God Can Restore Us Again and Again!

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1 It seemed like a dream, too good to be true, when God returned Zion's exiles. 2 We laughed, we sang, we couldn't believe our good fortune. We were the talk of the nations - "God was wonderful to them!" 3 God was wonderful to us; we are one happy people. 4 And now, God, do it again - bring rains to our drought-stricken lives 5 So those who planted their crops in despair will shout hurrahs at the harvest, 6 So those who went off with heavy hearts will come home laughing, with armloads of blessing. (Psalm 126 The Message Bible)

Happy and blessed Thursday to you all, ConCafe Family! May the joy of the Lord strengthen your walk today and all days, dear Reader. Please keep Rev. Roberto Gomez in your prayers as he awaits his open-heart surgery which may happen either in April or May. May God grant him healing through this procedure and peace between now and then. Prayers of comfort for the family of Mrs. Joan Meyers, wife of SA realtor, Scott Meyers. She died early Wednesday of a long battle with cancer. May God's peace and comfort be with all who loved her. Prayers for Mr. Kenny Poe, in-laws to Dr. Commie Hisey. Pray for peace in the Ukraine and peace in the hearts of all who need it. Pray for one another, pray for your needs, and pray for all whom you carry in your heart as needing blessings from the Lord.

I left home for college when I was 18. I was the oldest of five, and my siblings reported that my Mom took it the hardest. She would cry that "They took him away!" They first asked, "Who, Mom?" "College! They took him away!" I would go through that very ritual, without the required lament of someone taking my girls away; I knew where they were, but I still missed them. When I went to seminary in Denver it seemed like another country where I ended up. Denver in 1975 was nothing like it is now. The presence of Hispanics was minimal and no decent Mexican restaurant could be found within the state lines of Colorado. That's all changed now, thank God (Or should I say, "Gracias a Dios?"). But that was the year of my parents' 25th Wedding Anniversary. Plans were put into motion for a celebration in the month of October and my Dad surprised me by sending me a very expensive plane ticket with strict warning not to tell my Mom or grandmother that I was returning. And I flew home and surprised both my Mom and Momo the night of the celebration. It was a joyous occasion. I was "Zion's exile" brought home, and as the psalmist wrote, "It seemed like a dream, too good to be true." We did laugh and we had a great time and I could not believe my good fortune, and the "nation" that knew us could and did say that "God was wonderful to them!" And God has been wonderful in your life, too. You can best share in your mind that which God blessed you with that seemed too good to be true, a real dream come true. The icing on the cake is that God can do it again.

The theme for this week is the never-ending awesome power of God to make new, to restore, to receive and to send; all in keeping with the coming drama of Christ's Passion for us. Though it seems like our spirits are dusty dry from drought, God will bring the needed rain to make new our souls. Though it may seem that we sowed our crops in despair, the harvest will be a celebration of new life! And those who have left with heavy hearts will return with laughing and armloads of blessings. This is all for those who ask and believe; God will restore us again and again.

PRAYER: Loving Father, bring Thy restoration to our hearts, minds, bodies, and spirits. Make new in us that which has grown old and stale. Bring laughter and joy where sorrow and mourning has taken root; make the harvest of hope be ours again; this we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Show people the smiles God has shared with you.

Receive my blessings of peace and comfort,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

You've Already Started, But Finish Strong!

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4 You know my pedigree: 5 a legitimate birth, circumcised on the eighth day; an Israelite from the elite tribe of Benjamin; a strict and devout adherent to God's law; 6 a fiery defender of the purity of my religion, even to the point of persecuting Christians; a meticulous observer of everything set down in God's law Book. 7 The very credentials these people are waving around as something special, I'm tearing up and throwing out with the trash - along with everything else I used to take credit for. And why? Because of Christ. 8 Yes, all the things I once thought were so important are gone from my life. Compared to the high privilege of knowing Christ Jesus as my Master, firsthand, everything I once thought I had going for me is insignificant - dog dung. I've dumped it all in the trash so that I could embrace Christ 9 and be embraced by him. I didn't want some petty, inferior brand of righteousness that comes from keeping a list of rules when I could get the robust kind that comes from trusting Christ - God's righteousness. 10 I gave up all that inferior stuff so I could know Christ personally, experience his resurrection power, be a partner in his suffering, and go all the way with him to death itself. 11 If there was any way to get in on the resurrection from the dead, I wanted to do it. 12 I'm not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. 13 Friends, don't get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I've got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward - to Jesus. 14 I'm off and running, and I'm not turning back. (Philippians 3:4b-14 The Message Bible)

Welcome to Tuesday, ConCafe Family! May this be a tremendously terrific day for you, Friend, is my prayer for you! I pray this finds you well and enjoying God's wonderful blessings. Yes, we still have the aches and pains, the new wrinkles or pimples, but onward and upward we follow Him! Please continue to pray for one another, pray for your needs, and pray for peace in the world.

The Apostle Paul never applied for the job as evangelist. It was a complete surprise. It was a knocked down off his horse encounter with the Risen Lord. Jesus knew him and wanted him as servant leader of the ministry into the realm of the Gentiles. He was as Jewish as he could be and he always had a heart for them, but his work among the non-Jews brought Christianity to the known world and established the foundation for worldwide evangelization. This passage shares Paul's pedigree or resume. He was born to a married couple, both of whom were Jews. He followed Jewish law and was circumcised on the eighth day. He was born into the tribe of Benjamin, and was himself a strict follower of the strict and devoted laws of God. He claims to be a "strict and devout adherent to God's law," and believed in supporting the purity of his religion, and taking it to the point of persecuting Christians. He also says he meticulously observed God's law. But now as a follower and believer in the Lord Jesus, he views his credentials as trash, because these are things of the past. Why? Because of Jesus Christ. He believes that all things that he once considered worthy of his credit hold no importance in his life. His highest privilege is now to know Christ Jesus as his Master. All that was important before is now not important. "All that I had goiing for me for me is insignificant - dog dung. I've dumped it all in the trash so that I could embrace Christ and be embraced by Him."

Wow! His faith is contagious to me! He realized that when we reach that point of meeting Christ and getting our lives changed by Him, all that came before counts for nothing. Everything from now on, counts for more. In his case, he left behind all he knew and loved for the new reality of Jesus and he embraced the urgency and seriousness of reaching people for God's kingdom. A district superintendent and I were just chatting about the sad reality of the shortage of ministers. This is something we knew was coming sooner rather than later, and the sooner is now. There are only three elders being ordained at this annual conference and about 24-plus retirements and leaves. What we call "the bench" is now almost dry, and the roster of eligible players is not what we once took for granted. The DS lamented that there was no longer an Emmaus pipeline, referring to the era of the Walks to Emmaus from about the early 1980s til late 1990s, with some Walks still happening, but the early days saw the working of the Holy Spirit among those who attended the Walks and several men and women felt their call into ordained ministry. I said local churches no longer send men and women into the ministry, and that most seminaries are failing at training pastors with a heart for Jesus and preaching the word of God. Whatever the reason, I still believe that God is at work and we will witness an awakening of His Holy Spirit that will respond to the need for revival in our churches. Men and women will undergo the transformation that Paul underwent that whatever their first passion may have been, it will take a back seat to God's leading to a faith like Paul that says, "I will dump everything in the trash just so that I can embrace Christ and Christ can embrace me."

