The First Disciples

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1 One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. 2 He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. 3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat. 4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” 5 Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” 6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. 7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink. 8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” 9 For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, 10 and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” 11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him. (Luke 5:1-11 New Interntional Version Bible)

A most memorable Monday be yours, ConCafe Family, and may the miracles of the Lord in the lives of others begin with your words, prayers, hands, and gifts, dear Friend. May we continue to pray for the needs of one another and lift up our own as well. We pray because God answers prayers!

When did you say Yes to the Lord? Was it an obvious choice that immediately made a huge difference in your life? Or, was it a gradual move towards Him that ultimately brought you into His family? Jesus from a well-used boat owned by professional fishermen, teaches the crowd the word of God. We are not aware of what exactly Jesus taught in that teaching, but we do know that as a result of that teaching, Jesus won the first four disciples onto His team. Jesus may have again taught that sin was not good to carry around, and we should have God remove it from our lives. WItness Simon Peter's words upon seeing what a miraulous catch Jesus brought in; "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!" Jesus touched a chord in Simon's life and when Simon saw the power behind that teacher's life, exclaims such a word about his own forgiveness, and then hears Jesus say, "From now on you will fish for people." Simon, Andrew, and their partners, James and John, all "left everything and followed Him." Their lives would never be the same again.

Little did I know that on that Sunday morning when I said Yes to Jesus, that I would find myself leaving the comforts of home and family and to go to many, many places to preach and teach, marry and bury, baptize and confirm, counsel and feed as many as God allowed me. Little did I know that God would provide a wonderful, special partner for my ministry in a woman I would meet in a church; and with her be blessed with a family of our daughters, their husbands, and our precious grandchildren. While I may have left everything, I also gained everything. And so can you, dear friend.

PRAYER: Loving God who calls all to follow and obey, bless us again with Your invitation to bless the world with our lives. Help us to truly fish in marvelous ways among those who have yet to hear and yet to say Yes to You; in Thy name we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Be a fisher of people today by reaching out in love to bless someone.

Receive my blessings of joy and hope,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

The Best Guest Room

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Hear the bonus material on the podcast here: https://bit.ly/3sdwNF9

1 I run for dear life to God, I'll never live to regret it. 2 Do what you do so well: get me out of this mess and up on my feet. Put your ear to the ground and listen, give me space for salvation. 3 Be a guest room where I can retreat; you said your door was always open! You're my salvation - my vast, granite fortress. 4 My God, free me from the grip of Wicked, from the clutch of Bad and Bully. 5 You keep me going when times are tough - my bedrock, God, since my childhood. 6 I've hung on you from the day of my birth, the day you took me from the cradle; I'll never run out of praise. (Psalm 71:1-6 The Message Bible)

Dear Friend, I want to thank you for being a reader and/or listener of ConCafe. I am grateful to say that the podcast of ConCafe is now heard in 26 countries around the world. I am also humbled that such a thing can happen, but I give God all the honor and glory. I started this to bless me and if in any way it could bless someone else, so be it.

I pray this Thursday be Tremendous for you, ConCafe people; may God lift your spirits and outlook, dear Eradio, to see the world from His point of view. I thank you all again for your prayers for those who have asked prayers of us. Nellie had her first physical therapy today and she's quite the champ! She did amazingly well, and tomorrow she has her second visit here at home. This woman, in spite of her poor choice in husbands, is an amazing woman! Prayers fo our daughter Caitlin Munoz have also blessed her, as she is finally over the fever and returns to work tomorrow. Also, our grandson, Eli Munoz, is doing well, also; and thanks be to God for them. Today is the day in which Mr. Don Hisey undergoes his major medical procedure and we pray for his wellbeing and that of his family. Please pray for the Hisey family. Also, we lift up Baby Hudson, that God bring strength and wholeness to him in a mighty way; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen!

Do you have that friend, that no matter how many years it has been since you last saw them would open the doors of their house to welcome you in and give you the use of a guest room for however long you needed it? Me neither. Just kidding, of course I do! When I read this version of the Bible I thought of the years I served on the board of trustees for Asbury Seminary in Wilmore, KY, and my dear friend and brother in Christ, The Rev. Dr. David Grout and his lovely wife, Pam, who housed me during visits to the seminary and board meetings. When they moved away, I had to stay in another place, but their guest room was mine for whenever I needed it. Once our daughters moved away and found either apartments or homes, they had and still have, guest rooms with our names on them. And in this passage, the psalmist asks God, "Be a guest room where I can retreat; You said your door was always open!" What a thought!

Jesus spoke very honestly to the one who dared fofllow Him in Luke 9: "And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man said unto Him, Lord, I will follow Thee whithersoever Thou goest. And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man hath not where to lay His head." Being the itinerant preacher that He was, it is believed He often camped outdoors; rest was important, but not as important as the lives of those He came to save. He never lacked for anything, for He kept faithful to the message and God provided. Even in instructions Jesus gave to those Whom He sent to preach, He urged the mission rather than the comforts of home; and God provided.

As you find yourself, dear one, sometimes running away from something or someone, please hear again the faith of the one who wrote this passage - run to God! God will indeed get you out of the messes we sometimes so finely and easilly make for ourselves, and God will even provide and be the "guestroom" where we can retreat. God can and will free us from the grip of everything evil, and will fuel our journeys to wherever it is that we need to go; and we can one day say, as did this psalmist, that "from the day of my birth, the day you took me from the cradle; I'll never run out of praise." Indeed, and amen!

PRAYER: Loving Father, this dear friend has run long enough. They are tired and weary and need You in whom to rest. While it may still seem like the shadows ot the one or the thing that is chasing them loom larger, show that You are even larger and mightier than whatever evil or wicked thing may be in pursuit. Grant to this dear reader, peace and rest; and the new energy for the new day ahead; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Show someone the awesome guest room that awaits the weary!

Receive my blessings of joy and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

I Am With You To Deliver You!

