Never Forget

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1 Listen, dear friends, to God's truth, bend your ears to what I tell you. 2 I'm chewing on the morsel of a proverb; I'll let you in on the sweet old truths, 3 Stories we heard from our fathers, counsel we learned at our mother's knee. 4 We're not keeping this to ourselves, we're passing it along to the next generation - God's fame and fortune, the marvelous things he has done. 12 He performed miracles in plain sight of their parents in Egypt, out on the fields of Zoan. 13 He split the Sea and they walked right through it; he piled the waters to the right and the left. 14 He led them by day with a cloud, led them all the night long with a fiery torch. 15 He split rocks in the wilderness, gave them all they could drink from underground springs; 16 He made creeks flow out from sheer rock, and water pour out like a river. (Psalm 78:1-4, 12-16 The Message Bible)

In some homes, the dinner table used to be the place where the day's activities were shared, worries and problems were addressed, and good, open conversation took place. Shared meals were a part of the bonding within families. It was also a time to share family stories so each could learn more about each other and more about where each had come and how God had been involved. I don't have to tell you how modern families have "conversation." Or don't. You will hear me and my wife saying many a time, "How I wish I had my grandma or grandpa here." We don't.

Come to think of it, we are not that far removed from the days of oral tradition, where people shared stories and history with each other in ways that bonded families with each member. It was also how the early stories of the Bible came together. The psalmist loved hearing and sharing stories especially the ones from their history and how God built them as a nation. "Stories we heard from our fathers (and mothers), counsel we learned at our mother's (and father's) knee. We're not keeping this to ourselves, we're passing it along to the next generation - God's fame and fortune, the marvelous things he has done." Those kind of stories and with details: "He performed miracles in plain sight of their parents in Egypt, out on the fields of Zion." God split the Red Sea in order for the Israelites to walk through. God piled the waters on each side of the dry road He had created, and God led the people by day with a cloud and led them by a fiery torch during the night. And God also split rocks in the wilderness in order that they could drink water from underground springs, and God even made creeks flow out from sheer rock, and water poured out like a river. This is the God of our faith, the same God in Whom you and me believe.

No matter how busy we become or even think we are, we should pause for bigger and better things; to remember, to teach, and to pass on our faith. This will help us form a legacy that will connect today with our yesterdays. We will become a legacy of God's people who have experienced and have been blessed by God; and we desire to pass on to others, His marvelous words and works. May we share faith stories that will inspire and guide those who come after us so they too may know the goodness and faithfulness of God, It may not be easy, but it will be worth it.

PRAYER: Loving God of the ages and our God of today; speak truth to us as we share; may we listen and speak the truth of how blessed and how well-guided we were by You. Help us form the legacy that will bless this and future generations. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Take time to listen and share.

Receive my blessings of joy and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Are We There Yet???

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1 Directed by God, the whole company of Israel moved on by stages from the Wilderness of Sin. They set camp at Rephidim. And there wasn't a drop of water for the people to drink. 2 The people took Moses to task: "Give us water to drink." But Moses said, "Why pester me? Why are you testing God?" 3 But the people were thirsty for water there. They complained to Moses, "Why did you take us from Egypt and drag us out here with our children and animals to die of thirst?" 4 Moses cried out in prayer to God, "What can I do with these people? Any minute now they'll kill me!" 5 God said to Moses, "Go on out ahead of the people, taking with you some of the elders of Israel. Take the staff you used to strike the Nile. And go. 6 I'm going to be present before you there on the rock at Horeb. You are to strike the rock. Water will gush out of it and the people will drink." 7 He named the place Massah (Testing-Place) and Meribah (Quarreling) because of the quarreling of the Israelites and because of their testing of God when they said, "Is God here with us, or not?" (Exodus 17:1-7 The Message Bible)

Happy Thursday, dear Friend. If you live near the Gonzales area, many homemade cookies are needed for a Men's Kairos event happening October 12 -15, and the recommended amount of a donation is six (6) dozen homemade cookies to share with the inmates during this even that stresses God's unconditional love. If you can make cookies then please call Mr. Darvin Dieringer at 361-877-2664. Other acts of love are the gift of praying for this retreat or a money donation which can be mailed to Brother Dieringer, PO Box 1936, Gonzales, TX 78629. These retreats have blessed many lives and more blessings are needed.

It is so incredible that our once full vehicle is now only the two of us. It truly seems that last week we had four giggling, laughing, crying, yelling, and fighting girls. What a joy it was to our heart to be blessed with these babies and enjoy them now as adults but eternally our babies. Yes, we had "the questions" of "When we will get there?" or "When do we eat?" But, we knew it was part of the experience. In total our daughters traveled with us two complete roundtrips around the sun. And having said that, I was reminded that Seguin is now only three miles from the sun. Don't believe me? Check your thermometer! And your rain gauge.

Now, multiply four children by ten thousand or so, in a Plymouth Voyager van traveling from Egypt to the promised land. And the AC in the minivan doesn't work, and the ice that was in the styrofoam HEB cool is melted and the bottles once filled with water are now empty floaters in it. It started with a small voice from the very back and only the siblings hear it. "I'm thirsty." It started as a whisper, fearful of hurting anyone, but it was loud enough for the closest sibling to say it a bit louder and those who heard it soon felt compelled to join in and the roar reaches poor Daddy Moses squeezes the steering wheel a bit harder. "Give us water to drink." Last week it was food, today's it's water. But always the question, Can we really trust God?

The grumbling begins again with the same question: "Why did you take us from Egypt and drag us out here with our children and animals to die of thirst?" Come on, people, can you not think of a more original question or complaint? It drives Moses to ask again, in a prayer no less, "What can I do with these people? Any minute now they'll kill me!" God answers the prayer, with the solution of taking the staff Moses had used to turn the Nile river water into blood, and strike the rock at Horeb, and that rock will spring forth water, that the people will be able to drink to their heart's content. It wads as God said, and water came forth for the thirsty, griping people to drink. And, Moses names it an appropriate name, Massah and Meribah, meaning Quarreling Testing Place. History tells us he wanted to name it, "Here I killed my cranky kids!"

