An Abundance Mentality

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13 When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. 14 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick. 15 As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.” 16 Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.” 17 “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered. 18 “Bring them here to me,” he said. 19 And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. 20 They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. 21 The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children. (Matthew 14:13-21 NIV Bible)

To my teacher and student readers, dare I say, Welcome Back to School!? Yes, though my school days are long behind me, I still remember the lament I would share when July ended and August rolled in much too fast... But soon I realized the importance of school and the education I was getting. May the Lord bless and protect you all is my prayer!

I remember school lunch period very well. Mostly my high school years. We were already in Houston and I attended, and graduate from, James Madison High School. (GO MARLINS!). My favorite lunch was always a baloney and cheese sandwich on white bread with mayonnaise. We had an assortment of chips in those days, but NOT compared to today's chips that cater to all people, including Pumpkin Spice Potato chips. Okay, that's a joke. Maybe. But, I will never forget the day we had no baloney in the house. I didn't know when I woke up, but the smell of Mom's fried chicken should have been a giveaway. I went to the kitchen and Mom said, "We have no baloney, so you're taking chicken for lunch." Uh? I miss my Mom but that day I had mixed feelings. I LOVED her fried chicken, and I shared on FaceBook how that was her super power. She and my grandma could get out of our car after church and by the time I walked to the back of our very short driveway to fetch the 55 lb. Sunday paper, she and my "Momo" were in housecoats and two skillets filled with frying chicken were in the works. But on that day when I got to school, Mom had put a drumstick between two bread slices. I chuckled as I wondered how in the world do I eat this?

I began to think about the household where a little boy, let's call him Nathaniel, is getting his lunch prepared by his mother and he's excited because the traveling preacher named Jesus was coming near his home. His lunch was typical of a seaside village, two fish, and five loaves of barley bread. "Where's the Twinkies, Ma?!" These were wrapped with cloth and placed in a basket, and off went Nate to the event.

The sermon was awesome as it followed a series of miracles of Jesus healing the sick, and it being late, was time for lunch. This being a remote place and places like restaurants did not yet exist and so the disciples are anxious about the people might eat. And they suggest the crowd go into town and just buy food. This was years before pot lucks and covered dishes! Jesus responds that they should give them something to eat. Right here I would say the disciples were operating from a scarcity mentality, I.e. "There's no way" or "There's not enough out here." But Jesus throws it back to them as He says, "You do it." He wanted them to see that when there seems not to be enough, trust God and God will provide, but do take the step towards an abundance mentality. Many of the churches I served wanted a fact-based budget, meaning that once we had a stewardship campaign and based on what people had promised, that would help us make a budget. I've always believed in faith-based budgets; God will provide if we trust Him and do our part in preaching about the spiritual nature behind stewardship. This event was a stewardship moment for Our Lord, Who spoke more on money and possession than prayer. The question becomes, what do we have? In this case, it was little Nathaniel who was there with his Momma-packed lunch. We don't know if the disciples asked who had food, or after hearing there was a need, Nate spoke up, but he offered ALL he had, which most would have said, "That's not much, or not enough!" But these were taken to Jesus; two fish and five barley loaves. Some would say, "Even if we cut these up into tiny pieces, how could a large crowd as this eat?"

Jesus graciously receives this love offering of a little boy. We notice that Jesus does not say with anger, "What is this?? How dare you offer these crumbs to God's work?" No, Jesus received with gratitude the faith of this little boy. Notice what Jesus does first. He looks up toward Heaven and give thanks, and broke the loaves. Then Jesus hands them to the disciples and they to the people, and everyone there ate, and the Bible says, "They were satisfied." All from one little boy's lunch, no, make that, one little boy's faith to share. This was a miracle! Five thousand men, not counting the women and children, ate from this little lunch and the leftovers fit into twelve baskets of the broken pieces of the fish and bread.

We can only imagine what little Nate said to Mom when he got home. Did she believe him? Of course, she's the mom and has to believe her son. Did Nate's friends believe him? It didn't matter. Nate lived it. Nate saw it happen. And in a very real way, his life was never the same. And neither were the people who ate this food from God. Their faith was blessed in ways they never thought possible, and this Jesus, the traveling preacher, was someone unlike any other they had even seen or heard. All that God has shared or done for us, should also make us realize our lives will never be the same again either.

PRAYER: Loving God, for what You have done, we are thankful. Help us move away from a mentality of scarcity into Your realm of abundance in all things; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Live a life that shows off the abundance you have found in God.

Receive my blessings of joy and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

A Good Memory

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1 Hallelujah! Thank God! Pray to him by name! Tell everyone you meet what he has done! 2 Sing him songs, belt out hymns, translate his wonders into music! 3 Honor his holy name with Hallelujahs, you who seek God. Live a happy life! 4 Keep your eyes open for God, watch for his works; be alert for signs of his presence. 5 Remember the world of wonders he has made, his miracles, and the verdicts he's rendered - 6 O seed of Abraham, his servant, O child of Jacob, his chosen. 7 He's God, our God, in charge of the whole earth. 8 And he remembers, remembers his Covenant - for a thousand generations he's been as good as his word. 9 It's the Covenant he made with Abraham, the same oath he swore to Isaac, 10 The very statute he established with Jacob, the eternal Covenant with Israel, 11 Namely, "I give you the land. Canaan is your hill-country inheritance." 45 So they could do everything he told them - could follow his instructions to the letter. (Psalm 105:1-11, 45b The Message Bible)

Friend, as we pray today, please pray for Mr. Max Perez, former pastor in the Rio Texas Conference, now living in Dallas, who has been in the hospital for cardiac issues. Pray for his recover and for an appointment he has with a cardiologist today in Dallas. May God bring healing to this brother, whom I've known since his childhood. May God bless you for blessing others with your prayers.

