Hope From The Ashes

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23 “Oh, that my words were recorded, that they were written on a scroll, 24 that they were inscribed with an iron tool on lead, or engraved in rock forever! 25 I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth. 26 And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; 27 I myself will see him with my own eyes—(Job 19:23-27a)

A blessed and glory-filled Wednesday be yours today and all days, dear Friend. This passage made me think of the old song, "Heaven came down, and glory filled my soul. When at the cross my Saviour made me whole (made me whole) My sins were washed away And my night was turned to day Heaven came down and glory filled my soul." May it be so in you and me and all who read or listen to this devotional today.

This passage is very relevant considering the number of fellow Americans who have lost their SNAP benefits or who have not been paid during this government shutdown. In our state of Texas alone, 3.5 million people have lost their food stamps. On Halloween Nellie and I handed out large size candy bars as well as Velveeta and Kraft mac and cheese cups just in case some of the kids coming by did not have food. One little girl said she did not want candy but did want the mac and cheese. I said she could have both and she replied, "Really?" Not many of us, thank God, know what it feels like to lose everything. Some have lost loved ones and that's very close in pain, suffering, terror, etc. in losing everything.

We should all know at least the background story of the man named Job. He went from being the most blessed man in the world to one who lost all. And this is where we find him at one of his lowest points. He has lost his children, his wealth, his health, and his reputation. His friends accuse him of hidden sin. His wife suggests he curse God and die. His body is covered with painful sores. He sits in ashes, scraping his skin with broken pottery. Yet from this pit of despair, Job makes one of Scripture's most stunning declarations of faith: "I know that my redeemer lives." Not "I hope" or "I believe" or "I've heard"—but "I know." This isn't theoretical theology or secondhand religion. This is bedrock certainty forged in the fire of suffering. Job's confidence doesn't rest on his circumstances, which are catastrophic, or his understanding, which is incomplete. It rests on the character of his Redeemer who lives even when everything else seems dead.

Job's declaration looks beyond his present suffering to ultimate vindication: "In the end he will stand on the earth." Job knows his story isn't finished. There's an "end" coming when his Redeemer will stand in judgment and justice, when truth will be revealed and wrongs will be made right. This hope isn't escapism or denial—Job fully acknowledges his present reality. But he refuses to let present suffering define ultimate reality. He insists that there's more to the story than what he's currently experiencing. "After my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God"—Job anticipates seeing God even after death, even after his body has decomposed. This is a stunning glimpse of resurrection hope centuries before Christ. Job believes that death isn't the end of his relationship with God, that his Redeemer's vindication will extend beyond the grave.

The most striking part of Job's declaration is its intensely personal nature: "I myself will see him with my own eyes—I, and not another." Job isn't content with secondhand reports or others' testimonies. He yearns for direct, personal encounter with God. Not a vision or a dream, but face-to-face seeing with his own resurrected eyes. This isn't about doctrinal correctness or theological precision—it's about intimate relationship. "How my heart yearns within me!" Job's suffering hasn't killed his desire for God; it has intensified it. His losses haven't made him indifferent to eternity; they've sharpened his longing for the day when he'll see his Redeemer face to face. This yearning keeps him anchored when everything else has been swept away.

Job's faith speaks powerfully to us when we face suffering that makes no sense, losses that feel unbearable, or circumstances that seem to contradict everything we believe about God's goodness. In those moments, we're invited to join Job in declaring what we know rather than what we feel, what's ultimately true rather than what's immediately visible. Our Redeemer lives. There is an end coming when He will stand and make all things right. Death isn't the final word. We will see Him with our own eyes. And this hope—not the absence of suffering but the presence of a living Redeemer who promises vindication beyond the grave—is what enables us to endure when life falls apart. Job teaches us that the deepest faith isn't found in prosperity but in the ability to declare "I know my Redeemer lives" when everything else has died.

