Nick at Night

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1 Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.” 3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again. ” 4 “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!” 5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” 9 “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked. 10 “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? 11 Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. 14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.” 16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. (John 3:1-17 NIV)

When we hear the word Pharisee we have mostly negative thoughts about this group. As a group they were not known for effective leadership nor compassionate ministry. They seemed to have been very protective of their status and power than they were about serving God or God's people. Their history with Jesus in all the gospels is less than positive. They led the charge to arrest and kill Jesus, after all, so that's not in their favor. But here on this night, we meet Nicodemus. Nick was an important man for this verse says that he as a member of the Jewish ruling council. And if you have been watching The Chosen, the series on Jesus' life, you get a glimpse of the side of Nick that led to this meeting with Jesus. The series shows that Nicodemus did have a spiritual side; a concern about spiritual things and that he saw the before and after Mary Magdelene and wondered about what power could change a woman like that. The series does show that the demon-possessed woman was set free from all she had by Jesus. That set Nick to wonder about Him and how he could meet Him to talk to Him.

The only way for an important Jewish council ruler to meet with a renegade rabbi was at night. The cover of darkness was what he needed to carry out his wish. Nick came to Jesus which showed his earnest desire to talk with Him and find out from Him that which he wanted to know. And once in HIs presence, he says that he knows Jesus is a teacher from God. That in and of itself was a dangerous declaration for a Pharisee to make; and he further says, "For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with Himl." Nicodemus has confirmed his belief that not only is Jesus from God, but God is with Him.

Jesus says now things that confuse the Pharisee. "Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again." Nick asks the obvious, "How can someone be born when they are old?" You know Nick was right in asking what he asked, for Jesus has shared a profound theological statement that set the world upside down. Jesus is calling for those who want to be of the kingdom of God to be born again, meaning to belong to a spiritual kingdom, one must be born spiritually; a new birth. Jesus further explains, "Flesh give birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit."

The discussion continues with Jesus speaking more of the importance of a spiritual birth vesus a fleshly existance. Then Jesus declares that which is among the greatest of the konwn Jesus statements, verse 16, "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him hsall not perish but have eternal life." BOOM. The is the verse that has been placed on television, movies, books, almost all media that declares the truth of God's love. But we must not forget the verse right behind it, "For God did not send Hius Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him." Amen.

This is the Gospel in one verse. It's about God's love and God loving us so much, and that God gives. And it sunk in, we believe, with Nicodemus, for when we read about him next, he's among those who want to claim Jesus' body (John 19:39). We sadly, do not know what Nick did with his life after this night meeting. But it seems that he did keep up with Jesus' goings and comings for him to have known when Jesus was being held on trial, then the crucifixion. Nicodemus lived in Jerusalem and it was easy for him to follow the movement of Jesus. And when the Easter event happened, he was there to accompany Joseph of Arimethea to claim Jesus' body. It would have been interesting to know what all Nick did after his meeting with Jesus. Did her become a believer? Did he work actively to support Jesus and to counter the efforts of the Pharisees to murder Jesus? That and many other questions we may have will not be answered until we get to Heaven, but until then we know that we must be true to God and allow God to lead us as God did for Nick. You never know where this will lead you.

PRAYER: Loving God, guide me. Let me be true to You and learn from You. Help me follow Your Spirit so that I may bless others; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord. YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Even if it's by night, seek Jesus!

Receive my blessings of peace and love,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

**PRAYER REQUESTS: Please pray for a precious 5 month-old baby in Dell Children's Hospital in Austin. She had a heart cath as she was born in September 7 weighting 1 lb 2 oz. She's ten pounds now but still having heart problems. Her grandmother is from our church in Skidmore and a very active woman of faith, Ms. Barbara Seger. Lift up Roslyn and Barbara, and all the family. Also, Mr. Jorge Saenz had some scares and is awaiting further exams at M. D. Anderson in Houston. Pray for his wellbeing and complete healing.