Let us be in prayer about that. Where are you? Have you started already in your career path and you think you're at where you want to be, or, are you feeling the nudging of the Spirit into ordained ministry? You're not too old to finish strong, just like Paul!

PRAYER: Loving Father, speak to those whom already sense Your leading; may all of us open our hearts to where You would have us be and do what you would have us do. May Your Spirit bring the fire of an awakening that the world needs to see now; this we pray in Christ Jesus, amen,

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Let people see how much you love Jesus!

Receive my blessings of joy and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

A Lavish Gift for Jesus

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1 Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. 3 Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4 But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, 5 “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages. ” 6 He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it. 7 “Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. 8 You will always have the poor among you,but you will not always have me.” (John 12:1-8 New International Version Bible)

Happy and Marvelous Monday, ConCafe Family! May God's blessings be rich and wonderful upon you, Friend, is my prayer for you. Our second service in church yesterday received a wonderful, unexpected blessing in seeing our pastor, Rev. Dr. Matt Pennington in worship! It was a very joyful moment for us and we thanked God for his recovery. Matt explained the wounds he is recovering from and I could understand the pain he is feeling. Please continue to pray for his recovery. Pray for one another; pray for those recovering from medical procedures and other needs. Pray for those you carry in your heart and may God provide us eyes to see all people, especially those no one else sees or wants. Pray for your needs. We pray because God answers prayers.

Are there people in your life that were money were no object that you would spend all you had to provide for them in a special way? Even with most of us having limitations on our money, there are people that we would sacrifice for their wellbeing. So, we find that in the village of Bethany, at the home of Lazarus, that a dinner party was given in Jesus' honor. We remember that Lazarus had two sisters, Martha and Mary. We also remember that on a previous visit, Jesus was asked to intervene between a squabble between the two sisters. Upon His arrival on that occasion, Martha found herself doing all the domestic chores, while Mary sat at Jesus' feet. Martha did not think that fair and raised that concern with Jesus. On this visit, we find that Martha is serving while Mary has taken a pint of pure nard, valued at about a year's salary, being poured on Jesus' feet and then wiping the feet with her hair. The writer says the house is filled with the aroma of the perfume. And it's here that someone makes a stink about the perfume. And are we surprised it is Judas Iscariot? Judas was the treasurer of the ministry of Jesus. The writer mentions that Judas had no concern about the poor, but plenty of concern for the money. It was his remark, "Why wasn't this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year's wages." The writer also says that Judas felt free to help himself with the money collected by the ministry. And his attempt to spoil the mood and the spending of money failed, for Jesus simply says, "Leave her alone." He explains, "It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial." Here Jesus is honestly saying that this could have been used for His burial, but this is an anointing of what He needed. The gesture was pure love and gratitude to this special man's life and ministry. Jesus had, after all, brought the fullness of life into their lives and then when the illness of Lazarus led to his death, Jesus gave him new life, a resurrected life. What price could we possibly place on that? Jesus brought new meaning and purpose to the lives of these people, whom Jesus truly saw as friends. They had been privy to the reality of life beyond this life and the promises of the Lord for living this life to the fullest, trusting and loving God.

We read Jesus' statement in the closing verse, that Jesus speaks about the reality of the poor then, and even now. "You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me." What those hearing Jesus realized that many of us today do not, is that Jesus is sharing from a book in the Torah, which I share here: If among you, one of your brothers should become poor, in any of your towns within your land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand against your poor brother, but you shall open your hand to him and lend him sufficient for his need, whatever it may be ... For the poor you will always have with you in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.’ (Deuteronomy 15:7-11). The emphasis is for the believer to open their hands wide with assistance. Jesus is not dissing the poor, but rather reminding them of what their law teaches to help the poor. And, again, it is a reminder that His life on earth was almost over.

I went to a church once to worship and the worship leader said, "Turn to your neighbor and say, 'I love you and there's nothing you can do about it!'" And it hit me, how often do we tell God something along the same lines? And I said, of course there is something we can do about it! And we should! And here we're seeing Mary doing something about it. She has poured out a very expensive perfume on the feet of her Savior as a grateful, thankful expression of her love for all He had one thus far in her life. The question still stands, what can we do for the Lord, and what's holding us back?

PRAYER: Loving Lord and Savior, You have done so much for me; what can I do for you? Allow me not to hold back, but to give You my all! May I bless You and those in need with an open hand and an open heart; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Show Jesus your love in loving others!

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

Leave the Past in the Past! Enjoy Now!

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9 God said to Joshua, "Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt." That's why the place is called The Gilgal. It's still called that. 10 The People of Israel continued to camp at The Gilgal. They celebrated the Passover on the evening of the fourteenth day of the month on the plains of Jericho. 11 Right away, the day after the Passover, they started eating the produce of that country, unraised bread and roasted grain. 12 And then no more manna; the manna stopped. As soon as they started eating food grown in the land, there was no more manna for the People of Israel. That year they ate from the crops of Canaan. (Joshua 5:9-12 The Message Bible)

A wonderful Wednesday be yours, dear Friend! I pray this blesses you as God seeks to bless us always. As we pray today, please continue to pray for one another, especially for those in need. My pastor, The Reverend Dr. Matt Pennington is continuing his recovery, sleeping better, so we praise and thank God for the progress Matt is making. We pray for complete healing in his body. Nellie "graduated" from her physical therapy and is doing so much better; and it didn't hurt to spend a full day with our youngest grandchild, Eli Ryan, and partial day with our oldest grandson, Liam Carlos, so those two blessings blessed both of us, thanks be to God. We continue to pray for peace in the world; that bloodshed end, and that the Russian aggression stop. Pray for all nations to learn to coexist in peace. Please pray for one another, especially for people you don't yet know! Pray for your needs as well. A praying nation is a blessed and grateful nation.