PRAYER: Oh God, Our Redeemer who lives, when suffering makes no sense and losses feel unbearable, anchor us in the certainty that You live, that our story isn't finished, and that we will one day see You face to face with our own eyes—in Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: When you face suffering or loss this week, practice declaring aloud "I know my Redeemer lives" as an act of faith, anchoring yourself not in circumstances but in the living presence of the One who promises ultimate vindication.

I love you and I thank God for you! You matter to God, and you matter to me, and to many others. Use your smile, wit, joy and peace to share with others, especially those who need it most.

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

**Hear the song mentioned above, "Heaven Came Down" by clicking on this link: https://bit.ly/438QelK

And a Christmas idea for the hard-to-please person on your list! https://amzn.to/498mmK5

Stand Firm In Whom You Believe!

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1 Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers and sisters, 2 not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us—whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter—asserting that the day of the Lord has already come. 3 Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. 4 He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God. 5 Don’t you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things? 13 But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as firstfruits to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. 14 He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15 So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter. 16 May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, 17 encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word. (2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17 NIV)/

Welcome, Tuesday! Bring to this dear reader, the fullness of love and peace. And may it be contagious so it pours out onto others.

The Apostle Paul's message had to change as the days, months, and years crept by. His zeal and joy at the imminent coming of the Lord did not appear as he had preached. And so, Paul began to change his message as more and more new and seasoned believers began to ask, "Where is Jesus? You said He'd be here soon! How soon is soon?" And even today, people post on social media dates they believe is the return date for Jesus with one as recent as September 23, 2025. (Oh, that was the corrected date, as an earlier posted date did not come to pass either). All of this comes under the name of Rapture, a term not found in the Bible but used by some segments of Christianity as the name given to a series of events that will usher in the Second Coming of Jesus. But as Jesus Himself said, "No one knows the day nor the hour," and He included Himself in that statement. We do all believe in the Second Coming of Jesus, but when it will be, and in what form, we do not know. All I have stressed, as Jesus taught us, to be ready at any hour. Thus, Paul's statement to the believers in Thessalonica not to become easily unsettled or alarmed, that some talked about Jesus' return already having happened.

His message is clear: don't be easily shaken or alarmed by rumors, prophecies, or even letters supposedly from us. The day of the Lord hasn't come yet, and specific events must happen first. Paul reminds them that he already taught them these things when he was with them: "Don't you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things?" False teaching thrives when people forget what they've been taught. The antidote to spiritual confusion isn't necessarily new revelation but remembering and holding fast to truth we've already received. When we're shaken by alarming messages or spiritual panic, we need to return to the solid foundation of what we know to be true.

Paul then shifts from warning to encouragement: "But we must always give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the first fruits for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and through belief in the truth." After addressing their confusion, Paul grounds them in their identity—they are beloved, chosen, and saved. This isn't just theological truth to be believed; it's personal reality to be embraced. God chose them for salvation, the Spirit is sanctifying them, and they believed the truth. Their salvation isn't fragile or uncertain—it rests on God's sovereign choice, the Spirit's ongoing work, and their response of faith. When we're spiritually disoriented, remembering our secure identity in Christ stabilizes us. We don't have to panic about missing God's timing or being left behind because our salvation depends on God's faithful choice, not our perfect understanding of prophetic timelines.

Paul's instruction is both simple and profound: "Stand firm and hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you." In times of confusion and false teaching, the call isn't to seek new revelation or chase after sensational claims. It's to stand firm—remain stable, don't be moved, keep your footing. And to hold fast—grip tightly, don't let go, maintain your grasp on truth. The "teachings" Paul refers to aren't complicated mysteries available only to spiritual elites; they're the foundational truths he already taught them through his preaching and letters. Spiritual stability comes not from constantly seeking the next new thing but from deeply knowing and firmly holding what God has already revealed. In our age of spiritual novelty and constant streams of new teachings, this is a countercultural call to be rooted rather than restless, anchored rather than drifting.