A Fresh Start

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1 Count yourself lucky, how happy you must be - you get a fresh start, your slate's wiped clean. 2 Count yourself lucky - God holds nothing against you and you're holding nothing back from him. 3 When I kept it all inside, my bones turned to powder, my words became daylong groans. 4 The pressure never let up; all the juices of my life dried up. 5 Then I let it all out; I said, "I'll make a clean breast of my failures to God." Suddenly the pressure was gone - my guilt dissolved, my sin disappeared. 6 These things add up. Every one of us needs to pray; when all hell breaks loose and the dam bursts we'll be on high ground, untouched. 7 God's my island hideaway, keeps danger far from the shore, throws garlands of hosannas around my neck. 8 Let me give you some good advice; I'm looking you in the eye and giving it to you straight: 9 "Don't be ornery like a horse or mule that needs bit and bridle to stay on track." 10 God-defiers are always in trouble; God-affirmers find themselves loved every time they turn around. 11 Celebrate God. Sing together - everyone! All you honest hearts, raise the roof! (Psalm 32 The Message Bible)

A blessed and wonderful Thursday for you, dear Friend is my prayer for you. May your first full day of your Lenten journey be filled with blessings and joys. May it help guide you to the fullness of God's love and passion. Pray for one another; pray for those who have asked prayer of us; pray for the needs around you, your personal needs, and the needs of the world.

"You're free to go."

Probably the most welcome and desired words to those who know what this refers to.

"You're cancer free."

Yup, high up there, too.

"Congratulations, you have graduated."

Uh huh. High up there, too.

"I love you, too."

We could together assemble a long list of phrases that tell us good news and thus bolster our attitude, etc. But, this passage talks about our heaing,

"You are forgiven."

That's the message of Good News from our God. Even as early as the psalmist writing this psalm, he writes these awesome words, "Count yourself lucky..." And in the NIV it reads, "Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered." In this The Message Bible it continues, :how happy you must be - you get a fresh start, your slate's wiped clean." Then these words, "God holds nothing against you and you're holding nothing back from Him." The psalmist knew, as we should also know; when we surrender to God and turn everything over to Him, we have found life and that in abundance. This is why we celebrate Lent, because we are reminded that we need God. The ashes on our foreheads reminds us that we came from dust and truly deserve to return to dust, but what God did for us through Jesus sends us beyond that to the awesome joy of Resurrection and this even after the pain and agony of the Cross.

What the psalmist has shared in this psalm is a summary of what can be ours through these forty days of Lent. We may feel weak to the point, like he says, to the point of having turned to powder, and the intense pressure on us may be relentless, but we don't give up; we turn to God and turn over to God Who will release the pressure of old sin will be relieved. Our prayers will bless us and grant to us the renewed strength to move foward. Our Lenten journey should lead us to celebrating God. May we join our hearts in praise each day as we prepare for the wonderful blessings that will be ours when we come to the most important event of this special season.

PRAYER: Awesome God, walk with us on this journey. Lead us to the place where we receive the clean slate of forgiven sins; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord. YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Celebrate Jesus on this Lenten Journey.

Receive my blessings of joy and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

The First Mistake of the First Man

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15 The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. 16 And the LORD God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.” 1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” 2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3 but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’ ” 4 “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. 5 “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.(Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7 NIV).

I bought a newspaper for the first time in many years. I love newspapers, not the digital kind, but the good ole newsprint with ink kind. I had a paper route when I was a child, but later one loved the smell, touch, and news that the newspapers. I bought it because I saw that Mr. Red McCombs died in San Antonio on Sunday. Red was a United Methodist of my old district. He and his family attended Flour Bluff UMC and he and Charlene wed at FBUMC. In fact, his best friend was a very active layperson in the district and one year came into the district office and asked if I could give him something from the FB church since Red was wed there. When FBUMC closed, the district got the altar elements including the cross and candlestick holders. This friend said "What else can I give to a friend who has everything?" I agreed and Red got the cross and candlesticks of the church in which he was reared. A story I once heard I have shared time and again about when Red was young, he had a memory of Saturday night, when his mom would get all the money and gifts that people gave to the dad who was a shade tree mechanic. Red's mom would add up the money and worth of the barter and the next morning at FBUMC, she would give the tithe. That stayed with Red and allowed him to be a big time donor to many causes. Just in San Antonio alone he gave over $50 million, not counting huge donations to many schools. Rest in peace, Red. May God comfort your family and friends.

If there had been newspapers back in the year Adam came on the scene, the headline would have read: MAN BITES GOD. It was, and continues to be, big news! God created man, places him in a paradise garden, asks the man "to work it and take care of it" but what does the man do? Well, we all know; the man, with the gift of free will, chooses to do what he wants. Never mind that God provided Adam with life and a purpose, even provided free food, and lovingly warns him that even though there is a tree that can make you know the difference between good and evil; he still does what we hoped he would not.