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4 Now the word of the Lord came to me saying, 5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations." 6 Then I said, "Ah, Lord God! Truly I do not know how to speak, for I am only a boy." 7 But the Lord said to me, "Do not say, "I am only a boy'; for you shall go to all to whom I send you, and you shall speak whatever I command you. 8 Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, says the Lord." 9 Then the Lord put out his hand and touched my mouth; and the Lord said to me, "Now I have put my words in your mouth. 10 See, today I appoint you over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to pull down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant." (Jeremiah 1:4-10 NRSV)

A happy and a wondrous Wednesday be yours, ConCafe Family! May this day allow you to shine the light and love of the Lord in your life to all people is my prayer. The scheduled surgery for Mr. Dan Hisey will be on Thursday; it was postponed until then. Prayers for Baby Hudson, who continues to have good days and not so good days. May God bring only good days to this little guy is our prayer.

Whether you receive a job offer or a phone call advising you of a transer in your career or job, it is very significant. In the life of ministers, namely the United Methodist brand, it's during this season that eyes and ears are on the phone as a call may come letting them know of offers that may be coming to them. Some are expected calls, some are surprises, but all come with stress and anxiety of gladness and sadness.

The call to prophet came directly to him from God. Here, Jeremiah's call is shared with us. This one is very direct, for God informs the prophet that He had had his eyes on his life since before conception. And even before the baby could form in the womb he had his appointment secured as a prophet to the nations. Quite a title and quite the responsiblity. The prophet did not have to ask, "Who do I see about getting the keys to the church and my office?" In fact, the prophet has a ready excuse for saying, "Lord, I'm not ready for this appointment!" His words sum it up well, "Ah, Lord God! Truly I do not know how to speak, for I am only a boy." Let's see, if it were up to the church, they would like a 35.5 year old with 2.3 children, seminary degree, a gorgeous spouse who can play piano and lead either the UMM or UMW. Some would ask the requesting church, "Let's see, how many of that calibre pastor have you sent to seminary in the last ten years?" The answer for most churches was none, or even, never. It matters not, because God was sending and not only sending, but preparing the one whom He had chosen.

Listen to God, "Do not say, 'I am only a boy'; for you shall go to all to whom I send you, and you shall speak whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, says the Lord.'" What a recommendation and promise! God was not only sending, but equipping the boy with the messages he was to speak to the people. And, the greater promise, God would be with him and deliver him. Then, God stretches out His hand and touches the mouth of the boy and says, "Now I have put my words in your mouth. See, today I appoint you ove nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to pull down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant." Whoa. Notice that God did not say that His messages were to be those of cheer up and keep doing what youre doing, because you're doing just fine, kind of a propertiy gospel type sermon or Joel Osteen type message. God's messages are not always positive or welcome to all people; nor should they be. God mentions the need to pluck up and to pull down, to destroy and to overthrow, and to build and to plant. That means the prophet's job, just like that of the faithful pastors, would be difficult. There was no room to be a people-pleaser, only God-pleaser. All messages would deal with matters of life and death, and not all people greet those messages with open arms.

What we should take with us is that God has called all of us to His side. He wants to love us in ways that will make us tell others about it, and thus grow God's kingdom. He also has said that for those who seek to be faithful to our call, God is with us and God will deliver us. God can also prepare us to share that which we need to share with love and conviction.

PRAYER: Loving Father, walk with us and guide us to faithfulness. Guard our words and hearts to that which blesses You. Grant us strength for joyfully bring the deliverance of such messages; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Bless someone with love and truth about God today.

Receive my blessings of joy and love,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

The Love Chapter

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There will be no podcast as recording at a hospital bedside does not lend itself for such!

1 If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away all my possessions, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. 4 Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. 7 It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never ends. But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end. 9 For we know only in part, and we prophesy only in part; 10 but when the complete comes, the partial will come to an end. 11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became an adult, I put an end to childish ways. 12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known. 13 And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:1-13 New Revised Standard Version of the Bible)

A blessed and terrific Tuesday for you all, ConCafe Family! And may the face of the Lord bless you and keep you, dear Reader, is my prayer for you. I again thank you for your prayers for Nellie, who is in a private room now after having a successful surgery. Though she is in pain, she said it is not as bad as it was before surgery, so we know great days are ahead! Our prayers for Mr. Erwin Ckodre, who is undergoing a surgeical procedure in Seguin today. Pray all all goes well with his needs. Also, prayers for a young woman Anne Marie who tested positive for Omnicron! May God heal her and protect her. Our youngest Caitlin, did not test positive for Covid, for which we praise God but ask that healing come to remove the fever. Also, today is the day Mr. Dan Hisey undergoes a serious medical procedure and we ask prayers for him and all of his loved ones. May God grant a successful surgery and speedy recovery. Why do we pray? Because God answers prayer!

Of the countless weddings I officiated, only one bride said, "I don't want that love chapter read at my wedding! I hear it too much!" Okay. And, if memory serves me correctly, the marriage did not last. I could see not wanting this passage read if there was a question as to the validity of love in the relationship, for this is one powerful passage. More so when we consider the hands that wrote it carried out many arrests of Christians, which we can also assume those hands were used to force their way into the homes of frightened believers. In reality those hands were connected to a heart that truly believed they were complying with the greater good. I'm speaking, of course, of The Apostle Paul, who later repented of his lilfe as a persecutor of Christians and became a Christian preacher and evangelist. He used his awesome education and connections to further the cause of Christ Jesus. One can only imagine the day he sat down to write out this passage known the world over as the love chapter. Yes, it works in weddings, but it also works anywhere there is a shortage of love.

The opening part deals with church work. Paul had seen the settings where the outward signs of spiritual work was being carried out, but inwardly, there was something vital missing; love! You can do many things, and some of them purely for show, but inside what has truly movivated you to do such things? You can speak in tongues, you can have prophetic powers, and a mind that grasps the vastness of things others can only wonder about, but inside, what? You can have faith that moves mountains, but if the love gauge in your heart is stting on E, what truly have you done? You can offer to take the place of someone about to be executed, but you're doing it so others may see you as someone good, what good have you really done? And here, Paul wrotes the words most brides and grooms, and other romantic types know, verses 4 through 8. It is a checklist of sorts, where one can truly use it to measure and determine their own actions as to whether they have been motivated by love or not. Hear the list and ask yourself about you and your love and actions of love. Love is patient. Hmm. Next! Just kidding, that one says a lot. Love is kind. That one says a thoughtful person of love knows how to be and show kindness. Love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. ("Wait, pastor, you're going too fast and I'm getting a bit uncomfortable with the grading! Willl there be a curve?") Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. You can applaud here, please. Just these four verses have appeared on more plagues, placards, posters, photos, etc. than possibly any other of the verses of The Bible. And for good reason. The apostle then sums up the truth of other things; all with finite ends, with the fulfillment of knowledge and revelation coming. And the beautiful bow that closes the love chapter are these equally powerful words, "And now faith, hope, and love abide, these thrtee; and the greatest of these is love." You can also applaud here, but more importantly, you can apply these words to your life and what you should already be doing.