Forty years is a long time. As children age was something to be celebrated with cake and presents and counting the years wasn't as important as counting the gifts! I doubt we, as children, gave much thought to turning forty. For some, it can seem like a big number, but we thank God for every special day that we are blessed with! Today's passage comes on the fortieth year Israel had been away, I should say, free from Egyptian slavery. And on that day of celebration, God speaks to Joshua, who was Moses' successor and God announces, "Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt." In other words, that which happened was 40 years ago, leave it there and let it die, as much as you can, a peaceful death in your memory ot things. Gilgal literallly means "rolling," as in those years have rolled past, and the hatred and suffering of the Egyptians on you also, has rolled away. Forty years is a generation, meaning a good a time as any to say, "Stay where you are, bad memories, I am here now, and I am free!" As the people of Israel camped there something special happened. The people were able to eat from the land all they had planted, and fresh bread and roasted grain, from their own plants were enjoyed as a meal of celebration. And as soon as they bit into the deliciousness of "this is mine," the manna, the bread provided from Heaven by God, ceased to appear, symbolizing they were now free and independent of Egypt and they were in the land they had been promised by God to enjoy for themselves.

This lesson can also apply to our lives and whatever has troubled us for so long.The fruits of today are part of what we call the present, and friends, no better gift can we enjoy than what is available for us right now. The pain and hurt from so long ago should stay right where it is, in the deep recesses of our memories; better yet, you can ask God to remove them and throw them, along with our sins, into the deepest part of the ocean; knowing that one day, as the Apostle John saw in his vision, "the sea was no more." You are free from all that has troubled you and harmed you, thanks to the strong, powerful arm of the Lord; relax in His embrace and know He says to you, "Rest easy from yesterday, my child. Enjoy today and be blessed with peace so that tomorrow may be even better." Amen!

PRAYER; Loving Savior, help this dear reader surrender to You that which has troubled her or him. Into Your strong hands we place the hurts, pain, stupid words shared with us, all that harmed us, so that You take them and toss them into the deepest part of the sea. Into Your grace we also commit our sins and iniquities; toss them as well. Grant us peace and strength; this we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Share your grace of a new life with someone who is in need. Show them how God blessed you.

Receive my blessings of joy and peace!

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Brand New!

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16 From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view; even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view, we know him no longer in that way. 17 So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. 20 So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:16-21)

Happy and blessed Tuesday, ConCafe Family! May God's blessings bring peace and hope to your world, dear Reader! May we continue to pray for one another, for those areas affected last night in the change in weather some areas received. There were some tornados in our area, but all seems safe and secure at this writing. Pray for peace. Pray for those things you lug around needlessly and turn them over to the Lord!

Be honest. Do you ever take the first or top item in a rack or stack of items in the store? If you're buying something that comes in a package and the package is damaged or a bit wrinkled, do you still take it? Put your hands down! I'm the same way. There's just something about spending money on items that are supposed to be brand new and so we expect (some demand) that they be as perfect as they can be. And yet, when it comes to us, have we ever been made brand new? Here's what Paul is saying about what Jesus can and does do, for those who give their lives to Him.

Paul is addressing the believers in Corinth as being made new in Christ. And the first place that change should take place is in our minds. Our point of view has changed from a human point of view to a spiritual one. In other words, Paul says, we have been made brand new in and through Him. Everything old about us has died, and in its place something brand new has come to replace it. This is saying a lot! Is it making a difference in you? Have you taken advantage of this for yourself? For Paul, the realm in which we live before we met Christ is replaced by the divine realm of God, where we have been reconciled to God through Jesus. And this has become our new occupation of being ministers of reconciliation, which is God's ongoing and neverending ministry of reaching the whole world through Jesus for Himself. Our tresspasses no longer count against us; meaning our every sin has been removed from us, and we are now ambassadors for Christ Jesus, since God is making His appeal through us. That's heavy stuff in and of itself. We become living examples of the change that can and does come to those who give their whole being to God in Jesus. It's our way of showing what true reconcilation should look like. And Paul further reveals a mystery of what can and has happened, in Jesus; that He, Jesus, who had no sin, became sin, that is, He took our sins off of us and onto Himself, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.

It never ceases to amaze me all that Paul learned at Jesus Seminary, the three day doctoral level study Paul had in the presence of the Risen Christ. To be fair, Saul of Tarsus was a very educated man, having studied at the feet of Gamaliel, one of the leading rabbinical scholars of his day. It was through Gamaliel that Saul became a Pharisee. Yes, he was one of those people! Yet, on the road to Damascus, Saul got knocked off his high horse, he fell flat on his face and was asked by name why he was carrying on the way he was. When Saul asked who was asking, Jesus said it was Him. Blinded by the brightness of Christ's glory during this three days of blindness, Jesus revealed to him many things about Himself, God, and the mission of God on the earth. And this part of the passage we just studied above is doctoral level material. It is theological and philosophical, and it boggles the mind of many who attempt to understand it without praying and asking for a tutor, like the Holy Spirit, to help us understand it. In other words, if we are truly in Christ, everything about us should have changed from the old nature, to a brand new nature. What we once were ashamed of, has been made brand new and we have become, to quote Paul, "The righteousness of God." Whoa. That means everything about us is new, and we should have that new smell of a new life that attracts and does not repel, others to come to ask about what has come over us. We then take that advantage to share Jesus in a way that will bring others to a new life, a brand new life for themselves. The work is not easy, and we may not have success after success, but we should be encouraged that we travel not alone, but with the help and power of the Risen Christ with us.

PRAYER: Awesome Lord, we are humbled to even be considered Your righteousness here on the world. So much of what we used to be, and what we used to do, has stayed in our memory and the burden of guilt still calls to us to quit, but help us hear only You speaking loudly and clearly that we are on the right path, doing the right thing, headed where we should be going. And we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord. Show off your brand new smell of righteousness to others today!

Receive my blessings of joy and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

The Prodigal

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1 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. 2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” 3 Then Jesus told them this parable: 11 Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. 13 “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. 17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20 So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. 21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate. 25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27 ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ 28 “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29 But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’ 31 “ ‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ ” (Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32 New International Version Bible)

A very blessed and joyous Monday, ConCafe family! I thank God for you, dear friend!, and pray God's continued blessings and protection upon you and yours. I thank all of you who lifted me up in prayer for my preaching in my home church of FUMC, Gonzales. I felt welcomed and God's word was preached. I have two more Sundays to cover for our pastor, The Rev. Dr. Matt Pennington, who is on the mend. His pain is slowly decreasing and his wife said he was getting more sleep. Please continue to pray for him as he continues to recover. I also shared with the church about the loss in Dale Graham's life, that of his oldest brother, Kenneth, who died Saturday in Ohio. Please pray for all of the Graham family at this loss. Also, I shared how a longtime dear friend of ours and of the family, Martha Ramirez Villalva, who also died on Saturday. Martha was the daughter of a longtime colleague of mine, The Rev. Fortunato Ramirez, and she also was our go-to baby sitter for Nellie and I during the year I was the council director of the Rio Grande Conferene. May God's comfort be with her husband and son. May God's comfort be with the Floyd Family, upon the death of Earl Ray Floyd, who dies on Thursday. Pray for one another, share your burdens with the Lord, and pray for peace in the Ukraine. Why do we pray? Because God answers prayer.