We get introduced to another player in this drama, a serpent. At this point in creation, to be fair, walked upright, and could talk. This particular one could also tempt. It is for this reason that scholars and Bible readers have known this serpent was none other thatn God's enemy, disguised as a serpent. The serpent goes to the woman and speaks to her with these words, "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?" Already we see, the serpent is crafty because it changed what God had said to the woman. God had told the woman and the man, they could freely eat of any tree in the garden, except for one. The serpent changes it to not eating of any tree in the garden. Okay, I said he was crafty; no, he's a liar. She responds with the right answer but reveals that she and the man had already gone to check out the forbidden tree because she adds that they should not even touch that tree because they would surely die. The serpent counters with "You will not certainly die, For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." There's the eternal temptation, to be like God. We see this in several places in the Bible and we can even say that the reason Satan is Satan is because he too, wanted to be like God. The Tower of Babel featured a people who wanted to be like God and built a tower to get as high as God. Anyway, the woman saw the fruit was not only pleasing to the eye, but good for good, so she take a bite of the fruit (which somehow, someone, said it was an apple) and shares it with her husband, who willingly takes a bite, too. Both of their eyes are open and they make their first "wise" judgment, that being naked was not good. And to remedy this, they take sandpaper leaves of the fig tree and make underwear out of them. Who's the wise one now?

Lent will allow us to ask the same question. Are we desiring to be just like God? Or, do we think we are as smart as God? A true Lenten journey will help us answer that with a resounding no. Our journey should help us humble ourselves before God in a posture of gratitude for all God has done for us. It started today!

PRAYER: Loving God, journey with us as we start this forty day journey. We want to be like You, but not better than You. We want to be wise, but wise enough to serve and bless You and Yours; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord. YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Journey with God for forty days!

Receive my blessings of love and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

One Man Brought Death; One Man Brought Life

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12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned— 13 To be sure, sin was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not charged against anyone’s account where there is no law. 14 Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who is a pattern of the one to come. 15 But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! 16 Nor can the gift of God be compared with the result of one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. 17 For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ! 18 Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. 19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous. (Romans 5:12-19 NIV)

A blessed Tuesday to you, *|FNAME|*. May the blessings of the Lord be with you and yours is my prayer. I thank you for your prayers for others. Let us continue to pray for one another, especially those with needs. Pray for one another, and pray the Lord would bless our Lenten journeys that begin tomorrow with Ash Wednesday.

The world has had more than its share of pandemics, outbreaks, contagious and deadly illnesses. We just are about out of the Covid-19 pandemic; but the common shared item is the way it was introduced, or so we suspect, through a first person. That person, for whatever reason, ws infected with a contagious illness that soon spread to another person, who spread it to another person, who spread it to yet another. The results were the deaths of many, many people. The Apostle Paul says this is the same way, that through Adam, sin was introduced into the world causing the alienation of many people from God, and the spiritual and eternal deaths of people. Pauls says that "death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who is a pattern of the one to come." Paul says it was the trespass of one man, Adam, who caused the death of many, but through Jesus, "God's grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow(ed) to the many!" Now, humanity enjoys "abundant provision of grade and of the gift of righteousness reing in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!" Jesus' death brought the gift of life, life in abundance, and life without end. For all people. A young man at the Asbury University revival said, "Revival is not hype, it's about people who are hungry," And indeed, people are being made righteous after having been rejected or who had rejected God.

Friends, as we start our Lenten Journey, we can and will get fed with the nourishment that we need to complete our race towards Glory. We journey not alone, but with the peaceful but powerful presence of God, and nothing nor no one can stop us! (Re-read Romans 8 to see again that list!)

PRAYER: Loving God, fill me with You. Make me strong, especially when we feel weak. Help us see when we feel blinded by so much around us. Help us hear Your voice when other voices and distractions come our way. Grant us victory in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Show others you belong to God and are being made righteous each moment, each day.

Receive my blessings of love and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Ready for the Test, Jesus?