You and I were made to be people of love. By God, and for God, and for all of God's creatures!

PRAYER: God of love, grant to all who hear or read these words, a double portion of Your love so that we can write love chapters in the lives of others stories that will never die because we reflected Your goodness into others. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Love the unloveable today, especially those who nobody else sees or wants.

Receive my love,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Jumping Jesus!

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Hear the podcast/devotional read here: https://bit.ly/3Ivnqqz

21 He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” 22 All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” they asked. 23 Jesus said to them, “Surely you will quote this proverb to me: ‘Physician, heal yourself!’ And you will tell me, ‘Do here in your hometown what we have heard that you did in Capernaum.’ ” 24 “Truly I tell you,” he continued, “no prophet is accepted in his hometown. 25 I assure you that there were many widows in Israel in Elijah’s time, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and there was a severe famine throughout the land. 26 Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow in Zarephath in the region of Sidon. 27 And there were many in Israel with leprosy in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed—only Naaman the Syrian.” 28 All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this. 29 They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him off the cliff. 30 But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way. (Luke 4:21-30 New International Version Bible)

A blessed Monday to you, ConCafe Family! And may you, Friend, be blessed in a marvelous way to share your joy and love with others is my prayer for you. I ask your prayers for my wife, Nellie, as she undergoes a totat knee replacement today in Gonzales. Prayers for her surgeon, Dr. Gloria Box, that God guide her hands to a successful surgery and that recover be painless and speedy. Pray for one another. LIft up your needs before the Lord.

We return back to last Sunday's gospel lesson. Jesus was in a familiar synagogue, if not his own hometown's and He read from the scroll of the Prophet Isaiah, read it, and He began His sermon with these words, "Today this scripture is fullfilled in your heating." The crowd's response is, at first, a gracious one. Then it only takes one to ask, "Isn't this Joseph's son?" Dead giveaway! The folks knew Joseph well, and they knew Jesus as his son. Remember that Jesus didn't start His ministry until He was 30 years old, so his years with Joseph as a carpenter apprentice, then as carpenter were enough that people remembered. This drives Jesus to declare, "Surely you will quote this proverb to me: 'Physician, heal yourself!' And you will tell me, 'Do here in your hometown what we have heard that you did in Capernaum.' Then the truth; "No prophet is accepted in his hometown." Then Jesus adds futher truth that hurts those who are there to listen; "I assure you that there were many widows in Israel in Elijah's time, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and there was a severe famine throughout the land. Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow in Zarephath in the region of Sidon. And there were many in Israel with leprosy in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was d--only Naaman the Syrian." Ouch! Jesus defined His remarks on the "meek" as one who can control their anger but when needed can show righteous anger, and we get a taste of it here. Jesus was human and fully God, but in this situation His truth hit home. We could say, well, He could have been more understanding and not gotten so angry. The key to Jesus' entire ministry is that He came to save the world, not just the Jews. Yes, He wanted the people of God to come to know of God's love. His sermon that day was based on the reading from Isaiah which was for all the people to know of God's desire to set free all people regardless of situtation and status. The poor, the oppressed, etc., all stood in need of knowing God, and here they are angry.

We stood on the edge of the cliff where this post-worship experience took place. We heard our professor describe a theory some have held that Jesus supernaturally jumped that day to escape their anger. I buy more what this scripture says about Jesus just walking through the crowd and continuing on His way. It boggles the mind,and saddens the heart, to see how ready, especially after worship, for people to leave from the presence of God, that we would hope was one of love, and so quickly be trying to kill someone, especially the Son of God. We find this later in the life of Paul and his ministry and how others, religious men, were so quick to hate and kill. He, himself, was converted from this type of ministry and became the leading evangelist of God's good news.

The truth is that there are no perfect people in any church, including you and me. We are humans with human tendencies; but when we enter the spaces where we worship God and listen for God's word, we should be receptive to change occuring in our lives for the better; to love more and serve more, and to walk away from the negative and destrictive forces that can "steal, kill, and destroy," as Jesus warned in John 10:10. The times in which we live scream for kindness, understanding, compassion, tolerance, and unity, especially from the Christian church. If we are to call ourselves Christians, we are accepting to become truly little Christs in the way we live? Are we truly willing to commit to being a follower of Jesus and not just a fan?

PRAYER: Loving God, have mercy on us for our failures and our hangups. Help us to walk away from what we have done for so long that we are finally realizing is not the way for us to live if we truly want to live as followers of Jesus. Fill us with love and joy; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord. Show someone how you are constantly blessed by the Lord.

Receive my blessings of peace and love,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

What's in Your Heart?

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Hear the devotional/podcast here: https://bit.ly/3Aht5Of

1 The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork. 2 Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night declares knowledge. 3 There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard; 4 yet their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In the heavens he has set a tent for the sun, 5 which comes out like a bridegroom from his wedding canopy, and like a strong man runs its course with joy. 6 Its rising is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the end of them; and nothing is hid from its heat. 7 The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the decrees of the Lord are sure, making wise the simple; 8 the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is clear, enlightening the eyes; 9 the fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever; the ordinances of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. 10 More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey, and drippings of the honeycomb. 11 Moreover by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward. 12 But who can detect their errors? Clear me from hidden faults. 13 Keep back your servant also from the insolent; do not let them have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression. 14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. (Psalm 18 New Revised Standard Version of The Bible)

A blessed Thursday for you all, ConCafe people! May the joy of the Lord be strengthend by your faith and life today, dear Friend. I celebrate you for you being you, and may you bless many today. I thank God, Nellie has been cleared for surgery next Monday, and I ask your prayers for her, me, and our family; that God may bless us with Nellie having a great surgery and a speedy recovery. We also request prayers for Mr. Charlie Pankey of Gonzales, who has a back sprain. Also, the younger brother of our doctor, Dr. Commie Hisey, is having a major medical procedure for which he needs our prayers. May God bless him and all the family during this time. And may his recovery be painless and speedy. Pray as you awaken for those who have had no shelter from the cold winds and freezing temperatures we expect; help clothe the cold and tired.