My mother would tell us the story of the circus elephant who was burned with a cigarette by a mean man. The man laughed and laughed, she said, at the pain he had caused the elephant. Several years later, the same circus came to town, and the same elephant saw the man in the crowd that had burned him and went over and killed him. A great story about memory, maybe not much else. But I loved it and remember even to this day. This psalm is about memory, too, for we usually forget much too soon, the good God has done for us. And forgetting usually means that we may walk away from God. If we remember we should thank and praise God for His goodness and for all God has done in our history. We should never forget God's name nor His deeds, the psalmist says. It should be such good news that we hold nothing back from those we meet. If we are able to honor God with songs of hallelujahs, and by seeking Him daily. And the connection to all the passages from this week is the mention of yesterday's wrestler, Mr. Jacob and his lineage who is chosen and special. The God who made the covenant with Abraham will never forget nor forsake that covenant. The covenant passed on to each son, including Hulk Jacob. God is a God whose memory of His promises never forgets His word for His people. All that God promised to Abraham holds true for Jacob and all the sons and daughters who follow.

Everything about God is eternal. Love. word, promises, His Love, also all eternal. As the the psalm concludes with a simple but powerful call to praise the Lord, We should see that the purpose of remembering God's faithfulness is to lead us to a life of obedience and devotion. As we reflect on God's goodness and grace, may our hearts overflow with praise and may our lives be a testament to His faithfulness.

PRAYER: Lord, bless our hearts and minds with thoughts of thankfulness and praise. May we never forget all that You do for us so that we can continue to be faithful; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord. YOUR CALL TO ACTION: May our memories remind us over and over again of God's faithfulness.

Receive my blessings of love and joy,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

God Rules!

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22 But during the night he got up and took his two wives, his two maidservants, and his eleven children and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. 23 He got them safely across the brook along with all his possessions. 24 But Jacob stayed behind by himself, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. 25 When the man saw that he couldn't get the best of Jacob as they wrestled, he deliberately threw Jacob's hip out of joint. 26 The man said, "Let me go; it's daybreak." Jacob said, "I'm not letting you go 'til you bless me." 27 The man said, "What's your name?" He answered, "Jacob." 28 The man said, "But no longer. Your name is no longer Jacob. From now on it's Israel (God-Wrestler); you've wrestled with God and you've come through." 29 Jacob asked, "And what's your name?" The man said, "Why do you want to know my name?" And then, right then and there, he blessed him. 30 Jacob named the place Peniel (God's Face) because, he said, "I saw God face-to-face and lived to tell the story!" 31 The sun came up as he left Peniel, limping because of his hip. (Genesis 32:22-31 The Message Bible)

Happy Wednesday, dear Friend! May the blessings of God be a wonderful surprise of opportunties to bless others!

One of the amazing things of moving to Houston was that we lived near downtown where Friday Night Wrestling happened. And more amazing was my Dad's cousin, Manuel, lived right across the street from the hall that held the sport. And even better than that, admission was 50¢! So, free parking, half a buck entry fee, and an evening with Dad and my two brothers and Wahoo McDaniel against Professor Malenko! A night in heaven in other words! So, dear ones, if you too, like 'rassling, you're going to love this story!

We catch up with ole Jacob, stll on the run with all his tribe loaded up with him. He allows the family to cross a brook and he himself decides to stay behind by himself and out of nowhere comes a man wanting to wrestle him! Free admission, no parkikng needed; a long night of combat, and this one real, not staged nor fake, as heathens have accused that great American pasttime like Friday night wrestling in Houston. This is the night before Jacob meets again his twin brother, the onw who's had Jacob on the run for so long. The purpose of the meeting is to reconcile but inside Jacob knows that his history with his brother may make the reconciliation a difficult endeavor. Jacob had to have been struggling with what he had said, thought, and done against his twin, and may honestly believe that he was not worthy to receive any mercy. This "man" whom Jacob wrestles for the entire night was a divine being and the squabble over who or what he was, still is not settled. Some have said he was an angel, others that this was a form God Himself took prior to His becoming incarnate man.

The evening's match ended with a draw. The best the "man" could get from Jacob was that he deliberately popped Jacob's hip out of joint. The man also had to ask Jacob to let him go and Jacob, ever the clever, dare I say, sneaky guy, says he will not unless the man gives him a blessing. The man asks Jacob his name, and Jacob says "Jacob," and the man says, "No longer, Your name is no longer Jacob; from now on you will be known as Israel, which means He Who Wrestles God. Jacob has to ask the man's name. The man aks why he must know his name, and instead of answering, He blesses Jacob. Jacob names the place Peniel, meaning God's Face and the sun comes up as Jacob limps his way toward his meeting.

Jacob's new name comes as a sign of transformation, one of a spiritual nature and this marks the moment when Jacob becomes the father of the twelve tribes, the people of God and established a covenant relationship with God. One could almost say this was to reward Jacob's faith and determination. He fought all night with God as he sought God's blessing and forgiveness. This sets a tone for us to not give up in our struggles, especially in our case where we know God is not wrestling against us, but alongside us, on His side.

Jacob could say, in the way this version says, "I saw God face-to-face and live to tell the story!" Indeed. We have lived after seeing God battle on our behalf. We should be thankful and should testify about God's strength and ability to bless us in our struggles and battles. Yes, some of our struggles are very real and not staged at all; and with God on our side we will be victorious.

PRAYER: Loving God, eternal Victor in all struggles, lift up when we fall. Hold us when we're faint, and right us when we are wrong; but let us win the battles against evil that we fight; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Help others in their fights!

Receive my blessings of joy and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Help in Prayer

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26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. 28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. 31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:26-39 NIV Bible)

When I was in Cub Scouts for one of the merit badges I wanted, I had to take a six-mile hike. My best friend Alex was always up for whatever was going down, and so early one Saturday morning, following a path drawn by my mother, Alex and me started our hike. We had canteens, our favorite shoes, and blue jeans and our uniform shirts on, and off we went. The day turned out to be hot, but nothing like it's been here lately, but nonetheless the sun beating down on us. The route was simple but a bit difficult due to the heat. Walked from our houses on Avenue A to Texas A&I University and followed that street out of town and almost to the Celenese plant, which yes, was called in those days, Smellanese because of the vapors and odors that came out of the plant in those days. Our next-door neighbor, Mr. Mendoza, was the first Mexican American hired to work at that plant. Once we were near to the plant we took the road that led to the highway and turned back towards Kingsville, taking Highway 77. It was the company of Alex, our conversation, our jokes, that made the journey bearable. It was towards the end when the heat, sweat, and the six miles of walking that had us worn down. Had we been asked to pray at that time, we would have passed. "Call on someone else to pray, we're too tired!"

