise early and go to bed late, and work your worried fingers to the bone. Don't you know he enjoys giving rest to those he loves? 3 Don't you see that children are God's best gift? the fruit of the womb his generous legacy? 4 Like a warrior's fistful of arrows are the children of a vigorous youth. 5 Oh, how blessed are you parents, with your quivers full of children! Your enemies don't stand a chance against you; you'll sweep them right off your doorstep. (Psalm 127 The Message)

Happy and blessed Thursday, ConCafe Family! May this day present you with a long awaited prayer answer for your life, Friend, is my prayer for you.

I was homeless for the better part of forty-four years. As are most pastors in the United Methodist Church. It wasn't until 2008 that I was appointed to a church that did not, gasp!, own a parsonage. That meant Nellie and I would have to either rent or buy a dwelling. Praying and thinking, buying meant we would be putting down deep roots in that city, and that was not a bad idea. We were just a few miles from our two youngest grandkids, and that was a great blessing. We were blessed with so many unexpected doors to open that allowed us a tremendous buy of a brand new home that was every bit our dream home. Our tax preparer said for us to take the IRS's new home buyer program which meant an $11,000 reduction in taxes if we lived in the home for three years. No problem, thought I! We would be in this home forever! The church was ideal; I had three full-time associates, the church had a full-court basketball court with an upstairs running track, a dual raquetball court, and a growing congregation. We know God had been in the building of the house, and our time would be blessed there.

We may or may not have a tendency to place God in our every situation. If we do, we bring blessings to that situation. If we don't, we soon may find ourselves inviting Him to come as quickly as He can, for we desperately need Him. The psalmist knew this, especially as he was a builder. He had chosen the new captial city of Israel, and united the kingdoms and settled for Jerusalem as the united capital and once there a nice wooden palace was established for him as king. He even dreamed of making God a home, but was told that would fall to his son. And when it came to guarding the city, David knew all about that, too. He understood the value of rest, and so writes about it. And he enjoyed the blessing of being a parent and so blesses all parents with the words of the closing part of this psalm.

When Nellie and I talked about marriage she said an incredible thing to me. She said that even if we had to live under a tree she would be happy as long as she was with me. Not the words I ever expected to hear, but it revealed her humble and gentle spirit, and above all her trust in God. I praise God that so far we've not had to live under a tree. Yes, some parsonages were close, but not quite! We have been blessed because we involved, and continue to involve God in our family. We spoke of having children, trusting God. Though we miscarried our first, God blessed us with four wonderful babies, now marvelous women. And so far, six grandchildren. God indeed blesses all; not all in the same way, but discerning spirits recognize His handiwork in all ways that are sometimes invisible to others, but sill we know when God is with us, and we certainlly know how God blesses us.

Let us remember the gospel lesson for Sunday; of all the people offering their gifts to the treasury the one who was the most blessed was the widow who gave all of her money to God, revealing that out of all the Bill Gates, Warren Buffett's, and Alice Walton's of the world, she was the most blessed! Which are you?

PRAYER: God of the blessed, continue to watch over and bless this dear reader and his/her loved ones and needs. Help us to share Your blessings to all whom we know. Grant us the vision of Jesus to truly see You in our lives and the multiple ways we have been blessed. Remind us the poorest of all is they who cannot see the blessings You have provided. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Reach out in love to those in need.

Receive my love and blessings,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

God Comes Through!