The most quoted verse of this psalm is the last verse. In fact, I think it would have made more sense to put this as the first verse. "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer." But, as the writer wrote it, he knew that all that came before that line, he wanted it to hit home. And he was right. He has (again) poured out his soul and joy in the verses he wrote, all for the honor and glory of God. The Psalms are like a reminder to the people of the great things God has done. They are the hymnbook of the Bible and like all hymns draw attention back to God and how awesome God is, and what God deserves for doing what He has for us. And, like most hymnists, David is an artist. He is a musician but he is also a storyteller and a historian. He takes the obvious beyond what others may see, for example, the first verse, "The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims His handiwork." Yes. While others may say, "Oh, such a lovely sunset, or bright morning," David goes spiritual; these skies, clouds, the sun, the stars; this is all God, baby! And don't you forget it! What you see, what you hear, nature is singing and praising God; we may not hear it as we would like, but it's there and it's happening! Their voice is loud and it's global; and not only is it global, it is infinite. And joining in with the praise is the call back to God and God's righteousness, which is the law. God's law is perfect, it serves to reawaken us, and make us wise even among the not-so-wise; what God offers cannot be bought with money because it is too expensive! Money can't afford it! And the best news? It's not for sale. It's there for just for the taking. Take it and let it make us all truly new and clean. Then, join in the hymn that says, "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to You, O Lord, my Rock and Redeemer."

May this psalm awaken in us all that has been lulled to sleep by routine and ritual. May it bring back the fire of joy into our lives and our spirits. The world will be conquered by love and nothing else. Those who will conquer it are those who rise above what the world offers as partial and partisan; God's world is for all people because that is how big God's love is for you and for me.

PRAYER: Loving God, awaken in us what creation already knows and offers; the opportunity to join in the celebration of God in our midst. May God's love lift us beyond what has tried to pull us and keep us down. And let us rise to new levels of glory so that the world may see a better way in which to live; in Christ Jesus' strong name we pray, amen!

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Show your part of praising God in new ways that bless all people,

Receive my love and joy,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

The Power of The Word

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Hear the devotional/podcast read here: https://bit.ly/3fThGeh

1 all the people gathered together into the square before the Water Gate. They told the scribe Ezra to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord had given to Israel. 2 Accordingly, the priest Ezra brought the law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could hear with understanding. This was on the first day of the seventh month. 3 He read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law. 5 And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people stood up. 6 Then Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered, "Amen, Amen," lifting up their hands. Then they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground. 8 So they read from the book, from the law of God, with interpretation. They gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading. 9 And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, "This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep." For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law. 10 Then he said to them, "Go your way, eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions of them to those for whom nothing is prepared, for this day is holy to our Lord; and do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength." (Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-19 NRSV)

May the blessings of the Lord Jesus Christ be yours, ConCafe Family, on this wonderful Wednesday, and may you, dear Friend, be a major part of those blessings to the people in your life and whoever may come in as a new person. Pray for one another; pray for the needs in your life.

In 2010, a movie came out that to this day is very powerful in the message it conveys about the power of the Word. If you have not seen it let me say The Book of Eli is a dark movie, and has some violent parts and not really a kids' movie. But it asks us the question, how would our world be if someday a cataclysmic event wiped out all of our Bibles? And who would miss the Bible the most? Would humble, God-fearing, God-desiring people? Or, those who know of the power and influence the Bible has for wicked and misguided intentions? How would your world be like without a Bible? Or, is already a world without a Bible? (Don't raise your hands!)

There was a time just like that in Israel's history. We just heard a brief summary of it in the reading of this passage. The nation was in ruins. The people had been taken off to various places of the world as captives and servants to other kings and kingdoms. Ezra was such a captive. He was a scribe carried off to Babylon and felt God nudging him to return home to Jerusalem to help start rebuiling the temple. He was able to secure the permission to return to Jerusalem with other Judeans and there, holding a copy of the law fo Moses which he began to read. Have you ever found yourself away from the word of God and then one day out of the blue, you hear it again? How do you react? God has a wonderful way of sending people to come and share with you a word from Him that touches you and gives you just what you were seeking. I had a Jonah moment when I was hiding from God and several people came and shared just the word I needed to get me out of the whale's belly and back where God had wanted me. And yes, there was weeping.

As the people wept and celebrated this special day, and the governor and the scribe addressed the people with wise words, "This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep." He adds, "Go your way, eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions of them to those for whom nothing is prepared, for this day is holy to our Lord; and do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength." The joy of hearing the word (law) was evident in their receptive way in which they reacted, and these leaders emphasize the need for them, and us, to rejoice in our relationship with God, for that makes us stronger, wiser, and more prepared for life. God does, indeed, take great joy in our strength as this verse reads. Our goal is to be made stronger in Him, and through Him.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, we pause to thank You for having shared Your Word with us. May we grow stronger in our appreciation for it, and for the way it has blessed us, guided us, and led us to You. Help us to embrace it and to allow it to lead us into the path You have prepared for us; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Show off your strength to those around you in ways that gives God more joy.

Receive my love and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

You Are A Valuable Part of the Body of Christ!