Paul concludes with a beautiful prayer that becomes a model for us: "May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and through grace gave us eternal comfort and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word." Notice what Paul prays for—not just knowledge or understanding, but encouragement and strength. The Thessalonians need more than correct information; they need fortified hearts and empowered lives. And the source of this encouragement and strength is both God's past action (He loved us, gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace) and His ongoing presence (may He encourage and strengthen you now). We stand firm not through willpower alone but through the encouragement and strength that come from the God who has already loved us, saved us, and given us unshakeable hope. His comfort is eternal, His hope is good, and His grace sustains us in every word we speak and deed we do.

PRAYER: Loving God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, encourage our hearts and strengthen us to stand firm in truth, holding fast to what You've taught us and living confidently in the salvation You've secured for us—in Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: Write down three foundational truths you've been taught about God and salvation, and when you feel shaken or confused, return to these truths instead of chasing after new or sensational teachings.

I love you and I thank God for you. You matter to God, and you matter to me. Your specialness in Christ makes you worth sharing your witness and testimony about the goodness of God.

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

The God of the Living

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27 Some of the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus with a question. 28 “Teacher,” they said, “Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother. 29 Now there were seven brothers. The first one married a woman and died childless. 30 The second 31 and then the third married her, and in the same way the seven died, leaving no children. 32 Finally, the woman died too. 33 Now then, at the resurrection whose wife will she be, since the seven were married to her?” 34 Jesus replied, “The people of this age marry and are given in marriage. 35 But those who are considered worthy of taking part in the age to come and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, 36 and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God’s children, since they are children of the resurrection. 37 But in the account of the burning bush, even Moses showed that the dead rise, for he calls the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ 38 He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.” (Luke 20: 27-38 NIV)

There's a song that mentions this group of religious Jews who do not believe in resurrection and the line in the song says, "That's why they're always sad, you see?" Okay, it was funnier back in the day. But, they, during Jesus' time, were dead serious about there not being any life after death. You and I know Christians who also believe in that way. I did my college internship with a Jewish woman who did not believe in resurrection saying, "The only way you live on is in the hearts and minds of those who love you." But here in this passage, the serious and devious opponents of Jesus, seek to trap Him with a complex quiz based on Mosaic law. If a man's brother dies and leaves a wife with no children, the man must marry the widow and ruase up offspring for his brother. And the quiz asks, what happens if there are seven brothers and no children? And the big question, Whose wife will she be, since she was married to seven brothers? But their trap reveals more about their limited imagination than about the reality of resurrection. They're trying to fit eternal realities into earthly categories, assuming that resurrected life is simply this life extended forever with all its same structures and complications. Jesus responds by exposing the poverty of their imagination: "The people of this age marry and are given in marriage. But those who are considered worthy of taking part in the age to come and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels." The Sadducees assume resurrection life is just this life with better health, but Jesus reveals it's an entirely different kind of existence. Marriage serves crucial purposes in this age—companionship, procreation, family continuation—but in the resurrection, these purposes are either fulfilled or transcended. People don't marry in resurrection life not because relationship becomes less important but because we enter into a kind of existence where earthly institutions designed for mortal life are no longer necessary. We'll be "like the angels"—not that we become angels, but that we share their deathless existence and direct relationship with God.

Jesus then addresses the deeper issue—not the mechanics of resurrection life but the reality of resurrection itself. He points to a passage the Sadducees claim to accept: when God spoke to Moses at the burning bush, He identified Himself as "the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." Jesus' logic is stunning: "He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive." If God is still, in Moses' present tense, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob centuries after they died, then they must still be alive in some real sense. God doesn't form covenant relationships with people only to let death end them. He doesn't identify Himself by His relationship to corpses. The present-tense declaration "I am the God of Abraham" testifies that Abraham still exists in relationship with God. Death doesn't sever what God has joined.

This passage confronts our tendency to domesticate eternal realities by forcing them into familiar categories. We often think about heaven as "this life, but better"—same relationships, same pleasures, same structures, just perfected. But Jesus invites us to expand our imagination. Resurrection life isn't this life extended; it's a qualitatively different existence where death has no power, where our relationship with God defines everything, and where earthly categories give way to realities we can barely conceive. The comfort isn't that everything will be exactly as we know it now, only improved. The comfort is that God is the God of the living, that His covenant love is stronger than death, and that those who belong to Him are alive to Him even when they seem dead to us. Death is real, but it's not ultimate. Relationship with the living God transcends the grave. Our task isn't to figure out all the details of resurrection existence but to trust the character of the God who promises it—the God for whom all are alive.