"Tell me who you hang with, and I'll tell you who you are." An old saying popular in español. And the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law seem to believe it for they began to mutter something along those lines about Jesus and the company He was keeping, namely tax collectors and sinners. The interesting thing is these so-called sinners and tax collectors were there to hear from Jesus and learn from Him. The lesson on that day was a powerful one about those who leave the family of God and then seek to return. Hmm, could Jesus have meant the teaching to those religious leaders somehow?

It's a very familiar story. A man had two sons. And the younger of the two tells his father to give him his share of the family estate. There is no argument and fight among the dad and son, the dad simply divided his property between the two sons. The young son takes his share and hightails it ouf of the region and heads to where the fun is. And, according to the story,. "squandered his wealth in wild living." Just as the money is running out a famine comes and he, like most in the area, begins to feel the pinch of poverty. The only job this good Jewish boy could get was a nightmare job for good Jews, that of feeding pigs. As the boy feeds the pigs the pods they were eating seemed attractive to the hungry young man. But, no one offered him any of that food. As the hunger increased, so did his imagination of what he had left behind for a brief period of fancy living and this wild life he had for a brief time. "My father's hired hands had plenty of food, even to spare, and here I am starving to death! Here's what I will do, I will go and speak to my Dad and tell him that I have sinned against heaven and against him, and so, I am no longer worthy to be call his son, and I will ask that he please take me back as one of his hired servants." And off he heads, back home. The young man became the dot in the horizon that this old man sought for each and every one of the days the young man was gone, and up from his rocking chair springs the old man down the dusty road towards that dot that surely is his son! The old man felt only compassion for his son, grabbed him and kissed him. The son tries to give his prepared speech, but the Dad had only eyes for the son that was lost and is now found. "Quick!" shouts the dad to the hired hands, "Grab the best robe we have and put it on my boy! Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fatted calf and kill it. We shall make a feast and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and now is found!" And the celebration begins and the music reaches the ears of the older son. He comes to the party and angrily attacks the Dad. "All these years I have been slaving for you and not once have I disobeyed your orders, yet, you never once gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends! But when this wayward son of yours comes home, and might I add that he spent all your money on prostitutes, you kill the fattened calf and have a party!" The father says, "My son, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and now is found."

The father in the story, like our Heavenly Father always has a spot in His heart for all, especially those who have never left Him. Could Jesus be addressing the Pharisees and those who served God, and who mutter their displeasure for Jesus welcoming in to the fellowship, "Tax Collectors and sinners?" This story was the third such story in this 15th chapter of Luke that is called the chapter of the lost, for it speaks of God's love for all who are lost. The lost coin, the lost sheep, and the lost son. All were sought earnestly and at great expenese,and when found, they were greatly welcomed into the fold of God with open arms. You, dear friend, matter to God, no matter how far you think you believed you have wandered off course. So, welcome back!

PRAYER: Loving God, thank You for your gracious love for all people. Make us know of Your love when we feel far from You and draw us nearer to You. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Show others how the love of Christ has blessed you!

Receive my blessings of love and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

A Song From the Desert

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

1 God - you're my God! I can't get enough of you! I've worked up such hunger and thirst for God, traveling across dry and weary deserts. 2 So here I am in the place of worship, eyes open, drinking in your strength and glory. 3 In your generous love I am really living at last! My lips brim praises like fountains. 4 I bless you every time I take a breath; My arms wave like banners of praise to you. 5 I eat my fill of prime rib and gravy; I smack my lips. It's time to shout praises! 6 If I'm sleepless at midnight, I spend the hours in grateful reflection. 7 Because you've always stood up for me, I'm free to run and play. 8 I hold on to you for dear life, and you hold me steady as a post. (Psalm 63:1-8 The Message Bible)

Happy Thursday, ConCafe Family! May this day bless you, dear Friend, as that is my prayer for you. And a Happy Saint Patrick's Day, too! May this time spent with God bless your walk with Him, and with those who matter most in your life, and may it sparken an awakening to those who don't yet matter to you yet. As we pray, I invite us to pray for Mr. Johnnie Fogle, who yesterday underwent cataract surgery and is recovering well, today he goes to his post-surgical checkup; let us pray all went well. Pray for Johnnie as this Sunday hs is preaching at two churches. May God bless and protect him as he delivers God's word. I also got word that Mr. Bill Blundell is being moved to Shady Oaks Nursing Home in Moulton, as his doctor believes our brother needs skilled nursing care. Please pray for a smooth transition for Bill and his family. Please continue to pray for a quick and peaceful resolution to the war in Ukraine and may God's Holy Spirit convict those with evil intent in their hearts towards others in this conflict.

I still marvel at some of the deep theological discussions my friend Alex and I had when we were young. I believe I was already feeling a stirring in my soul towards God's word and so we would talk about things I had learned in Sunday school, and Alex provided his insights. I remember we discussed the Garden of Eden many times. I could not begin to understand the meaning of paradise and though I had never gone there, I kept thinking that Eden must be something like Hawaii. Our discussion was mostly about palm trees, lush vegetation and other things that Eden must have surely had. When it came to time to talk about deserts, like the one the Israelites walked through for 40 years we knew it was somewhere close to Kingsville, especially in those dry months when it had not rained in a long time. We couldn't imagine spending much time in a desert, let alone sleeping in one. If you asked two six year olds, God must surely be in Hawaii and certainly not in the desert.

Yet, here is the Psalmist talking about his walking through "dry and weary deserts," and having worked up quite a hunger and thrist for God. And when he found himself in worship, he remembered those days of seeking, and now rejoices in what is surely the presence of God, where he can drink in God's strenght and glory. Now I realize God is in all places, not just the ones we like. Wherever we find ourselves, and in whatever condition it may be, God is there just for us. And when we realize the presence and beauty of God we can say what the psalmist said, "I am really living at last!" With every breath we take we can praise God. It's like a real banquet of, as this modern version says, of prime rib and gravy; and what that sparks in him is the desire to worship God more. Even on sleepless nights, our tossing and turning should be times of grateful reflection on God and God's mercy towards us. God has indeed always stood us for us, and that has brought us freedom to do what God has asked of us, and we still need to hold on to Him and know that God holds us in His strong grip.

As Easter draws closer, dear one, so should we draw closer to God. We will be the more blessed for it.

PRAYER: Loving God of all places, hold us steady and strong right now. May we draw closer to You and thus closer to those who like us, seek You. Then send us forth to those who do not yet know You and truly need You. in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! During our luncheon I asked the question to being rescued by God; what are we doing about it? I say we should be telling others in convincing ways that God is real, God is loving, and God seeks those who feel far from Him.

Receive my blessings of joy and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

All Who Are Thirsty, Come to the Waters!