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Listen here to the devotional/podcast: https://bit.ly/3FGr3bo

12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. 14 Indeed, the body does not consist of one member but of many. 15 If the foot would say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear would say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. 19 If all were a single member, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many members, yet one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you," nor again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you." 22 On the contrary, the members of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and those members of the body that we think less honorable we clothe with greater honor, and our less respectable members are treated with greater respect; 24 whereas our more respectable members do not need this. But God has so arranged the body, giving the greater honor to the inferior member, 25 that there may be no dissension within the body, but the members may have the same care for one another. 26 If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it. 27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. 28 And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers; then deeds of power, then gifts of healing, forms of assistance, forms of leadership, various kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But strive for the greater gifts. (1 Corinthians 12:12-31a New Revised Standard Version Bible)

A Blessed and Joyous Tuesday to you, ConCafe Family! May the awesome love of God shower you with peace and joy that you can share with all who need it in marvelous ways, beloved Reader. Please pray for our nation, for the world, for those affected by natural disasters, terrorist attacks, life's unexpected challenges. Pray for the sick, the lonley, the lost, the perishing, and those who seek a better way to live; and pray that God use you to be a light to the lost. I ask prayers for my wife, Nellie, as we found out her knee replacement surgery will be next Monday, the 24th. Pray for her (my) nerves and that God's Holy Spirit bring a victory to her on that day and the days that follow. Pray for one another. Pray for your needs.

As a pastor of many churches for many years, I wish I could say I had not heard nor seen it all. I know I reallly haven't, but I'm very close. I wish I could tell you I've never seen a fight in a church, and that in none of my churches there was ever a cross word shared by one church member to another. I pray that I could tell you that all meetings of the churches were joyous meetings of kindred spirits ready to embrace all ideas and viewpoints and lasted only ten minutes, and this after seven minutes of hugging and kissing. I wish I could also say that evil never finds its way into the doors of the church. (Please remember that the first demon Jesus drove out was in a church! Yes, it was the chairperson of the finance committee in that synagogue! Okay, I joke about the church office, but it was true that the first evil spirit thrown out of the church was a demon. Think about that)

I'm also quite sure that the Apostle Paul could say the same thing. And well, he does, in a way, through this passage. He is, at heart, an encourager of those whom he has led to Christ, and so in this passage he is describing the reality of how the Church is composed of many members, but still is just one body. And he compares a human body with its many members, to the Body of Christ. There is one Spirit, by which we all were baptized and brought into the Body, and because of that our former identities or labels were done away with; Jews, or Greeks no more; just believers in the Lord Jesus. Slaves? Free? No more; we are all attached to Jesus in Whom we find true freedom. In the same way, the Body of Christ, whatever we do or however it is we serve, we do it for God. And we should not let that serve to further divide us. Paul says, the foot cannot put itself down because it is not a hand. The ear cannot say, because I am not an eye, I don't belong to the body. And he further states, the whole body cannot be one eye because where would the smelling happen? And in the same way, if the body were a giant ear, where would the hearing be? Paul says, God was in charge of forming the body in the way it is, and in the same way, God formed the Body of Christ. All matter. All are valuable. All should love one another, and seek to better relationships with each other. What beautiful, poetic language when he says, "If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it." And I celebrate and thank God, that in all of the churches I served, in spite of the natural bickering and disagreements that came, true shared suffering and rejoicing was common and needed.

Paul further explains that the one Holy Spirit has appointed apostles, prophets, teachers; then works of power, gifts of healing, ways of helping, styles of leadership, and different manners of communication; all for the common work of God's Kingdom. Paul sums it up; whatever your gift, whatever your service, keep seeking to builld one another up, and seek ways to become even better and more versatile in the ways you work for the good of God's people and work on the earth.

How did this passage hit you? I pray that if it made you realize that you may have been party to a disagreement or discussion that did not ultimately build up the church and maybe offended some members, you can be forgiven. If you find that it made you realize your gifts are not like those you wanted to have, work and "strive for the greater gifts," as Paul wrote at the closing of this passage. I would add that the part of that last verse says, "And I will show you a still more excellent way." Bring it, dear Lord! We are ready!

PRAYER: Awesome God, create in us a new heart and one that knows how to forgive and knows or learns how to ask for forgiveness. Help us appreciate the gifts we have as well as to learn how to appreciate the gifts of brothers and sisters from our communities whose gifts are different than mine. And help us seek to hold each other in prayer, love, appreciation, and devotion so that our Body grows; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Find someone from your community of faith and ask for forgiveness or show forgiveness.

Receive my blessings of joy and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

The Moses Seat

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

14 Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. 15 He was teaching in their synagogues, and everyone praised him. 16 He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” 20 Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21 He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” (Luke 4:13-21 New International Version)

A happy and blessed Martin Luther King Day, dear ConCafe Family. Today we honor and remember a man who gave his life for civil rights. One of his quotes reflects his commitment to his life and ministry; "The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stand in moments of comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." Indeed. May you dear Friend live a life where your decisions and actions reflect your connection to God and God's love! Let us continue to pray for one another. Nellie, Carli, Eric, Sarita, and myself, thank God for negative Covid tests we took on Saturday. And later Saturday we found out our youngest, Caitlin, does have Covid. She is Eli's mom, whom we feared exposed us to this dreaded virus. Please pray for Caitlin and Eli. The other two members of her household are negative, pray for their wellbeing, Jesse, and our grandson, Liam. Pray for your needs and those whose names appeared on your church's bulletin yesterday. Why do we pray? Because God answers prayers!

It was not until we were there that I fully understood this passage. No one in seminary ever explained it in a way that compared with the actual being there in person at the ruins of the synagogue that may have been this very synagogue where Jesus preached and did the things that Jesus did and said. It was at the bottom of a mountain side and it took about fifteen minutes walking downhill. It was quite the different story after we finished our visit. (Use your imagination!).

It was on a Sabbath that Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit to teach in this synagogue, as He had been in other synagogues in the area. His reputation was growing and people came to love His messages, which was the message everyone had been needing. On this Sabbath day Jesus came into this synagogue, and please note one of Jesus' holy habits, "as was His custom." Jesus stood up to read and the attendant of the scroll brought Him the scroll of the prophet Isaiah, and He read what we know as Isaiah 61:1,2; "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because He has anointed me to proclam good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." Jesus rolled up the scroll, handed it back to the attendant and sat down in the Moses seat. The seat is symbolic of the presence and power of Moses in their history, and signified the respect the congregation should have to the speaker as he was seated in the seat of authority to present the day's message. Jesus sat in the Moses seat and began His message by saying "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."