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8 Then God spoke to him: 9 "Get up and go to Zarephath in Sidon and live there. I've instructed a woman who lives there, a widow, to feed you." 10 So he got up and went to Zarephath. As he came to the entrance of the village he met a woman, a widow, gathering firewood. He asked her, "Please, would you bring me a little water in a jug? I need a drink." 11 As she went to get it, he called out, "And while you're at it, would you bring me something to eat?" 12 She said, "I swear, as surely as your God lives, I don't have so much as a biscuit. I have a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a bottle; you found me scratching together just enough firewood to make a last meal for my son and me. After we eat it, we'll die." 13 Elijah said to her, "Don't worry about a thing. Go ahead and do what you've said. But first make a small biscuit for me and bring it back here. Then go ahead and make a meal from what's left for you and your son. 14 This is the word of the God of Israel: 'The jar of flour will not run out and the bottle of oil will not become empty before God sends rain on the land and ends this drought.'" 15 And she went right off and did it, did just as Elijah asked. And it turned out as he said - daily food for her and her family. 16 The jar of meal didn't run out and the bottle of oil didn't become empty: God's promise fulfilled to the letter, exactly as Elijah had delivered it! (1 Kings 17:8-16 The Message Bible)

A blessed and special Wednesday for you all, ConCafe Family! And may the joys of seeing God working in your life, bless you, dear Friend, is my prayer. We continue to pray for one another and we lift up our needs to the Lord.

The great prophet Elijah is the subject of this passage. We find him after his story begins in this chapter. We find him in the court of the new king, Ahab, as challenging him and his wanting to continue the terrible and tragic leadership which included the child sacrifice of the king and queen's two sons, upon whose bodies were built the foundation of the temple of Baal, because it was considered a lucky thing. Elijah worked for God and did not like where the kingdom was headed and told the king that no rain would fall upon the earth until he said. This challenge, of course, made it necessary for the prophet to leave the city and head for safety. This abrupt start of his ministry is due to the loss of the material where Elijah's call was certainly recorded. We are thankful that what we do have provide quite the picture of a faithful and loyal servant of God.

Elijah is, in this passage, in his first year of ministry, which is the most trying and testing of all years. The call to ministry can best be described as a supernatural experience of a former rational person, who now hears voices or impulses that others would not dare answer or follow. And it's quite the adventure of faith to trust God in the good and the bad, knowing full well that one does not walk alone; they walk with God alongside and before, and Satan right behind, close enough to share his thoughts about what he believes to the best way for him. Though he never is identified in this story, he is both Ahab and Jezebel; he's the thought of doubt in Elijah's mind and the darkness of night that seems to never lift.

The first challenge to this young prophet is to go where God will lead without the luxury of diners, restaurants, or drive-throughs at which to get meals. God has selected the place, Zarephath in Sidon and for him to live there. This was a place named, in Hebrew, as a metalworkng shop or forging place, which is appropriate for a minister just starting their ministry. No one should attempt to serve the Lord without being ready to be tested by the forging of steel. God leads the prophet there with the promise that a widow there would feed him. Upon entering the village, he meets the widow who was gathering firewood, . Elijah asks her for a little water, and the classic man's move, "And while you're at it, would you bring me something to eat?" Husbands will understand, and wives will be upset. She swears to the prophet that she did not have any food to eat; the ony things she had to eat were the makings of bread, with a handful of flour and a little oil and confesses he met her when she was preparing her last meal for herself and her son. The prophet responds in faith, "Don't worry about a thing. Go ahead and do what you've said. But first make a small biscuit for me and bring it back here. Then go ahead and make a meal from what's left for you and your son." The prophet promises her that God will not allow her to run out of flour, and that her bottle of oil would not go empty, and adds that it would last even as long as the drought. The woman's faith allows her to do what the prophet has asked of her.

From that point on, she, her son, and the prophet of God had a regular meal. And neither the flour nor the oil ran out. What was faithful was God's word. The promise made by God was fulfilled to the letter, exactly as Elijah had shared it with the widow.