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1 Next Jesus was taken into the wild by the Spirit for the Test. The Devil was ready to give it. 2 Jesus prepared for the Test by fasting forty days and forty nights. That left him, of course, in a state of extreme hunger, 3 which the Devil took advantage of in the first test: "Since you are God's Son, speak the word that will turn these stones into loaves of bread." 4 Jesus answered by quoting Deuteronomy: "It takes more than bread to stay alive. It takes a steady stream of words from God's mouth."5 For the second test the Devil took him to the Holy City. He sat him on top of the Temple and said, 6 "Since you are God's Son, jump." The Devil goaded him by quoting Psalm 91: "He has placed you in the care of angels. They will catch you so that you won't so much as stub your toe on a stone." 7 Jesus countered with another citation from Deuteronomy: "Don't you dare test the Lord your God." 8 For the third test, the Devil took him on the peak of a huge mountain. He gestured expansively, pointing out all the earth's kingdoms, how glorious they all were. 9 Then he said, "They're yours - lock, stock, and barrel. Just go down on your knees and worship me, and they're yours." 10 Jesus' refusal was curt: "Beat it, Satan!" He backed his rebuke with a third quotation from Deuteronomy: "Worship the Lord your God, and only him. Serve him with absolute single-heartedness." 11 The Test was over. The Devil left. And in his place, angels! Angels came and took care of Jesus' needs. (Matthew 4:1-11 The Message Bible)

"Do you have a blue book?" One of the most frightening questions I ever had asked of me in college. I spent a fortune on books and not one of them, to the best of my recollection, was blue. And if it was, I knew it was not the book for this class. The person asking the question explained that a blue book was a lined book for taking tests and could be purchased at the college bookstore. I thank God that I was ready for the test with the academic knowledge I needed, but had not this person asked me about the proper place on which to answer the questions for said exam, I would have been sunk!

Fasting is the key to understanding and experiencing Lent. And for Jesus' BIG test, He did just that. He gave up food for forty days and forty nights, to feast on the Word and Spirit of God. The proctor for this test was none other than the enemy of His Father. This version of the Bible says, "The Devil was read to give it." Why not? A one-on-one showdown with the Boss' Son? Showoff in the showcase was the devil's thinking; I can shame Son and Dad with each blow! And boy is He hungry! 40 days and nights with no food, man is He hungry and weak! I shall start with the obvious; His tummy! So, the tester says, "Since You are God's Son, speak the word that will turn these stones into loaves of bread." What a challenge, nothing speaks to the heart and stomach of a hungry man than a loaf of bread. Make it a fresh-baked hot loaf of bread and you will find me in line to get a piece! Add some butter and we're totally in business! Silly Devil, you're up against the Son of God! Just hear what Jesus says to this tempter, "It takes more than bread to stay alive. It takes a steady stream of words from God's mouth." Here is the key from fasting. If we "give up" something that we need to stay alive, and "take up" prayer, Bible study, worship; that is fasting. I've shared how as a child of Protestant parents of the Hispanic kind, Lent was foreign to me and so my first encounter was with a Catholic friend who said he had given up candy for Lent. "WHAT?" was my mental response but at that age, may have been said out loud. I thanked my God immediately that I was not a Catholic and was blessed to be a Protestant. But, years later, the observance of Lent came our way.

There came a second test for Jesus, where the devil took Jesus to Jerusalem and placed Him on the top of the temple and said, "Jump, since you are God's Son..." And the devil adds in some scripture, like that of Psalm 91 where the devil reminds Jesus that He's in the care of angels, so much so, You won't so much as stub your toe on a stone." Well, you can't, even if you are the devil, go one-on-one with Jesus on scripture because you won't win. Jesus says, quoting from Deuteronomy, "Don't you dare test the Lord your God." Score thus far: Devil 0, Jesus 2.

Third and final test. The devil takes Jesus to a high mountain (Not the Hill Country types we have near here) and once there, the devil says that he will give them to Jesus if Jesus will get on His knees and worship him and they, the kingdoms of the earth, "lock, stock, and barrel." Jesus now says, "Beat it, Satan!" Again, Jesus uses Scripture, again from Deuteronomy, "Worship the Lord Your God, and only Him. Serve Him with absolute single-heartedness." Test over. Jesus won. The devil had no choice but to leave. He leaves and angels arrive to minister to Jesus' needs.

Lent is our forty-day journey to prepare our hearts, minds, bodies, and spirits for all that Easter brings. It means that we need more of God to more fully understand and appreciate the meaning and power of God at the main event that is Crucifixion and Resurrection. The key is to trust God more than yourself and to trust God to fight against the wiles of the devil. Are you ready?

PRAYER: Loving God, prepare my heart, mind, body and spirit to walk with You closely during the time of Lent. As I prepare for Ash Wednesday, may I be reminded over and over again, that I am Yours and that You are mine. Let me grow in my spiritual life by taking up prayer for my own good and growth. In Christ Jesus' strong name I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord. YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Grow in the prayer department of your life right now.

