God Delivers

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1 A Psalm of David. A Song at the dedication of the Temple. I will extol thee, O LORD, for thou hast drawn me up, and hast not let my foes rejoice over me. 2 O LORD my God, I cried to thee for help, and thou hast healed me. 3 O LORD, thou hast brought up my soul from Sheol, restored me to life from among those gone down to the Pit. 4 Sing praises to the LORD, O you his saints, and give thanks to his holy name. 5 For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning. 6 As for me, I said in my prosperity, "I shall never be moved." 7 By thy favor, O LORD, thou hadst established me as a strong mountain; thou didst hide thy face, I was dismayed. 8 To thee, O LORD, I cried; and to the LORD I made supplication: 9 "What profit is there in my death, if I go down to the Pit? Will the dust praise thee? Will it tell of thy faithfulness? 10 Hear, O LORD, and be gracious to me! O LORD, be thou my helper!" 11 Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing; thou hast loosed my sackcloth and girded me with gladness, 12 that my soul may praise thee and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks to thee for ever. (Psalm 30 Revised Standard Version Bible)

"You had one job!" Remember that saying and what it meant? Usually, it meant a task was given to someone who could not follow it. And when they did follow it, they messed it up really bad. Usually, the prayers that go before God are the ones where I had one job and I messed up. In the case of this psalm David had a job to be faithful and obedient to God, and what does he do? He does what God asked him not to do. In this case, David takes a census of Israel when God said one was not necessary. And the psalm was the prayer for the dedication of the land for the temple. Remember that God said the temple would be built by Solomon and not David. Yet, God is faithful, the psalmist writes. And indeed He is! How many times have we not lifted up prayers convinced that God owuld not respond to us; and yet, he did! May we never lose our awe and wonder for the Lord hearing and answering us. As the psalmist knew, "God's anger is but for a moment, and His favor is for a lifetime." What follows also blesses us, "Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning." I love Rev. Norman Vincent Peale's declaration, "Did you not know that all your yesterdays ended at midnight last night?" And they did.

This is a psalm calling us to rejoicing and praising and the best and easiest way is through our obedience to God. God has the power to help us face times of mourning and turning those into times of dancing. It may not seem possible right now, but it is coming. Our sackcloth, symbolic of fasting and mourning, can be exchanged into gladness, if we allow our souls to praise God and refrain from silence. Our joy is in our thankfulness to God for ever and ever.

PRAYER: Loving God, grant to us that which blesses You; guide us on this adventure called life to those places where we can glorify You and bring blessings to others. Grant us courage and wisdom for the living of these days; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Be the rock for someone who feels they are on shifting sand!

Receive my blessings of joy and hope,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

You Reap What You Sow

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7 Don't be misled: No one makes a fool of God. What a person plants, he will harvest. The person who plants selfishness, ignoring the needs of others - ignoring God! - 8 harvests a crop of weeds. All he'll have to show for his life is weeds! But the one who plants in response to God, letting God's Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a crop of real life, eternal life. 9 So let's not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don't give up, or quit. 10 Right now, therefore, every time we get the chance, let us work for the benefit of all, starting with the people closest to us in the community of faith. 11 Now, in these last sentences, I want to emphasize in the bold scrawls of my personal handwriting the immense importance of what I have written to you. 12 These people who are attempting to force the ways of circumcision on you have only one motive: They want an easy way to look good before others, lacking the courage to live by a faith that shares Christ's suffering and death. All their talk about the law is gas. 13 They themselves don't keep the law! And they are highly selective in the laws they do observe. They only want you to be circumcised so they can boast of their success in recruiting you to their side. That is contemptible! 14 For my part, I am going to boast about nothing but the Cross of our Master, Jesus Christ. Because of that Cross, I have been crucified in relation to the world, set free from the stifling atmosphere of pleasing others and fitting into the little patterns that they dictate. 15 Can't you see the central issue in all this? It is not what you and I do - submit to circumcision, reject circumcision. It is what God is doing, and he is creating something totally new, a free life! 16 All who walk by this standard are the true Israel of God - his chosen people. Peace and mercy on them! (Galatians 6:7-16 NRSV)

A blessed and tremendous Tuesday to you, dear One! May the blessings of God be with you and yours is my prayer. May this devotional bless your life, especially your walk with the Lord Jesus. I thank you all for your prayers for those who asked prayers from us.

This letter comes as the Apostle Paul is under house arrest. From what little we know about his time as a prisoner, we do know that most of his letters were dictated by him and written down for him by someone else. We get a hint of that in verse 11 where Paul says, "Now, in these last sentences, I want to emphasize in the bold scrawls of my personal handwriting the immense importance of what I have written to you." Each letter of the apostle included personal greetings and admonishions but he also included theological teachings and/or clarifications about relevant issues confronting each church or community. This passage shows Paul wants every believer to take seriously how important each day and all it offers for us to impact the kingdom. Paul reminds us that we cannot make a fool of God. Whatever we sow, we will reap. And as an illustration, Paul says, "The person who plants selfishness, ignoring the needs of others - ignoring God! - harvests a crop of weeds!" Not a good offering for God is it? We should, Paul continues stressing that if we let the Spirit guide us, our crop and thus, our offering before the Lord, will be a crop of real life, eternal life. We should not tire of doing good for others in our lives.

The theological issue is the circumcision one. You will remember that some Jews who became Christians wanted all men who converted to Christianity needed to become Jews first, thus the men getting circumcised. The idea was not appealing for Gentile men who had become Christians and Paul, though Jewish himself, did not side with the circumcision party; calling their attitude and approach, "gas." He further says he would go on boasting about the Cross of Jesus, our Lord and Master. Through the Cross, he has been crucified in relation to the world, and has been set free from the stifiling atmosphere of pleasing others and trying to fit into the pattern that others dictate for him/us. This whole matter can be summed up as Paul does; this is about what God is doing, and God is creating something totally new, a free life. All who follow his example are the true people of God.