In the same way we have been at points in our lives where we have been overwhelmed by life and some of the unexpected bends and turns it has led us down, and we find that don't quite have the words for prayer. It's in the midst of our parched hearts that we can encounter the oasis of God's presence, where the Holy Spirit stands ready to help us in our prayers. If we drink deeply from this divine well, we will discover that it is the Spirit's assistance that can transform our weaknesses into opportunities for growth and communion with God.

When we are at a loss for words, when our emotions overwhelm us, and when we struggle to find the right prayer, the Spirit intercedes on our behalf, expressing the unspoken groanings of our hearts to the Father. The Spirit understands us intimately, and His intercession aligns our prayers with God's perfect will. What can we learn from this passage? Paul shares, I believe, four new understandings of this relationship with God. The first is the comfort of knowing God's help. There is no such thing as a "perfect" prayer. I've shared how when I was an undergraduate, my pastor in Houston prayed the most awesome prayers I had ever heard. I dared compare his ability to pray at a PhD level. Yes, "Pretty Heavenly Divine" prayers were what he specialized. I said when he called on me to pray I felt at best at a GED level, a "Get 'Er Done" and the faster the better! But the Spirit takes our groans and sobs and turns them into personal prayers prayed right into God's ears and heart. The Spirit is our ever-present guide and advocate, who provides comfort and assurance that our prayers are being heard and that we have truly meant it when we have said, "Thy will be done."

I believe Paul wants us to know that we can embrace weakness as an opportunity for growth. Instead of viewing our weaknesses as hindrances, we can see them as opportunities for the Spirit's transformative work in our prayer life. If we can learn to surrender our limitations to God, the Spirit will empower us to grow and mature in our communication with Him.

We can learn that God's goodness is in our prayer journey. As we lean on the Spirit's assistance, we can discover that even in our weakest, God's plan is unfolding. It is the Spirit's role to lead us into God's purposes, aligning our hearts with God's heart. We can trust that in every circumstance, God is working for our good and His glory.

And the fourth thing is that we can be conformed to the image of Christ. It is through the Spirit's help, our prayer life becomes a process of tansformation. If we surrender to His guidance, we are shaped into the image of Christ, reflecting His love, compassion, and character in our prayers and actions.

Paul is making the point that we should never give up on our prayers. We need to stay connected to God, trusting in His will and purpose, and knowing that whomever or whatever we have lifted up, God will take care of it. A steady prayer life will bless us and help us mature. We should pray with confidence and trust. This will bless our spiritual life as we mature into God's perfect plan.

PRAYER: Loving Father, we are humbled and grateful for the assurance that Your Spirit is our ever-helping partner in prayer. May we trust the comfort and guidance that He will be with us in our moments of weaknesses and uncertainty. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Pray more. Trust more.

Receive my blessings of joy and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

The Kingdom is Like...

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31 He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. 32 Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.” 33 He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough.” 44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. 45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. 46 When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it. 47 “Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. 48 When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. 49 This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous 50 and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 51 “Have you understood all these things?” Jesus asked. “Yes,” they replied. 52 He said to them, “Therefore every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.” (Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52 NIV Bible)

We recently bought a spice rack. Yes, forty-five years into our marriage and we have a spinning spice rack. We' used to just place them in the kitchen cabinets, but seeing one of a cooking show, Reverend here thought it would be good to order one and I did. I didn't factor in that such a spice rack would have those spices that a Mexican household would need and use. In our discussion the mustard seed came up. Yes, it is a spice and it is used when making something dill, like pickles. But in Jesus' time it was used to plant and grow as a garden plant. The point Jesus was making however was that as the smallest of seeds, if planted, grows into the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree where bird could come and rest on it. How does that apply to our faith, if we use our faith like God intended, great things can come of it and we can bless all kinds of people. Jesus is reassuring us to have faith and use our faith no matter how little we think we have.

Jesus then talks about yeast, and I must admit that yeast was mostly unknown in my growing up. I know it is a powerful element in baking, and precisely Jesus says that yeast worked its way through sixty pounds of flour, transforming it into yummy bread. In the same way, our words, actions, service could work its way through needy lives and transform them into better people.

Jesus speaks of a treasure hidden in a field. As a boy who played a lot on fields, empty lots, a city block overrun by trees and weeds we called "the woods," part of our fun was thinking that surely in one of them there would be a treasure of some sort; we just had to find it. It really didn't matter if it was gold, or silver, just the thought of making such a dramatic discovery that might change our lives! What Jesus is saying was true for me and my life. Once I found Jesus as my Lord and Savior and I learned that God loved me that was the treasure I really needed. This treasure prepared the path as the Lord opened the doors. Strength and calm for a major upheaval from Kingsville to Houston; peace and the pace for new schools; the graduation from high school, and a work-study scholarship at Lon Morris College; a major scholarship to finish my undergraduate degree at Southwestern University, and on to seminary, marriage, children, ministry, grandchildren, and now retirement and ministry-in-retirement, i.e., preaching at various churches, ConCafe, et al. God is good!

Jesus then speaks of a merchant who went in search of pearls; when he finds one so precious he sells all he has to buy it. Again, the pearl of the knowledge of God's saving grace which is available to all and is free to us because Jesus paid the price. Jesus also talks about net dropped into a lake and caught all kinds of fish when full was pulled up to the shore. The fishers sat down and separated the good fish from the bad ones and this, said Jesus, is how it will be at the end of time; the angels of God will separate the righteous people from the wicked, who will be thrown into a furnace where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Jesus asks the disciples if they understood how the kingdom of God is like, to which the disciples answer yes. The question is if we understood this, for Jesus ends with saying that every teacher of the law who becomes a disciple in the kingdom of heaven, will also bring out of their storeroom new and old treasurers.

Friends, thorugh Jesus we have the keys to the Kingdom. Please take one and change your life forever.

PRAYER: Loving God, wow, so much for us because of Your love; help us help other take one of the keys to the kingdom so they won't be left behind or left out; grand us boldness and wisdom to do Thy will; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Bless someone by telling them of the keys to the kingdom!