Receive my blessings of joy and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Out of This World!

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1 After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. 3 Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus. 4 Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” 5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” 6 When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. 7 But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.” 8 When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus. 9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.” (Matthew 17:1-9 New International Version Bible)

A happy and blessed Monday to you, dear Froemd. I pray the rich blessings of God be yours in awesome ways. We continue to be people of prayer asking prayers for those who have asked prayers from us. It is with a sad heart that we report that Mr. Michael Birdwell died this weekend. We pray God's comfort be with Betty and all who love Michael. I also ask prayers for my brother-in-law, Armando "Mando" Rosales, who's in the hospital with some issues, among them Covid and some heart concerns. Please pray for him and his family. Mando is Nellie's brother. Also, prayers for the family of Mr. Michael Ramirez, a young man whom Nellie and I have known for most of his life, who died this weekend; he died this weekend in San Antonio. Michael's older sister, Martha died not too long ago, and both of them were our childcare givers to our daughters when we lived in San Antonio. May God's comfort be with the family. Pray for one another. Pray for the needs of the world. Also, I just got a text message from Rev. George Barcus, whose wife Linda just underwent cancer treatment, and George writes, "She has some pain on her side and was having difficulty breathing, and they found she has some blood clots in her left lung. She's been admitted to the hospital in Flagstaff, AZ. Pray for her healing and George's comfort.

This past week on the campus of Asbury University, in Wilmore, KY, during their regularly scheduled worship service, a revival began. For three days the students that had gathered there, and loads more who decided to join them, did not leave as the Holy Spirit moved among that campus, then moved to another university, and even down the road to The University of Kentucky. God did a supernatural thing among mortals in an amazing, unexplainable way. God's ways are mysterious and powerful. God's ways are also loving and involved; God has a way to reach those who yearn for Him. It is a continuation of what God started in Jesus.

We can only imagine what the lives of the disciples was during their time with Jesus. The series The Chosen has done a superb job of showing us some of what may have been happening "behind the scenes" of some of the shared stories and miracles of our Lord. There was no telling what awaited them each day; some days great signs and wonders, others, trials and tribulations. Some days calm, some days filled with excitement. And then there was the prayer. Jesus practiced it and taught it to the disciples and some days were just difficult to explain or understand; this was one of those days. The big three of the disciples, Peter, James, and John are invited by Jesus to a mountain top experience. While the three were on the mountain, Jesus is transfigured right before their very own eyes. Transfiguration means that the outline of Jesus' body remained the same, but the inside was no longer flesh, it was revealing the divine nature of Him to them. The verse says, "His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light." An attempt by Matthew to record that which he never forgot; Jesus was not truly of this world, while yes, He was. And to accent this, there appears to them two characters of the Old Testament; Moses and Elijah, who are speaking to Jesus. This was a Holy Spirit event for these three understood and recognized two Old Testament persons for who they were. This did not mean they didn't lose their minds in trying to make sense of this as evidenced by Peter who knows only to say, "Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters -- one for You, one for Moses and one for Elijah." Shelters, Peter? From what? For what? To allow these two giants of the faith to spend the night? The discussion didn't take long because Peter gets interrupted by a voice that comes from a bright cloud that is now covering them, and that voice says, "This is my Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased. Listen to Him!" This was what terrified the three and they fell facedown to the ground, not knowing what to do; for they had heard the voice of God, Who again declares Jesus to be His Son. Gulp. It was the touch of Jesus that they needed to get up again and continue their journey. It was the words of Jesus who tells them, "Don't be afraid." At that, the three were once again alone with Jesus. Wow

I don't know about you, but I would be bursting at the seams to tell this story to anyone who would listen to me. Yet, Jesus says, "Don't tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead." That would have been enough, "Yes, Lord, I will keep quiet, but I can't wait to tell others I have been with Jesus, I have seen Moses and I saw Elijah in the flesh!"

What have you seen? Whom have you told?

PRAYER: Lord, we stand humbled before You and what You can do. Let us truly be what You want us to be; let us show that we belong to You and are guided by You; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Be a transfigured person for God.

Receive my blessings of joy and love,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Be Careful Little Feet Where You Go!