PRAYER: Loving God, lift us from the bonds others have tried to enslave us and trap us. Help us to live as Paul, boasting about what You have done through Jesus for us; and may we in our lives, lift high the Cross of Jesus. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Show high the Cross of Jesus in your examples, and your speech to someone today.

Receive my blessings of freedom and joy,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Seventy Disciples

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After this the Lord appointed seventy others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go. He said to them, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest. Go on your way. See, I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves. Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and greet no one on the road. Whatever house you enter, first say, “Peace to this house!” And if anyone is there who shares in peace, your peace will rest on that person; but if not, it will return to you. Remain in the same house, eating and drinking whatever they provide, for the labourer deserves to be paid. Do not move about from house to house. Whenever you enter a town and its people welcome you, eat what is set before you; cure the sick who are there, and say to them, “The kingdom of God has come near to you.” But whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say, “Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest against you. Yet know this: the kingdom of God has come near.” ‘Whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever rejects you rejects me, and whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.’ The seventy returned with joy, saying, ‘Lord, in your name even the demons submit to us!’ He said to them, ‘I watched Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning. See, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing will hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice at this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.’ (Luke 10:1-11, 16-20 NRSV)

Jesus never had an office. No desk. No computer. No telephone. No administrative assistant or office manager. And for that matter, neither did His disciples. There was a great sharing of the work that was at hand, and in this passage we see that it is all about reaching the world for God. Jesus did keep hours for praying and worship. Jesus knew to seek rest when needed, and respond when the need arose. We need to see that the key word in this passage was harvest. The harvest of souls ready for the word of God to reach them was great, but the ones prepared and ready to reach them was few. Jesus had a great plan of towns and places where He knew the harvest would be realized, but He knew He would be better served in sending out disciples two by two. His instructions to these seventy disciples was simple but powerful; They were going out as lambs in the midst of wolves. Their readiness to travel is also reflected in Jesus saying, "Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and greet no one on the road. Whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace to this house!' And if anyone there is there who shared in peace, your peace will rest on that person; but if not, it will return to you. Remain in the same house, eating and drinking whatever they provide, for the laborer deserves to be paid." They were to say that the kingdom of God had come near to them, for those who welcomed them; but if not, they were to dust off their feet as a sign of protest against them.

And the seventy return with awe and wonder of how their experience went. "Lord, in Your name even the demons submit to us!" There is power in the name of Jesus. To discover this for themselves gave them hope and renewed energy to keep doing what they had been trained to do. Many have been the times I have had no words for situations just the one word, the name of Jesus, to see me and the situation through. I have a young man for whom I pray and counsel who has been tormented by terrible dreams and nightmares, and I urge him to pray right before he dozes off, in the name of Jesus for a covering over him by Jesus to ward off the inner thoughts and ideas that can turn into terrifying nightmares; and it works because Jesus works on our behalf when invited. Even Jesus replies to the seventy, "I watched Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning." I've shared how one late afternoon in November in Grenada, España, we went looking for a kiosk that sold personalized bullfighting posters. In the fall that part of Europe by five p.m., it's dark, and we found that kiosk near a cathedral dedicated to Lucifer, the angel of light. This was before his fall from heaven; and that church has a menancing statue of that angel crouching down in a terrified state that at night is not the most appealing of sights before bed! And scholar have debated if Jesus was speaking of Satan's fall from heaven on the day it happened, or as a figurative reference to the blow he received as a result of the seventy's ministry during their assignment. I tend to favor the latter. Satan stands no chance against us when we work, minister, teach, pray, love, live in the neme of Jesus; each prayer, and each action is a blow against him and his work against us. Jesus said, "See, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing will hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice at this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven." Jesus is saying that anything and everything that comes against us stands no chance against Him. Jesus has taken those creatures that most people fear, snakes and scorpions, and says, "These things can't harm you, because I have given you authority over them." And, Jesus says, yet, our rejoicing should be that our names are written in the book of life in heaven. Just the other night I was talking about the days when the phone company provided phone books to every household in a community. Every person who had a phone and had given permission to have their number listed, had their name appear in the phone book. The old Steve Martin movie, "The Jerk" has a scene where he is so excited that the day finally arrived when the phone books were given out and he runs to see his name in print. I also chuckled that one of the best paying jobs for Ma Bell was to sell ads in the Yellow Pages. Now, we have, for all intents and purposes, no phone books or Yellow Pages (Kids ask grandma or grandpa what those were); but we rejoice in knowing that our names were written in heaven when we surrendered our lives to Jesus.

PRAYER: Awesome Father, thank You for having our names written in heaven and in Your heart. Help us live as those seventy, who experienced and rejoiced in the things they saw You do for others. Send us forth with confidence and power to overcome evil. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Speak words of hope and power to those who need them today.

Receive my blessings of hope and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

A Prayer of Faith & Gratitude!