The prophet's message is universal, for it was meant for all the world; The message of good news is for all the world's poor. The poor are at the heart of God's message, and more importantly, in God's heart. To receive good news the poor are blessed. Jesus also shares the commitment and passion for those who are prisoners of whatever stripe; literal prisons, spiritual prisons, or emotional or mental prisons; enough is enough is the message - be free! For the blind who cannot see physical things or blind to the spiritual realities, God wants to share sight and vision. And freedom for the oppressed. Are we any close to this reality? The obvious answer is no, which means we still have lots to do and miles to go. Only when someone hears, receives, believes and accepts the Lord, does that become the acceptable year in their lives. And while seated on the Moses seat, Jesus goes beyond the power and symbolism of Moses; He is King. And His favored seat? Your heart!

PRAYER: Loving Father, we thank You again and again for Jesus and Your message through Him for a needy world. Fill our needs and grant us love, compassion, and generosity, to serve Your world with faithfulness. Let us love all people and work for the dignity and rights of every person, whether we know them, or like them; in Jesus' strong name we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Use your "pulpit" to passionately love all people! (Everyone has an area of influence which is your pulpit! Use yours wisely!)

Receive my blessings of love and hope,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Love Letter

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Hear the devotional read here: https://bit.ly/3FosKtO

5 Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds. 6 Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your judgments are like the great deep; you save humans and animals alike, O Lord. 7 How precious is your steadfast love, O God! All people may take refuge in the shadow of your wings. 8 They feast on the abundance of your house, and you give them drink from the river of your delights. 9 For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light. 10 O continue your steadfast love to those who know you, and your salvation to the upright of heart! (Psalm 36:5-10 The Message Bible)

Blessings abound for those rooted in the Lord! May this find you, dear Friend, strongly rooted in God and His love for you! May our prayers strengthen our walk with Him each day. Pray for those in need; pray for one another; pray for yourselves.

I imagine being locked up in a prison cell must be one of the worst feelings in the world. Yes, there are others just as bad, if not worse. I say this because I read a story about a man who was in a terrible accident and he lost both legs, his left arm, and most of his right hand He only had his thumb and one finger left. He had a choice; do nothing and suffer the rest of his life, or do something. God had blessed him with a brilliant mind and so he said, I love getting letters, why not write letters to those who might not otherwise get them? So, he found a Christian prison organziation that distributed letters to prisoners but was told that his letters would not be answered. He wrote twice a week and it taxed his strength to the limit. But into those letters he put his whole soul, all his experience, all his faith, all his wit, and all his Christian optimism. It must have been hard writing those letters, often in pain, and particularly when there was no reply. Frequently he felt discouraged and was tempted to give it up. But it was his one remaining activity and he resolved to continue as long as he could. At last he got a letter. It was very short, written on prison stationery by the officer whose duty it was to censor the mail. All it said was: "Please write on the best paper you can afford. Your letters are passed from cell to cell till they literally fall to pieces."

The psalmist has shared a love letter to God in response to the constant outpouring of God's love to him. Each line has come from the heart as an inspiration to himsellf and to all who would read or sing these verses. He came to know the love of God as a huge force and presence in his life The psalmist knew God's love to be dependable. It was steadfast and neverending. His love also is such that people can take shelter in it. It is a nourishing love, that provides exactly what human souls need to not only live, but thrive! In the love of God we find the foundation of life; it is the light that lights the way. Through God's love we come to know more about God and find salvation in Him.

Dear one, it matters not where this letter finds you because it has the stregnth to open prison doors, break open walls to let God's ligiht shine through, and can break the chains that hold us back. It's got your name on it, and God means all it says and will back you completely.

PRAYER: Loving God, thank You for the letter that has come to us through Your presence and power. You meet us where we are; You love even in the shape we find ourselves, and you can and will lead us to where it is we need to be; in Christ Jesus we pray and rejoice, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Deliver your copy of God's letter to someone today.

Receive my blessings of peace and joy,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Belonging

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Hear the podcast here: https://bit.ly/3qgFkas

1 For Zion's sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until her vindication shines out like the dawn, and her salvation like a burning torch. 2 The nations shall see your vindication, and all the kings your glory; and you shall be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will give. 3 You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God. 4 You shall no more be termed Forsaken, and your land shall no more be termed Desolate; but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her, and your land Married; for the Lord delights in you, and your land shall be married. 5 For as a young man marries a young woman, so shall your builder marry you, and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you. (Isaiah 62:1-5. New Revised Standard Version Bible)

¡Bienvenidos al dia martes! Welcome to Tuesday! Blessings abound for you, ConCafe Family, when you decide to hitch your wagon to the One who made the stars! And may the blessings of that awesome ride be yours, dear Friend is my prayer for you! Please continue in prayer for one another. Pray for yourselves and your needs.

I share a story from my years in campus ministry. I was the United Methodist campus minister at then-Pan American University, now The University of Texas - Rio Grande Valley. I was an instructor of Bible in the Bible Department, and students who enrolled in my classes received university credits towards their degree and I had a captive audience with which to share the gospel as well as to cultivate disciples for our afterhours program. In my six years as campus minister I did more counseling in that first year then I imagined I would have done in ten years of ministry in a local church. I had students who had never owned or even held a Bible; I could not write on the board John 3:16 and expect all of them to know what that meant. So, my first class session was devoted to learning about the Bible and how to read book and chapters and verses. My program was in the building owned and run by the Catholic Diocese of Brownsville. I had an office in this very modern building; had access to a classroom for my classes, and if scheduled right, I had the entire building for after hours ministry programs. And I met some incredible students in those six years.

I was asked by one of my students if I could counsel her. Of course I agreed and was not prepared for her story. Most, if not all, students worked to pay their way through their university years. This young woman worked at a now defunct department store in the woman's department. One day a lady came in and seemed to follow her around until she approached the student and said to her, "I am your mother." Just like that. No warning, no pre-explanation. This shocked the young woman and she said, "No, I have a mother, and it's not you!" The woman on the verge of tears said, "No, that's not your mother; she's my sister. I'm your mother." The young lady ran into a fitting room and cried inconsolably. The woman followed her in and explained that she was the youngest of a very big family and her birth was unexpected and she, the mother, made the decision to give her away in hopes of her having a better life. This of course made the student ask, "Why me? Why did you give me away?" And thus my meeting with her. To this day I do not have the answers to the questions this young woman had; why was she selected to be given away?