Hear this; God never tires of hearing from us even if we're moaning and griping. Tell me a parent that doesn't answer their baby's phone call especially when life has been hard on them. God's line is never busy, and His unconditional and God hears all messages, even the angry, complaining ones. In the same way God responded even to the grumbling Israelites, will answer us. God's faithfulness never ends. God provides for our needs, even in the midst of the most of life's challenging circumstances. This event teaches us to trust and obey God. We must trust God's timing not only ours. Yes, in His time, God will respond how He wills, but it will always arrive at the most appropriate time

The lesson sets the stage, even in the year it happened, for the greatest event of Jesus being the Living Water that He offered on the pages of the New Testament. Jesus is living water and He can quench our spiritual thirst and provide eternal life. Just like our Jewish brothers and sisters found physical refreshment in the desert, we can find spiritual refreshment and renewal through faith in Jesus Christ. Please know that we can always turn to God, trust in Him and find our thirsts met in the living water that Jesus provides.

PRAYER: God of Living Waters, quench our thirst for You and help us to share Your love with all people starting now; in Christ Jesus' strong name we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord. YOUR CALL TO ACTION: seek to share Jesus with the thirsty.

Receive my blessing of love and joy,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Heritage & Pressing On

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If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless. 7 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. 10 I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. 12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (Phillippians 3:4b-14 NIV Bible)

There was a certain church during a certain time that unofficially wanted to know a person's hertiage or lineage before full acceptance could be given to those who wanted to be a part of that fellowship. The question was simple enough; what family are you from? Others included how long have you lived in this town, and what made you want to come to this church? Ouch. I will be honest and say that had that been asked of me I would have walked out of the door and started a new search for a church home. Having been born into a Methodist household, I couldn't answer questions until I learned to talk.

Back to the Apostle Paul, the man of the hour. He was a Jew, and a proud one at that. It was through his Jewish likneage that he came to faith, albeit a twisted, distorted one. Let us not forget he was a Pharisee by training and a Christian by an on-the-road encounter with Jesus Himself on the way to Damascus. Yet, as he traveled from town to town proclaiming Jesus he would start at the Jewish synagogues or temples and begin to address his brothers and sisters in the Jewish faith then drop Jesus on them, and usually that was enough for them to ask him to leave. As he corresponds with the people in Phillippi, he reminds them of who he is. One of the biggest challenges he confronted was the question of being a Jewish Christian. Could a man be both a Jew and a Christian? Peul said yes. The new leaders in the Christian movement said no.One must become a true Jew first, with the physical sign of circumcision. Ouch. Paul counters this by saying basically, you're putting too much confidence in the flesh; and if it's flesh you're talking about, get this: I was circumcised on the 8th day (like Jesus and other Jewish babies); I am of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews, and through training a Pharisee, so I know the law; and if you're questioning my commitment to zeal, I persecuted the church; I am faultless in my righteousness and accordiing to the law. But all that is nothing compared to what I gained in believing in Jesus. Anything else does not measure or compare with knowing and loving Him. Anything else is garbage. I want to gain Christ and be found in Him, meaning that how I live, how I interact with others, my thoughts, words, and deeds are all just like Jesus.

Paul's desire is to know the power of Jesus' resurrection, and even to participate in the suffering of Jesus, and even when I die, I want to die like Him, and with the full hope that I too, will be raised from the dead like Him. But, he states, I am nowhere near where I desire to be, but onward I go with the hope of taking hold of Jesus like He took hold of me. The only thing I can truly share with you is that I am pressing on towards whatever may be ahead; I seek the goal of winning the prize for which God called me towards Heaven in Christ Jesus.

This passage reminds us that our true worth and purpose are not found in earthly titles, jobs, accomplishments, status, or possessions. Instead, the great worth lies in knowing Christ intimately. Our desire should be like Paul's, to daily commit to getting to know Jesus like never before. To apply this message to our lives, we must learn to let go of our past mistakes, achievements, and self-righteousness. Instead, we press on toward the goal, eagerly seeking a deeper relationship with Christ. In doing so, we become vessels through which God's righteousness flows, not by our own efforts but through faith in Jesus.

PRAYER: Loving God, lead us on towards You. Help us recognize Your love and hand on our lives and may we learn to share that with others; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Make time for Jesus each day!

Receive my blessings of joy and love,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

The Power of Jesus

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23 Jesus entered the temple courts, and, while he was teaching, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him. “By what authority are you doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave you this authority?” 24 Jesus replied, “I will also ask you one question. If you answer me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. 25 John’s baptism—where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or of human origin?”They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ 26 But if we say, ‘Of human origin’—we are afraid of the people, for they all hold that John was a prophet.” 27 So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.” Then he said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things. 28 “What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’ 29 “ ‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went. 30 “Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go. 31 “Which of the two did what his father wanted?”“The first,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. 32 For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him. (Matthew 21:23-32 NIV Bible)

It's an old story, aka joke, of the city slicker came to a rancher and said he was there to inspect the rancher's operation. The rancher, naturally, asks who gave him the authority to demand such a thing? The city slicker pulls out a badge and shows it to the rancher, "By the authority behind this badge I can make such a demand!" The rancher said, "If you say so," and the city slicker climbs over a fence and the rancher said, "I wouldn't do that if I were you!" The man again shows him his badge and jumps into the field and walks a few steps and then hears the bull snorting and pawing at the ground in anger. The bull then begins to run after the city slicker and the man begins to run and scream in fear. "Show him your badge!" yells the rancher.