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Hear the Devotional here: https://bit.ly/3q8lhKX

1 "Hey there! All who are thirsty, come to the water! Are you penniless? Come anyway - buy and eat! Come, buy your drinks, buy wine and milk. Buy without money - everything's free! 2 Why do you spend your money on junk food, your hard-earned cash on cotton candy? Listen to me, listen well: Eat only the best, fill yourself with only the finest. 3 Pay attention, come close now, listen carefully to my life-giving, life-nourishing words. I'm making a lasting covenant commitment with you, the same that I made with David: sure, solid, enduring love. 4 I set him up as a witness to the nations, made him a prince and leader of the nations, 5 And now I'm doing it to you: You'll summon nations you've never heard of, and nations who've never heard of you will come running to you Because of me, your God, because The Holy of Israel has honored you." 6 Seek God while he's here to be found, pray to him while he's close at hand. 7 Let the wicked abandon their way of life and the evil their way of thinking. Let them come back to God, who is merciful, come back to our God, who is lavish with forgiveness. 8 "I don't think the way you think. The way you work isn't the way I work." God's Decree. 9 "For as the sky soars high above earth, so the way I work surpasses the way you work, and the way I think is beyond the way you think. (Isaiah 55:1-9 The Message Bible)

Happy Wednesday to all of the ConCafe family and other readers! If you are in the Gonzales area today at noon, please join me for a free bowl of delicious hot soup, some dessert, a nice glass of water, and a brief study on one of the Psalms. This tiime spent with us will bless your Lenten journey. As pray may we pray from Mr. Earl Ray Floyd, uncle of Ms. Sherri Schellenberg, who's in the hospital in Austin. I had the opportunity to visit him and pray with him. He has been battling pancreatic cancer for over 20 months, and is in good spirits and we had a good visit. I met his wife, Sybil, niece Lisa, and two grandkids and one of their friends. Prayers for Baby Hudson who is not doing well. He is in Houston fighting for his life. Prayers for The Rev. Rick Hope, former pastor in Smiley, who entered into hospice care today. He has breathing issues and needs our prayers. Also, from reader Rhoda Alvarez of Virginia: " I also have a friend through hsing at MD Anderson now. She has had a bad recurrence of her cancer and it I think has moved to her bones. She is local to me. Terri is her name." And, also, "The other is for the Godfrey family. I teach their youngest daughter, Reese and already taught their oldest, Lexi. Dad has appendix cancer super rare and he has had 2 major surgeries in the last couple of years and other minor ones. He just had a minor surgery this week in Pittsburgh. They did the major surgery in the Fall. as a somewhat last ditch effort. I do think they have given him years, but things are still not going well. And his poor baby was having a tough day at school today. I just kept hugging her even while I taught. SWEET family.' Pray with faith, dear friends. Pray for one another, pray for yourselves, and continue to pray for world peace.

We here in Texas find ourselves in yet another drought. The ground is thirsty for water as are many wildlife creatures who depend on rain for water for their thirst. Farmers and ranchers are praying and asking the Lord to open the skies with water to supply their needs. And those of us who have ever had thirst, nothing else will suffice, just water. And while some may advocate Gatorade, I just thank God that drink came along before future generations of athletes had to endure the agony of handfuls of salt pills. And just like only water will quench our body's thirst, only the Living God can quench the thirst of a soul. The prophet is revealng the coming of the Lord in this passage with the promise of all that God can do for all people. Our God is the God of all people, who calls all people unto Himself. The invitation is what the prophet Isaiah shared, "All who are thristy, come to the water! Are you pennilessk? Come anyway - buy and eat! Come, buy your drinks, buy wine and milk. Buy without money - everything's free!" What an offer! Our God is He who offers "life-giving, life-nourishing words," and "A lasting covenant commitment with you, the same made with David;" providing "sure, solid, enduring love." And ours is the joy to call all nations to this banquet. And better yet, to live lives that demonstrate what it is to share and care for all people.

The Lenten journey started with many sacrificing extras and luxuries to help us focus more on our spiritual nourishment, and this passage reinforces that, as it points us back to God, whose invitation to come to drink, eat, and love in His presence. And what a difference it can make in the world when God believers like you and me, give of ourselves and what we have received, with all who are in need. The world may not be ready, but God is, and so should we be ready. The world hungers and thirsts for the things that really satisfy and those are the things that God offers. We talk of getting to Heaven when we die, but it's more important to bring Heaven here on earth, especially to those who hurt and who are thirsting for authentic love.

PRAYER: Loving God, may we truly bless the world with the things that You provide to satisfy. Open our eyes to the people who thirst for You, and hunger for Your love; and open my heart to freely share and give in the way You share and give me what I have needed; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

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

Receive my blessings of hope and love,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Have Thine Own Way, Lord...

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Hear the devotional here: https://bit.ly/3w8FfZS

1 Remember our history, friends, and be warned. All our ancestors were led by the providential Cloud and taken miraculously through the Sea. 2 They went through the waters, in a baptism like ours, as Moses led them from enslaving death to salvation life. 3 They all ate 4 and drank identical food and drink, meals provided daily by God. They drank from the Rock, God's fountain for them that stayed with them wherever they were. And the Rock was Christ. 5 But just experiencing God's wonder and grace didn't seem to mean much - most of them were defeated by temptation during the hard times in the desert, and God was not pleased. 6 The same thing could happen to us. We must be on guard so that we never get caught up in wanting our own way as they did. 7 And we must not turn our religion into a circus as they did - "First the people partied, then they threw a dance." 8 We must not be sexually promiscuous - they paid for that, remember, with twenty-three thousand deaths in one day! 9 We must never try to get Christ to serve us instead of us serving him; they tried it, and God launched an epidemic of poisonous snakes. 10 We must be careful not to stir up discontent; discontent destroyed them. 11 These are all warning markers - danger! - in our history books, written down so that we don't repeat their mistakes. Our positions in the story are parallel - they at the beginning, we at the end - and we are just as capable of messing it up as they were. 12 Don't be so naive and self-confident. You're not exempt. You could fall flat on your face as easily as anyone else. Forget about self-confidence; it's useless. Cultivate God-confidence. 13 No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he'll never let you be pushed past your limit; he'll always be there to help you come through it. (1 Corinthians 10:1-12 The Message Bible)

Happy Tuesday, ConCafe Family! I kick myself for forgetting that yesterday was Pi Day! I told Nellie, we had NO pi! I guess I've been thinking that I might forget St Patrick's Day that I forgot all about pi day. Oh well, life goes on! May the blessings of the Lord, dear Reader, fill you with joy and hope today! I ask prayers for Mr. Earl Ray Floyd, uncle of Sherri Schellenberg, who is battling panceratic cancer for over 20 months. He is currently hospitalized and in need of prayers. Our pastor, The Rev Dr Matt Pennington is now back home and recovering and resting. Please pray for all to go well. Pastors are an unusual lot when it comes to R&R, so pray that God's hand be strongly on Pastor Matt. It is his time to re-gain his strength and health. Pray for one another, pray for your needs; pray for peace in the world, especially Ukraine and in those hearts which are restless right now.