The passage today speaks of those days when Israel and the people of God felt abandoned and neglected. Chief among their feelings was their not being wanted by God. And the answer was, in most of the cases of Israel's history, the result of their bad decisions or the bad rulers they had, and defeats to enemies who carried them off and held them captive. The word used in this passage is Forsaken, and the land on which they lived was named Desolate. God heard their pleas and cries and sends word through Isaiah the prophet that these days were soon coming to an end. No longer would their name be Forsaken; their new name would be My Delight Is in Her; and the name of the land was changed from Desolate to Married. The joy and celebration of the love and acceptance that comes in a marriage would be their feeling because God was calling them back, and God would rejoice once again in them.

I don't know your story and how you are feeling right now. But I do know we all have gone through some tough periods in our lives. Most would say this pandemic and this dreaded virus has made life so difficult and challenging. I would suspect that we may have felt the title Forsaken may have been ours either through a decision we made, or was made for us; but the good news is that God never gave up on us, and has longed for our return home, into His loving arms. Your story has not yet been fully written, and the pen is in God's hands. Your name may even be changed by God to describe your new state, and all while being in God's hands.

PRAYER: Loving Father, as You write the rest of our story, guide us to where we need to be. May old feelings and regrets be erased and may we rejoice in what is yet to come. Bring healing, comfort, joy, and peace to us all; and let us share what we receive with others as well. This we believe and receive in the name of Jesus our Lord, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Share some joy with those in need of it.

Receive my blessings of peace and love,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Baptized in the Spirit

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Hear the devotional/podcase here: https://bit.ly/3pWWFVS

14 Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. 15 The two went down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit 16 (for as yet the Spirit had not come upon any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus). 17 Then Peter and John laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. (Acts 8:14-17 NRSV)

May this Wednesday be a wonderful one for you ConCafe Family! And may one of the wonders of it, be your testimony to the love God has shared with you, Friend, is my prayer for you! Our friend, The Rev. Virgilio Vasquez Garza is still in the hosptial and may spend another night (Tuesday) in there. Please pray for his healing and recovery; prayers for his wife Acacia. UPDATE: Rev. Vasquez may be discharged today, Wednesday, 01.05.22; let's pray for his continued recovery at home! Let's continue our prayers for those who need our prayers. Pray for one another, and pray for yourselves. Why do we pray? Because God answers prayers!

The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity. We believe in Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. One God, three persons. As we studied yesterday, Jesus was baptized with a water baptism for the forgiveness of sins yet His baptism had the presence, in bodily form, of the Holy Spirit. And earlier in this book of Acts, chapter 2 to be exact, we read of the coming of the Holy Spirit as a fire baptism for those who had already been water baptised. In today's passage we read of how the apostles understood the power and might behind a Holy Spirit baptism and when they heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they immediaely send Peter and John to them so that they might also receive the Holy Spirit. As Acts 2 showed, the Holy Spirit allowed the disciples to have the gift of tongues, to speak God's wonders in other languages they had not studied or knew. The power of the Holy Spirit allows better communication of God's love to others in new and different ways. The power of the Holy Spirit allows for discerning God's will for your life; He also allows for His wisdom and counsel to be yours when needed the most. Jesus said the Counselor (Holy Spriti) would provide the words when needed. When we request the presence of the Holy Spirit into our lives, He will come to us and provide us with those gifts that will bless our walk and ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ. That, dear friends, is the fullness of life that Jesus promised. It is ours for the asking.

The apostles sent Peter and John, two of the heavy-hitters of the 12, to go and pray for these new believers in Samaria. Remember Jesus' Parable of the Good Samaritan? And the story of the woman at the well, who was a Samaritan? To those who were not truly friends and colleagues, the apostles send Peter, in my opinion, the chief disciple; and John, second among the inner circle of Jesus, to pray for these newbies in the faith. The two arrive, lay hands on these new Christians, "And they received the Holy Spirit." Bam!

I should say that the passage we read above is but a small part of the entire chapter. Phillip has been in Samaria, and his preaching brought many to the Lord Jesus, including a magician named Simon, who was amazed at what the disciples could do with the power of the Holy Spirit, and after the new believers had hands laid on them and they received the Holy Spirit, he wanted to pay for this ability of receiving and praying for others to receive the Holy Spirit. Simon was impressed with Philip's ability to drive out evil spirits and the curing of the lame. He thought he might make money with those abilities. Imagine the power that is ours for gratis, that this magician was willing to pay for. Ours for the asking.

PRAYER: Awesome God, we are so blessed to have been forgiven of our sins. We are thankful for our baptism and for the gift of the Holy Spirit. May we learn to live with that power to better serve You and bless others; this we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Bless someone with love, a prayer, and a kind word of hope.

Receive my blessings of peace and joy, Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Jesus Identifies With You and Me!

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Hear the devotional here: https://bit.ly/3pQHm0P

15 The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Messiah. 16 John answered them all, “I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” 21 When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened 22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” (Luke 3:15-17, 21-22 NIV)

May the Lord bless you and keep you, ConCafe Family; may you see how much Jesus loves us by what we hear in this passage from Saint Luke 3, dear Reader. May we pray for those in need. We have been asked to pray for Mr. Mike Barker, brother-in-law to Edith Lucas. Brother Mike is battling heart disease. May our prayers be healing balm for Mike and his family. Pray for one another; pray for yourselves. From a reader, Barbara Seger, " pray for our school secretary, Christina Hackney. She’s going back to MDAnderson another tumor has appeared that the family practice doc thought was tennis elbow. Our poor physicians are exhausted! At least it showed up in an xray." Prayers for The Rev. Virgilio Vasquez Garza, who was in ER last night at Stone Oak Methodist Hospital in San Antonio, TX.