Okay, I hear the groans and moans, and that's okay. But it does remind us that there are times when people expect and demand to know the power or authority behind some things, and here the chief priests and the elders of the people come to Jesus and demand to know by what authority did He use to do the things that He did. "Who gave you such authority?" You could understand why, because the traveling preacher and wandering rabbi that Jesus was known as, comes into town on that day we call Palm Sunday to much acclaim by the crowds, and then has that Money-Changers table moment, so yes, "Who are you, and why did you do what you did?" This sets them up for a great question from Jesus. He asks them, "Uh, the things that John the Baptist did, like baptizing people who obviously needed it, where did he ge that authority? Was it from Heaven or from human origin?"

Hmm, they were stuck as their discussion shows. "If we say from Heaven, we will be challenged as to why we didn't believe? If we say it was a human thing, they will surely seize us because the people believed John to be a prophet." So, the only response we can give is, "We don't know." And so Jesus says, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things." And Jesus adds a story to further drive home His point: A man had two sons and goes to the first to ask him to go and work in the vineyard. This son says, "I will not!" But changes his mind and goes and does the work. The father goes to the second son and says the same time and this son says, "I will, sir," but did not. Who did the Father's will, Jesus asks? They answered, "The first son." Then Jesus says, to their surprise, "Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the Kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him."

Here are our takeaways: The first is that it is not enough to profess our faith or make promises without backing them up with our action. These religious leaders, like the second son, did their best to appear pious on the surface, but failed to align their lives with God's will. Compare that to those who were deemed by the religious as sinful and disobedience, but it was this group who responded in faith to John the Baptist's message and repented of their sins.

The purpose of John the Baptist was to prepare the way for the Lord Jesus and to call people to righteousness. It was the tax collectors and prostitutes who despite their past sins, recognized the need for change and embraced God's message of redemption. They chose obedience over their previous way of life and entered the Kingdom of God.

I hear the challenge from this passage for our lives to be in line with obedience. We should not be like the religious leaders who profess their faith but fail to live it out. We are called to surrender to Jesus our past lives and sins, and recognized our need for transformation and respond to God's call to repentance and righteousness.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, we come before you with humble hearts, recognizing that true faith is demonstrated through obedience. Help us, Lord, to be like the first son in the parable, willing to change our minds and follow your commands. Forgive us for the times we have merely given lip service to our faith. May we be people who not only profess belief but also live it out in our actions and attitudes. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord. YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Surrender to Jesus and be made new!

Receive my blessings of love and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

There Will Be Signs

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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. 37 He led Israel out, their arms filled with loot, and not one among his tribes even stumbled. 38 Egypt was glad to have them go - they were scared to death of them. 39 God spread a cloud to keep them cool through the day and a fire to light their way through the night; 40 They prayed and he brought quail, filled them with the bread of heaven; 41 He opened the rock and water poured out; it flowed like a river through that desert - 42 All because he remembered his Covenant, his promise to Abraham, his servant. 43 Remember this! He led his people out singing for joy; his chosen people marched, singing their hearts out! 44 He made them a gift of the country they entered, helped them seize the wealth of the nations 45 So they could do everything he told them - could follow his instructions to the letter. Hallelujah! (Psalm 105:1-6, 37-45 The Message Bible)

Dear Friend, I pray for you a great Thursday! I pray doors open that were closed to you, and that you will enter in with joy and thanksgiving and make a testimony to share with others about what God is doing in and with you! As you pray, would you please pray for a longtime friend of mine, Mr. Rick Gonzalez of Mission, who is going to Houston to undergo a series of a new injections series to slow the progression of MD. Rick was a leader in our campus ministry unit at Pan American University in Edinburg, TX. (Now UTRGV). May he and wife, Maridol travel safely to and from Houston from their home in Mission, TX. May the shots do a wonderful job on Rick's body and strengthen him for a continuation of his faith-sharing.

Would you support changing the name of the Book of Psalms to The Remembrance Songbook? I know, it doesn't quite sound the same. There is beauty and purpose to the name, but this passage is a song of remembrance of the event we studied yesterday from Exodus. And in this version of the Bible, some songs sound like they would be led by yell leaders from A&M. Okay, and cheerleaders from UT. And honestly, the psalmist want us to praise God with enthusiasm and outright joy! You want to talk about joy? In the Fall of 1982, my SMU Mustangs were ranked number two football team in the nation. Their last regular season game was against that school in Lubbock. Texas something or other. Okay, Texas Tech. It was a great game. The Red Raiders wanted nothing less than to defeat the Mustangs. And they tied it up with 17 seconds remaining in the game, the Raiders scored and tied it 27-27. They kicked off and the receiver for the Mustangs fumbles the ball, quickly picks it up and throws a lateral pass to the other receiver who catches it and runs it all the way for the winning touchdown; Ponies win! That still brings joy to my heart. (I'm putting the YouTube link below so you can share in my joy and make my joy complete! It's only 3:11 long). The whoops and hollers from the parsonage in Edinburg could have been heard all the way to Seguin! The psalmist would have been a Mustang fan that day! Of course he would have torn up that lyre and gotten hoarse in shouting praises to God.

And that's just for a football game. Imagine remembering what God did for the people of Israel in giving them freedom from slavery. Re-read the verses where the psalmist says, "Remember the world of wonders He has made, His miracles, and the verdicts He has rendered...He led Israel out, their arms filled with loot, and not one among his tribes even stumbled...God spread a cloud to keep them cool through the day and a fire to light their way through the night. They prayed and He brought quail, filled them with the bread of Heaven; He opened the rock and water poured out; it flowed like a river through that desert." And the list continued of all the good that God had done for His people. All so that His people "could do everything He told them - could follow His instructions to the letter. Hallelujah!"

What that God has done for you gets you excited? What do you do to praise Him in response to all the good that has come your way?