Receive my blessings of joy and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Present Suffering vs Future Glory

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12 Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. 13 For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. 14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. 18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. 19 For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God. 22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? 25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. (Romans 8:12-25 NIV Bible)

If I told you that Amazon was working with top doctors to make it possible to change a baby's delivery from nine months to next business day, you wouldn't be surprised. Why? Because that is the kind of generation we have become. I'm old enough to remember slow things. I didn't have a phone until I was about six years old, and by having a phone, I'm talking about one nailed to the wall with a cord that would limit our moving around to two feet. Television? We didn't have a set until I was about ten years old. And by television, I'm referring to an oval black and white picture on a tv that sat inside a wooden, yes, real wood, stand. Coffee took several minutes to prepare, as did real food. Yes, I'm old enough to remember tv-dinner being introduced! Doctors came in their black cars with huge doctor's bags and gave shots in the privacy of our own home! (Thanks a lot!). I remember being ecstatic about getting a letter in the mail, and that was when I was in college. "Texts" were folded up ripped out pages from our spiral notebook that had urgent messages that if the teacher intercepted them, we were dead! By the way, Amazon, as far as I know, is not working on such a delivery, but can it be far off?

Paul is talking about living in the moment, guided and blessed by God. HIs only urgency was to talk about Jesus, but he was keenly aware of those in his audience who were truly siuffering the wrath of both government and church. Yes, Paul's own church, the Jewish Church, was hitting him and his followers hard. The goverrnment also was not a fan of people not bowing down to Caesar and their displeasure involved Christians being killed. Paul's message was to "hang in there; don't give up!" In fact, Paul's message at first was, "Jesus is coming soon!" And as the years passed, he had to say, "Well, He is coming; when, I'm not too sure, but He is coming!" This passage was to stress that God was still in command, like Jesus had shared with him. He was a messenger of hope, and this passage is about hope. Yes, some of us are suffering, and unfairly so, but God will come and take us with Him; be patient, don't give up! Our task, Paul stresses, is to wait with hope for God to act.

Paul has outlined where we stand in our relationship with God; we are His children, and as children, heirs of all the good things that God has promised. Our obligation is to live in the Spirit, not in the flesh. The flesh is weak and weakness does not work well with patience. In fact, Paul writes, that sort of weakness leads to death; but the Spirit is stronger and it can grant us resurrection. The Spirit intercedes on our behalf and assures us that we are children, and we can cry out to God with the greeting heard even today in Israel and in Jewish households, "Abba, Father." It was such a joy to be in Jerusalem when we heard little ones holding their dad's hands saying, "Abba, Abba!" And it made me think of this passage.

Whatever it is that we are going through, we will be delivered from this momentary suffering into the eternal reward that is Glory. Sadly, we don't hear many sermons on Glory. Just today Nellie and I were talking about what the food must be like in Heaven. At first I thought only in spiritual terms and thought the delcious thing for us will be to be in the presence of God and I even said, "Will there be food involved?" And immediately corrected myself, "Yes, Jesus spoke of the great feast we will have once we are all together and whatever is served there, even if it is just bread and wine, will be delicious for we will be enjoying it with God and those who have gone before us to be in that celebration. Our work now is to get more people to get ready to join us as believers.

PRAYER: Loving God, bless us in our suffering with the gift of Your presence and peace and may it be translated into hope. Make us people of hope the kind we can share with others; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Be a person of hope to those who are suffering.

Receive my blessings of joy and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Who Knows You Better than God?

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1 You have searched me, LORD, and you know me. 2 You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. 3 You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. 4 Before a word is on my tongue you, LORD, know it completely. 5 You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. 7 Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? 8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. 9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, 10 even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. 11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” 12 even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. 23 Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. (Psalm 139:1-12, 23-24 NIV Bible)

Chances are the one person on earth who knows more about you, if you're married, is your spouse. Mom might be in second place. But in first place of all time and space, is God. The psalmist knew that there was no one who knew him better than God. David knew that he was an open book to his maker and creator, The Lord God. Where do you think Santa Claus got that refrain, "He knows when you've been sleeping, he knows where you're awake?" He stole it from King David! Okay, he wasn't the one who wrote the song, but the writer did "borrow" the idea of an all-knowing entity. But David sincerely and humbly gives God the credit for loving him enough to have searched him and know him. God is that type of God. And yet, David is the first to admit that it's just so awesome to know that God knows him in that way. "Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain." He knows there is nowhere the can go where God is not there! If it were possible for him to get up to the heavens, God was there; if he went down to the depths, God is there already. And if he would go down to some place like Carlsbad Caverns where the darkness is so thick that one cannot see their own hand right in from of them, God could.

I have to admit that this knowledge is awesome, but a bit intimidating because if we stop to ponder the profound significance of what David is saying right here. The Creator of the universe, the God Who spoke galaxies into existence, knows you and me personally. God has searched us, and that includes every corner of our hearts, every hidden thought, every unspoken desire. That is nothing about us that escapes God's notice, and still, and in spite of that, God loves us unconditionally.

I think it is so amazing to consider that God knows our words before we even utter them? Yes, there are some words that I wish I had never thought of using, let alone having allowed them to slip out of my mouth. My first years in ministry I was preaching mostly in Spanish. My Wednesday night worship was a Bible Study in Spanish, and when the United Methodist Women would invite me, I would do a Bible study en español. One of the first nights, I used a word that we had used on the street that I had not considered proper UMW women would consider inappropriate. The look on my bride's face gave it away. No one made a big deal about it, least of all to my face, but that night I could have recorded a video, had that been as readily available as now, confessing to the world that I had embarrassed my wife by using a word that was not proper in a setting such as United Methodist Women. And thank God, He understands our hearts and discerns our intentions before we articulate them. In our moments of silence, when we can't find the words to express our deepest longings or fears, He knows them fully. I love what Paul would later write about how when we think we cannot properly pray, the Holy Spirit takes our sighs and makes them prayers before God. Isn't that awesome?

God, like a loving parent, encircles us with His protection and guidance. Whenever we may feel lost or overwhelmed, God's gentle hand guides us and provides us with the strength to persevere and overcome. What God is saying through David is this: We are not a mistake or an accident. You and I were wonderfully made by the Creator of all things. Every intricate detail of your being was carefully crafted by God's hands. We should bask in the awesome truth that we are masterpieces of God's creation, each one of us uniquely designed to fulfill a divine purpo

People should know this truth. And who better to tell 'em? You and me!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, we stand in awe of Your intimate knowledge of us. Your understanding of our hearts and thoughts is beyond comprehension. Thank you for creating us fearfully and wonderfully. May we find comfort in Your unwavering love and draw closer to You each day. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Tell people that God loves them.