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1 I yell out to my God, I yell with all my might, I yell at the top of my lungs. He listens. 2 I found myself in trouble and went looking for my Lord; my life was an open wound that wouldn't heal. When friends said, "Everything will turn out all right," I didn't believe a word they said. 11 Once again I'll go over what God has done, lay out on the table the ancient wonders; 12 I'll ponder all the things you've accomplished, and give a long, loving look at your acts. 13 O God! Your way is holy! No god is great like God! 14 You're the God who makes things happen; you showed everyone what you can do - 15 You pulled your people out of the worst kind of trouble, rescued the children of Jacob and Joseph. 16 Ocean saw you in action, God, saw you and trembled with fear; Deep Ocean was scared to death. 17 Clouds belched buckets of rain, Sky exploded with thunder, your arrows flashing this way and that. 18 From Whirlwind came your thundering voice, Lightning exposed the world, Earth reeled and rocked. 19 You strode right through Ocean, walked straight through roaring Ocean, but nobody saw you come or go. 20 Hidden in the hands of Moses and Aaron, You led your people like a flock of sheep. (Psalm 77:1-2, 11-20 The Message Bible)

A blessed and tremendous Thursday to you dear Friend. A praise report on Mrs. Alison Davis, who underwent a successful heart procedure in San Antonio yesterday. Reports are that the procedure was a success, and she's in recovery. Let us thank God and pray that God bless her with a strong healthy heart and continued healing for Alison! Let us continue to pray for one another; for the needs for those who have asked our prayers; for the needs of the world; for rain; for peace; for more to come to know Jesus as Lord and Savior.

This coming Sunday's gospel text has kept me thinking about that poor man who lived among the dead and had a given name he probably hated, Legion. Worse, he was not free in any sense of the word, and he was tormented all the time! This psalm reminds me of what this man felt inside his spirit as he faced these spirits of evil who were making their home in them. And it's what many of us have prayed from time to time as we faced our own "demons" or challenges or illnesses or setbacks. We yelled in our prayers or in our rooms or just in silence in our thoughts, "God, where are You? Why am I facing this?" The truth is at the last two words of verse 1, "He listens." Bam! God listens. Verse two describes us as well; "I found myself in trouble and went looking for my Lord; my life was an open wound that wouldn't heal. When friends said, 'Everything will turn out all right,' I didn't believe a word they said." I've been there and perhaps you have too. And then the psalmist lists the choruses of nature praising God for what nature knows that God can and does do for them.

His affirmation of his faith in God follows, replaying what God has done for him and how God has saved him from despair and trouble. Our God is a God who helps. Who rescues. Who saves. God is a God who defeats despair and doubt; pulling us out of pits that seem bottomless and lifts us high into life and the fullness of life. If our God can control the universe and all of creation, cannot God help us as well? Above all lthings we ask that God's will be done, not ours. Whatever you are facing or going through, entrust yourself and all of your loved ones to Him, and He will bless you.

PRAYER: Awesome Father, into Thy hands we commit ourselves and our loved ones. We entrust our every step to You so that you may guide me into faithfulness and fruitfulness; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord. Shine the light of God's hope from your face today!

Receive my blessings of peace and joy,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Saying Goodbye to a Faithful Servant

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1 Now when the LORD was about to take Eli'jah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Eli'jah and Eli'sha were on their way from Gilgal. 2 And Eli'jah said to Eli'sha, "Tarry here, I pray you; for the LORD has sent me as far as Bethel." But Eli'sha said, "As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you." So they went down to Bethel. 3 And the sons of the prophets who were in Bethel came out to Eli'sha, and said to him, "Do you know that today the LORD will take away your master from over you?" And he said, "Yes, I know it; hold your peace." 4 Eli'jah said to him, "Eli'sha, tarry here, I pray you; for the LORD has sent me to Jericho." But he said, "As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you." So they came to Jericho. 5 The sons of the prophets who were at Jericho drew near to Eli'sha, and said to him, "Do you know that today the LORD will take away your master from over you?" And he answered, "Yes, I know it; hold your peace." 6 Then Eli'jah said to him, "Tarry here, I pray you; for the LORD has sent me to the Jordan." But he said, "As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you." So the two of them went on. 7 Fifty men of the sons of the prophets also went, and stood at some distance from them, as they both were standing by the Jordan. 8 Then Eli'jah took his mantle, and rolled it up, and struck the water, and the water was parted to the one side and to the other, till the two of them could go over on dry ground. 9 When they had crossed, Eli'jah said to Eli'sha, "Ask what I shall do for you, before I am taken from you." And Eli'sha said, "I pray you, let me inherit a double share of your spirit." 10 And he said, "You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if you do not see me, it shall not be so." 11 And as they still went on and talked, behold, a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them. And Eli'jah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. 12 And Eli'sha saw it and he cried, "My father, my father! the chariots of Israel and its horsemen!" And he saw him no more. Then he took hold of his own clothes and rent them in two pieces. (2 Kings 2:1-12 New Revised Standard Version)

May this be a wonderfully blessed Wednesday for you, dear Friend is my prayer for you.  May our time in prayer bless the family of God as we pray for one another.  The family of Elenenor Ehrig is mourning her passing, and may we ask God to bless them with comfort and peace.  Pray for your own needs, and pray for the needs of the world.  Pray for rain, for peace in the Ukraine, for those who face financial difficulties, and for those who seek and need inner peace.

The joke was that ministers had a retirement plan that was out of this world.  And this story illustrates this.  To be honest for me it is never easy to hear of pastors dying, especially those whom I knew personally and whom I counted as friends and colaborers.  And I once had a church member who very seriously would say, "You preachers talk to us about heaven, but you all are afraid to die!"  I couldn't argue with him.  And at that point I had already had two phone calls from pastors who were dying and they called me to tell me they were afraid.  And we remember that all of us are humans with human feelings and emotions, and fear of the unknown is not just for super humans, and the reality of death as well as its finality in human terms scares everyone.  And this holds true for two awesome prophets of their day.  Elijah may not have been as afraid of the end as his protege Elisha; but what didn't help was the almost comical ribbing of the "sons of prophets" (read P.K.s!) and their taunts of "Do you know that today the Lord will take away your master from over you?"  