PRAYER: Loving God of the living, expand our imagination beyond what we can see and help us trust that Your covenant love is stronger than death and that resurrection life with You will be better than anything we can currently conceive. Strength our relationship with You, with those whom we love and need, and with those whom we need to meet and love; in Christ Jesus' strong name we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: Reflect on one relationship or aspect of this life you're tempted to absolutize, and ask God to help you hold it with open hands, trusting that resurrection life will fulfill and transcend earthly loves in ways you can't yet imagine.

I love you and I thank God for you. You matter to God and you matter to me; show others they matter to you. Remember your uniqueness is an asset to God's kingdom - make the most of it!

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

God, Where Are You?

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1 The problem as God gave Habakkuk to see it: 2 God, how long do I have to cry out for help before you listen? How many times do I have to yell, "Help! Murder! Police!" before you come to the rescue? 3 Why do you force me to look at evil, stare trouble in the face day after day? Anarchy and violence break out, quarrels and fights all over the place. 4 Law and order fall to pieces. Justice is a joke. The wicked have the righteous hamstrung and stand justice on its head. God Says, "Look!" 1 What's God going to say to my questions? I'm braced for the worst. I'll climb to the lookout tower and scan the horizon. I'll wait to see what God says, how he'll answer my complaint. 2 And then God answered: "Write this. Write what you see. Write it out in big block letters so that it can be read on the run. 3 This vision-message is a witness pointing to what's coming. It aches for the coming - it can hardly wait! And it doesn't lie. If it seems slow in coming, wait. It's on its way. It will come right on time. 4 "Look at that man, bloated by self-importance - full of himself but soul-empty. But the person in right standing before God through loyal and steady believing is fully alive, really alive. (Habbakkuk 1:1-4, 2:1-4 The Message Bible)

It was on what was the front porch of La Trinidad UMC here in Seguin, Texas, when I was still in high school that I sat with other high school MYFers as we sat in a class taught by The Rev. Rudolfo Barrera, then a young pastor of The Rio Grande Conference. Rudolfo was to teach us an introduction to this book of the prophet Habakkuk. Rev. Barrera said he always thought of Coca-Cola when he thought of this prophet's name because he thought Habakkuk sounded too close to "Have a Coke." It would seem that the Coca-Cola company's massive advertising budget had paid off. At one time Coke prided itself in saying that you could not walk more than 5 miles in any direction without coming to a Coke product. The company prided itself on the amount of money they spend every year to keep the top spot in the soft drink world.

Habakkuk is the last of the minor prophets; known more for his conversations with God than any interaction with the people; though their history during this tenure speaks of an unfaithful lot, seeking new and innovative ways to drift away from Yahweh. The prophet hurts in his heart and finds it more pressing to speak to God about possible solutions, for his frustration is evident in his comments, "God, how long do I have to cry out for help before you listen?" The prophet feels like we do at times, that God takes too long to respond to our needs and prayers. Our need is on par with what the prophet is saying that the people of God face: "Help! Murder! Police!" Are not these things of the most urgent level? Habakkuk was already facing evil in the face, and not just once a day, but several times a day, day after day. The people were already involved in anarchy and violence; fights breaking out; law and order were just words once upon a time; and Justice had packed up and left town years ago. The wicked had the run of the place and their desire was to get God out of their business and enjoy what they were free to do.

But as we know all too well, God has the last word in all things. And His last word to the prophet is that God was still in charge; strongly rooted in the rock solid foundation of truth and righteousness. Evil has no desire for visions of the good available for those who seek it; though it may seem slow in coming, it is on its way, and will arrive right on time. The self-important people full of themselves are empty in their souls; theirs will be lost for their desire is not of God and fullness of life. God will make them come fully alive.