My list is too long to share on how many timess God has delivered on His promises to me and my ministry. One thing I do know is that God is a God Who always keeps His word and promises. His call upon my life came to me during a time of great insecurity and self-doubt. My shyness and reluctance were sure reasons for me not to go into ministry which required public speaking and leadership. I told God He had the wrong person. I had been told I was boring and would make a boring preacher. Who did I believe? Of course, humans, and not God. Yet on faith I went. I had a work/study scholarship and a lot of faith. The work part of the scholarship meant washing dishes that first semester, starting with breakfast. Nothing like going to first class smelling like egg! (Great way to impress girls!) I worked every other weekend, and those weekends at college allowed me to get to know the UMC of the Texas Conference, meaning English-language worship; and trips home meant worshiping with family. My second year at Lon Morris College I was called to the office. I had not given much thought to how I would pay for my third and fourth years I was informed that my academic record allowed for my being nominated for a Ford Foundation Scholarship by the college. If I received it, that would pay my upper level education. God kept His promise and I received it! God kept His word and I completed my undergraduate degree with God keeping His promise. Wherever God has called you to go or asked you to do, God is with you and He will keep His word to bless you.

PRAYER: Loving God, bless this reader in his/her life and life's work. Wherever You have called them, go with them and bless them by keeping Your promises for them; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Be a prophet for God sharing hope in God's promises for those in doubt or struggling with their yes for God.

Receive my blessings of hope and peace.

Pastor Eradio Valverde

So Mando's Going to Heaven??!

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24 For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made by human hands, a mere copy of the true one, but he entered into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. 25 Nor was it to offer himself again and again, as the high priest enters the Holy Place year after year with blood that is not his own;:26 for then he would have had to suffer again and again since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the age to remove sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 And just as it is appointed for mortals to die once, and after that the judgment, 28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. (Hebrews 9:24-28 NRSV)

Happy and blessed Tuesday, ConCafe Familly! May this day be yours, Friend, is my prayer for you! I have an update on Sylvia Gaytan from Dallas. Her surgery went well, and she's still in some pain. They have given her some injections to help with the pain. After two weeks they will know if the injections worked. She still have two small vertabrae openings which need to heal. Sylvia does not want any more surgeries, so please pray that the injections work. Thank you for praying. Pray for one another; pray for your needs as well.

There was a man who not known for accompanying his wife to church. He was like many men, who did not stop his wife from worship but never bothered to join her and support her. There were suspicions about his character and behavior, but mostly his absence from church. The name used to be "church widow" for those whose husbands had other plans or ideas for Sunday or evening worship. In fact, when I first saw my wife, I thought she was one. As she was the youngest at a Thursday night prayer meeting, I thought she was married to a man who did not care for God or church worship. I knew she was beautiful but limited my thoughts to praying for her and her husband's soul. I mean it! Okay, she was and is, gorgeous! Back to Mando. Anyway, you know how the Nellie story ends! One day Mando gets sick. Very sick. And a dear friend of mine, who is his pastor, goes to visit Mando in the hospital and offers to him the Plan of Salvation. (See below for a detailed explanation.*) And Mando accepted, and gave his life to Jesus, and then he died. This made me tear up as I heard this story on Sunday before worship, but the story gets better. The sister from the church who shared this story with me said when her brother heard that Mando was saved and had died, exclaimed, "So Mando is going to Heaven??! THAT'S NOT FAIR! Mando never helped out with our BBQ fundraisers! He was never here for the 2:30 a.m. prep of the meat and the all-night work of preparing the fire, putting up with the smoke, cooking the meat, helping cut it up, preparing the plates - And he gets to go to Heaven!" Yes. Thanks be to God!

I've told you about a megachurch in Corpus Christi who creation was for the sole purpose of getting people to Heaven. All members, and especially all leaders who get selected to lead in positions of responsibility, have to commit to being a part of working together to make sure people make it to Heaven. There was one Sunday when as a district superintendent, I took Nellie with me to visit this church to see what we could borrow in their mission of getting people into Heaven. Being a megachurch, it's like a huge auditorium, and lilke a theatre it was darkened (Okay, we didn't get there late, but not exactly early!). The stage had eleven life boats and the ushers and those on the stage were wearing lifejackets. As we walked in we were given an individually wrapped white lifesaver mint candy. The usher handed those out and said, "Don't open these until next Sunday!" When the preacher took the stage he was animated and stressed over and over again that the church's mission was to get people to Heaven. He also shared how the life boats represented the number of campuses to which they had expanded. And they represent the mission of the church to save people. And he explained the lifesaver candy as being the same reminder but he said, "Do not crunch until you bring a guest with you next Sunday. Those who do bring a guest you will have a chance to loudly crunch your candy as a testimony to your faithfulness." Nice sentiment but next Sunday we were going to be busy. But what a powerful experience, and yes, for a couple of sermons in my churches to which I was invited to preach, I bought two or three bags of these individually wrapped white lifesavers.