Receive my blessings of love and joy,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Stairway to Heaven

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10 Jacob left Beersheba and set out for Harran. 11 When he reached a certain place, he stopped for the night because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep. 12 He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. 13 There above it stood the LORD, and he said: “I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. 14 Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. 15 I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” 16 When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I was not aware of it.” 17 He was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven.” 18 Early the next morning Jacob took the stone he had placed under his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on top of it. 19 He called that place Bethel. (Genesis 28:10-19a NIV Bible)

A blessed Wednesday to you dear Friend. I trust this finds you well and enjoying God's rich blessings flowing freely into your life. I pray this arrive as a fresh dose of God's love into your life. Please know that God though of you to create you as a one and only! You matter to God, and you matter to me; so make the most of that as you bless God and God's pepple. Prayers for this old man as this is the time of year I get re-certified to sell Medicare Advantage plans. So, last night I took the review and review exams and this morning I aced the exam! But pray for the other re-certifications I have to do with insurance companies that will allow me to sell their products. Last night at 1:30 I finished writing and narrating my devotional. I read the date on my computer and since it was after midnight I saw it was the 18th so I said it was the 19th, which it wasn't. And that's also why you didn't get the video of that devotional until right now, unlless of course, if you've subscribed to my YouTube channel and then you got notification that the video was ready.

We catch up with Jacob today. Jacob was the grandson of Father Abraham and the son of Isaac and Rebekah. His was an interesting life that began right at birth when he was a twin who grabbed the foot of his older brother, Esau and thus began yet another long squablle among brothers. Today's episode finds him on the run. He feared Esau and sought refuge in Harran. It was a long journey and he stops for the night. There was no Motel Six in those days and this was more of a Motel Sticks, that featured memory stone pillows. As tired as he was, and I feel as I write, he lay his head to sleep. And he had an incredible dream. We have to admit the Bible hardly contains any, if any, dull dreams. This was one of those awesome dreams. He saw a staircase, some versions called it a ladder, like the song, "We are climbing Jacob's ladder - every rung goes higher, higher." (You're welcome to those who will say "You stuck that ear worm in my head and I keep singing it." This staircase rested on the earth and its top reached heaven, and he saw the angels of God ascending and descending on it. And just above that stairway stood God who declares to Jacob, what his grandfather heard from God first, "Your descendents will be like the dust of the earth, and they will spread even to the west and east, and to the north and south." God also said his descendents would bless all the people, and even blessed by the offspring of those children.

Now, dear ones, hear what the Lord God said next in this wonderful dream, "I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you." BOOM! This is the sermon material. This is the message many of us had to hear today. What could I possibly add to make this more understandable?

Jacob wakes up and his first thought, "Surely the Lord is in this place, and dang it, I was not aware of it." This thought scared him yet still he says, This is an awesome is this place! This is the home of God; this is the gate of Heaven. So, early the next morning Jacob takes the stone he had used as his pillow and sets it up as a pillar and poured oil on top of it. He names the place, "God's House" which in his language is the name Bethel. Awesome!

PRAYER: Loving God, forgive us for those times we were so deep in Your presence and we were not aware of it; we are now! Let us enjoy that and let us spread Your promise that you are with us and watching over us. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Tell those who need to hear that God is with them that God is with them!

Receive my blessings of hope and love,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

There is An Enemy

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24 Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. 26 When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. 27 “The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’ 28 “ ‘An enemy did this,’ he replied. “The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ 29 “ ‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’ ” 36 Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.” 37 He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. 40 “As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. 42 They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear. (Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 NIV Bible)

Nellie and I love flowers. We have a flower bed in the front of our home and oh the stories we could tell about our attempts to grow flowers as the ones that came with the home died. I talked to some church members, asked about how to protect the flowers from uninvited grass and grass runners. One honest brother finally told me, "You can't." And so we didn't. Our flower bed became a weed bed. Then our son-in-law dedicated a full day of hard labor and smart shopping and we have now a glorious flower bed. But, the weeds still peek out from time to time, as do the runners of the grass kind. All uninvited. All unwelcome.

Jesus tells this parable of a sower who plants good seed. I take this to mean the kind of seed that will provide food. It's hard work to plant. In Jesus' time it was mostly manual labor. And once the good seed was planted, the man goes to sleep. The sower and his family, who were more than likely his staff or farmhands, and they're asleep too. While the snores from inside the house provided a soundtrack, an enemy of this sower comes and plants weed among the good seed, which is now identified as wheat. A good harvest of wheat would provide bread for this family and those who depended on them. But when the wheat started to grow, so did the weeds, causing the servants to come and ask the sower, "Boss, didn't you plant good seeds in your field? How then are we seeing weeds showing their ugly head among the wheat?" The man replies that he did not and that it was his enemy who planted the weeds. "Bummer," said the servants, "Should we go out there and yank out the weeds?" "Nope," said the sower, "You might accidentally uproot the wheat with the weeds and that would not be a good thing. Let's just let both grow side by side and when it's harvest time, the harvesters will be told to gather the weeds first, tie them in bundles and burn them. Then the harvesters will gather the wheat and bring it into the barn." Great story, no?

Jesus is leaving the crowd and the disciples come and say, "What was that all about? Say more, like to explain it to us!" And so Jesus does. He says, the sower of good seed is the Son of Man. The harvest field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one, and the enemy is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. As these weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this present age. The Son of Man will send forth His angels and it will be the angels who will weed out from the kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. These will be thrown into the blazing furnace where there will be much weeping and gnashing of teeth. The righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of the Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear.

Nellie and I spent a good part of our Saturday in getting to our bank and then getting me a new debit card because a thief early on Thursday morning decided since they had my bank number could purchase something for themselves. I shook my head when I got the text from the Fraud Department of our bank, thankful they caught this and denied the purchase. It meant that I would not have the privilege of spending money during the ending of a short vacation to Houston. And, it was a chore to drive to New Braunfels to the nearest branch of our bank and then to await them making me a new card. I asked myself why do some people find it so easy to take what is not theirs? I asked that of the nice bank clerk too. She agreed and said it is a very common occurrence. I think of these as being part of the enemy's work in our lives. These are indeed bad seed or weeds, seeking to disrupt our life and seek a shortcut to getting what they want at my expense. I do know God's got this under His control, but I pray that a change would come over those who currently belong to and work for the enemy. I did pray for whoever was responsible for this act, as we all should.