Prayer meetings have a special place in my life. It was, after all, at a prayer meeting on an August night in 1977, that I met the love of my life, Nellie Rosales. I saw her and shook her hand. Six months later we were married. That was forty-four years ago. In 1902 at a prayer meeting, an eldery lady said these words, "It really doesn't matter what you do with us, Lord -- just have your way with our lives . . .." Adelaide A. Pollard is the woman who uttered those words. She had felt a strong desire to be a missionary in Africa, but due to poor health and other challenges didn't quite live out the call. While seeking to raise funds to go to Africa, she composed the words of this beautiful hymn. From an online history we read, "Her unsuccessful attempt to do this left her experiencing a 'distress of soul.' This crisis of the soul and the simple prayer of an elderly lady provided a setting for personal reflection on the will of God for her life. After the prayer meeting, she returned home and wrote the hymn as we sing it today."

Paul had a marvelous way of sharing Old Testament stories with a Christ-centric theme and this passage is no exception. His knowledge of Jewish history and his love for Jesus combine to bring about a powerful statement of faith for each individual who expresses a love for Jesus. In the OT, God provided both the way towards the promised land and the training that the people needed to become truly God's people. And Paul wants us to take seriously our call and commitment to follow Christ Jesus. Paul knew that a majority of the Exodus people failed in their journey towards their development truly to be God's people. And Paul warns that that could also happen to us. And he writes, "The same thing could happen to us. We must be on guard so that we never get caught up in wanting our own way as they did." We could end it there, but here it goes, "And we must not turn our religion into a circus as they did." The purpose for Christ coming down was for Him to serve God and getting us to serve God as well; not for us to expect Christ to serve us. We are to be wise, committed and resolved to serve Him together. As Paul says it in this modern way, we could fall flat on our face as easily as anyone else. Instead of building self-confidence, we must build up God-confidence. He sums it up well, "(God) will never let you down; God will be there to help you come through it."

Indeed, friends, we can hear no better Lenten encouragement. God is with you and me, and is prepared to help us see it all the way through. I believe hearing what is shared here will help us see Easter in a more powerful way.

PRAYER: Loving Father, share with us on what we need to more fully realize that You are King and in You we will find what we need. As the hymn says, let us say it also, 'Have Thine own way, Lord, Thou art the potter, I am the clay. Mold me and make me After Thy will." Amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Show others the places where the Potter has made you new after suffering some cracks and breaks in your life.

Receive my blessings of peace and joy,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

paypal.me/eradiovalverde

Repentance Blesses Our Lives

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Hear the devotional here: https://bit.ly/3i4K2Dq

1 Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. 2 Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? 3 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. 4 Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.” 6 Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any. 7 So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’ 8 “ ‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. 9 If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’ ” (Luke 13:1-9 New International Version)

Happy And Marvelous Monday, dear Friend! May the joy of the Lord be your strength! I am very blessed to report that our pastor, Rev. Dr. Matt Pennington has been discharged from MD Anderson, Sunday, and will spend the night in Houston and should return home today. He will need this month to fully recover and we ask prayers for his continued rest and blessings as he mends. We thank God for this surgery to be over. Also, Ms. Allison Davis, reports this week she and her husband finish their training for an in-home dialysis treatment. The following week all the needed treatments will be at her direction and convenience. Please pray for this treatment be successful for her. Sammie Massie reports Jeff is home and recovering from his hospital stay. Also, our continued prayers for the Eppright family as David's brother, Richard, from Fredericksburg, died suddenly from a heart attack. We pray for the family's comfort. I also ask prayers of comfort for the famiy of Nellie's nephew, Hector Lee Garza, who died unexpectedly after surgery in Corpus Christi. Also, Kathleen Borrer who underwent foot surgery this past week was in church this morning. Prayers for her continued recovery. Please pray for all who are on Spring Break this week. Please be safe on our roads and highways. Please pray for one another, for those on our prayer lists, and for those who have asked us to pray; remember we pray because God answers prayer!

The question asked of Jesus are like questions still asked today; why do some people die in sudden unexpected ways? Their example were some Galileans who were murdered and their blood was mixed with the blood of sacrificial animals. Why? Were these people such horrible sinners they deserved this? Jesus answers, "Do you think these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered in this way?" Jesus continued, "I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish." We can pretty well replace that example with countless in our lives or stories we have heard or read about. We note that what Jesus is concerned about is our personal relationship with God; are we asking for forgiveness from God for our sins? That we will all die is a given; most people know that, but not all who die perish in the eternal sense. All will die, but not all will perish. And what Jesus came to do was to save the world. God knew that the religious leaders of Jesus' day were failing at their calling. The emphasis was on the do not part of the law and commandments and very little to any emphasis on the love others, and compassion for all part of God's plan. Thus, Jesus' remark on the vineyard. The trees were empty of fruit; and as in the parable, God has given Jesus this opportunity to come and save the world.

In our household we are still numb after getting a late night call on Saturday about Hector Lee. He and Nellie are close in age, and we called each other cousins, but he was the son of one of Nellie's first cousins, so in more common understandings of our culture, he was a nephew. Nellie and I visited him in the hospital some years ago when we lived in Corpus and Nellie and he spoke not too long ago and during that conversation he said he knew he was going to die soon. He sensed something was not well within him and this turned out to be the case. Hector for some time was an active member of the Falfurrias United Methodist Church but had become inactive in recent years. I believe during his time he made the right decisions about his relationship with God, so that though he died, he did not perish. A major part of the fullness or abundance of life that Jesus spoke of in John 10:10 has to do with the peace that comes from knowing that we do, indeed, belong to God because He has forgiven us and taken away our sin. Our Lenten journy is about that trip that takes us deeper into reflection and honest evaluation of our walk with Jesus. I pray that today, we would take time to do that precisely about how we know Jesus and all that Jesus offers to us.

PRAYER: Loving God, we pray for our walk to deepen with You during this Lenten season. May we realize that this season allows for us to ask forgiveness of all that we have done against You. Make us clean and draw us closer to Your embrace; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Show the joy of the Lord with others today.

Receive my blessings of joy and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Live Like Jesus!

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Hear the devotional https://bit.ly/3pOupUE

17 Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do. 18 For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. 20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. 1 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, dear friends! (Philippians 3:17-4:1 New Revised Standard Version)

Happy and Wonderful Wednesday to you, Friend! I thank you for your prayers and emails sending your prayers and well wishes to us during this bug. I'm doing way better but my stomach still feels a little uneasy. I'm sticking to soup and crackers and Gatorade. I was able to be with Nellie at her second post-surgery appointment, where Dr. Box confirmed that Nellie is coming along very well! Thanks be to God! The best news for her was she no longer has to wear compression socks! If you know, you know exactly what she is celebrating! I was able to visit with Mr. Bill Blundell, who was in the hospital this morning and went home today to get his therapy there at home. May we continue to pray for his wellbeing and recovery! Also, please be in prayer for our Lenten Luncheon of Soup and a Psalm today at 12 noon at our Fellowship Hall in Gonzales. We will be looking at Psalm 42! Please join us if you can!