The text is the backdrop for all we have been talking about. Our getting to Heaven and our inviting others to join us is a part of our mission; but Christ's teachings focus on our work here to make this a better place for all; bringing Heaven here on the earth. We do need to get our spiritual selves in order first; that is to say our relationship with God. The Plan of Salvation states the order as gleaned from the teachings of Christ; "all have sinned." Yes, including me. And you. We need not name our sin but we know what sin is and how it works, and how it can kill. "There is a penalty for sin." Yes, the scriptures say the "wages of sin is death." Quite a penalty. But our text today said Christ paid it all. "You cannot save yourself." No. Christ can. And did. And will. Just ask. "Salvation has been provided." Yes, at the helm of every life boat is Jesus, the captain of our souls. "The conditions are simple." We understand what we must and should do. "Now is the time for a decision." Exactly. Why put off for a tomorrow that may not come? And the "Next Steps" are what should follow the Plan; "Public profession of faith through baptism," or in most cases, a reaffirmation of the baptism made by us when we did not yet understand what was going on. "Join a church." Or get reactivated in the life of the church at which you are a member. "Start daily worship through Bible study and prayer." Welcome to ConCafe! "Share faith with others." Yes, you can forward ConCafe to those whom God shows you need such a blessing. "Live for God." Yes. Your best witness is to live the gospel. Use words when you need.

PRAYER: Loving Father; we commit ourselves whole-heartedly to You and Your love. May we fix our relationship with You and then commit our lives to a witness that brings others to the life best lived under Your salvation. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Now that you know the Plan of Salvation, share it with others. Who knows, you may shock somebody who might say, "<< Test First Name >> is going to Heaven? Yes, thanks to God!

Receive my blessings of hope and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

THE PLAN OF SALVATION as found on a bookmark: * All have sinned * There is a penalty for sin * You cannot save yourself * Salvation has been provided * The conditions are simple * Now is the time for a decision. The back includes five Next Steps including: Public profession of faith through baptism * Join a church * Start daily worship through Bible study and prayer * Share Faith with others * Live for God.

Temple Teachings

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38 As he taught, Jesus said, “Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, 39 and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. 40 They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.” 41 Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. 42 But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents. 43 Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. 44 They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.” (Mark 12:38-44 NIV)

A blessed and happy Monday to you all. May this day be a special one for you, Friend, in which you can freely and openly share your faith in Christ Jesus. I thank you for your prayers for our trip down to Kingsville, Texas and my preaching on Sunday at my childhood church of El Buen Pastor UMC. God provided the words, safe travel, and a great reception by those who attended. We continue to pray for one another and for those who need God's touch and healing. I would add the name of a dear lady I have known all of my life from the Kingsville church, Mrs. Chabela Gonzalez, who is in Hospice care. She has served the Lord faithfully as a laywoman and she is quite the Christian woman. May God provide her peace and comfort during these days, and may her graduation into the Church Triumphant come on God's timing and blessing. We continue to pray for the premature baby who needs God's touch; may God bring healing and comfort to him and his family. Pray for one another, pray for your needs.