There's a wonderful connection when you find you identify with someone you don't know. If I hear Seguin, I relate. I hear espanol spoken, I identify. You may have your own ways of relating and connecting, but imagine hearing that your life is in need of forgivness and you hear a traveling preacher is by the river offering a washing that he's calling baptism, and even though your church leaders don't recommend it, you know you need it, so you take it. And as a result you come to see the difference it has made in your life. And the preacher who baptized you begins talking about another preacher who is coming who he says, is the real deal. And you begin to hear your friends and neighbors wondering if perhaps, John, the first preacher, is that guy? Then, John himself, as if he could read minds, says, "I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in His hand to clear His threshing floor and to gather the wheat into His barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." And then, He comes, the One whom John spoke about, and He gets baptized, too! Wait. What? You saw it, and then you heard it! Heaven was open and the Holy Spirit descended on Him in the form of a body like a dove, and you heard the voice from Heaven that declared, to the Son, "You are my Son, whom I love; with You I am well pleased."

Since that moment, the discussions and studies and the ahem, "discussions," have not ended. Scholars, theologians, philosophers, busybodies, arm chair theologians, all have awed and wondered at what spiritual implications this action by Our Lord has had on humanity. We believe that Jesus was fully man and fully God, and as such was perfect, meaning without sin. This baptism was offered to wash away sin, as needed by the people at that time. John's invitation and message got to the heart of those who did present themselves for baptism. The main question asked, why would the Son of God present Himself for a washing of sins when He had none? The main answer is to identify and connect with humanity, with all people, you and me included. Jesus knows us through and through. There is not aspect of our lives with which Jesus is not 100% familiar. Our hurts, our pains, our fears, our frustrations, even our doubts, they are known by Jesus. And more importantly, these are already defeated and placed in their place by Him. All we have to do is to place our faith and hope in Him, and He will provide.

Dear friend, what a better way to start a New Year than to hear that God's only Son, Jesus Christ, is the One in whom we can place our lives. Whatever weakenss has kept you up at night, tell it that it is defeated! It has met its match in Jesus, never to defeat you again.

PRAYER: Loving God, we thank You for Your wisdom and plan, and for sharing Jesus as our role model and Savior. Fill us with faith and hope as we journey with You through this New Year. You know what I fear, what I'm facing, and what keeps me up at night; into Your hands I place them, knowing that You will bless me. I pray this in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Share a word of hope and peace with someone that God will lead you to.

Receive my blessings of joy and hope,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

The Day of Light

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Hear the devotional here: https://bit.ly/3mQ9Zcw

1 Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. 2 For darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will appear over you. 3 Nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn. 4 Lift up your eyes and look around; they all gather together, they come to you; your sons shall come from far away, and your daughters shall be carried on their nurses' arms. 5 Then you shall see and be radiant; your heart shall thrill and rejoice, because the abundance of the sea shall be brought to you, the wealth of the nations shall come to you. 6 A multitude of camels shall cover you, the young camels of Midian and Ephah; all those from Sheba shall come. They shall bring gold and frankincense, and shall proclaim the praise of the Lord. (Isaiah 60:1-6 NRSV)

Happy New Year! And a blessed and joyous Monday be yours, dear ConCafe Family. May the light of God shine on you, Friend, in ways that will not only dazzle you but all those around you! As we prepare for the Day of Epiphany, may it be a time of awesome preparation. May we pray for God to speak to us and help us shine brightly into all areas of darkness that we encounter. May the time we spend together in this passage and devotional bless us on our walk with Jesus.

I am humbled by the power of God and the power of God's word. When a popular king died some 700 years before Jesus was even born, a young prophet had a vision from God of all that was to come for the benefit and wellbeing of all people. The words read from today's passage were written by that prophet, Isaiah, some 700 years before the wise men came to the crib of Jesus. 700 years! And more interesting is that these words were studied by Gaspar, Melchior, and Balthasar, those whom we know as the Magi. The Day of Epiphany means a lot of things to a lot of people. Number one, the birth of Jesus was for the whole world, not just the Jews. The Magi came from parts of the world not known for being Jewish or even Jewish friendly. Their study of ancient writings and prophecies led them to faith in what God was up to and what God could, and would do. Imagine being one of the magi reading prophetic words about being able to arise, and shine because light had finally come and the glory of the Lord had come to them. The reality of darkness covering the earth was something they knew to be true in all places, and to hear that the Lord God would arise and His glory would appear over them would also mean that all nations would come to the saving knowledge of God through Jesus Christ. The second thing is the "aha" moment of people realizing the truth and power of God would be for them. And it would be a calling of all people to "come home" to God, from all corners of the world.

When we come to accept that truth about Jesus, we become radiant; our hearts thrill and rejoice, "because the abundance of the sea shall be brought to (us.) Those 700 years, plus the 2,000 since Jesus' days come to that one instant when we realize the life in abundance is truly ours. Light will not ony shine into our lives, it will shine out of our lives. You that like to fish, think hard on what that phrase "the abundance of the sea" would mean to you! And the "wealth of nations" means the rich blessings of God would come to you. And a known time and cultural reference to "A multitude of camels" covering you; but the most telling and prophetic of that important day was the reference to two of the three gifts offered by the magi; "They shall bring gold and frankincense," and what these men would do, "Shall proclaim the praise of the Lord." (Reference Matthew 2:1-12). Matthew's gospel is known as the one written with a Jewish audience in mind; seeking to convince fellow Jews that Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah, the true Son of God. And the good news? It applies to us as well! I don't know if you're into making, or keeping, resolutions, but here's one you should make daily; get to know the fullness of God for your life!

PRAYER: Loving God, as I start this New Year, let me pray John Wesley's prayer as my own: I am no longer my own, but Thine. Put me to what Thou wilt, rank me with whom Thou wilt. Put me to doing, put me to suffering. Let me be employed for Thee or laid aside for Thee, exalted for Thee or brought low for Thee. Let me be full, let me be empty. Let me have all things, let me have nothing. I freely and heartily yield all things to Thy pleasure and disposal. And now, glorious and blessed God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Thou art mine, and I am Thine. So be it. And the covenant which I have made on earth, let it be ratified in Heaven, amen."

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Show someone the Light of love and hope radiating out of you!

Receive my blessings of hope and love,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.