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Hear the devotional here: https://anchor.fm/eradio-valverde/episodes/Be-Careful-Little-Feet-Where-You-Go-e1umfl2

1 You're blessed when you stay on course, walking steadily on the road revealed by God. 2 You're blessed when you follow his directions, doing your best to find him. 3 That's right - you don't go off on your own; you walk straight along the road he set. 4 You, God, prescribed the right way to live; now you expect us to live it. 5 Oh, that my steps might be steady, keeping to the course you set; 6 Then I'd never have any regrets in comparing my life with your counsel. 7 I thank you for speaking straight from your heart; I learn the pattern of your righteous ways. 8 I'm going to do what you tell me to do; don't ever walk off and leave me. (Psalm 119:1-8 The Message Bible)

I thank God that my life was shaped by Sunday school, Vacation Bible School, and all the activies of children's ministry, MYF, young adults, etc. I was especially taught by the many songs that we learned during that time. One of the songs that came to mind as I prepared yesterday's devotional, continues today. The verses from this paslm reminded me of that part of the song that said, "Be careful little feet where you go, for the Father up above is looking down with love, so be careful little feet where you go." I've linked a video that has kids singing it below. The verses of the song go with what the Bible teach us and this Psalm is part of that.

Yesterday we heard Moses' sermon on preparing for entry into God's promises. Today the psalmist is explaining how when we act on what we hear or learn, those first steps are opening fully the doors of that blessing God has prepared for us. Sometimes, it is just that first step that keeps us from fully receiving what God has prepared for us; and the reasons are many. Doubt. Distrust in ourselves. Lazyness. Insecurity. Fear. David is saying, "Walk!" Walk on course, but walk steadily on the path prepared by God. The blessings come when we take actionj, walk forward, and enjoy the walk. I heard a young man speak of his transformation when he came to the realization that he needed to do this in his life. He believed that if he would simply say, "Lord, help me find favor in You in this day with those I meet," and everything changed. He went from being a D student to being a top student. His faith allowed him to see and understand people in a better and different way, and this new attitude helped him to stand out and to have better faith in himself. The psalmist has declared that God has "prescribed the right way to live," and our trusting Him helps us become the persons He has declared, and helps us walk closer to God. God will never leave or desert us.

Now, having heard that dear one, let your first step be bold; show everyone the spring in your step because you're not walking alone - you're in for the win with God by your side.

¡Vamonos!

PRAYER: Loving God, onward and upward with You by our side! In Christ Jesus, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Take that first step! Invite others.

Receive my blessings of joy and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pG4v48drVo

It's Your Choice!

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15 See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. 16 For I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess. 17 But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, 18 I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess. 19 This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live 20 and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. (Deuteronomy 30:15-20 NIV)

Happy Wednesday, Friend! May the rich blessings of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you and all of your friends family, neighbors, and community. I pray this finds you well, as it finds Nellie and me on the road to wellness. We saw our doctor this afternoon and just seeing him is a blessing, as is, of course, his wise counsel and prescriptions for getting better. Thank you, Doctor Hisey! And our thanks to all of you for your prayers. I have no updates on our sister Lupe, but let us continue to pray God's healing upon her. Let us continue to pray for one another, for our community, for our nation and our world.

If the Sermon on the Mount is the greatest sermon ever, then this is a very close second. Preached by Moses on the event of Israel's crossing into the Promised Land. This in and of itself, was a very special event. The promise of God is being fulfilled and they will be the ones living the promise by walking into Canaan, the land given to Israel by God. The mood is electic I believe, for hopes and dreams, prophecies and predictions, are going to happen in a matter of minutes. To the Disney fan, this is very much like rope-dropping; the dropping of the ropes that prevent Disney guests from entering the theme parks. Okay, some of you don't completely understand, and I'll try another example in a bit. Rope-dropping allows the early worm to get on the desired rides. Imagine getting to your favorite football team's stadium on the opening day of the season. Kyle Field or The Tomato Bowl. You have your ticket and as soon as the gates open, you will be just where you want to be. But first, you get hear your coach say a word to fans and players alike. "This is our year! We are going all the way!" Fill in the blanks and chuckle as this coming weekend pretty much ends football. (Wives: Go console your husbands!). Seriously, this was bigger even than being an Eagles or Chiefs fan as the day will determine who is the Super Bowl champion for this year. Much bigger.