PRAYER: God of liberation and freedom; speak to our hearts again and let us praise You with unbridled passion and joy. Great are our memories of You as is the constant presence of Your love; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Sing God's praises.

Receive my blessings of peace and love,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

SMU wins! Click here: https://bit.ly/465Dgok

UnLimited Breadsticks

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2 The whole company of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron there in the wilderness. 3 The Israelites said, "Why didn't God let us die in comfort in Egypt where we had lamb stew and all the bread we could eat? You've brought us out into this wilderness to starve us to death, the whole company of Israel!" 4 God said to Moses, "I'm going to rain bread down from the skies for you. The people will go out and gather each day's ration. I'm going to test them to see if they'll live according to my Teaching or not. 5 On the sixth day, when they prepare what they have gathered, it will turn out to be twice as much as their daily ration." 6 Moses and Aaron told the People of Israel, "This evening you will know that it is God who brought you out of Egypt; 7 and in the morning you will see the Glory of God. Yes, he's listened to your complaints against him. You haven't been complaining against us, you know, but against God." 8 Moses said, "Since it will be God who gives you meat for your meal in the evening and your fill of bread in the morning, it's God who will have listened to your complaints against him. Who are we in all this? You haven't been complaining to us - you've been complaining to God!" 9 Moses instructed Aaron: "Tell the whole company of Israel: 'Come near to God. He's heard your complaints.'" 10 When Aaron gave out the instructions to the whole company of Israel, they turned to face the wilderness. And there it was: the Glory of God visible in the Cloud. 11 God spoke to Moses, 12 "I've listened to the complaints of the Israelites. Now tell them: 'At dusk you will eat meat and at dawn you'll eat your fill of bread; and you'll realize that I am God, your God.'" 13 That evening quail flew in and covered the camp and in the morning there was a layer of dew all over the camp. 14 When the layer of dew had lifted, there on the wilderness ground was a fine flaky something, fine as frost on the ground. 15 The Israelites took one look and said to one another, man-hu (What is it?). They had no idea what it was. (Exodus 16:2-15 The Message Bible Version)

I can't decide which church would be the tougher to pastor? First Jerusalem, or First Exodus? Right now my money is on First Exodus. The first verse gives it away. And so does the second, and the second part of the second verse! Wah Wah Wah! I guess I have to give them the mobility excuse, because after all, they were a church in formation, marching out of formation. I mean, God was forming a new people as they made their way towards freedom. Each step forward they took, their mind took them back a thousand miles in their memory. They missed the mulligan stew and the unlimited bread sticks! Unlimited. I'm guessing most of the Israelites were Methodists because we know the appetite and hunger cravings of said people. Food was very important! I'm reminded of our black brothers and sisters from our heritage as Methodists. There was only a limited number of camps open to them back in the day and one such camp was in Mississippi. Gulfside Assembly was the destination, a camp located in Waveland, MS. The years this camp met were the years when the places to eat along the way were few and far between. Honestly, most places would not serve our brothers and sisters and so in the days leading up to departure were very busy and lively days because those attending the camp in Mississippi had to meet beforehand to prepare meals to eat along the way. The number one menu item was fried chicken. As I sat in awe hearing the veterans of this day talk I felt the emotion they were feeling of taking care of themselves in awesome and memorable ways that served to help form their spiritual blessings from the camp in advance. It was a wonderful cooperative effort with many hands joining together to cut, season, prepare, and fry the chicken and all the sides that would go along for the ride. At certain spots along the way, the campers would stop and again, share the banquet they had prepared and brought with which to feed themselves.

I highly doubt there were grumblers of the First Exodus kind on this journey with gripes of "Why are we going through this and we should have stayed home!" Yes, those were probably the pre-teens and full aged teenagers. But, Pastor Moses had shared the complaints with the Main Chef in the Sky who told Moses that it was going to rain bread from on high. Moses simply said, "When you complain about this to me, you're really tugging on God's chain. God's going to give you bread like you've never had before and also some fine poultry to go with it!

And it was as God told Pastor Mo; in the mornings the dew would cover the land and when the dew lifted, there was a fine, flaky bread we call according to other versions, manna. In the evenings, God would provide quail which the First Exodus chefs knew just how to prepare. And that day a word perhaps new to you and me was said, "Man-hu?" which means or asks, "What is it?" God had provided for them in the way He has for us and even though we may not know the items provided, God had delivered as promised. As Moses said, if we could be aware of all God is doing, we will see the glory of God. This passage's lesson is this: We should be reminded that God hears our complaints and responds with grace and provision. Just as He provided for the Israelites in the wilderness, He provides for us. Let's learn to trust Him daily, seek His presence, and recognize His divine provision, even in the midst of uncertainty. God is faithful as should we be.

PRAYER: Loving God, we thank You for Your daily provision, both physically and spiritually. Help us to trust in Your timing and to depend on Your Word, knowing that You are our source of strength and sustenance. May we, like the Israelites, recognize Your glory in the midst of our journey and seek Your presence in all circumstances; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Be a part of the Glory of God as you share what God has done for you.

Receive my blessing so joy and peace,

Eradio Valverde, Jr.

The Lord's Work

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1 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. 2 He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard. 3 “About nine in the morning he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. 4 He told them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ 5 So they went. “He went out again about noon and about three in the afternoon and did the same thing. 6 About five in the afternoon he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?’ 7 “ ‘Because no one has hired us,’ they answered. “He said to them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard.’ 8 “When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.’ 9 “The workers who were hired about five in the afternoon came and each received a denarius. 10 So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. 11 When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. 12 ‘These who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.’ 13 “But he answered one of them, ‘I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? 14 Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. 15 Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’ 16 “So the last will be first, and the first will be last.” (Matthew 20:1-16 NIV Bible)

A blessed and marvelous Monday to you, dear Friend. This is my prayer for you. I share good news about our great-niece, Catalina Ramirez, who went home on Friday and is doing great, thanks be to God. Her Dad reports she's actually playing a lot; again, thanks to our loving God. I pray all is well with you and those who matter to you. I pray that we begin to pray harder for those who don't yet matter to us. Pray for them. Pray for your needs.