Are you a friend or enemy of the cross of Christ? Paul honestly shares his point of view to fellow believers about how there are truly those who do not live like Jesus, but live like enemies of the cross. We give credit to Paul for his commitment to live like Jesus knowing that by example he could reach many more than just by preaching to them. Paul was also blessed by those whom he reached and won for Jesus, who gladly lived as Jesus. Paul was driven to tears by those who did not try to live like Jesus, but lived as those who could not be bothered to live like Jesus, to the point that Paul considered them as enemies of the cross. Paul knows their intentions and motives. Although they do not admit it, they are, as Paul says, "Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things." If we know a better way to live, why then do we reject the better way to just follow others, who may not even know Jesus as Lord and Savior. I've had many heros in my life in many walks of life, but when it came to finding out their commitment, or lack of commitment, to God and the things of God, I quit looking up to them and seeking to live like them.

You and me, when we gave our hearts to Jesus, became citizens of heaven. We know that when we die, we will go to heaven, thanks to Jesus. No one has ever died and gone to America. I know some have tried, but The United States of America does not exist as a realm on the same level as heaven. It is from heaven that our Savior will come, and His name is the Lord Jesus Christ, Who will come with the authority and power to transform us from a lowly body to a glorious body like His; and if we stand firm in and for Him, that will happen to us. Please don't get me wrong, I love being a citizen of the US, but I do know we are far from being perfect in so many ways. I do what I can to better our situation in sharing Jesus and the best option for all people. You and I know the better way to live, and it's a way based on love.

PRAYER: Loving God, bless us as we seek to share what You have offered to us; the way of Jesus Christ. Help us live and love like Him in ways that excite others to the point of wanting to live like Jesus, too. Bless the saints and sinners of our church; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Show off Jesus in a positive way today to all people!

Receive my blessings of love and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Foxes and Mother Hens

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

31 At that time some Pharisees came to Jesus and said to him, “Leave this place and go somewhere else. Herod wants to kill you.” 32 He replied, “Go tell that fox, ‘I will keep on driving out demons and healing people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal.’ 33 In any case, I must press on today and tomorrow and the next day—for surely no prophet can die outside Jerusalem! 34 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. 35 Look, your house is left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’” (Luke 13:1-9 NIV)

Happy and blessed Monday, dear Friend. I pray the blessings of the Lord enrich your soul and guide you to new and awesome spiritual adventures; that's my prayer for you! May we continue to pray for one another; may our Lenten journey be a blessed one truly preparing us for the service of the Lord to those whom we can bless. I spoke with Dr. Commie Hisey and he shared how his brother Dan was able to released from the hospital this weekend after a second stay. Please continue to pray for his recovery. My brother-in-law, Hector Rosales is still not full conscious; pray for his recovery. Pray for this old man as this week I lead the Lenten Wednesday noon meal and study of the psalm. Please pray for one another, pray for peace in Ukraine, pray for peace in the souls of those who are troubled by life.

One of my favorite cities in the world is Jerusalem. I've shared with you how it is the city that Nellie immediately said we should live in. I told her there was a severe shortage of Methodist churches and my chances of getting a church job in Jerusalem were slim to none. Such was the awesomeness that came over us as we explored the Holy City. Jerusalem is the home to three of the world's major religions, Judaism, Isalm, and Christianity. It is a moden city with all the modern conveniences and stores that major cities of the world have, and it has the ancient city where Jesus stood on the day of this passage. He is not yet under arrest, but His time is drawing near. Herod knows about Jesus, and some Pharisees come to supposedly warn Jesus about it. The Pharisees wanted Jesus dead, and they may have been stretching the truth about the whole matter. What is interesting is that Jesus tells the Pharisees that Herod, in the scheme of territorial predators of that region, he was a fox. The photo for today is not a religious one, but one of the major predator of that area, the Siberian bear. The least threatening of them all was the fox; so Jesus has lobbed a dig at Herod and the Pharisees. Jesus also makes His stand clear; His work was not yet completed and thus He states, "I will keep on driving out demons and healing people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal." Here, Jesus has hinted again of His death and resurrection. And plainly states that He will die whe He says, "For surely no prophet can die outside Jerusalem!" And this leads Jesus to express His sorrow over Jerusalem. I had mentioned that Luke was the more universal of the gospels for the way Luke shared stories and references to the neglected of society, and here Jesus in His sorrowful recollection of Jerusalem's history with God's prophets. His statement; "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing." Jesus wants to be like a mother hen who can protect her children under her wings, but knows that Jerusalem is not willing. He continues, "Look, your house is left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.'"

This passage means that no matter the threat, Jesus fears nothing nor anyone. The powerful man Herod and his threats, was no match for Jesus, nor was Jerusalem's history something for Jesus to fear. Imagine Jesus protecting you? I do. And I ask Him often ask for His blessing and protection. Yesterday, between services at church, I met one of the sons of our church brother, John Boothe, who passed away this past week. The young man with whom I spoke is a twin, and he is a United States Marine serving in Okinawa. As we closed I spoke of my praying for Jesus to bless and protect him in his service for our country. I also mentioned my prayer that we never need to send him to Ukraine. I would ask that we do add young men and women, who are in our armed forces to be blessed and protected by the Lord. May we also pray for the wellbeing of those who are in harm's way. And may our prayers include our worries and fears, too. And may we also pray that Jesus use us to protect others.

PRAYERS: Loving God, bless and protect us, and allow us to bless and protect others as well. May our Lenten Journey bring others to know You and Your love; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Be a protector of each one's dignity and life today.

Receive my blessings of joy and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Give to God what is God's!