We read and heard the part where Moses spells out the choices facing the people of God. "It's your choice friends; you choose what you want and what you believe would best serve you and best serve God. You can choose life and prosperity or you can choose death and destruction." Funny, as even today many make choices similar to these and still end up choosing the wrong door! They may not fully realize it at the moment, but still they choose things that will ultimately lead them to spiritual death and eventual death. I can sadly think back to dear friends who are no longer with us because they made the wrong choice for the day or for their life. A dear dear friend chose to skip school to spend the day swimming in the wrong place, and drowned. The young lady making a decision to try recreational drugs only to find later she was enslaved to them and they led her away from life into death.

The command from Moses is for the people to love God, to walk with God in obedience to Him, to keep God's commands, decrees and laws, and the result will be to live a full life and increased blessings to boot. Yet, Moses says, you can choose to be disobedient, even to the point of bowing down to false gods and the worship of idols; you will be destroyed. Moses then calls on the heavens and the earth to come as witnesses against those of you who make such choices. The ultimate choice, Moses says, are life and death, blessings and curses. "Choose life," Moses says, "So that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to His voice, and hold fast to Him. For the Lord is your life, and He will give you many years in the land He swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob." The truth is that this challenge by Moses is one that does come to us daily. Every day, God gives us life and the freedom to choose what we want. We were given free will. The choices may not be as obvious as they could be; some are subtle and sneaky, and we were told by Jesus to be as wise as serpents, so that we could make the right life-filled choices. God would provide us that wisdom if we would but ask. Choose each day that which will bless your life.

PRAYER: Loving God, may we be wise by listening to You. Guide us away from temptation and that which may destroy us. Help to help others; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Choose life and prosperity; blessings not curses.

Receive my blessings of hope and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Fulfillment of the Law

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Hear the devotional https://anchor.fm/eradio-valverde/episodes/Fulfillment-of-the-Law-e1uh44t

View here: https://www.tiktok.com/@eradiovalverde/video/7196888758904507691

21 “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca ,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell. 23 “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift. 25 “Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. 26 Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny. 27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell. 31 “It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’ 32 But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery. 33 “Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’ 34 But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. 36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. 37 All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one. (Matthew 5:21-37 New Interntional Version)

There existed a secret Father's School in the 1950s. Or, at least I'm firmly convinced. I can't say all fathers attended there, but the good ones did. I count my Dad as one ot is graduates and whose sayings solidified my belief that the good dads went there. "Do as I say, not as I do." This was one. The other, "This is going to hurt me more, than it will you." Those who know, know. Those who don't, let me tell you. This was done immediately prior to a spanking. It was, from my perspective, a lie. Well, until I had kids of my own and thought about, without saying, this saying. He was right.

Today's passage made me think of my Dad. He was a loving, but stern man, who wanted the best for, and especially from us. My Dad knew and loved God, was thankful to God for the children he and my Mom were blessed with, and knew and accepted the huge responsibility of trying to raise us right. And this passage from our Lord is right in line with what God wants from you and me. And the beauty of this passage is that Jesus is making come true what He had been saying about the law, and His personal role in fulfilling the Law. The Ten Commandments have as one of the big ten, Thou shall not kill. For years, people understood that straight forward that we respect life and we not take the life of another. We hear now, a phrase that I don't particularly like, but hear it more and more, "We don't unalive someone." Jesus said, "that's all fine and good, but listen, if you're angry at your brother or sister, you are guilty of murder." Ouch, what? Yes, that is how serious God takes the "un-aliving" any part of another's life, including anger, insults, anything that takes life away from another person by you. Wow! Okay, we can better understand the law now. Jesus did and we wonder what did the priests, scribes, and other religous leaders understand this too?

Then Jesus gets really personal. Jesus goes into marriage issues! The law against adultery also was a solid one that most understand, but again, Jesus goes into the root of the sin; If you look at another in a lustful manner, Jesus says, you're guilty of adultery. And He further stresses personal control as a way to help your mind and spirit stay on God's path. Jesus explains our controlling our eyes, and calls to mind, the old Sunday/Vacation Bible school song, "Be careful little eyes what you see..." (Okay, I know that's your earworm for today...sorry).

Then Jesus discusses the seriousness of marriage by explaining divorce is not a good idea unless it is for the right reason. Jesus knew that even in the days of Moses, people chose frivolous reasons to divorce and so, Jesus stresses that those who divorce for the wrong reason cause furhter sin on the ex-spouse. Truly, no bueno.