The point of the parable was to let all of us know that life is not perfect, nor easy. There are those who work to get things from us and other ways to make our life a bit unpleasant. It is also Jesus' desire for us to recognize that even when wronged, we should know that God is still in control and God's justice will win out. It's also an invitation for us to examine ourselves and our actions for there are times we think we can switch sides or change teams and as long as no one gets hurt, we are alright. Not so. God wants us on His paths of righteousness for His name's sake.

PRAYER: Loving God, forgive us our sins and our debts as we should forgive our debtors. Help us stay the course on the paths of righteousness. May we bless You and Yours by the way we live and make our decisions. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Seek to be light and to lead others away from the furnace which will burn those who oppose God.

Receive my blessings of love and joy,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

A Harvest of Grace

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1 Praise awaits you, our God, in Zion; to you our vows will be fulfilled. 2 You who answer prayer, to you all people will come. 3 When we were overwhelmed by sins, you forgave our transgressions. 4 Blessed are those you choose and bring near to live in your courts! We are filled with the good things of your house, of your holy temple. 5 You answer us with awesome and righteous deeds, God our Savior, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas, 6 who formed the mountains by your power, having armed yourself with strength, 7 who stilled the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, and the turmoil of the nations. 8 The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders; where morning dawns, where evening fades, you call forth songs of joy. 9 You care for the land and water it; you enrich it abundantly. The streams of God are filled with water to provide the people with grain, for so you have ordained it. 10 You drench its furrows and level its ridges; you soften it with showers and bless its crops. 11 You crown the year with your bounty, and your carts overflow with abundance. 12 The grasslands of the wilderness overflow; the hills are clothed with gladness. 13 The meadows are covered with flocks and the valleys are mantled with grain; they shout for joy and sing. (Psalm 65 NIV Bible)

Two days ago, a neighbor rang our doorbell and he handed me a small bucket full of cherry tomatoes. "This is from my garden, enjoy!" I thanked him and he walked off. The small tomatoes were indeed, very delicious. From his harvest he shared with a neighbor and blessed me. All of my life we have either lived near fields or had relatives living near fields and we came to know the importance of a good harvest. "Feast or famine" was often heard when relating to a farmer's life. Will all his work pay off? Will he have enough to pay for the seed, the equipment he bought, the loans for all that he spent in planting, etc. A good crop will keep the farmer afloat and all will be well.

The psalmist begins this praise for God because God's harvest is always a great one. And God has held nothing back in sharing what good He owns and has. First, the psalmist is thankful for answering our prayers. And that in and of itself is enough for us to always praise God! Second, when our sins and transgressions had accumulated into a sizeable debt, God erased it! Third, when we were living far away from God, and God brought us near and once near, all the things of God's house became ours as well. And with this mindset of God being good and us being blessed, wow, no wonder great praise is due from us!

Then the psalmist turns to the land and how awesome it is. When watered, the land brings forth fruit, the blessings of God's handiwork. God's touch enrichs it, and the streams which help water the land are filled, and grain is shared with humanity, as it was a part of God's command for our needs. The harvest is so rich and good, the year ends in bounty as the carts of fruits and grain are full and are used to feed the people of the earth. All nature, all creation join in shouting and singing their praises to God.

And in the same way, dear ones, as we open our hearts and spirits to God, we are blessed and the harvest of new lives given to God blossom in awesome ways, and the world draws closer to getting with God as God wants. This psalm is a song of victory for the sowers who have worked faithfully to bless the earth with God's word. May it be true of us and our efforts, too.

PRAYER: Loving God, in You we have life and in You we have the bounty of a harvest. Bless us with strength to keep working for the harvest of all souls; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Keep working as a sower to reach more souls for God!

Receive my blessings of joy and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

God's Word Will Never Return Empty

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10 As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, 11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. 12 You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. 13 Instead of the thornbush will grow the juniper, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow. This will be for the LORD’s renown, for an everlasting sign, that will endure forever.” (Isaiah 55:10-13 NIV Bible)

Our Holy Bible, besides being a geography book of God's people and their lands, is also a book filled with imagery of what God does among us. This passage shared with us a beautiful image of God's Word as rain that nourishes the earth, causing growth and bearing fruit. This passage invites us to reflect on the task of the sower, whose responsibility is to faithfully scatter seeds of God's truth and love. Let us explore the significance of this task and its impact on our lives. Our job, after all, is to be the sowers in our communities and homes, taking God's word to wherever it is needed. This passage shows how God's word brings life and fertility to the earth and life and transformation to our hearts. Our task as sowers is to scatter the seeds of God's truth and love, trusting in God's process of growth and fruitfulness.

Our task requires our faith and obedience to God and the task before us. It calls for boldness on our parts to share God's word, to plant seeds of hope, words of encouragement, and sharing the truth in the lives of others. If we sow generously, we can trust that God's word will not return empty but will accomplish its purpose.

As God has blessed us and transformed us we should give witness to that so others will see just how God can do awesome things among ordinary people. The dryness of doubt can be refreshed with the rich rain of God's word. Those hardened hearts in people will melt under the gracious love of God. Those broken hearts can be healed, and those who have not seen righteousness in many years will see it in their own lives.

The most known verse of this passage is the one that speaks of God's word never returning empty to Him. And as long as the gospel has been proclaimed, and the number of new converts that have come to faith in God, we cannot argue that truth. What God desires gets done. The sower can trust in God that as he or she is sharing the word with the power and presence of God with them. Ours is the joy of participating in God's awesome work in bringing life to those who were spiritually dead.

Let us embrace the sower's task with faith and diligence. God speaks of an abundant harvest that is coming, and it will come with our assistance. God loves when we give of ourselves to helo others. The purposes of the gospel will be fulfilled and I believe within our lifetime. Are you ready? Get busy!

PRAYER: Loving God, we thank You for the honor and privilege of being sowers of Your holy word. We pray that we might be more faithful as we scatter the seeds of truth, love, and hope in the lives of others. This we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Become a faithful sower right now!

Receive my blessings of hope and encouragement,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

True Freedom in Christ Jesus

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1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. 7 The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8 Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God. 9 You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. 10 But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you. (Romans 8:1-11 NIV Bible)

A blessed and happy Tuesday to you, dear Friend. May this bring what you seek in your spiritual life. Remember to pray for one another, for the Church, for your friends, for your enemies, for your loved ones, and for the needs of the world.

It's an old story, but its truth is still profound. Come to think of it, at my age, all the stories are old! But I pray they be made new in your hearing, reception, and dedication to Jesus! But it's a story about a young boy who had just gotten a slingshot and with it, he aimed and killed his grandmother's favorite goose. This act was seen by his little sister who said she would keep quiet about it if he did all her chores for a month. His newfound kindness in doing the dishes when it was his sister's turn, or taking out the trash when it was his turn made grandma suspicious, but then she figured it out after a few days. "Son," she said, "I know what you did and I know your sister saw you, but as long as don't confess it publicly and repent of it, she will be your master. Is that what you want?" He confessed his act and repeated his confession and repentance in front of his sister. Her control over her brother was now over.

In a real way we too sometimes lose control over our freedom because we do not take advantage of God's love for us, and the power God has to forgive us and give us a new start. The Apostle Paul knew that and so he peached it often and with urgency. Hear his words again, "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus," referring to the severe state our sinfulness is, yet he adds, "through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit Who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death." The truth is that our human struggle, besides being daily, is rough. You and I need a redeemer. And in this passage we have the clear message of hope from Paul, that thanks to the power of the Holy Spirit we are free!

The first four verses stress the power of liberation we find in God. Paul stresses freedom over condemnation though Jesus Christ. It was Our Lord's willingness to sacrifice Himself for us, and it was that sacrifice sets us free from the law of sin and death. It is in Christ Jesus that we are no longer slaves to sin, nor does that define us any longer, for we are made new and we now have the power from God to live in righteousness.

Dear ones, where is your mind most of the day? Is it on the worries and things of this world, or is it set on Christ? One is set on the flesh and the other is set on the Spirit. If we can learn to focus our minds on the things of God and His beauty, we will be guided by the Holy Spirit; the other way is to sink even deeper into the carnal ways of life and that sets our mind and eventually our spirit on the things of death. Our desires and thoughts should be aligned with God's will for our life. God's way is better, higher and more sacred. It's up to us to open ourselves to God's leading so that we can truly be in tune with God and His ways.

In verses 9 through 11, we should see how the Holy Spirit can be at work in us for we are believers. If we have invited The Spirit to dwell within us, He will, and it will be Him who guides us to the better way, empowering us to live our lives in accordance to God's will for our lives. We must not forget it was this same Spirit that gave life to Jesus from death and it is He who will give us new life to live in Him, thus our victory over sin.

Friend, say this right now out loud: I am free thanks to Jesus! You've just shared with those within earshot, the victory that is already yours! Now say, I am a child of God and I now walk in the power of God's Holy Spirit. You and I have been set free from the power of sin and death and that is a victory that we can, and should, celebrate!

PRAYER: Awesome God, give me a renewed mind and a refreshed spirit so that I can be faithful all days in You. Help me to celebrate in contagious ways that which has made us free; and may we openly and willingly share with others that freedom and joy that can be theirs; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Help set others free with the good news of Jesus!

Receive my blessings of joy and love,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Whoever Has Ears, Let Them Hear

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1 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. 2 Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. 3 Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. 9 Whoever has ears, let them hear.” 18 “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20 The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 22 The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. 23 But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” (Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 NIV Bible)

How important is getting people to hear about God? It's a matter of life and death of the eternal kind. And what makes it more interesting is that some people believe that the day of people believing the Bible dwindle wtih each generation that gives up on studying it or sharing it with the new generation. Just today I read about a book that has several world religion leaders scared about the number of their particular brand of theology challenged by a new book that supposedly pulls back the covers off the truth in religion. One can only imagine the heart of Jesus as He told this story to all who would hear it. It was a large crowd that had gathered that day and He needed a boat to set Him in a situation where the large crowd could hear Him and what He had to say. The story of the day was about how human hearts either make room to hear about God or rejects it for various reasons.

The story is profound, but told in a simple way. "A farmer went out to sow his seed." Jesus already has used this to help people know that God is the farmer and His word is the "seed," that He is sowing. Jesus then has several illustrations about where this seed fell and the reaction to each.

The story says that some seed fell on the path where birds came and ate up the seed. This soil was representing those people with hardened hearts. Like the path itself, their hearts had become resistnat to the Word of God, calloused even, where the truth could not penetrate and take root, thus leaving the seed open to being eaten immediately by birds. This begs the question from us, are our hearts open and receptive to God, ready to receive the life-transforming power of God's word?

The seed also fell among rocky ground, where the initial reception is to yield sprouts but those without depth. Any challenge or opposition that may come, the faith quickly withers away. How can we prevent that? By developing deep roots through Bible study, prayer, fellowship, and worship; that allows God's word to penetrate beyond the surface and can anchor us in times of testing. This will produce good soil in us.

God knows that some of His word will fall upon thorns, or what we can say is preoccupation with worldly pursuits and worldly desires. These distractions can choke the growth of the seed which will prevent it from producing fruit. Our intention must be to identify and remove the thorns that can hinder our spiritual growth; God's roots need plenty of room in which to grow and flourish.

Finally, the seed fell among fertile soil which symbolizes those hearts who are open and receptive and fertile. The word is heart, understood and allows it to take roots deeply. These hearts are nurtured by the Holy Spirit, and so these hearts bear fruit, i.e, acts of love, righteousness, and transformation that glorify God and blesses others. These hearts produce an abundant harvest, which multiplies the impact of God's Word in their lives and the lives of those around them.

Again, we need to daily reflect on our hearts so that we can examine the condition of our hearts. Do we find we have hardened hearts, shallow heats, or crowded hearts filled with distractions? Or, do we find that our hearts are fertile, ready to receive and bear fruit from having been blessed by God's Word? Our aim should be to cultivate good soil by daily and humbly surrendering to God's work in our lives. We should nurture our faith with prayer, daily Bible study, and our intentional removal of those thorns that can and do hinder our spiritual growth. Our desire should be to have in us that fertile soil that will yield an awesome harvest for the glory of God. Let us surrender ourselves to God righ now and allow the transformation to begin.

PRAYER: Loving God, we are thankful for Your word which is a seed that brings life and transformation. May You guide us to humble and serious reflection and inspection of our hearts so that as we identify any areas where hindrances can occur. Grant to us receptive heats that will become fertile ground in which growth can occur; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord. YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Seek to be fertile soil today.

Receive my blessings of love and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

God Gives Us A Fresh Start and Second Wind

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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. (Psalm 145:8-14 The Message Bible)

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This powerful psalm reminds me of the old church chant that some preachers liked to do from time to time during worship. "God is good!" the pastor would chant, and the congregation would respond, "All the time!" And then the preacher would say, "And all the time?" And the people would respond, "God is good!" It blessed me everytime I did that and heard that. It's as if David already knew that, but probably doesn't sound quite the same in Hebrew? This psalm gives away David's heart; he knows God and trusts God. He has walked with God, hidden behind God, stood next to God, and allowed God to lead him all the way. And that's quite a distance from the pasture to the palace! God led him to the battlefield where as a boy he was victoriious over a giant!

David knew God's grace is the foundation of His second chances and fresh starts. Despite our mistakes, failures, and shortcomings, God's grace abounds. We often fall short of His perfect standards, but through His grace, He extends forgiveness and mercy to us. We don't have to be defined by our past mistakes, for God's grace offers us a clean slate. And thank God for that! I don't want to be known for my worst sermon, or flubs I made while making a hospital visit, or saying things that were not right for the occasions; no, God has given me, as He has you, second (and a million others!) chances and fresh starts when we were past spent and tired beyond belief.

Please know that uur Heavenly Father is compassionate and understanding. He sees our brokenness, our regrets, and our yearning for a fresh start. His heart is moved with compassion, and He is ready to extend His healing touch to our lives. In His compassion, God reaches out to us, offering comfort, restoration, and the assurance that we are never alone. And how can we keep that a secret from others? It is public, or should be, public information! We need to tell the world!

Unlike our patience, God's patience is beyond measure. Despite our repeated failures and stubbornness, He does not give up on us easily. Rather, He patiently waits for us to turn to Him, offering us opportunities to repent and change. God's slow anger reflects His desire to see us grow, mature, and experience the fullness of His love.

God's love is immeasurable and boundless. Thank Him that we don't have to measure it! It just flows down and into us and as a result it should flow out of us for all people. I repeat, ALL PEOPLE. It is through His love that He grants us second chances and fresh starts. His love seeks to transform our lives, heal our wounds, and guide us on the path of righteousness. It is His love that brings hope, restoration, and the promise of a better tomorrow. Think back to Monday's gospel reading from Matthew, where our Lord said, "Come unto me all ye who are heavy-laden and I will give you rest." Yes, that the dated language of a precious and powerful Bible, King James, but it works. You know what Jesus meant!

Dear friends, as recipients of God's grace and love, we are called to embrace the fresh starts He offers us. We can leave behind the weight of our past mistakes and embrace the freedom found in His forgiveness. It is an opportunity to learn from our experiences, grow in faith, and pursue a life that honors Him. And we should start now. Yes, right after the amen, get to work!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank You for being a God of second chances and fresh starts. We are grateful for Your abundant grace, compassion, patience, and love. Help us to fully embrace the forgiveness You offer and live in the freedom that comes from Your mercy. May we extend the same grace to others and be instruments of Your love in the world. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Go tell somebody that God is giving them a fresh start. They'll know just what you're talking about!

Receive my blessings of joy and peace!

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Finding Rest in Jesus

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16 “To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others: 17 “ ‘We played the pipe for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’ 18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is proved right by her deeds.” 25 At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. 26 Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do. 27 “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. 28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30 NIV Bible)

Throughout history, can we identify a generation that has not been childish in some form or fashion? Jesus is saying that His generation is childish in how they view things and how they do things. They're acting out in ways learned by other children in which they mock others, especially those different from them. And this led them to call John the Baptist, a prophet of their age, a demon-possessed man; and they called Him a glutton and a drunkard. Pretty childish, right? Yet, they failed to see that Jesus came to share wisdom and they passed on it and didn't accept it. Still, Jesus prays a prayer of thanksgiving to God, because God did share it with the innocent and needy, and kept it away from the wise and learned of the day; knowing this pleased God.

And to those who are hearing and reading these words, Jesus offers an invitation, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give. you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."

The rest Jesus promises is not merely physical rest but a deep, spiritual rest—a rest for our souls. He invites us to take His yoke upon us and learn from Him. Unlike the burdens and expectations of the world, Jesus' yoke is easy, and His burden is light. In surrendering ourselves to Him, we find freedom from striving, striving, and trying to earn our worth. He offers us the peace and contentment we desperately seek.

Here are a few practical ways to find rest in Jesus:

Surrender your life to Jesus. If you don't yet know Him, come to Him now.

Spend time in prayer and meditation. This is a time to quiet our hearts and to listen to Jesus.

Read the Bible. The Bible is full of Jesus' words and teachings. Reading the Bible can help us to learn more about him and to find comfort in his promises.

Worship with other believers. When we worship together, we are reminded of God's love and grace. We can also find strength and encouragement from other believers who are also seeking rest in Jesus

Today, let us respond to Jesus' invitation to find rest in Him. In a world that often leaves us weary and burdened, He offers solace for our souls. Let us release our striving, surrender our worries, and trust in His wisdom and grace. May we approach Him with childlike faith, ready to learn and be transformed by His gentle and humble heart. May we not be critical or judging of others; let us be truly innocent in our love for others, as we embrace His yoke, for that will let us remember that His burden is light, and in Him, we find true rest.

PRAYER:: Heavenly Father, We come before You with grateful hearts, acknowledging that it is in Your presence that we find rest. Today, we release the burdens we carry—the weight of our worries, our striving, and our endless pursuits. We confess that we have often sought fulfillment in the things of this world, only to be left weary and unsatisfied.As we take Your yoke upon us, may we learn from You and walk in step with Your teachings. Help us to embrace Your gentleness and humility, reflecting Your love and grace to those around us. Strengthen us in our journey, reminding us that Your burden is light and Your presence is our source of strength.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord. YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Win others to the kingdom by your childlike love for all people.

Receive my blessings of joy and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.