I have a confession to make. When I was a child I began to question the validity of a song that we were taught to sing in Sunday school and Vacation Bible School. The song's title is the entire song, almost, and it's Don't Do a Half-Day's Work for the Lord and Expect a Full-Day's pay." Wait. What? I sang it first because I didn't completely understand it, then I'd go to a class and the teacher would teach on this passage and I'd ponder both and they didn't quite line up. The little song was written, I believe, and I could be wrong, by a disgruntled boss. When I was on the cabinet as a district superintendent, the bishop told us about a friend who was a managing partner in a major law firm. The friend confided in him that the younger lawyers whom he had hired would come into work at 10 or 11 am, then leave at 2 pm, or earlier depending on their children's events, such as recitals, or soccer games, then they would lament that they had not been promoted to partner within the year. This managing partner wrote the song!

The kingdom of Heaven does not work like that at all. God's economy is way beyond our comprehension. The parable Jesus told explains this, and yet some do not yet quite understand it. A landowner goes to hire workers, and early in the morning he hires some and offers them a denarius for the day's work. At nine in the morning, the owner hires some more workers, who had been standing around "doing nothing." This time he says he will pay them "whatever is right." At noon, and then again at three pm, he hires more workers. Then at 5 pm, he sees more workers standing around, again, doing nothing, and he hires them. I should add this time he asks why they were not working. "Because no one hired us," was their answer. "Go and work in my vineyard.

When it was evening, the foreman is told by the owner to call the workers and pay them, but in an interesting order; the ones hired last would be paid first, and the ones hired first, would be paid last. All were paid the same amount!! Wait. What? In our world this does not make any sense, but this is not our world that Jesus is talking about. We claim it as ours, but it truly belongs to God, and thus God is in control. When God calls us to work, God will pay us according to His will, not ours. And while in our economy the pay may not make sense, in God's it does. A minister who isn't even born yet, may do far greater than things than me, and his or her reward will be great and while I may have used to have said, "That's not fair," now I say, "Praise the Lord!" That worker may be one of my grandkids, or one of yours; would you deny your grandchild the rewards of God just so that you not feel bad about your worth or work? I didn't think so!

The work of the Lord is to save lives. As a nation, really, as a world, we just had the anniversary of one of the worst attacks on American soil, and of the stories that we remember are those who worked hard to save lives in the midst of the chaos and horror of that senseless attack. I saw a report on a blind man who was on one of the top floors of one of the towers and he arrived early to set up a powerpoint presentation he was to make. He joked about what we think he could or not do since he was blind, but he said we would be surprised at what blind people could do. I remember at my first church in a new conference and hearing my associate speaking loudly on the phone with yet another church member calling to check (again) if I was indeed a Mexican and could I, indeed, preach in English, and he said, "Yes, he does, and well, you'd be amazed at what Mexicans are doing nowadays!" And this blind man felt the first attack on the tower and he and his service dog and a man who also had arrived early, made their way down the stairs, stopping to gather people together and encourage those who had given up. "You can make it, just be calm," was said over and over, and this pair of men saved so many lives by their determination to go and serve. God wants that from you and me. The pay we will receive will include those lives whom we have shared Jesus with, and who have accepted Him as their Lord and Savior. Anything else will be icing on a delicious cake of eternal life and love.

PRAYER: Awesome God of the awesome economy, we stand in awe of how loving You are to all people, even us. Help our minds to grow to better serve and to better share; in Christ our Lord's strong name we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Seek to better understand the work God has called you to do, and do it!

Receive my blessings of hope and joy,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

God's Mighty Hand

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19 Then the angel of God, who had been traveling in front of Israel’s army, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved from in front and stood behind them, 20 coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel. Throughout the night the cloud brought darkness to the one side and light to the other side; so neither went near the other all night long. 21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the LORD drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided, 22 and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left. 23 The Egyptians pursued them, and all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots and horsemen followed them into the sea. 24 During the last watch of the night the LORD looked down from the pillar of fire and cloud at the Egyptian army and threw it into confusion. 25 He jammed the wheels of their chariots so that they had difficulty driving. And the Egyptians said, “Let’s get away from the Israelites! The LORD is fighting for them against Egypt.” 26 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the waters may flow back over the Egyptians and their chariots and horsemen.” 27 Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the sea went back to its place. The Egyptians were fleeing toward it, and the LORD swept them into the sea. 28 The water flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen—the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed the Israelites into the sea. Not one of them survived. 29 But the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left. 30 That day the LORD saved Israel from the hands of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the shore. 31 And when the Israelites saw the mighty hand of the LORD displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the LORD and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant. (Exodus 14:19-31 NIV Bible)

A blessed and wonderful Wednesday to you, dear Friend! I pray this bring you a blessing with which you can be a blessing. Remember to pray for one another; pray for those who have asked prayers from us; pray for peace in the world.

This is an iconic story. It is the story of God delivering Israel from their captivity from the Egyptians. It is a story of God's miraculous power. God never holds anything back when it comes to us, and there are key elements of this story that we can apply to our lives and what we may happen to be facing. Sometimes that which we face may seem insurmountable, or we may even feel trapped. We even feel pursued, and even just feel so overwhelmed by those forces that have come against us. Here is where we find our strength in this passage.

This passage teaches us that God goes before us. Just as we read that God's angel went ahead of the Israelites, we should also know that God is at work preparing the way before us. Even when we can't see the path ahead of us, God is there to guide us through the darkness.