Then, Jesus closes out this part of the Sermon on the Mount by talking about vows. Now, admit it, you have have said, at least once in your life, "I swear to..." Some have said, "to God, " or any number of things. It was meant to truly and completely convince the other person we were telling the truth. "Cross my heart and hope to die." Really? Jesus is asking this, too, "Really?" Jesus asks who we think we are to swear by anything, since nothing really is ours on which by which we can swear. Can we really swear by Heaven? No, Jesus says, "Heaven is God's throne." He also says the earth belongs to God as well, for it is "His footstool." Can we swear by our heads? How much control do we truly have over our heads? Can we make a hair white or black? No. Jesus says, be people whose yes is yes, and no is no; beyond that anything we may say comes not from us, but from the evil one.

PRAYER: Loving God, help us to be truly Yours. Help us be the people You meant us to be. Let us be honorable and genuine in all our dealings. May we truly glorify God by our thoughts, our words, and actions. May we transform the world by who we truly are; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Say yes when you mean yes, and no when you mean no.

Receive my blessings of joy and love,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

May we continue to pray for Lupe and her recovery; for those who have asked prayers from us, and for those who don't even know they need healing. Pray for one another. Be people of contagious love!

POWER AND LIGHT

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13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. 14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. 19 Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:13-20 NIV)

Welcome back to ConCafe, Friend! I say that to you, and to me! Man, whatever virus or bug is out there, avoid it at all costs! I thank God I am back amongst the living, for the most part, but thankful I can see well enough to type this devotional. I had pink eye in both eyes and as an added bonus, an upper respiratory infection. I thank you all for your prayers and good thoughts. Please continue to pray for Nellie as she's a couple of steps behind me and your prayers will bless her. Pray for others who may have the "joy" of this illness as I've heard there are many out there with it. Also, please pray for those who are in the cold spots of this winter, especially here in our area. Please pray and do something, if you can, for the homeless or the shelters that help house them. Donate coats and blankets if you can. Pray for one another. Pray for the needs of the world.

One of my favorite worship services is the Christmas Eve service when we begin lighting candles. Even as a child when old enough to hold my own candle, I was thrilled to no end in being a part of that which broke the darkness. I have thanked God that even my youngest grandkids can relate to what is happening. I also remember when the opposite takes place and the very first time I tried a Tenebrae Service, I did so in a church that had never had one before. On this particular night our head usher was running late and he came in when we were almost in total darkness. He entered and said rather loudly, "Why is it so dark in here?" and proceeded to turn on all the lights! Thankfully, his daughter was the SPRC Chair and she ran to quickly correct Daddy and what he had done.

We find ourselves at the second part of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. After Jesus shared what God offers to us, Jesus tells us what is expected of us as believers. With the words of encouragement of what God provides, now it's out turn to turn on the power and light! Jesus says we are the salt of the earth. Our lifestyle when in step with God's righteousness allows us to season life in a positive way. Jesus knew that the people related to the main purpose of salt as seasoning in daily life. Nothing ruins a meal like a meal with no salt. I've shared how my first attempt at a carne guisada I added all the spices that I knew the meat required, but the one ingredient that I forgot was the salt. There is no such thing as trying to cook in salt after you miss that window of when it should be there. And table salt after the meal is served is useless. William Barclay's multi-volume Daily Study Bible on this passage also sahres how salt is also used as a preservative, which called to my mind the number of old Western movies where meat was coated in salt to help keep it from spoiling too early. Apply that to daily life. The third use, and this very common in Jesus' day was the use of salt as a coat of insulation in the ovens of the day. A well spread layer of salt along the bottom of the oven helped the heat spread evenly to better cook the meal being prepared. How would that impact daily life by believers towards the pre-believers?

The other impact Jesus says we can have is to be the light the world so desperately needs. We should live in such a powerful way that cannot be hidden because of the impact we can have on nonbelievers. Our light, that is our strong faith, should be shared in ways that encourage others to join in and become believers as well. Jesus tells the crowd as well as us, that His mission was not to abolish anything, but to fulfill the law. Jesus knew no one was even trying to build up the law; God's love behind the law was not being taught nor demonstrated; the emphasis was on the do not's of the law as interpreted by the religious leaders of the time. Jesus' treatment of the law showed the depth of His understanding and commitment to God's intent behind each commandment and law. We are called not only to discover the love behind the law but also to show that love to every person, without exception or distinction. We are called to righteousness to reach all people.

PRAYER: Loving God, empower us to live and love like You. May we be open to your leading and nudges to bless others. Truly help us to add seasoning, flavor, preservation, and fullness to life. May our lives reflect Your love; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Shine forth the Light of Jesus to all.

Receive my blessings of love and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.