Their trek to the place where God would show up to receive Elijah included a miracle at the Jordan River.  Elijah takes his mantle, rolls it up, strikes the water, and the water parts and the two are able to cross over on dry land .  It is at this point that the older prophet asks the younger one what he can do for him and the younger prophet shows his wisdom in asking Elijah to grant him an inheritance of a double portion of his spirit.  Elijah replies this is a difficult decision but if Elisha sees him as he is taken from him then it will be granted.  If he does not see him, then it will not happen.  As they continued their walk they see a chariot of fire and horses of fire, and this chariot comes between the two prophets and Elijah is taken to Heaven up by a whirlwind.  The younger prophet can only say, "My father, my father! the chariots of Israel and its horsemen!"  And he was no longer able to see the elder prophet any longer.  Then the younger prophet ripped his clothing in two pieces as part of his mourning and grief.  He had said his goodbye, painful as it was, and was granted the gift he requested of receiving a double share of Elijah's spirit.  The same spirit that saw him defeat the 400 priests of Baal.  The spirit that allowed the old man to continue onward and upward with his ministry as God's spokesperson to the people of Israel; the same spirit that helped him live even with Ahab and Jezebel wanting to kill him.  And the same spirit that saw this young prophet have his own great ministry among God's people.

The presence and power of God's Holy Spirit in this Old Testament story blesses us with hope as we read how Jesus encountered a man filled with demonic spirits, so many that he was named Legion.  And Jesus with His spirit defeated all of those demons; and that brings hope to us even in spite of what we may be facing.

PRAYER:  Loving God, bless our hearts as we struggle and wrestle with things beyond our control.  May the Holy Spirit be He Who blesses us and grants us victory after victory; all for Thy sake; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Live a life of hope and power today in ways that invite others to see Him in us!

Receive my blessings of joy and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Called to Be Free!

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1 For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. 13 For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become slaves to one another. 14 For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." 15 If, however, you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another. 16 Live by the Spirit, I say, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For what the flesh desires is opposed to the Spirit, and what the Spirit desires is opposed to the flesh; for these are opposed to each other, to prevent you from doing what you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not subject to the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are obvious: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, 21 envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these. I am warning you, as I warned you before: those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit. (Galatians 5:1, 13-25 NRSV)

Greetings, dear Friend, from Texas, the birthplace of Juneteenth, which was celebrated on the 19th and 20th this year. This is a very important holiday celebrating the day the news of Emancipation reached Texas shores. There was no way to text or post or Insta-anything; the news arrived by ship to Galveston, TX, and federal troops brought the news almost two years after the fact. President Abraham Lincoln has passed the Emanicipation Proclamation, and brought an end to a horrible practice of humans owning other humans. The day has become a day of great rejoicing and celebration of freedom.

Freedom means a lot of things to different people, but the overall aspect is that no one should be owned or controled or held or managed by another. The very first verse of this passage declares, through Christ Jesus, we have freedom from sin and death. No longer can the bonds of fear and enslavement to that which is bringing death, both physical and spiritual, hold us away from the freedom that Jesus came to give you and me. The entire passage speaks of the world of opportunities open to us, through love, to help one another achieve true freedom, with God's help, to become those whose lives model a positive influence towards others. The motivating verse is the one quoted, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Anything less that that is a sin, and is guided by the flesh and its desires. To live by the Spirit is to be led by God's Holy Spirit to do what is right and just. And, just in case you don't remember, Paul shares two lists; one of the flesh works, and the Spirit works. Compare the two.

The works of the flesh, Paul writes, are "fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmitites, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these." Paul pretty well covers them all. One cannot argue with him; where the Holy Spirit is absent, pretty much anything goes, and does. And usually for nothing good. These are the very things that have so many enslaved to its passions. I read this morning a quote that said to be enslaved by these things we can do it by ourselves, but to be released from these, takes the person of Jesus Christ to help free us.

Please note Paul's choice of words to describe the things of the flesh and the things of the Spirit; Works versus Fruits. Works seems so more techical and mechanical versus Fruits which more describe the completed blossom of growth of something plants. The works of the flesh come from almost a reaction or response to inner desires and lusts, while fruits of the Spirit is more of a labor of love, God's love for us, and for us to receive His Spirit and enjoy His fruits blesses us and helps us bless others. Look at Paul's lists of the fruits of the Spirit as "Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." What a list! And who can argue against such fruits? Who couldn't use more love, or joy, or peace in their lives? And what family or church would not desire more patience, kindness, or generosity? And does the world not need more faithfulness, gentleness and self-control? And these are also the result of "those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit." All I can think to say is Amen!

PRAYER: Loving Father, bless us again with the power to surrender ourselves to You and ask You to help us put to death the harmful, hurtful, things that are killing us. And help us to be free enough to enjoy the fruits of Thy Spirit, so we may be blessed and learn to bless others with the desired fruits that bless and unite us. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen!

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Be a person of love, joy, peace and patience today!

Receive my blessings of joy and love,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

The Cost of Discipleship

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51 As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. 52 And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him; 53 but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. 54 When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them ?” 55 But Jesus turned and rebuked them. 56 Then he and his disciples went to another village.57 As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”58 Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”59 He said to another man, “Follow me.”But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”60 Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”61 Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.”62 Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:57-62 NIV)

The end to Jesus' opposition never ended, even today. Luke shares how the time was drawing near for Jesus to return home to Heaven and He's making His way towards Jerusalem. His plans were to spend the night in a Samaritan village, but the people there did not want to welcome Him because He was bound for Jerusalem. Some other versions read that Jesus was of a mind intent on getting to Jerusalem, meaning they could tell He was not fully going to engage them there. The disciples in both versions have the same response; "Let's call down fire from Heaven to destroy these villages." Jesus said no. And as our sheep friends note, these two are very trigger happy, questioning how much impact Jesus had had up to that point in their discipleship. At no point though, can we saw these men attained perfection during their earthly lives; their loyalty and commitment to Jesus cannot be questioned, their response for some divine retribution was based on that emotional connection to their Teacher, though they were going to extremes in their desire to wipe out an entire village. Jesus rebukes them, and leads them to another village.

On their way to this new village a man approaches Jesus. This man had been in the audience of some, if not all, of Jesus' sermons and teachings in that area. This man has heard the gospel and knows that it comes with an invitation, "Come, follow me." This man probably heard it and did nothing about it except think and reflect. "What does this mean to follow Him? What will that get me? Will it be hard or easy?" And the more they thought about it, the more it seemed plausible that maybe, just maybe, he would follow this itinerate rabbi. And with this thought in his mind he approaches Jesus. "I will follow you wherever you go." This man thought about the opportunity of seeing new places and he was open to that. Jesus knows he probably hasn't really thought about what that might entail. This was not a tour that would take them from Holiday Inns to Ramadas. It was not even at the camping level. It was sleeping under trees and under the stars. So, the Master says to him, "Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head." And there was another man there who received Jesus' invitation, "Follow me." The man said, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." Some scholars have interpreted this as being a cultural reference meaning he wanted to spend the last years of his father's life with that father and then he would come and follow Jesus. Jesus' response, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God." And yet another person there said, "I will follow You, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family." To which Jesus replies, "No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."

When I went to seminary in the mid-70s, my dormitory and several others were filled with 20-somethings, and the average age of persons entering professional ministry was 25. When our youngest wanted to visit SMU, I was shocked, but not surprised, that my former seminary dorm was now a self-contained freshman dorm, meaning all classes, meals, etc. was done within the confines of that dorm. I don't know if that continued but it drove home the reality that at that ime, the average age of persons entering professional ministry was 58. "Many are called; few are chosen," so said our Lord in Matthew 22:14, meaning that many receive a call at a point in their life when they are not yet ready. The reasons could be many; financial, familial, emotional, and spiritual, so they delay their entrance into seminary and into professional ministry. I thank God for all who serve God in whatever way they feel that God is leading, but the Lord says to these men who approached him that once in ministry, full attention and concentration must given to Kingdom work or their work will be in vain. And this holds true for those not in fulltime profesisonal ministry, but who serve the Lord in various capacities. The work is so urgent and needed, that we must give it our all as soon as we can.

PRAYER: Loving Father, bless our work by giving us the passion and energy we need to make disciples for You in any and all ways that we can. Grant us what we need to win more souls for You; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord. Show joy in sharing faith.

Receive my blessings of joy and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

I'm Thirsty for God!

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1 A white-tailed deer drinks from the creek; I want to drink God, deep draughts of God. 2 I'm thirsty for God-alive. I wonder, "Will I ever make it - arrive and drink in God's presence?" 3 I'm on a diet of tears - tears for breakfast, tears for supper. All day long people knock at my door, Pestering, "Where is this God of yours?" 4 These are the things I go over and over, emptying out the pockets of my life. I was always at the head of the worshiping crowd, right out in front, Leading them all, eager to arrive and worship, Shouting praises, singing thanksgiving - celebrating, all of us, God's feast! 5 Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul? Why are you crying the blues? Fix my eyes on God - soon I'll be praising again. He puts a smile on my face. He's my God 6 When my soul is in the dumps, I rehearse everything I know of you, From Jordan depths to Hermon heights, including Mount Mizar. 7 Chaos calls to chaos, to the tune of whitewater rapids. Your breaking surf, your thundering breakers crash and crush me. 8 Then God promises to love me all day, sing songs all through the night! My life is God's prayer. 9 Sometimes I ask God, my rock-solid God, "Why did you let me down? Why am I walking around in tears, harassed by enemies?" 10 They're out for the kill, these tormentors with their obscenities, Taunting day after day, "Where is this God of yours?" 11 Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul? Why are you crying the blues? Fix my eyes on God - soon I'll be praising again. He puts a smile on my face. He's my God. (Psalm 42 The Message Bible)

1 As a deer longs for flowing streams, so my soul longs for you, O God. 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and behold the face of God? 3 My tears have been my food day and night, while people say to me continually, "Where is your God?" 4 These things I remember, as I pour out my soul: how I went with the throng, and led them in procession to the house of God, with glad shouts and songs of thanksgiving, a multitude keeping festival. 5 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my help 6 and my God. My soul is cast down within me; therefore I remember you from the land of Jordan and of Hermon, from Mount Mizar. 7 Deep calls to deep at the thunder of your cataracts; all your waves and your billows have gone over me. 8 By day the Lord commands his steadfast love, and at night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life. 9 I say to God, my rock, "Why have you forgotten me? Why must I walk about mournfully because the enemy oppresses me?" 10 As with a deadly wound in my body, my adversaries taunt me, while they say to me continually, "Where is your God?" 11 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my help and my God. (Psalm 42 NRSV)

This is one of those psalms that read best in two versions. I've listed The Message Bible first, then the New Revised Standard Version. Please read both. I grew up with both Reina-Valera and King James and the NRSV is closer to what I know. The image of a thirsty deer always resonated with me, and as I grew and matured and realized that that deer could easily be me, the psalm became more powerful. The modern version says that a deer drinks from the creek, we need to drink God deep in our spirits. We need the living water that only God can give; not the steady diet of tears. And it doesnt' help that there might be those who mock you or your faith. "Where is this God of yours?" or "How can you believe in a God Who permits evil things to happen in the world?" And this psalm is a marvelous way to close this week. We started with the story of the demon-possessed man who meets the source of holiness and power that allowed the man find freedom. And this psalms speaks of how a person might avoid evil; by drinking deep a healthy helping of God! A good, positive spiritual start to each day provides the fuel and protection to avoid evil and the pitfalls of evil.

Those who reside or visit the down side of spirituality that we could call the dumps may be there because of their lack of seeking and filling up on God. A life of praise lifts one up and away from that which comes up from the pits of despair. A steady diet of scripture, prayer, worship, study, et al, can help lead us into the right direction; God's.

Each day we have a choice when we awaken. Will we walk in the path that leads to God, or on the path that leads us away from Him? That important first choice can set the stage for that day and then it will accumulate what we ultimately become. I say, we choose God!

PRAYER: Loving God, bless us as we seek to be more like You. Help us have the faith of this dear writer of this powerful psalm so we can seek You and be blessed by You; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Show others what a diet of God's spirit look like, and help lead them there!

Receive my blessings of joy and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Who Are We That We Matter?

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1 O Lord, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. 2 Out of the mouths of babes and infants you have founded a bulwark because of your foes, to silence the enemy and the avenger. 3 When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established; 4 what are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them? 5 Yet you have made them a little lower than God, and crowned them with glory and honor. 6 You have given them dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under their feet, 7 all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field, 8 the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas. 9 O Lord, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth! (Psalm 8 NRSV)

Happy and blessed Thursday, dear Friend! May this find you blessed and joyous. Pray for one another, pray for the needs of the world, pray for your needs, and pray for God to be glorified in your life.

Child suicides are up. Read that again. I hated to type that but I hate to hear that children, for whatever reason, are taking their own lives. What point have they reached at their young age that they have determined that nothing else matters and there is no hope for them. Friends, just yesterday I read about the step ladder for hope in hope that that would impact us with a tool to shape our lives and help us in the shaping of other lives! I was blessed during the camp meeting in having two young men show up with their grandmother, to participate in the worship and fellowship time of this old-days' tradition of camp meeting. Their names were Colt and Kyle and I put them to work two of the three nights. The first night I asked them to hand out LifeSavers candy as a sermon prop. It was a reminder of our task as a Church. The Church exists to save lives! I also shared how Nellie and I were able to visit a megachurch in Corpus Christi during a sabbatical that I was forced to take as a district superintendent. As soon as we walked into their morning worship service we were handed an individually wrapped white LifeSaver candy. The usher told us, as these two young men did that night, not to open nor eat it until I explained what they were for. I told how the church's stage had eleven life rafts on them indicating the number of campuses they had all over the area. That church's mission statement is to get people to Heaven, thus the LifeSaver. The senior pastor of the church told his flock not to eat the candy until the next Sunday when, if they brought a first-time guest with them, could enjoy it with others who did the same thing. I should add that a gentleman that first night did that very thing on Saturday, bringing four new visitors to the camp meeting! I also told the camp meeting guests to open the candy and to know as they savored the flavor that Jewish children learn their alphabet using the letters of their scriptures and they dip them in honey and the lesson is that God's word is sweet and no matter what we face, when we read God's word we should be reminded that the sweetness of that word will see us through. Kyle and Colt enjoyed their role. I also should mention that I told them to keep whatever candy was left over! (Smile).

The third night of the camp meeting I asked them if they were ready to help again, and they smiled and very politely said, "Yes, sir." I called them up and used the roll of Caution tape to hold it down the middle aisle of the tabernacle. I then asked them to secure the line of tape to the ground so that I could use that as a prop. And the prop was that I was preaching about church life and warned the people present that I might say things that might cross the line. I also made it clear to them that if they felt I truly crossed the line they could stand on the line to draw my attention to it, and I also said that I might stand on it myself if I crossed the line. And I did, twice. The last morning of the camp meeting I went and greeted the boys and their grandma and I asked it they were now ready to be preachers. I don't know if they smiled or winced! But they politely said, in unison, "No sir." I warned them not to write God off so quickly and to be careful telling God no, for one never knows what God may have in store for us. The whole time their grandmother was smiling at the way her grandsons were participating in worship. And as I was leaving the camp to come home, Kyle came to me and shook my hand and said, "You done good, sir." Ahh, touched my heart.

Children matter. They are not obstacles or objects; they are persons in need of what all people need, affirmation, affection and attention. And to read this psalm we find that the psalmist knew all about that. And he also discovered he was getting those three from God; affirmation, affection, and attention. He felt overwhelmed during this writing for it is as if he cannot fathom that God loves him so much. He even writes that a strong wall of protection can be made from the "mouths of babes and infants." The enemies of God do not stand a chance against the praises and prayers of the little ones! And from that, he wonders about what we matter in the whole plan of God? Yet, he answers his own question; we are "crowned with glory and honor." We have been given dominion over all of God's works, God's creation, and God's beasts; and all that leads us to declare that God rocks, and God rules!

Use this lesson to start doing what needs to be done among the young. We should affirm them. We should show them affection, and pay them the attention they need. We should use words, actions, and demonstrations to bless them into the fullness of life. Ask God to point them out, and God will!

PRAYER: Loving God, bless and protect the little ones in my life. Grant me the wisdom and the boldness to love and affirm them in the right ways that can lead them to the fullness of life. Be among the children who feel discouraged and lead them to seek assistance before wrong thoughts lead them to wrong actions; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord. Seek out the children in God's love and care!

Receive my blessings of joy and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Step Ladder to Hope!

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1 Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. 3 And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. 6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. 8 But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us. 9 Much more surely then, now that we have been justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more surely, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life. 11 But more than that, we even boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. (Romans 5:1-11 NRSV)

I have always loved the progression of this passage for it speaks of real-life experiences from which we can be blessed. As we walk through the passage, let God speak to us about where we are, what we are facing, and how we can be blessed. Paul starts by reminding the believers that we who have surrendered our lives to Him have been justified by faith. Our salvation, our right relationship with God, has come to us by faith. It cost Jesus His life, but it comes to us as a gift. And this gift brings us peace through Jesus Christ. Peace is essential for life. It's not just the absence of conflicts, but the powerful presence of God Who provides comfort and peace for our entire wellbeing. Then Paul slams out that we can boast in our sufferings. I know very few people who boast of sufferings, but as Paul understands this, and if anyone knew about sufferings, especially for the sake of serving the Lord, it was him! If you've read his own accounts of his ministry, you know the list, but he shares what we could call the step ladder of hope. Those who suffer in faith, are given the gift of endurance; that ability to withstand almost all. things. And Paul says, "endurance produces character;" for it shapes who we are because of what we experienced; and "character produces hope," because the well-tested and well-shaped person from personal experiences knows there is a way out, and that is hope. Paul concludes, "And hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us." Paul understands that in this process of suffering and afflcition, God has been at work shaping the outcome, and the desired outcome is the love that only God can give to all. Paul further says that during our stage of weakness God acted in allowing Jesus to die for us; and as difficult as it may be for us to comprehend such an act, for usually it is rare for anyone to die for a righteous person; but it was at that very time that God proved His love for us "while we still were sinners," and justified by His blood, and because of that we are saved.

This was a process of reconciliation, which is what God desires for all the world. No more outsiders, or uninvited, or unwelcomed; reconciliation is the process of bringing in all, for all are welcome. The once far-off are brought near; the forgotten are remembered; the unloved are embraced with love, and the ones who thought death was the only option, now receive life. That, dear friends, is the Church's message; and it should be the Church's lifestyle. The rich, the poor, the have and the have-nots are equal in God's sight and all are welcome; no one is turned away.

PRAYER: Loving God, we thank You for all You have done for us. We thank You for Jesus and His love. We thank You for the presence and power of the Holy Spirit to guide and bless us. Help us model the life of reconciliation for all people; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Model a life of reconciliation with all people today.

Receive my blessings of joy and hope,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Three In One!

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12 “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. 13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14 He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.” (John 16:12-15 New International Version Bible)

A blessed and happy Tuesday to you, dear Friend. I thank God for you, for your being a part of this ministry. I also thank you for your prayers and understanding that some days or nights I am just worn out and cannot logically write a devotional ("Hasn't stopped you before, preacher!" Shh!) as was the case on Sunday. Nellie and I were wonderfully blessed during our camp meeting! We met some new wonderful brothers and sisters, and made some awesome friends from Bend and Lometa United Methodist Churches. I was invited out by an old, dear friend, The Rev. Tim Brewer and was hosted by Mr. and Mrs. Pat and Bonnie Millican to stay in their guest home on their ranch in Bend, TX. We were fed by Pat and Bonnie, Cory and Vicky, and Jackie and Charlene. All were marvelous hosts and served us delicious food! In the evenings we had food at the campgrounds prepared there; hamburgers, a fish fry, and pulled pork. Sunday had a covered dish, but Nellie and I opted out as we had eaten earlier in the morning in Lampasas when we filled up our truck to return home after worship. But, Nellie and I returned home so tired I was not able to compose a devotional for yesterday, so here is Monday's a date late, but hopefully not a dollar short!

I have to confess I am not much of a DIY person. My Dad tried, in vain, to teach me a bit of the wealth of knowledge he had for fixing things. I learned to develop thick skin for not knowing things like a Philips head or flat-head (which I thought he made up to describe my thinking when it came to tools!) screwdrivers. I learned that Lava soap is a wonderful oil remover, as are red work rags. And that an effective flashlight holder is one whose hands do not shake! (More thick skin). I also learned that there were some lubricants and oils with numbers in their names, like WD-40 and 3-in-one. The latter, for some reason, stayed in my mind as I sought to learn more about God. The technical name was Trinity and it was all about God being three persons in one.

This coming Sunday is Trinity Sunday. The Church will affirm its faith in God and God's nature. This is the gospel lesson for Trinity Sunday. As we read the passage we hear Jesus speak about the Holy Spirit and about God the Father. Each a person in the Godhead, each different, yet each the same. Their roles as defined by the Bible are God is the Creator; Jesus is the Savior; and the Holy Spirit is Comforter/Counselor. God was present at creation as was Jesus and the Holy Spirit. It is God who has been with us through this journey called history, and it is God who will see us through the end times. Jesus spoke these words in preparation for what we celebrated on Sunday, Pentecost, the coming of the Holy Spirit. Jesus measured His words so that we could comprehend, receive, and utilize the instruction that He was sharing with us. With the Holy Spirit already come, it is He Who is guiding us into truth. What the Spirit speaks comes from the Father, and the Spirit gives us clues about what is next. All will work together to glorify Jesus; and in, and through it all, it is God Who will be glorified. All we know now is because of the Holy Spirit at work in us. And with the power of the Holy Spirit, our work continues!

PRAYER: Loving God, bless this day and bless us. Help us know that with the confidence of You in us, we shall overcome all things, and bring honor and glory to Your Kingdom. Bless this dear reader in wonderful ways; this we pray in Christ Jesus, Amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Show the power of God at work in you so that God may be glorified as the true Three-in-One!

Receive my blessings of joy and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Camp Meeting photos click here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/64175728@N05/albums/with/72177720299563129

A Wildly Wonderful World!

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24 What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations. 25 Oh, look - the deep, wide sea, brimming with fish past counting, sardines and sharks and salmon. 26 Ships plow those waters, and Leviathan, your pet dragon, romps in them. 27 All the creatures look expectantly to you to give them their meals on time. 28 You come, and they gather around; you open your hand and they eat from it. 29 If you turned your back, they'd die in a minute - Take back your Spirit and they die, revert to original mud; 30 Send out your Spirit and they spring to life - the whole countryside in bloom and blossom. 31 The glory of God - let it last forever! Let God enjoy his creation! 32 He takes one look at earth and triggers an earthquake, points a finger at the mountains, and volcanoes erupt. 33 Oh, let me sing to God all my life long, sing hymns to my God as long as I live! 34 Oh, let my song please him; I'm so pleased to be singing to God. 35 O my soul, bless God! (Psalm 104:1-9, 24, 35c The Message Bible)\

A very happy and tremendous Thursday, dear Friend! Here we are in the second day of June! Awesome! Today would have been my Dad's birthday, and how I miss him. I was sharing with our pastor that this past Sunday I sure wanted to pick up the phone and call him as was our custom every Sunday. I also miss my Mom and her prayers for me, especially during my university years. She and my grandmother were my prayer warriors. I know Dad was as well, but his working a full-time job most of his life, I knew he was still praying, but also working hard to provide for our family. Let us continue to pray for those who are still recovering from the wounds from the Uvalde shooting. The ten-year old who was in serious condition is improving and has had a series of surgeries and we pray she be healed by God's grace. Pray always for those whose hearts tell them to do evil. May the power of God's love overcome evil in those hearts and minds. Just today reports of shootings in Tulsa, OK, and other places continue to make us shudder with disbelief, anger, and shock. May God's love overcome evil in every heart, including and especially ours.

Friend, let me ask you to take a moment to celebrate the "wildy wonderful world" that God has made for you and for me. Have you noticed the beauty of a flower today? Was the sky provide inspiration to you? Did the sound of laughing children brighten your day? There are so many components to the world that we should rejoice and be glad in what they provide for us. Did you know that you, too, have made the world a wildly, wonderful place? Your smile, your joy, your outlook and contributions all count to make God look good. All of us were uniquely and wonderfully made by God, and we belong to God and should live with that mindset. We should rid our minds of those things that other people placed in you to make your view of the world more narrow and harmful. Life is too short to shorten it in destructive ways. Ours is a call to affirm and build up others. We are called to model our lives after Christ Jesus.

The psalmist has painted quite the picture of the world as he sees it. God's role is key in his view, as it should be in ours. Key to us should be our recogition of how powerful God truly is. The psalmist writes, "Send out Your Spirit and they spring to life." This was the basis of what was called, Prayer to the Holy Spirit in the Emmaus movement. Here it is, and this prayer blessed my life for many years: "Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your faithful and kindle in us the fire of Your love. Send forth Your Spirit and we shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth. O, God, Who by the light of the Holy Spirit did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy Your consolations. Through Christ our Lord. Amen." If your world is not yet renewed, pray this prayer and ask that your world be renewed; pray that we may indeed be wise and enjoy all of God's consolations; may His instructions and the re-kindled hearts within us be that with which we bless the Lord and His creation.

PRAYER: Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your faithful and kindle in us the fire of Your love. Send forth Your Spirit and we shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth. O, God, Who by the light of the Holy Spirit did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy Your consolations. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord. Take a moment or two to enjoy the world, then use you to better the world.

Receive my blessings of joy and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Quit Babbling!

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1 Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. 2 And as they migrated from the east, they came upon a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. 3 And they said to one another, "Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly." And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar. 4 Then they said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves; otherwise we shall be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth." 5 The Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which mortals had built. 6 And the Lord said, "Look, they are one people, and they have all one language; and this is only the beginning of what they will do; nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. 7 Come, let us go down, and confuse their language there, so that they will not understand one another's speech." 8 So the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city. 9 Therefore it was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth; and from there the Lord scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth. (Genesis 11:1-9 NRSV)

A wondrous, wonderful Wednesday to you, Friend, is my prayer for you! I pray this finds you blessed and healthy. We continue to pray for the needs shared with us, for each other, and for the needs of the world. May this time with God, with each other, and praying for needs bless us with a great day and in turn allow us to bless others. Special prayers for the family of Baby Hudson, who was buried yesterday, Tuesday, in Gonzales, TX. May God's comfort be with his Mom and Dad, grandparents and all who loved that precious baby.

There is a young man on social media who never fails to impress me with his uncanny ability to learn and use diverse languages. It didn't hurt him to spend a year studying in China, where he learned Mandarin and some obscure, difficult dialects. His early videos showed him going to restaurants in the New York City areas like Chinatown, and him asking about the food in their native tongues. The reactions is what I love. There's something about connecting in one's native tongue, especially when in a different location.

The Bible tells us the story of when the world was once a place with one language "and the same words." Yes, it sounds like a boring place! And that's just my opinion. As these monolingual people migrated eastward they came upon a place where they believed the world would be blessed by having a tower that would reach to the heavens. The only negative thing to this big plan was the motive behind it. It's right there in verse 4, the second part, where they say, "let us make a name for ourselves." The motive reveals a self-centeredness that was veering them away from God. And it didn't help that the tower was meant to reach Heaven itself. When God sees this we notice that God says, "Nothing that they propse to do will now be impossible for them." So, the solution was to "confuse their language there, so tha they will not understand one another's speech." And the confusion was to introduce new languages. This sets the stage for what happens in Acts 2; that the God who could confuse destructive people by language, could also unite people in the same way; thus the miracle of Pentecost.

I believe God's plan has always been to unite all people, but people get in the way. It doesn't take many, only one who will take the lead, and others to blindly support that one and before you know it, we're off the path and headed the wrong way on a path that should be leading us to life. The Bible says it best, through one man, sin was introduced into the world, and through one man, Jesus, grace and life were introduced to all humanity. You and me are the ones who know this, and this is the message we should be making known to all people. There is hope and it is ours to share.

PRAYER: Loving God, let us share freely and boldly, the hope that Christ Jesus shared with us. Let us make it be that which brings life to all people. This we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Show that your language is all about love even with those who may not speak your language yet!

Receive my blessings of joy and hope,

Pastor Eradio Valverde