This passage also teaches us that God makes a way. When Moses stretchd out his hand, God parted the Red Sea, creating a dry path through an ocean! In the same way, God can open doors that seemed closed. God can also remove obstacles, and God can make a way where there seemed like there was none for us.

Next, the passage speaks the truth that God fights for us. The Israelites were up against one of the most powerful nations in the world at that time, but in reality this battle was really about God versus Pharoah, because Pharoah has set himself up as a god, and well, we know how that went. If God works on our behalf, what chance does our enemy have? In this case, the Egyptians had no chance. God is our ultimate defender and God can and does confuse our enemies and gives us the victory.

This passage teaches us that God delivers completely. Not one of the pursuing Egyptians survived in this attempt to stop and bring the Israelites back. It shows us that when God delivers, it is complete and thorough. God can and does completely remove the things that have come to threaten us, and leaves no trace of harm..

Finally, this passage teaches us to Trust in God. When the Israelites saw God's mighty hand at work, they feared Him and put their trust in Him. Our trials can lead us to a deeper trust and faith in God. God uses adversity to draw us closer to Him.

The laws of nature nor the strength of our enemy is a hinderance to our God. God's power is unmatched and God is undefeated. God's love is unwavering and God's commitment to me and you is unbreakable.

PRAYER: Loving God, our hearts are filled with gratitude for all You have done for us. May these lessons bless us as we seek to walk with You each day; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord. YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Walk with more confidence in knowing God is with you today and all days.

Receive my blessings of joy and hope,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Strong or Weak?

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1 Welcome with open arms fellow believers who don't see things the way you do. And don't jump all over them every time they do or say something you don't agree with - even when it seems that they are strong on opinions but weak in the faith department. Remember, they have their own history to deal with. Treat them gently. 2 For instance, a person who has been around for a while might well be convinced that he can eat anything on the table, while another, with a different background, might assume all Christians should be vegetarians and eat accordingly. 3 But since both are guests at Christ's table, wouldn't it be terribly rude if they fell to criticizing what the other ate or didn't eat? God, after all, invited them both to the table. 4 Do you have any business crossing people off the guest list or interfering with God's welcome? If there are corrections to be made or manners to be learned, God can handle that without your help. 5 Or, say, one person thinks that some days should be set aside as holy and another thinks that each day is pretty much like any other. There are good reasons either way. So, each person is free to follow the convictions of conscience. 6 What's important in all this is that if you keep a holy day, keep it for God's sake; if you eat meat, eat it to the glory of God and thank God for prime rib; if you're a vegetarian, eat vegetables to the glory of God and thank God for broccoli. 7 None of us are permitted to insist on our own way in these matters. 8 It's God we are answerable to - all the way from life to death and everything in between - not each other. 9 That's why Jesus lived and died and then lived again: so that he could be our Master across the entire range of life and death, and free us from the petty tyrannies of each other. 10 So where does that leave you when you criticize a brother? And where does that leave you when you condescend to a sister? I'd say it leaves you looking pretty silly - or worse. Eventually, we're all going to end up kneeling side by side in the place of judgment, facing God. Your critical and condescending ways aren't going to improve your position there one bit. 11 Read it for yourself in Scripture: "As I live and breathe," God says, "every knee will bow before me; Every tongue will tell the honest truth that I and only I am God." 12 So tend to your knitting. You've got your hands full just taking care of your own life before God. (Romans 14:1-12 The Message Bible)

Dear Friend, I thank God for you and your prayers for all who have asked prayers from us. Nellie and I were able to go visit Catalina and her parents this morning and the baby is looking and feeling much better. The doctor came in and said she is responding well to the medicines and she should be going home in a couple of days. Please continue to pray for Catalina Ramirez and her mom and dad. May the Lord bless you for taking time to pray for her and many!

If you're wondering if there ever was a peaceable time for Christian believers, the answer would be a simple no. Two or more people who gather to worship may soon, if left to themselves, will soon find out if there is difference between them. If you remember my devotional based on weird hymns, a friend and colleague shared a story from early in his ministry. He was assigned to a small church and he had selected a hymn and when it came time for the hymn, the church got strangely quiet, when finally the organist said, just loud enough for everyone to hear, "That song is NOT in the organ." He writes, "I looked at her and by the grace of God made the correct decision to not make a big deal of this, smiled, and said, 'Well then, why don't you pick one for us that IS in the organ.' We got along fine after that."

The times for the Apostle Paul were no different, except maybe a bit more serious and lethal. The problem for some Christians in Rome was that a lot of the meat markets in the capital city would buy their meat after it had been sacrificed to idols and false gods. Some believers said they would not eat meat if it was first offered up in that way. Still others would say, "Meat is meat, and being a carnivore, I'm eating meat and it matters not to me where it was first." And that became a problem big enough for Paul to address it. He basically said, when it comes to eating, welcome all people regardless of their attitudes or opinions. Not everyone will agree with you and don't go jumping on those who don't agree with you. Some will seem strong in their opinions but weak in their faith. Paul says take time to fully understand the other person, because we usually don't know their history. Paul says, all are visitors at Christ's table and must treat each other as guests because we have all been invited by the Lord Himself to join Him at the table, and who do we think we are to begin crossing people off the guest list, or trying to run interference on God's welcome? God is capable of handling His own business.

These believers even quarreled about which days were truly holy. Yes, even today some say Saturday is the real sabbath, others Sunday. Paul says to follow your own conscience, but please hold a day sacred for God's sake. And if you eat meat, do it for the honor and glory to God, and even eat prime rib. If you're a vegetarian, eat vegetables for the glory of God and thank God for broccoli. We should respect each other and not insist on our own way; we are to answer only to God from the cradle to the grave. After all, Paul asks, where does conflict truly leave us? We're all headed to the same judgment, maybe even kneeling next to each other, each facing God. Our criticism does not help our situation. God asserts in His word, "Every knee will bow before me; every tongue will tell the honest truth that I and only I am God. We must tend to our knitting because we've got our hands full just taking are of our own life before God."

Paul's message in this passage encourages us to foster an environment of acceptance and love within the faith community. Paul reminds us that unity in Christ is not dependent on uniformity of beliefs and practices but on our shared commitment to honor and serve God. As we seek to live out our faith, may we do so with humility, grace, and love for one another, knowing that we are all accountable to our loving and merciful God.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, we thank You for the reminder that we are all guests at Christ's table, welcomed by Your grace, and that our differences should not divide us but rather draw us closer together in love. Help us, O Lord, to extend the same grace and acceptance to one another that You have shown to us, in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Love one another.

Receive my blessings of peace and love,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

How Many Times?

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21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” 22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. 23 “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him. 25 Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt 26 “At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ 27 The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. 28 “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded. 29 “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’ 30 “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. 31 When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened. 32 “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33 Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ 34 In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. 35 “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.” (Matthew 18:21-35 NIV Bible)

Someone upset Peter that day, or so it seemed. He was married, after all. He comes to Jesus to get clarification on this forgiveness business. To his credit, Peter thought about what he was going to ask Jesus and knowing the rabbinic law of needing to forgive our brother and sister three times, doubles that and adds one. "What a good boy am I!" thinks Peter and awaits the praise of Jesus, you know, "Well done, good and faithful servant." Not so. Jesus counters his very generous offer of seven with seventy-seven times, or as some other version have it as seventy times seven, which in other words has Jesus saying, one never counts the times one forgives those who sin against us. And to demonstrate His point, Jesus shares a parable about a king and his servant, who is in debt to him for 10,000 bags of gold. That really captured the audience's attention. Could you imagine if that was you, or me? To be in debt to a king for that huge amount of money??

The story has the king angered by this amount due him. The king's initial reaction is to have this man and his wife and his family, imprisoned until the amount could be paid. This was a cultural understanding and it was within the king's power to do such a thing. The servant falls to his knees when he hears the king's order and begs for his family and him to not be imprisoned, and he promises to repay the entire debt. His pleas touch the heart of the king and so he pardons the man. The happy man exits the building and on the sidewalk outside runs into a fellow servant who owes him 100 silver coins, he grabs the man by the neck and begins to choke him and demand full payment of this debt. This surprised servant falls to his knees and pleads for his freedom and that of his family as well. But the forgiven servant refuses and orders the debtor thrown into prison until his debt is paid. This incident does not go without notice, for other servants saw and heard the encounter between the forgiven and unforgiven servants go and report this to the king. The king is angered and then orders the imprisonment of the first servant, where he is to be tortured until this debt is paid back. And Jesus closes the parable with these words, "This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart."

Forgiveness is a key component of faith. Jesus stressed that God will deal harshly with those who should no mercy towards others. Jesus said several times that the ones who show mercy will receive mercy. Forgiveness is so important that we have several adages which explain the centrality of forgiveness to faith, and our own wellbeing. Here are just some: "To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you." - This adage underscores the idea that holding onto grudges and resentment can be more harmful to oneself than to the person who committed the offense. "Forgiveness doesn't make the other person right; it makes you free." - This saying emphasizes that forgiveness is not an endorsement of the wrongdoing but a means to find emotional and mental freedom. "The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is an attribute of the strong." - This statement, often attributed to Mahatma Gandhi, suggests that forgiveness requires strength and resilience. "Forgiveness is the fragrance that the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it." - This adage uses the image of a crushed violet to convey the idea that forgiveness can be a beautiful and healing act. "Forgiveness is not an occasional act; it is a constant attitude." - This adage emphasizes that forgiveness is not a one-time event but a continuous choice. "Forgiveness is the final form of love." - This saying suggests that forgiveness is the highest expression of love and compassion. "To forgive is to give up the hope for a better past." - This adage highlights that forgiveness is about accepting the past and moving forward. "Forgiveness is the key that unlocks the door of resentment and the handcuffs of hatred." - This adage uses the metaphor of keys and handcuffs to illustrate how forgiveness can free us from negative emotions.

To forgive is essential to our faith and our health. Jesus points us the way we should go.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, We come before You with hearts heavy with the weight of unforgiveness. We acknowledge that forgiving others can be one of the most challenging acts of love and grace, yet we know it is a commandment You have given us. Lord, we ask for Your strength and guidance as we embark on this journey of forgiveness. Grant us strength to truly be people of forgiveness; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Become a person who forgives.

Receive my blessings of love and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

That Weird Hymn

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1 Hallelujah! Sing to God a brand-new song, praise him in the company of all who love him. 2 Let all Israel celebrate their Sovereign Creator, Zion's children exult in their King. 3 Let them praise his name in dance; strike up the band and make great music! 4 And why? Because God delights in his people, festoons plain folk with salvation garlands! 5 Let true lovers break out in praise, sing out from wherever they're sitting, 6 Shout the high praises of God, brandish their swords in the wild sword-dance - 7 A portent of vengeance on the God-defying nations, a signal that punishment's coming, 8 Their kings chained and hauled off to jail, their leaders behind bars for good, 9 The judgment on them carried out to the letter - and all who love God in the seat of honor! Hallelujah! (Psalm 149 The Message Bible)

A blessed and happy Thursday to you, dear Friend. I thank you all for your prayers and for the emails and texts letting me know of your taking time to pray for me. That means more than you will ever know. I could feel your prayers and more so when I saw my doctor, who said he could find nothing wrong, other than the need for me to take some time to rest, and hydrate. Please continue to pray for Mr. Ramiro Garza, Jr., as he recovers from heart surgery. Prayers for Mrs. Bilha Alegria in Brentwood, TN. as she continues her battle with cancer. Pray for her strength to return after each chemo session. Ms. Dena Fritz has asked for prayers for her family. Dena’s sister-in-law Mary Ann Jorgensen passed away. Please keep the family in your prayers. Please keep all these requests in your heart and spirit; pray for all who have asked prayers of us, pray for each other, and pray for yourselves and your needs.

I read a pastor list how she handles the hymns for her Sunday services. She chooses well-known and beloved hymns for the first and last section of the service, and then the middle hymn she will introduce as "this weird hymn," where the congregation will sing a lesser known, or even new hymn. I cringe at the many hymns that I don't know, but especially the ones that I know that do make me cringe. I remember that now faded tradition of midweek worship when we would have a time for favorite hymns and people would raise their hands and shout out the hymn, and there was this one hymn that just didn't click for me. And if we didn't have a pianist that night, guess who would have to lead those delightful hymns. Yes. No bueno. I loved one church when our midweek pianist was a high school student would handed me on my first day there a list of maybe twenty hymns that he knew and would gladly play for worship. They were written neatly on a torn-out spiral notebook, and the boy was really good. But even with him playing that one dreadful hymn, no bueno.

The psalmist didn't worry about weird hymns. He was all about praising God, and more than likely, singing those hymns he himself composed. I'm all about praising God too, but know my limits when it comes to singing, well, weird hymns. David was about lifting up praises of gratitude towards God and in a corporate setting. I love singing hymns. I love hymn-sings, and I miss singing in Spanish, but I agree that this psalm is a call to genuine worship, not holding anything back, including dancing, using a band (other instruments besides organ and piano), and other ways of showing our love towards God for all God has done for us. Those believers who have given their lives to God, should rejoice in knowing the Creator and who know the unlimited power of God in their lives. I have referred to the joys of letting youth plan worship events where they hold nothing back and come up with a worship experience with colorful objects like balloons, posters, banners, skits, etc.

The psalmist also reminds us that God delights in us. That's a wonderful image for me, and I hope for you as well. Imagine your first glimpse of your baby, or niece or grandchild; and multiply that by a billion, and you get the image of God delighting in you! Add that to your time of praise and you will discover the power of praise. It has the power to defeat the negatives in your life, it breaks down the barriers that holds you captive, and free us to be the believers He's called us to be. I chuckle as I remember those church members who said they didn't worship in church because they were afraid of crowds and those were precisely the ones I would see at Friday football games, where the excitement of the music and the cheers "blessed" them more than being in Sunday worship. Ouch, am I stepping on toes here?

The psalmist concludes by speaking of the honor that comes to God's faithful through times of praise and worship, and the dishonor that waits those who have run away from God. Life is ours as believers, and an absence of life belongs to those who defy God. This psalm calls all of us into action to reach those who are trying to defy God.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, our hearts are filled with gratitude and joy, just as the psalmist in Psalm 149 calls us to celebrate You with all our being. We praise You, O Lord, for the gift of Your Word, which encourages us to sing a new song to You, to celebrate Your sovereign reign over our lives, and to worship You with hearts full of joy. We thank You for reminding us that You delight in Your people, and You clothe us with salvation. Help us to always remember that we are beloved and chosen by You. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Seek the God-defiers and invite them into the fellowship of faith.

Receive my blessings of joy and power,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Wearing Jesus

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8 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. 9 The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. 11 And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. 14 Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh. (Romans 13:8-14 NIV Bible)

Have you ever heard a loved one say something along the lines of, "I don't have a thing to wear?" (Sometimes, and those are few and far between, the loved one may mean, "I need to buy a new outfit." But that's just me guessing; I don't know for sure.). I always think, "Well, where we're going I'm going to wear the same black robe that I've had since 1976 and it's the most special robes of the few I own, made so because it was a gift from my grandmother, Ms. Petra Martinez Valverde, who paid over $300 in 1976 money for that robe. And this from a long-retired woman who never truly worked outside the home! When I wear the robe I think of her and miss her a lot. When I wear the robe I am wearing the love of my grandmother and wearing the authority given to me by the Church to officiate and preside over sacramental duties.

The Apostle Paul in this passage is talking about how to best live our lives as Christians. He begins by addressing debt and how we should owe no one anything, except "the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. The law says to love your neighbor as yourself, thus the "debt" to which Paul is referring. Then he quotes the commandments and those requirements to live right; no adultery, no murder, no stealing, and no coveting; summing it all up with "Love your neighbor as yourself." The neighbor that loves his/her neighbor, will not harm that neighbor; and love becomes the fulfillment of the law. Then amazingly, Paul says to his readers of that time, that they should be aware of "the present time." The present is so intense, and we should remember this was more than two thousand years ago; and Paul says with times as they are, we should not be asleep because our salvation is closer to us now than when we first believed; a reference to each day bringing us closer to our death. The trials of "night" will soon fade as "the day" is coming soon. The reality is to live in ways that show we belong to the day and not to the night. Our behavior should reflect our allegiance to the day in our abstaining from "carousing and drunkenness," staying away from sexual immorality and debauchery, and dissension and jealousy. Here is where Paul says we should "wear Jesus Christ," as clothing and protection and a reflection of Whom we belong, and put aside the desires and temptations of the flesh.

This passage is very closely related to yesterday's Sin in The Church devotional from the gospel from this week's lectionary lessons; and reinforces that teaching from Jesus from the man who was personally called by Jesus to take His word to the world. In the same way, you and I are called to live model lives to bless others and to show that in spite of how difficult it may be we can do it. Again, this is a call to stand out, and apart, from how the world sees things. We are to be a nation that models Jesus and not the ways of Satan.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, mold me and make me, like Thee divine, as we sing and now pray. Help us be the models of love and faith that bless the world; this we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord. YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Live like Jesus!

Receive my blessings of joy and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.