Image from stevethomason.net

Hear the devotional right here: https://bit.ly/35nsEqC

1 When you have come into the land that the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance to possess, and you possess it, and settle in it, 2 you shall take some of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which you harvest from the land that the Lord your God is giving you, and you shall put it in a basket and go to the place that the Lord your God will choose as a dwelling for his name. 3 You shall go to the priest who is in office at that time, and say to him, "Today I declare to the Lord your God that I have come into the land that the Lord swore to our ancestors to give us." 4 When the priest takes the basket from your hand and sets it down before the altar of the Lord your God, 5 you shall make this response before the Lord your God: "A wandering Aramean was my ancestor; he went down into Egypt and lived there as an alien, few in number, and there he became a great nation, mighty and populous. 6 When the Egyptians treated us harshly and afflicted us, by imposing hard labor on us, 7 we cried to the Lord, the God of our ancestors; the Lord heard our voice and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression. 8 The Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with a terrifying display of power, and with signs and wonders; 9 and he brought us into this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. 10 So now I bring the first of the fruit of the ground that you, O Lord, have given me." You shall set it down before the Lord your God and bow down before the Lord your God. 11 Then you, together with the Levites and the aliens who reside among you, shall celebrate with all the bounty that the Lord your God has given to you and to your house. (Deuteronomy 26:1-11 New Revised Standard Bible)

Happy Wednesday, ConCafe Family. In fact, may this be a reflective and worshipful Ash Wednesday. I chose not to address any Ash Wednesday text so that you might be surprised today! May God speak to us as we begin this 40 day journey. You can do it, Friend! Let God guide you! Prayers for The Rev. Isabel Gomez; he's starting treatment for cancer in Dallas.

Firstfruits is a wonderful word in my opinion. It is a great Bible word. We first find it in the first book, Genesis 4, verse 4. It's when we read that Cain brought to God "an offering" of his fruit, and Abel brought to the Lord "The first and fattest" of his herd. Most can see the difference. Cain remembered he had to bring God something, and so he brings something. Abel knew to give God of the first and best, and does so. God had regard for Abel's offering, but not for Cain's. And as a result we have the first murder in the Bible. And a fraticide, meaning brother killing brother. I am almost sure the teaching from this passage mimics what Adam and Eve might have taught to their sons. Give to God the first of what you produce in your land and give it to God in gratiude and remembrance for what God has done. The passage shows the response one should recite, "A wandering Aramean was my ancestor; he went down to Egypt and lived there as an alien, few in number, and there he became a great nation, mighty and populous." I was not yet familiar with the phrase, "A wandering Aramean was my Father (in Revsied Standard years), and my Old Testament professor said it to us all as we entered his class. By itself it caught my attention and has always stayed with me. It was a self-declaration of identifty with pride and remembrance of where he/we had come from and where we ended up. There's also the truth of shared ancestors; I honestly truly believe that we all share common ancestors and instead of dividing us, it unites us.

Quite honestly, the more we remember where we came from and Who brought us thus far, we can't help but be thankful. Not everyone does that, and not everyone has a thankful heart; but for those who acknowledge God and God's role in our lives, we know that God loves us and provides for us. As we enter into the season of giving up in our fasts, we should first remember Who brought or gave to us that which we willingly part with. We should also know that He who blessed us also shares that which we can take up as part of our spiritual nourishment to make us stronger.

PRAYER: Loving Provider of all things; thank You for all You have shared with us. Grant to us the wisdom to be thankful and mindful of all things. Help us to fast in ways that make us stronger and more grateful. And gracious Lord, help us take up new ways of spiritual nourishment that makes us truliy appreciative of Jesus. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Remember we are dust and to dust we shall return. But in the meantime, we have much to do to help others.

Receive my blessings of hope and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

How Can I Be Saved?

Image from pinterest.com

Listen to the devotional here: https://bit.ly/3BZlEw5

"The word is near you, on your lips and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); 9 because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved. 11 The scripture says, "No one who believes in him will be put to shame." 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on him. 13 For, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Romans 10:8b-13 New Revised Standard Version)

Happy and Tremendous Tuesday, ConCafe Family! I pray that God's light shine brightly on you Friend as you seek Him today. May our prayers continue to bless those in need, especially those hurting, in need of healing, in need of love and hope; for those areas in the world that need peace, and for our brothers and sisters. May we truly use prayer as a form of worship to glorify God, and may we listen after we pray.

Have you ever been so close to death that you knew that the only next thing you would see next would be the face of St. Peter who would either let you in or send you down? If the answer is yes, then you know what salvation is. If the answer is no, thenget ready to learn or learn how to survive in a very very warm place. We know salvation is being taken out of the jaws of certain death and safely placed in an area where you are no longer in fear of being killed. You have life, and you get to keep it! And that is great news! Salvation is the key role of the Church. Every person who wants to be a Christian, must know that Jesus did and expereienced all that He did because He came to offer salvation. I live less than a mile from the river that tried to claim my life. I don't blame the river, but every time I cross a bridge over the Guadalupe River, I am in awe that such a beautiful river, on most days, on that one day that a dear friend and I chose to learn to canoe, was a raging gray rushing of muddy water. The type of flow that would require little paddling. The kind of flow that made my friend ask if we should really proceed with this trip. What, are you kidding? Two macho men, ready to explore this river, camp overnight on islands, and complete the journey in two days? Of course we proceed! Long story, short, canoe overturned, I almost drowned in one of those life-passes-through-in-seconds. I saw myself in a coffin with my mother crying over me, but the bright sunlight and the strong arm of my friend let me know that today would not be that day. I was saved. I had been saved earlier at the age of eight years old, when I asked Jesus into my heart and I knew that I belonged to Jesus. And often, I repeat the powerful words that Paul mentions here, "Jesus is Lord." And I truly, honestly believe in my heart that God raised Jesus from the dead; I am saved. And I confess that I truly also believe what Paul wrote about those who believe in Him will never be put to shame. Our Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on Him.

Several years ago, the Salvation Army held an open-air meeting where a man dared to give his testimonry about Jesus. A heckler yelled, "Why don't you shut up and sit down? You're just dreaming!" Immediately, the heckler felt a tug on his coat. He saw a little girl who said, "Sir, may I talk to you? That man who is talking up there is my daddy. Daddy used to be a drunkard. He used to spend all his money he made on whiskey. My mother was very sad and would cry most of the time. Sometimes, when he would come home, he would hit my mother. I didn't have shoes or a nice dress to wear to school. But look at my shoes. And see this pretty dress? My daddy bought these for me." But the little girl was not yet through with the heckler; "You see my mother up there? She's the one with the bright smile on her face. She's happy now. She sings even when she's doing the ironing. Then the little girl said, "Mister, if my daddy is dreaming, please don't wake him up."

Salvation is that door that leads people away from their evil past into God's bright future. Jesus opens and holds that door for us. And if we have trouble walking because of the burdens and weights of past sins, He will remove them and help us thorugh the door and inside He will embrace us and hold us for the rest of the journey we have here on the earth; and when it comes time to die, Jesus will again be at that door, but this time, the entrance is a forever entrance into a much better place.

PRAYER: Loving Father, thank You for Jesus. Thank You for the love and forgiveness that Jesus shared with us at the time we entered the door of salvation. For those who may be listening or hearing this for the first time, show them how wide open the door is for them right now; and guide them through. Help the hurting. Heal the sick, and bring life to those who have pretty much given up on life here; and it's in the strong name of Jesus that we pray, amen!

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Be one who can guide someone to the door of salvation. At the very least, say with your lips so that someone can hear today, Jesus is Lord!

Receive my blessings of salvation's joy and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.