We find Jesus using the backdrop of the temple for two powerful and meaningful teachings that impact us even today. The temple was always a busy place. Not all the business being done was holy, and not all the holy men were holy. And not all of the teachers of the law were about following the law either. Jesus watched them and knew them. And He used their behavior as a teaching of His own. Jesus said, "These men love what they do; their dress and their desire for respect does not match what they should be teaching or living.for they are in it only for themselves and what they can get out of life. They desire the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at the banquets they attend. And Jesus said "They devour widows' houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severly." The reality was these men were not paid by the temple for their work, but found a sure source of income from widows, who were known for their generosity than financial astuteness. The very people they should be protecting are the ones on which they preyed. And add to that, Jesus questioned their prayers as being sincere, for He said the main purpose for praying was for show than for blessing. And God's punishment will come to those who abuse position for power and prestige.

Jesus then sits near the temple treasury which was a brass recepticle for receiving the offering. The wealthy knew the more money they put in the louder the jangle of their offering. It was not for truly supporting the ministry of the Lord as it was for show. Twice that Jesus uses this for teaching about where your heart should be as your serve and as you live. But the crowning touch was the appearance of "a poor widow" who comes to worship God with her offering. Her intention was not to clang attention to herself, rather it was to glorify God with a sincere offering of everything she had and everything she needed just to survive. What a contrast to the loud, showy offering; this offering came from her heart and Jesus declares it the best offering of the day. "Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. When Nellie and I were in the Holy Land, the only request we had from a dear friend was for us to bring her back a widow's mite, the replica coin of the offering the widow made on that day in front of Jesus. These are sold in plastic bags for a very reasonable price, but the profoundness of what the coin represnts was not lost on us when our friend received it and was immediately blessed by it. One could say in spiritual power it was worth more than Elon's, Bill's, and Warren's fortunes. Now I'm not faulting the way Warren and Bill are trying to give away their fortunes to bless the world; what they are attempting is a very honorable thing; but the quiet, not-for-show gift of that widow is what blessed Jesus on that day and continues to this day as children, young adults, senior citizens, and others give of their all to bless God and to thank God for all He has done, will do, and continues to do for us. Her stepping up to that treasury was an act of pure faith. She was not offering up ten percent of what she owned, she was not only giving all that she had, she was giving herself to God; her life lived in God was worth more than worrying about money. She did not worry about making ends meet, she worried more about meeting God one day and being able to say, Thank You, Lord, for all You shared with me, especially Your love. Knowing You while alive on the earth was what saved me from a terrible life of worrying and fretting over things that in the end don't really matter.

The Rev. Francis Chan, started a megachurch in a part of California that usually doesn't permit large churches to grow, but his preaching and teaching allowed him to meet the needs of so many, they responded and joined his church. He then sat down to write a book entitled Crazy Love that made him a millionaire. Immediately, all his friends said, "Now is the time for you to upgrade your home! You can afford it now!" And so Rev. Chan did the opposite; he bought a smaller home and walked away from his church and moved to an even more difficult California environment to start a ministry among people, San Francisco. During his ministry in both his church and later in SF starting house churches, it was revealed he gave away 50% of his salary, donated most of the profits from the royalties of his books to charities, most of whom worked to free sex slaves in foreign countries. In 2020, he left SF for Hong Kong where he lived and worked among the poorest of the HK people in a neighborhood where his mother used to do ministry in the 1950s. When his visa was denied, he moved back to the US vowing to return as soon as he can have a visa to return to work among the poor. Such is but one example of the impact that one poor widow made during the days of Jesus to see things for how they really are.

This passage is a call to reflection on what really counts in our lives. Do we set out to make a name for ourselves without truly caring about others? Or, do we do all we can to reach the masses for Jesus? The "teachers of the law" were thieves of the innocent, taking advantage of the scarce resources of the downtrodden, and prayer was not to talk to God but to show off how long they could make prayers drawing attention only to themselves. The givers of that day were also doing the same, and only that poor widow won Jesus' admiration for being genuine and sincere in sharing with God all she had, and giving herself fully to God.

PRAYER: Loving God, help us to give of what we are and what we have, to You and to bless Your work among Your people. Grant us wisdom to do the right thing and courage to live as true believers in You; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen!

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Give of yourself to God today in a way that blesses God.

Receive my blessings of joy and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde