He's the One!

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1 A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. 2 The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. 3 His delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide by what his ears hear; 4 but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked. 5 Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist, and faithfulness the belt around his loins. 6 The wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them. 7 The cow and the bear shall graze, their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. 8 The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder's den. 9 They will not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain; for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. 10 On that day the root of Jesse shall stand as a signal to the peoples; the nations shall inquire of him, and his dwelling shall be glorious. (Isaiah 11:1-10 NRSV)

A blessed and terrific Tuesday for you, dear Reader. May the day bring unexpected surprises of joy and happiness with which you can bless others. I ask continued prayers for all who have asked prayers from us; prayers for each other, and prayers for the wellbeing of our communities, and the blessings for the world.

We have one tree on our lot. That puts us ahead of the entire state of New Mexico, no? But this Northern Red Oak came with the lot and we're very proud of it. Nellie makes sure it gets watered often (and she prays for rain all the time!). And it concerns her when the winter comes and takes with it all the leaves of this tree and leaves it, as our oldest grandson says, "naked." It is the period of nakedness that troubles Nellie the most. She gets anxious if it takes longer than normal for the leaves to sprout again, and even prompts questions such as, "Is our tree dead?" I usually smile and say, "No. Our tree is not dead. It's taking its time but will be back when it's time." Who knows, one day that tree will be huge and will provide a home for many birds and other tree-living creatures; and maybe, one day that tree will simply be a stump. Having a stump where there used to be a living tree is a sign not many people enjoy. Yes, some can sit on the stump but beyond that there are not many uses for it. And yet, the prophet Isaiah shares a word from God that the stump that was left of Jesse's family, will be precisely where a needed branch will come, growing out of its roots. This new branch is the awaited Savior, for Whom we are preparing during this season.

Jesus fit the bill because He is the one! He came filled with the Holy Spirit because the Spirit was resting on Him; His life, teachings, and ministry showed His wisdom and understanding. His love and actions showed counsel and might; everything Isaiah said about Him, He lived. Jesus is all about righteousness, and wants us to be the same. Jesus' ministry was all about righteousness, all about calling people out of maliciousness and that realm, and into a realm of true life, life in abundance. Such is the hope of God that all nations will be so in righteousness that the impossible becomes possible, and the unreal becomes real. The sensible person will ask, "How can the wolf live with the lamb? Why would the leopard lie down with the lamb when the natural instincts is for the leopard to devour the lamb? Who would imagine a lion hanging around with a calf and a fatling? And what a sight to see the cow and the bear grazing together! And in their midst a child leading them. And who has seen a lion eating straw like an ox? No more death nor destruction because the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord, just like the waters cover the sea. And on that day, the prophet says, "The root of Jesse shall stand as a signal to the peoples; the nations shall inquire of Him, and His dwelling shall be glorious." This, dear friends, is the picture of Heaven, the place of eternal life and a forever peace. The things that divide us now, and cause us to fight against each other, will be gone. Fear and all it causes, is gone. It has been replaced by the reality of hope fulfilled. Thanks to the life of Jesus, living in us and shining through us.

Advent means becoming ready by allowing God to make us just like Jesus. May we truly embrace all the good, and all the power we find in Him to better our surroundings and bless our communities. Ours is an active faith which will not be blessed by our not doing anything and sitting around; we have been called to duty to serve God.

PRAYER: Loving God, bless us with a new awareness with which we can best bless You and Your Kingdom; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Be a person who blesses others.

Receive my blessings of joy and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

PRAYER UPDATE: I spoke with The Rev. Rob Clopton and he's in great spirits having taken a dye test that showed his tumor has not grown and he, the doctors, and all of us should say, "Thanks be to God." May our prayers lead the tumor to go the other way; complete dissolving and disappearnce from our brother's body, in Jesus' name! Prayers for Mr. and Mrs. George and Rosemary Schwalm of Houston, both of whom have the illness going around that is neither flu nor Covid; prayers also for blessings in Rosemary's work situation; in Jesus' name!

We Know How It Ends

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4 For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, so that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope. 5 May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus, 6 so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7 Welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. 8 For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the circumcised on behalf of the truth of God in order that he might confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, 9 and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, "Therefore I will confess you among the Gentiles, and sing praises to your name"; 10 and again he says, "Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people"; 11 and again, "Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples praise him"; 12 and again Isaiah says, "The root of Jesse shall come, the one who rises to rule the Gentiles; in him the Gentiles shall hope." 13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:4-13 NRSV)

"Driving into New Haven several months ago, Yale New Haven Hospital had a large billboard. It had a picture of a young woman with these words: "Diagnosis - Breast Cancer, Prognosis - Grandmother." This is a simple message of the hope that people are looking for. The Gospel of Jesus Christ offers even more hope."- Pastor John from CT.

Dear Reader, the billboards from some years ago had two words, Got Milk? Guess who placed them there? The milk industry, to sell more milk. Now billboards could easily ask, Got Hope? Some people do. Some people don't. In my years of ministry I discovered that in most of the cases of those who hollered and griped the most about this or that in the church, were exactly the ones I seldom saw in worship, and whom I personally believed did not take time to read the Bible, pray, (without a big challenge looming over them), read books about faith, and generally sought to try to live life with little to no God in it. I am sharing my opinion and it was not backed up by fact, but I suspect you know some people like that too. I'm not judging, just sharing some thoughts. I did know for sure, as a DS, which SPRCs had the most trouble, and those were the ones who never bothered to come to the annual training where most of their job descriptions were listed. Of those who called to complain about their pastor or a situation in their church involving their pastor, well, I had a list of those who had not attended the training and told them so

The passage speaks clearly that we have, thanks to those who wrote our Bible, words of hope and encouragement, so that we might have hope. To have hope flies in the face of desperation and fear. It is that hope that allows a hospital to share a future prognosis with a young woman that she will, Lord willing, be a grandmother even in the face of a scary diagnosis; that is hope. Hope, as Paul is describing it, involves living in harmony with one another, as shown to us by Jesus Christ, with the hope being that together we might glorify God and Jesus Christ. Paul further stresses that we should welcome one another, in the same way that Christ has welcomed us. And we have in Jesus the model of a servant of the truth for all people. If we would commit to living such a life, Paul believes, as do I, that the "God of hope (will) fill us with all joy and peace in believing, so that we may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." That special word abound says a lot about who we can be. It says it may be tough today, or tomorrow, but a way better day is coming!

PRAYER: God of hope, joy, love, and peace, fill us for faithfulness and fruitfulness. May we seek to better serve You and Yours. Grant to us all we need to share hope with those feeling hopeless. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Live a life of hope in a contagious way.

Receive my blessings of hope and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

How Dare He Say That?!

Hear the devotional here: https://anchor.fm/eradio-valverde/episodes/How-Dare-He-Say-That-e1rd9tu 1 In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea 2 and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” 3 This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’ ” 4 John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. 5 People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. 6 Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. 7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. 9 And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 10 The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. 11 “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” (Matthew 3:1-12 NIV Bible)

Happy Monday to you, dear Friend! I pray you had a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving Weekend and that yesterday you worshiped God and welcomed this season of Advent. I thank you for your prayers for my cousin, but no one has shared an update on Joe's condition. I'm relying on "No news is good news!" Please pray for one another, lifting up all who are ill in the mighty name of Jesus. Pray for one another. Let these words of God's word, my thoughts, and your prayerful presence guide us to new levels of faithfulness before the Lord.

Last week I mentioned how we lovingly awakened our granddaughter who sweetly asked for five more minutes. In reading this passage, I sense the urgency in John's voice and call, and thought, Lord forbid, but if our home had been on fire, there was no way our wake up call would have been a sweet, "Sure honey, you can have five more minutes..." The voice grandpa would have used would have been heard by the neighbors! There would have been no concern for hurt feelings or misunderstandings about gentleness or what have you; this was a call to save our granddaughters and us. And, in the same way, John is urging his generation to the alarm that had to be sound. And the sad thing is that times haven't really changed all that much in terms of those who have heard the alarm, heeded it, and changed their lives. They march on lost, without a clue of the great love that God has shared to save and redeem them.

In the fullness of time, the stage was set for the One who would come in the name and spirit of God Whom we know as Jesus. We know of His birth and His ministry, but before that ministry began, the prophets who spoke the word of preparation, one would come who would make straight the path for the One who was to come after Him. And today's passage introduces us to a cousin of Jesus, named John. True to his calling as a prophet, or spokesperson for God, John dressed and lived the part. His suit was made of camel's har and he wore a leather belt and he ate locusts and wild honey. He was also not known for being a shy guy, this guy knew his role demanded his brash boldness to get people's attention. Using words straight from the Old Testament, he shouted, "Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him." And John had a message that, sadly, does not preach well in most US churches today. His words? "Repent, for the kingdom of Heaven has come near."

The word repent, when told to someone, indicates a behavior or lifestyle that is in need of ceasing or changing. It is an indictment of guilt. John was sharing what God had told him to share. And from God's viewpoint, the need was very evident that people were not living as they should. God knew their sin and the sin of humanity at that point. Sin was real and it had infected the people's spirits and minds, and the sin had to be removed. A call to repentance of sin does not usually fall on friendly and receptive ears. It becomes easy for resentment to set in, followed by anger. Yet, we read that during John's sermon, crowds lined up "from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan." John's message hit a need in most hearts and so people responded and wanted the freeing power of forgiveness for their lives. And so they presented themselves for baptism, the symbol of what had happened within; God had removed their sins. And they were warned that their newfound freedom, they should show fruits of true repentance. And then the words of preparation of He who was coming to do more.

Advent, as we have been studying, is a serious time. Yes, it does ready us for Jesus' birth celebration, but it is also about the need for us to be ready for His second return. Sin is still around and we still need Jesus. Friends, the house is on fire. We need to do something!

PRAYER: Loving God, in Your love and mercy, You send us John to prepare the way; then Your Son, Jesus, to save us. Help us to alert others to Your love and willingness to save us from our sins. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Help those around you whose homes are on fire.

Receive my blessings of joy and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

You Know What Time It Is!

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11 Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; 12 the night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; 13 let us live honorably as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. 14 Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. (Romans 13:11-14 NRSV)

Happy Tuesday, dear Friend! Prayers for this day to bless and enrich your life as you also seek to enrich someone else's life! I am rejoicing in the report I received from my dear friend Jorge Saenz, who was told no cancer was found! I thank God for this news and pray that whatever is next, which I believe is an X-ray periodic check, continue to show that our brother is indeed cancer-free! Our sister Glenna Reese's knee replacement surgery went well and she was up and walking almost immediately, again praise God! Let us continue to pray for one another, lifting up our needs and continuing to give God glory and thanks for His wonderful gifts and mercies. Pray for those traveling this week; pray for the children who are already on Thanksgiving holiday; and pray for peace when families reunite to feast and thank God together.

A couple of weeks ago, Grandma and Grandpa watched our firstborn grandchild. She's a delight and joy to be with, and we stayed in her home while Mom and Dad traveled for business purposes. Our baby is now in high school and on the debate team. Her day starts early and while our baby is aware of the time her favorite phrase has become, "Five more minutes, please!" That was each day. Five more minutes! Of course, we graciously granted it but we had to come up with more gentle ways to encourage her promptness, wishing to avoid a grandparent/teacher conference. The Apostle Paul knew what time it was.

Paul is writing to the most important city in the Western World at the time, the capital city of Rome. He was writing to the believers in the city with his message for all who were "sleepers" to "awaken." The urgency of salvation is on his mind and he does not want anyone to miss out on this important life-giving gift from God. The "night" of the troubles and persecutions the church had faced, he believed, were almost over, and the dawning of "day," when Christ would return, was near. Time, Paul says, to put away the "works of darkness and put on the armor of light." I've shared the wonderful story my wife shared with me about when she was a Sunday school teacher and was having her class wrap up for the morning and one of her students looked out the window and yelled, "Jesus is coming! Let's hurry and clean the room! Jesus is coming!" Nellie smiled and looked out and smiled; it was me coming over to her classroom. The young man saw me as Jesus and he sensed the urgency and importance of being ready. Paul was the same way, as should we!

How can we be ready when Jesus comes? Paul says we can start by living honorable lives, and not by living in reveling ways and drunkenness; we should stay away from debauchery and licentiousness, nor by quarreling and jealousy, but rather we should live as if we were wearing Jesus Christ as our Lord, staying away from the flesh and its constant demand that we satisfy its desires; live lives that rise about that into the realms of the holy and pure.

Advent means to be ready. Jesus is coming! What have we done about His first visit? And what will we do to prepare for His return?

PRAYER: Loving Father, prepare our hearts to have room in them for Jesus right now. And may it carry over into the realm where we can truly prepare for His return; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Help others prepare for Jesus' return.

Receive my blessings of joy and hope. I love you!

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

He's Coming Back!

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36 "But the exact day and hour? No one knows that, not even heaven's angels, not even the Son. Only the Father knows. 37 "The Arrival of the Son of Man will take place in times like Noah's. 38 Before the great flood everyone was carrying on as usual, having a good time right up to the day Noah boarded the ark. 39 They knew nothing - until the flood hit and swept everything away. 40 Two men will be working in the field - one will be taken, one left behind; 41 two women will be grinding at the mill - one will be taken, one left behind. 42 So stay awake, alert. You have no idea what day your Master will show up. 43 But you do know this: You know that if the homeowner had known what time of night the burglar would arrive, he would have been there with his dogs to prevent the break-in. 44 Be vigilant just like that. You have no idea when the Son of Man is going to show up. (Matthew 24:36-44 The Message Bible)

Turn down the Christmas music, turn off the early Christmas movies, eat up the last of the Halloween candy, and yes, go buy your turkey today, before they run out or so they claim; and listen. Jesus is coming back. It's something we read almost out of muscle memory every time we have Holy Communion. And this is the season that is starting this coming Sunday we call Advent. The Oxford Dictionary defines the word "advent" as "the arrival of a notable person, thing, or event." We can't get more notable than Jesus can we? Jesus Himself speaks of this in the passage above, and that is what we will devote this devotional to.

were all amazed and impressed by the size, shape and spectacular symbolism of the Temple. Jesus deflated their balloon by telling them the day was coming when everything they were watching would be destroyed. Their response was, of course, "When will this be?" And here Jesus answers them in His own way. Jesus is an honest man, known for never lying or sinning. Here He says, that to know the exact time and day, no one know, not even the angels of Heaven, and here's the shocker, not even Jesus knows! Only God the Father knows. Now, in human terms, we all wink at people who, from certain families, claim to not know information that we could almost swear that they certainly had privy to in family meetings, but Jesus here is saying there are no family meetings and this particular information is for God's eyes only. Jesus has hints that help them. (I will say Jesus is simply saying, BE READY AT ALL TIMES!). Jesus knows that we can get, and do get, carried away by the mundane and the routine, of daily life. He compares it to the time of Noah; people carrying on as usual right until it was time to board the ark. "It was today? I thought it was next week!" Then the famous comparison: "Two men will be working in the field - one will be taken, one left behind; two women will be grinding at the mill - one will be taken, one left behind."

This passage is a continuation of the Tourist Trap passage from a week ago, where the Twelve When our youngest was in school it was during the time when some churches were pushing heavily The Rapture, the belief that when Jesus comes, it will be as Jesus said, one taken, one left behind. And so, some churches and movie companies, made movies that stressed this. We saw one particular movie where a little girl came home when her mother had gone next-door and left her vacuum on, her brother also was called to help a friend, and he left his lawnmower on, and so all these things made the little girl, who had been in her church's program where this had been stressed, freak out. And the same thing happened to our baby girl. She was scared for a few moments then realized where we were. Jesus says, "So stay awake, alert. You have no idea what day your Master will show up...Be vigilant just like that. You have no idea when the Son of Man is going to show up." Being ready is the only option we have. Live a life that glorifies God, serves others, loves all people, and shows compassion and empathy to all people and whenever Jesus returns, we will be ready.

Now, Advent is also about Jesus' first coming. This season also serve to prepare our hearts and minds for Jesus' birth and this event we call Christmas. That first Christmas, the world was not ready. It was certainly ready in terms of all Jesus brought with His birth and life, but were not aware, and sadly many died not having accepted what God offered to them. May the distractions, beautiful as they are, of this holiday season not draw us away from the true meaning and purpose of Christ's birth.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, may our lives glorify You in all ways. May we truly proclaim the love behind that night in Bethlehem in ways that invite others to come to know You; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! YOUR CALL TO ACTION: See beyond the decorations of Christmas to concentrate on the true markings in you that identify you as a follower and servant of Jesus.

Receive my love and blessings for joy,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

In God We Find What We Need

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1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea; 3 though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult. (Selah) 4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. 5 God is in the midst of the city; it shall not be moved; God will help it when the morning dawns. 6 The nations are in an uproar, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts. 7 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. (Selah) 8 Come, behold the works of the Lord; see what desolations he has brought on the earth. 9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire. 10 "Be still, and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth." 11 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. (Selah)-(Psalm 46, NRSV Bible)

A blessed and joyous Thursday to you, dear Friend! May it be a blessed day to witness to your faith and help others understand the beauty of giving thanks. I believe that if we started right now to list all the blessings God has shared with us we could not finish by the time we sit down a week from today to enjoy the feast that is Thanksgiving. God is good! All the time! And all the time? ____________!! And as we pray, please lift up Mrs. Glenna Reese in prayer as she undergoes knee replacement surgery in Houston tomorrow morning. Pray for their safe travel to Houston and back, and that God bless Glenna with a wonderful recovery and painless recovery. Prayers for Mr. Jorge Saenz and his post-surgery recovery today. He texted me to tell me the surgery went well, and we say, thanks be to God! I know Jorge to be in good spirits.

Like most young men of a certain age, Jorge Saenz has a favorite superhero that he's held on to for many years. I think the majority of young men at that age had the same superherto. I'm referring to the baby boy found by a Midwestern farm family when his spacecraft crashed near their home in a wheat field. The couple adopted the baby as theirs and named him Clark. You may know him better by his superhero name, Superman. The idea for such a character to be invented was marvelous. A seemingly human man who can do all things without fear or danger of death. His only known weakness is the material from his planet, Kryptonite. Superman is everything we're not. Superman fears nothing or no one. We, on the other hand...

This psalm is a wonderful affirmation of gratitude. We have to acknowledge that God is a place where we can hide and the source of strength for us; the place where we could find the assistance we need when we need it. Yet, why do so many of us fear things? It is a natural thing to have fears, but we are challenged and called by God to rise above our natural tendencies to become supernatural people. And in our supernatural God we have everything we need, just when we needed it. And these words from the man who knew God intimately, King David himself. So, these words are not empty words, or hopeful words, these are proven experience recollections. Came what may, David faced them trusting in God, knowing the outcome, whatever it may be, would be awesome. The opening verse could be our anthem and battle hymn: "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." We are not supermen or superwomen; but , and we are blessed and loved, because, after all, we are children of the Most High. Mark that as today's praise of thankfulness!

PRAYER: Loving God we are richly and wonderfully blessed. The list of Your awesomeness in givng to us grows by the minute. Help us to celebrate You every day, every week, and every month, and help us to share how we have found in You that which we been helped by You! This we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Be a superman/superwoman, and show your joy in the Lord!

Receive my blessings of peace and love,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

The Shepherd King

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1 "Doom to the shepherd-leaders who butcher and scatter my sheep!" God's Decree. 2 "So here is what I, God, Israel's God, say to the shepherd-leaders who misled my people: 'You've scattered my sheep. You've driven them off. You haven't kept your eye on them. Well, let me tell you, I'm keeping my eye on you, keeping track of your criminal behavior. 3 I'll take over and gather what's left of my sheep, gather them in from all the lands where I've driven them. I'll bring them back where they belong, and they'll recover and flourish. 4 I'll set shepherd-leaders over them who will take good care of them. They won't live in fear or panic anymore. All the lost sheep rounded up!' God's Decree. 5 "Time's coming" - God's Decree - "when I'll establish a truly righteous David-Branch, A ruler who knows how to rule justly. He'll make sure of justice and keep people united. 6 In his time Judah will be secure again and Israel will live in safety. This is the name they'll give him: 'God-Who-Puts-Everything-Right.' (Jeremiah 23:1-6 The Message Bible)

If I asked you to name the top three shepherds you've ever heard of, who would they be? If I asked you to name the top three kings you've ever heard of who would they be? Would it be easier to name shepherds or kings? But Pastor, shepherds don't get the kind of press that kings get! How would I know a good shepherd? I don't know about you, but most of us might possibly name David the best shepherd, and David as the best king. Saul was king, but he was not a shepherd, and the difference showed. I believe that a shepherd has a connection with the land and with the creatures who depend on the land to survive. It is part of the shaping of a shepherd to be a true leader; and those whom God called to be kings, were blessed to have that experience. David as a boy warrior, as a heroic boy shepherd was formed to be the king he was remembered for. He learned to fight against predators in the wild, to defeat a giant, to outrun and out do the king who hated him, and whom he succeeded.

The best leaders are servant leaders; those who know the people, love the people, walk and work among the people, and seek the good for all people. Likewise, the best kings are servant kings, whose hearts are filled with love and compassion, and have a vision for the overall good of all who are part of his flock. The pages of the Bible speak of those who are shepherds at heart bur rule as kings when it comes to overseeing each lamb. As the prophet Jeremiah shares the word from God, he's reading the riot act to those kings who instead of leading their flock, butchered and scattered God's sheep. God is not pleased and declares that He would keep an eye on those shepherds, and the He himself would gather His sheep, from all corners of the world. And God shares His promises of restoration, a full recovery and prospering when gathered back where they belong, as God's sheep in God's pasture. And, God also declares that a true shepherd king is coming, one whose name will say it all, "God-Who-Puts-Everything Right."

We know this fulfillment came through and in Christ Jesus. His life, His ministry, His love was the fulfillment of God's promises as delivered through the prophets. In Christ Jesus we have found that which we need; the fullness of life.

PRAYER: Loving God, we praise and thank You for giving us Jesus as King. Make us worthy to be His loyal servants; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Lift high the name of Jesus Who is our King!

Receive my blessings of love and hope,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Who is Jesus, Really?

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11 May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light. 13 He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. 15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; 16 for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross. (Colossians 1:11-20 New Revised Standard Version Bible)

Happy Tuesday, dear Friend! I pray this finds you well and blessed, enjoying the power of prayer alive in your life. And as you pray, please remember that our brother Mr. Jorge Saenz, of San Antonio, is having cancer surgery. May God bless Jorge with a victory, the safe removal of all things bad in his body, and limited treatment after surgery and a wonderfully blessed recovery. Please pray for all who have asked prayers of us, prayers for your pastor(s), your church and your loved ones. May this time be a time of blessing for all our spiritual needs.

The Chosen, an app-based series, will have their newest season premiere in movie theaters. Episodes 1 and 2 will play in theaters across the country. I have been blessed by the series thus far and anxiously await the new season. Yes, even more than Yellowstone! (I can see some of you shaking your heads!). The desire of humanity has been to know more about Jesus, a sort of behind the scenes look at who was this extraordinary man? A quick search on Amazon.com with just the word Jesus typed in resulted in 20 pages of items on Jesus. Books with the name Jesus in them, showed more than 75 pages with about 23 books on each page. And those are just the books in print. Paul shares what he knows about Jesus in this passage. He also does in almost every page of every letter he wrote to each church; but here we get an understanding of what we should know about our Savior and Lord.

We first hear Paul encouraging all believers to receive and hold on to the strength and power that is available to us, that will help us endure all things that may come our way, while still giving thanks to God the Father. Paul also credits God for allowing us "to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light." God was He who rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of His beloved Son.

The Son (Jesus) is He in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. I love the word redemption for it reminds me of when Nellie and I were first married, we were on a very sparse budget. We tried to shop on Wednesday which was double-stamp day in the world of S&H Green Stamps. Grocery stores had made arrangements with S&H and some others, to give stamps based on what was spend each time in their stores. The stores would also give coupon books in which to store those stamps and in McAllen there was a redemption store where one could go in and trade the book of stamps for needed items like can openers, knives, etc. The stamps were redeemed for merchandise; true redemption Christ was His giving of Himself (body and blood) for our lives, and the forgiveness of sins.

Jesus was also the image of the invisible God ("If you have seen me, you have seen the Father" - Jesus said to His disciples). Jesus was the firstborn of all creation; and in Him were all things in heaven and earth created in Him. Yes, things visible and invisible, even thrones or dominions or rulers or powers -"All things have been created through Him and for Him. Jesus Himself is before all things, and in Jesus, all things hold together. Jesus is the head of the body, the Church. Jesus is the beginning, the firstborn of the dead, so that He may come to have first place in everything. In Jesus all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through Him God was pleased to reconcile to Himself all things, on earth and in heaven through His having made peace through His blood on the Cross.

The matter dear one, is how well we know and love Him. We can read all the books written about Him and still not know Him in the least. One of the great stories I heard once about this was at a lecture at a big name university, where an invited professor of Church History was presenting a talk on Jesus, and in the front row was one of the school's custodians who listened intently but soon discovered the lecturer was presenting more of the why's and little of the Who behind Jesus. When it was time for question and answer, the custodian raised his hand and then showed him the apple he had from his lunchbox. "This apple," he asked, "Is it sweet or tart?" The professor said he did not know, and could not know unless he tasted it. "Exactly the thing I found missing in your presentation. We do not really know Jesus unless we have tasted Him and proved Him as the Bible has shared Him with us."

May we use this lesson to come to know that Jesus loves us and cares for us so much, He was willing to die for us. Psalm 34:8 challenges us "Taste and see that the Lord is good."

PRAYER: Good Father, and loving God, allow all of us to taste and see that Your Son is good, and may that make all the difference in our lives; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Show the world that you have tasted the Lord's goodness in your life!

Receive my blessings of love and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Christ the King Sunday!

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33 When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. 34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. 35 The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.” 36 The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar 37 and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.” 38 There was a written notice above him, which read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. 39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” 40 But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? 41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. ” 43 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:22-43 New International Version Bible)

I know our thoughts and stomachs are set on what's coming in a few days. Something of a national holiday where we can gather to eat a lot and should give thanks to God. HINT: It's Thanksgiving Day, coming on the 24th, but we turn our hearts and minds to the Sunday before the holiday which is Christ the King Sunday. On that day, the Christian Church celebrates that Jesus is our King. Wait. We have to talk about murder? Isn't that more a spring thing, like Easter? I can't wait to see the turkey and its dressings, and here you want us to talk about Jesus being killed? And why we do want/need a king? In our lifetime, we have seen the death of England's Queen and the ascension to the throne of her son, Charles, who will be crowned king in some days. The big question in the United Kingdom is whether they need to continue the monarchy or not. It is a costly proposition for the government and not all subjects are fans; yet, those who love custom and tradition love the idea of a king. Yet, it is at the cross that we see why Jesus is, indeed, king. Jesus may not fit the perceived ideas of who and what a king is, but He is one who willingly gave His life to save ours. What king would do that?

The drama unfolds in this way. Jesus has been led to the place called the Skull, where the Romans crucified their criminals. Crucifixion was their preferred method of execution because it was a proven deterrent; The Skull provided a good view of those who were to die and those passing by could see what happened to those who chose to break the law. And Jesus was in a three-for-one special; two criminals, whom we believed, deserved to die, were to die, one at His right, the other at His left. All Jesus could say to those listening and carrying out the execution, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." The soldiers took Jesus' clothing and played a game of chance called lots, to see who who win what. Among the spectators were common people, and rulers, who wanted to see what would happen to this famous radical. And the cheers and jeers came; "He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is God's Messiah, the Chosen One." Then this makes the soldiers joined in as well, offering Him wine vinegar and mocking Him, adding, "If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself." Pilate added his touch, a sign that read, "This is the king of the Jews." And the insults get worse when your neighbors join in, as the criminal being crucified next to you, "Aren't you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!" Ouch! Mental and emotional pain upon the excruciating physical pain. And then the voice of your other neighbor, "Don't you fear God, since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what are deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong." Then the gesture that is remembered through the ages,"Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." Boom. Wouldn't that make a great hymn? Then the words of the King: Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise." Imagine being that criminal who heard those words from the King. The first criminal knew Jesus to supposedly be the Messiah, this second one, for his faith at that crucial moment, got the personal invitation from the King to come into the kingdom.

The moments at the Cross cement the belief of all believers that Jesus is indeed the King. In this King we have life, but not only for this world, but in the world to come. In Jesus we have the fullness of life promised to those who repent of their sins and surrender their lives to Him. In Him we have the One who can make all things new, including our lives. He can take us out of the messes we have made of our lives and set all things right. He can take our wounds, bind them and heal them. And we then have the joy of sharing that joy with those who need to hear this message, too.

PRAYER: Loving Father, we praise and thank You for King Jesus. Let us live our lives that proclaim that faith to others. Glorify Yourself in us and make us new. Whatever we have encountered, whatever challenge is ours now, help us make it through it; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord. YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Show yourself in all ways that identify you as a subject of King Jesus' Kingdom!

Receive my blessings of love and hope,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Who Loves New Songs? (Hint: Not Congregations!)

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1 Sing to God a brand-new song. He's made a world of wonders! He rolled up his sleeves, He set things right. 2 God made history with salvation, He showed the world what he could do. 3 He remembered to love us, a bonus To his dear family, Israel - indefatigable love. The whole earth comes to attention. Look - God's work of salvation! 4 Shout your praises to God, everybody! Let loose and sing! Strike up the band! 5 Round up an orchestra to play for God, Add on a hundred-voice choir. 6 Feature trumpets and big trombones, Fill the air with praises to King God. 7 Let the sea and its fish give a round of applause, With everything living on earth joining in. 8 Let ocean breakers call out, "Encore!" And mountains harmonize the finale - 9 A tribute to God when he comes, When he comes to set the earth right. He'll straighten out the whole world, He'll put the world right, and everyone in it. (Psalm 98 The Message Bible)

I've shared this story before, from the days of my DSing. A fellow DS had in his district a small congregation that was "pastored" by a lay leader. He had his Sunday services down pat. He would bring with him every Sunday, a Willie Nelson's Greatest Hits CD and that was the congregational music for each Sunday's worship. Their average worship each Sunday was about ten. Now, what makes this story sad is that this church rented out their worship space to three different congregations, who would use it during the hours the UM congregation was not using it. Each congregation grew beyond the size limits of that small church and moved to established large congregations. And every Sunday the Red-Headed Stranger sang Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground, which was exactly where this "pastor" was driving it.

I started this devotional by asking how many of us like new songs? The hint gives that question away, because as a pastor trying to plan worship, it becomes so easy to choose Amazing Grace, How Great Thou Art, and other Top-Ten hymn chart toppers. Congregations are not shy about saying they don't like new songs. Yet, here is the Psalmist saying we who believe shouls "sing to God a brand-new song." He is saying God deserves to be praised in new ways, not because the tired and true are bad, but we should explore new ways to thank God and praise God. And he begins to outline the just-whys we should write these new songs. He's the Creator of this world of wonders. He's an involved God Who is not afraid to get His fingernails dirty and rolls up his sleeves to accomplish just what needs to be done. God introduced us to salvation, and showed the world just what He could do. He's also a God Who never too busy to "remember" to love us. The psalmist calls it a "bonus," this "indefatigable love." This work draws attention to this that God is doing. This should help all believers start a nonstop worship service of praise by shouting our praises, and letting loose and singing. And why not add a band to this praise? The psalmist has the idea! An orchestra, and why not a 100-voice choir with trumpets and trombones! Let all the air be filled with the sounds of praise and worship!

Ever the animatpr with vision, he sees the ocean and the fish involved, as well as every living thing joining in, with the ocean breakers calling, "Encore!" And add the mountains can harmonize the finale. All as a tribute to God, when He comes, for when He comes, He will set the world right; the entire world will be straightened out, and we with it!

PRAYER: Awesome God, let us join in this new way of praising God. We need all our senses involved in knowing and sharing the greatness of God. May our eyes, ears, noses, and touch be blessed by the praises of God; and include us in the making of all things right! This we pray and work for, in Christ Jesus' name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Touch someone with kindness and praise of God.

PRAYER UPDATE: The Rev. Dr. David Maldonado is home after his heart procedure. We give God thanks for this and ask that we continue to pray for his complete recovery. Thank you for your prayers.

Receive my love and thanks for being a part of this ministry! May the Lord bless you and keep you!

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

The Work of God's Hands Never Ends

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17 For I am about to create new heavens and a new earth; the former things shall not be remembered or come to mind. 18 But be glad and rejoice forever in what I am creating; for I am about to create Jerusalem as a joy, and its people as a delight. 19 I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and delight in my people; no more shall the sound of weeping be heard in it, or the cry of distress. 20 No more shall there be in it an infant that lives but a few days, or an old person who does not live out a lifetime; for one who dies at a hundred years will be considered a youth, and one who falls short of a hundred will be considered accursed. 21 They shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit. 22 They shall not build and another inhabit; they shall not plant and another eat; for like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be, and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands. 23 They shall not labor in vain, or bear children for calamity; for they shall be offspring blessed by the Lord— and their descendants as well. 24 Before they call I will answer, while they are yet speaking I will hear. 25 The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, the lion shall eat straw like the ox; but the serpent—its food shall be dust! They shall not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain, says the Lord. (Isaiah 65:17-25 New Revised Standard Version Bible)

A wonderful Wednesday to you, dear Friend. I'm thankful to God to report that The Rev. Dr. David Maldonado had successful heart surgery in Albuquerque, NM, and is expected to make a full recovery. Let us raise our praises to God for those news. Let us continue to pray for one another. Pray with great faith, and without ceasing. Remember to give God thanks for a blessing you received today. November should be a month of giving thanks, taking time each day to name one thing for which we are thankful and lift up our voices with thanks to God. Pray for the needs of the world. Pray for the candidates who offered themselves for public office. Pray for civility and kindness among all who voted and who are concerned about our communities.

God's work of creation never ends. God is an active God, not one who started things in motion and then stepped back to see all things wind down; quite the opposite, God is always involved and at work. The promises of this passage are strong and hopeful. God says through the prophet, that He will create new heavens and a new earth, because the former (older) things will not even be remembered or even thought about. Our obligation is to be glad and joyous in what God is doing, for God will create a new Jerusalem as a city of joy and the people as a delight. The newness would be a creation free from weeping and sorrow; and the number of infant deaths will diminish, and older people will live longer lives, so much so that anyone who dies at a hundred years of age will be considered a youth; and those who die younger than 100 will be rare. All who live in these areas will build homes and inhabit them; they'll grow crops and enjoy the fruits of their labors. What they work at and build, will not be enjoyed by others, only by them. And the same for those who plant and grow food, the food will only be enjoyed by those who grew it. The vision looks great. And the crowning part is how God describes how "the wolf and the lamb shall feed together, the lion shall eat straw like the ox." The human concept of that reality says that it is impossible; but for the Lord to share that vision makes it say that, indeed, with God, all things are possible. The new creation will see the end of harm and destruction on God's holy mountain; promises from God.

The last visit we took to the zoo which was almost two weeks ago with our youngest grandchild Eli, we saw that all animals, especially those who are natural enemies, are in separate cages, exhibits, and dwellings. The creatures are not yet where God will have them one day. And honestly, the last few years have shown we humans are not where God would have us be either. The idea of a peaceable kingdom as made famous by Edward Hicks in 1833, is still far from a reality; but God is still working and He's doing it one person at a time. Our hearts and spirits have to change; our hearts should be filled with unconditional love for others, and our spirits filled with compassion and peace towards all people; and our hands and fingers should be used to work together in building up that which promotes the idea of a new earth; for this one is getting old and being torn up by our selfish actions. Our prayer is for God to show us mercy and to help us learn to show mercy towards each other.

PRAYER: Loving and merciful God, show us the way of peace and love. Change in us the old hearts and grant us new ones filled with Your love and peace. Fill our spirits with Your Holy Spirit that can break barriers and walls and can truly make us citizens of the new Kingdom; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Start showing you want to be a geniune partner of the Peaceable Kingdom!

Receive my blessings of love and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Do Your Part!

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6 Our orders - backed up by the Master, Jesus - are to refuse to have anything to do with those among you who are lazy and refuse to work the way we taught you. Don't permit them to freeload on the rest. 7 We showed you how to pull your weight when we were with you, so get on with it. 8 We didn't sit around on our hands expecting others to take care of us. In fact, we worked our fingers to the bone, up half the night moonlighting so you wouldn't be burdened with taking care of us. 9 And it wasn't because we didn't have a right to your support; we did. We simply wanted to provide an example of diligence, hoping it would prove contagious.10 Don't you remember the rule we had when we lived with you? "If you don't work, you don't eat." 11 And now we're getting reports that a bunch of lazy good-for-nothings are taking advantage of you. 12 This must not be tolerated. We command them to get to work immediately - no excuses, no arguments - and earn their own keep. 13 Friends, don't slack off in doing your duty. (2 Thessalonians 3:6-13 The Message Bible)

Every family has at least one. Every church has at least one. Every school, every organization, every friendship has at least one. And we're talking about those who don't do their part. They tend to gravitate towards advisor position or management positions that require little to no work. This version would say they're freeloaders. Word had made its way to Paul that some in the church were doing little to nothing in the work of the church. Paul responds by saying that he and his team taught these church members better, teaching them to pull their own weight, and to not sit around expecting others to take care of them. Quite the opposite for the team in that they worked their fingers to the bone, including being up half the night to lighten the burden of the church. The purpose of the Church is to promote teamwork in winning the world for Jesus. No one can do it alone, and it requires a team to complete the work. If one joins a team, they commit themselves to doing all that is required for the team to be successful. I will confess that when I tried playing high school football I loved the games, but hated practice. Doesn't make sense does it? To be good in the games, one must practice and through that process, become part of the team. Another thing I hated about practice in those days was having to gobble handfuls of salt tablets. Yes, I'm older than Gatorade, the drink invented to replace salt tablets; and where were you during those gosh awful days of salt tablets?

Serving the Lord is a fulltime job. If you don't believe me find your church's job description for your pastor. Ours is set forth in the Book of Discipline (or it was; I haven't bought a new copy since retirement). But it takes a lot to serve as pastor, and every pastor needs a team praying for him/her, and doing their part to serve the Lord. Every member also has a lot to do in sharing his/her faith, living their faith, and telling others about their faith. Paul had discovered that not all people who called themselves believers were actually workers. What a hurt heart must have been his when he heard some were actually freeloaders. Which brings up an interesting question: Are freeloaders born that way? Or, do freeloaders learn this? Either way, there's work to be done, and we all should share in doing it.

Paul and his traveling team members always set the example of being people of prayer, service, and all that was involved in being with them. Paul even was trained as a tent maker, so he supported his ministry and travels with all that he could make in getting a job with tent makers. So, you know the Apostle's work ethic and his sternness for those who do less. "Don't you remember the rule we had when we lived with you? 'If you don't work, you don't eat.' and now we're getting reports that a bunch of lazy good-for-nothings are taking advantage of you. This must not be tolerated. We command them to work immediately - no excuses, no arguments - and earn their own keep. Friends, don't slack off in doing your duty." Amen.

I love our wise sheep friends in today's graphic. One lamb asks the other, "What about people who can't work?" The other lamb says, "They should be cared for. This isn't about that. It's about some who were claiming a place of privilege and rejecting their daily responsibilities. They were a disruption." The first lamb replies, "Got it. Say, can you spot me for lunch? I"m a little short."

The old Apostle is encouraging all to do their fair share. Yes, he sounds harsh, and he is more than likely angry at the reports he has been getting about the church in Thessalonica. He sounds like some Dads who love their sons and daughters, but have to be a bit stern about expectations and results. I regretted the times my Dad, very rightly said, "Son, you know better than that..." And I did, but I still had messed up. Paul's hope is that his disciples would correct their actions, right their course, and come in as victors on the team that wins.

PRAYER: Awesome God, bless all who need to hear Your loving correction about where we are, and where we need to be. Guide us to faithfulness, and strengthen us for faithfulness; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Encourage one another to shape up and do right!

Receive my blessings of joy and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

What Really Lasts?

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5 Some of his disciples were remarking about how the temple was adorned with beautiful stones and with gifts dedicated to God. But Jesus said, 6 “As for what you see here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down.” 7 “Teacher,” they asked, “when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?” 8 He replied: “Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them. 9 When you hear of wars and uprisings, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away.” 10 Then he said to them: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11 There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven. 12 “But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you. They will hand you over to synagogues and put you in prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. 13 And so you will bear testimony to me. 14 But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. 15 For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. 16 You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers and sisters, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. 17 Everyone will hate you because of me. 18 But not a hair of your head will perish.19 Stand firm, and you will win life. (Luke 21:5-19 New International Version Bible)

Happy Monday, dear Reader! I pray this is indeed a marvelous Monday for you and for those who will be blessed by you. There is a large group of people who need you, depend on you, and are blessed to love you! Receive that, embrace that as you embrace others. May this blessings that come with praying for others bless you as you pray for those who need your prayers. Pray for the sick, for the lonely, the hungry, the homeless, the thirsty, and those who feel alone. And then, do your part in doing something about that. Pray for one another.

What has been the most impressive building you've ever seen? What about the structure impressed you? And why? (If you care to comment, email me at eradiovalverde@yahoo.com and let me know! Just click on the blue link.). I have been blessed in having seen many impressive buildings, but an early memory was the first time I saw the Houston Astrodome. I had driven it by it when we moved into town, but to go into it wasn't something I had done yet. And then one night, our junior high band, The Lanier Junior High Purple Pup Band was invited to play at a Houston Astros game. They were hosting the New York Mets, and we were to play between innings and play we did. That night turned out to be the night of the 24 innings game, which lasted 24 innings until 1:36 am when the winning run was hit. We were told to call home and let our parents know we would be late. We did not have a phone and so I got close to the door and yelled, "Dad, I'm going to be a little late!" Thankfully, my Dad had the game on the radio and knew when it was finally over. But as we drove up to the Dome, we parked near the still-standing Colt.45 stadium, which was an awesome structure in and of itself. And right next to it, was the so-called "Eighth Wonder of the World." And in my opinion, it was. Most of you know the Astrodome still stands, but sits idle. The inside is empty and silent. Gone are the events that once took place there. Only memories remain.

The temple of Jerusalem was a symbol for the Jews. It stood as a symbol fo what once was, and a reminder of what could be. It was built at the height of Israel's might and power. It was a symbol of the days when all the known world knew and respected Israel. It was the center of not only political might, and financial strength, it was the place where the holy and the everyday intersected. It was there that God's presence was felt and worshiped. It was the center of many activities; religious and secular. It was a training center for those who sought to serve Him. It fostered several schools of thought, some of which we have seen in these past few week's readings; the Sadducees, the Pharisees, the zealots, the scribes, the Herodians, and so many more. And during that very moment the Twelve were there, not far from them leaders from each of these sects was busy plotting and planning the demise of Jesus. Jesus knew this but He wanted the disciples to know what was on HIs heart; "The time will come, " Jesus said of the temple, "When not one stone will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown." Jesus knew the occupiers of this land would reach the very limit of tolerance, and would destroy the temple. The Disciples were shocked to hear these news and so they have to ask, "When will these things happen? And could you give us a hint or clue to know right before this happens?" They wanted to be ready.

Jesus says for them to be careful about being deceived, for He knew many would come as false Jesus's. They would come posing as Him and saying things that were not true, such as "Yes, I am Jesus," or "The time for the end is upon us. Don't believe them!" Jesus also says that there would be wars and uprisings, and they should not be afraid. He adds, "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from Heaven. Yet, before these things," Jesus warns, "You will be seized and persecuted. You will be handed over to synagogues and put you into prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name." Then Jesus says, "This will be an opportunity for you to bear witness about me, but do not worry about what you will say, or how you will say it, for I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. It will also be a time of unbelievable actions taken by parents and brothers and sister, relatives and friends, who will betray you, and some of you will even be put to death. Everyone will hate you because of me, but this I promise, that not one hair of your head will perish. Be strong, stand firm and your gift will be life." It may just be that of all the things that we fear and the countless questions that may come from them, the underlying question will usually be, "Will I survive?" And Jesus tells the Disciples of those times, and even these times, yes, you will, if you stay true to me and my love.

PRAYER: Loving God, bless us with faith to stand firm in You. We place in Your strong hands the fears and worries that trouble us; grant us peace and the strength to continue forward and upward. Be glorified in me; forgive me of my sins, and help me overcome; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! YOUR PLAN OF ACTION: Share a strong word of "You will survive" to someone you know that needs to hear this.

Receive my blessings of hope and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

A God Of No Boundaries

Hear devotional here: https://anchor.fm/eradio-valverde/episodes/A-God-of-No-Boundaries-e1q5lk4

From Psalm 145: 1 I lift you high in praise, my God, O my King! and I'll bless your name into eternity. 2 I'll bless you every day, and keep it up from now to eternity. 3 God is magnificent; he can never be praised enough. There are no boundaries to his greatness. 4 Generation after generation stands in awe of your work; each one tells stories of your mighty acts. 5 Your beauty and splendor have everyone talking; I compose songs on your wonders. 6 Your marvelous doings are headline news; I could write a book full of the details of your greatness. 7 The fame of your goodness spreads across the country; your righteousness is on everyone's lips. 8 God is all mercy and grace - not quick to anger, is rich in love. 9 God is good to one and all; everything he does is suffused with grace. 10 Creation and creatures applaud you, God; 11 your holy people bless you. They talk about the glories of your rule, they exclaim over your splendor, 12 Letting the world know of your power for good, the lavish splendor of your kingdom. 13 Your kingdom is a kingdom eternal; you never get voted out of office. God always does what he says, and is gracious in everything he does. 14 God gives a hand to those down on their luck, gives a fresh start to those ready to quit. 15 All eyes are on you, expectant; you give them their meals on time. 16 Generous to a fault, you lavish your favor on all creatures. 17 Everything God does is right - the trademark on all his works is love. 18 God's there, listening for all who pray, for all who pray and mean it. 19 He does what's best for those who fear him - hears them call out, and saves them. 20 God sticks by all who love him, but it's all over for those who don't. 21 My mouth is filled with God's praise. Let everything living bless him, bless his holy name from now to eternity!

From the heart and mind of the psalmist comes this awesome psalm of the greatness of God.  Our praise should be raised high and blessed "into eternity."    There is no end to what God can do, nor should there be an end to our praising and thanking God for all God does for us.  In this version of the Bible, the verse says, "There are no boundaries to God's greatness." (v. 3b).  From the first generation of believers to the present age, people have been lifting high their praises to God; each with their own story of God's mighty acts.  The beauty and splendor of God surrounds us and should motivate us to express our gratitude towards God in whatever ways or talents we have.  David's was to compose songs and writing accounts of what God had done; we should join in and share our thankfulness to God in our own way.

God is good to all of us and all God shares comes to us with God's grace upon it.  Nature and all creation join in on praising God and so should we.  Our job, and our joy, should be in sharing the news of God's greatness for all people.  Ours is a God of love and help to all who need Him.  Ours is a generous God, sharing His favor to all creation.  Don't you love "Everything God does is right - the trademark on all His works is love."  (v.17).  Our God is as near as our prayers.  God's response is as close as our desire to praise Him and pray to Him in faith and love.  God will stand always by us.  We should join with others as we bless God and God's holy name from now until eternity.

The psalmist makes it clear that it began with the creation of all things, is present now, and when all things here on earth end, the praises to God will continue into eternity.  This is our God, the God that knows no boundaries.  Nor should our praise!

PRAYER:  Loving God, accept my thanks and praise.  May I do it daily, from today until that day when I join those in the celestial choirs singing Your praise.  This is my prayer in Christ Jesus, through Whom I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

All in God's Time

Image from pastorsings.com

Hear the devotional here: https://anchor.fm/eradio-valverde/episodes/All-in-Gods-Time-e1q25ei

1 Now, friends, read these next words carefully. Slow down and don't go jumping to conclusions regarding the day when our Master, Jesus Christ, will come back and we assemble to welcome him. 2 Don't let anyone shake you up or get you excited over some breathless report or rumored letter from me that the day of the Master's arrival has come and gone. 3 Don't fall for any line like that. 4 He'll defy and then take over every so-called god or altar. Having cleared away the opposition, he'll then set himself up in God's Temple as "God Almighty." 5 Don't you remember me going over all this in detail when I was with you? Are your memories that short? 13 Meanwhile, we've got our hands full continually thanking God for you, our good friends - so loved by God! God picked you out as his from the very start. Think of it: included in God's original plan of salvation by the bond of faith in the living truth. 14 This is the life of the Spirit he invited you to through the Message we delivered, in which you get in on the glory of our Master, Jesus Christ. 15 So, friends, take a firm stand, feet on the ground and head high. Keep a tight grip on what you were taught, whether in personal conversation or by our letter. 16 May Jesus himself and God our Father, who reached out in love and surprised you with gifts of unending help and confidence, 17 put a fresh heart in you, invigorate your work, enliven your speech. (2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17 The Message Bible)

Happy Tuesday everyone! I pray the exploits of last night didn't keep you up late, nor did the leftover candy spoil your supper and your breakfast this morning! Okay, I may be giving myself away? I'll never tell! Let us continue to pray for one another. Let us add the name of Mrs. Acacia Vaquez, wife of The Rev. Virgilio Vasquez Garza, who is having a knee checked on this coming Friday. Acacia injured her knee and the pain has not decreased. She had knee replacement surgery some years back, and we pray that therapy be all she needs. Pray for those who are also having knee problems and surgeries. Pray for those who have Covid. Pray for those, especially children, who are ill with the flu. Pray for one another. Pray for the needs of the world. Pray that God speak to you in this devotional time.

Let me tell you how honored and humbled I am for you to be with me in this devotional time. I pray that it is God Who would speak to us, even through a broken and flawed vessel such as myself. Let us pray for God to bless us in a rich way.

There have been times in my life when I promised something and then it did not materialize. It was not my intention to mislead. And I would venture to guess that you, too, also at one time said something would happen, and then it did not. I did love the times I said nothing and then was able to surprise with something completely unexpected. One Christmas Eve in Mission, Texas, that part of the state not known for any time of snow except in the rarest of times, I, with the financial backing of a church member, asked an ice company in McAllen to come after seven p.m., yes, on a Christmas Eve, to provide a surprise gift of snow for our church's yard. The excitement on the part of the kids and the parents is something I will never forget. Even years later, when visiting our favorite meat market which was next store to the church, the owner's son, who was a child the time of the snow, said, "Reverend, man I will never forget that Christmas when you brought snow to the church! We played in it for days!"

The Apostle Paul began his ministry with the promise that the Lord Jesus was coming soon. Many were those who were converted under that promise. And then the days came when the persecution of Christians became more intense and people found themselves and their loved ones thrown to the lions and other hideous ways to die, and all for the sake of Jesus. People began to ask, "Where is Jesus?' And they also asked, "What's taking so long?" What made it interesting and confusing is that when people speculate they add to reality and so Paul, in this passage, is addressing the situation of waiting. So, this is a very serious passage as you can read Paul saying, "read these next words carefully. Slow down and don't go jumping to conclusions regarding the day when our Master, Jesus Christ, will come back and we assemble to welcome him." He is still sure on this fact, because he knows in his heart and deep in his soul, that Jesus Christ was coming back. He is a bit angered that some have said that Paul had declared that the day of Jesus' return had come and gone. "Don't fall for that! Jesus will come and take care of those who have given up on their faith, and gone to idols. Paul knows that when Jesus returns He will set Himself in God's Temple, and not hide His identity as "God Almighty." Paul reminds them of the time he spent teaching them about all the things that were to come and be a part of this Second Coming of Christ Jesus. And all who have given their lives to Jesus will be a part of that glorious arrival and celebration. Paul's call is for the Church to endure; to hold fast to that which we were taught and which we hold near and dear; and Paul prays that God bless them in holding fast and still trying to bring in other believers to the faith. I love this version's closing sentence, "May Jesus Himself and God our Father, who reached out in love and surprised you with gifts of unending help and confidence, put a fresh heart in you, invigorate your work, enliven your speech." May it be so!

PRAYER: Loving God, grant us Your patience in the facing and living of these days; grant us the strong faith of Paul to await Jesus' return for us. Grant to us what Paul shared in that last verse; for we seek to be faithful and fruitful; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Be invigorated today for Jesus!

Receive my love and blessings for hope,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.