Faith isn't pretending everything is fine. It's choosing to believe that God is working even when we can't see it. It's climbing our own watchtowers, positioning our hearts to hear, and trusting that the vision will come to pass in its appointed time. Where do you find yourself in this story? Are you seeking self-fulfillment and avoiding God? Now is the time to right your direction and head home towards God.

PRAYER: God, give us the courage to wait with expectation rather than walk away in frustration, trusting that Your vision for our lives will unfold in Your perfect timing. In Jesus' strong name we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: Today, identify one area where you're waiting for God's answer. Write it down, place it somewhere visible, and commit to "watch and wait" with active faith rather than anxious striving.

I love you and I thank God for you! You matter to God and you matter to me. There is no one like you in tihis entire world. Make an impact on others!

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Wee, Wicked Man Was He...Just Like Me?

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1 Then Jesus entered and walked through Jericho. 2 There was a man there, his name Zacchaeus, the head tax man and quite rich. 3 He wanted desperately to see Jesus, but the crowd was in his way - he was a short man and couldn't see over the crowd. 4 So he ran on ahead and climbed up in a sycamore tree so he could see Jesus when he came by. 5 When Jesus got to the tree, he looked up and said, "Zacchaeus, hurry down. Today is my day to be a guest in your home." 6 Zacchaeus scrambled out of the tree, hardly believing his good luck, delighted to take Jesus home with him. 7 Everyone who saw the incident was indignant and grumped, "What business does he have getting cozy with this crook?" 8 Zacchaeus just stood there, a little stunned. He stammered apologetically, "Master, I give away half my income to the poor - and if I'm caught cheating, I pay four times the damages." 9 Jesus said, "Today is salvation day in this home! Here he is: Zacchaeus, son of Abraham! 10 For the Son of Man came to find and restore the lost." (Luke 19:1-10 The Message Bible)

Good Monday to you, Friend! Make the most of this day that you can for the honor and glory of God! As we pray, please lift up in prayer these persons who have requested prayer: Ms. Sylvia Gaytan, facing medical issues in Dallas, Texas; Mr. Joe Britt Hindman having knee replacement surgery on Wednesday in Gonzales; and Ms. Cicely Jackson of Smiley, also may have knee surgery soon. May God bring them comfort and peace and healing.

It may have been the first song you and I learned in Sunday school days, way back in the day. Someone, wanting to make Zacchaeus famous, wrote the song that emphasized that Zee was a wee little man, and a wee little man was he. If Zee had been around he might have said, "I'm good. I really don't need a song about me!" And under his breath may have said, "Especially emphasizing how 'wee' I may have been." I looked it up and the average stature of a man during Jesus' time was 5'5", so he might have been a bit shorter than that; short enough that he could not see the parade from where he stood, so he needed to climb a tree. What do we know about Zee? Well, the Bible says that he was an important tax man and quite rich. The popular understanding about tax collectors was that most were dishonest and took advantage of their position to take advantage of their countrymen. They would know the amount due Rome and they could tack on a bit more for themselves. My brother was a tax collector, well, a tax enforcement officer and the tales he told of dishonest modern day tax collectors and even wannabe tax collectors. He worked in the Southern Florida area and one woman, went so far as to go to a local church that served mainly Haitians and identified herself as an IRS agent needing to open a field office. She had the glass door of the office she rented from the church painted with IRS logo and she began to prey on fellow Haitians. "According to my records, you owe the US government $2,000 but if you bring me $800 we can call it even." And so, unsuspecting church members quietly complied and this went on until my brother went in to arrest her. And there's no telling how much money this lady made from people who trusted her. And the same could be said about Zee and his "business."

Yet something compelled this rich, important man to do something undignified: climb a tree like a child just to catch a glimpse of Jesus. His curiosity overcame his pride. His spiritual hunger overcame his concern for reputation. Whatever it took to see Jesus, Zacchaeus was willing to do it.

This invites us to examine our own hearts: How hungry are we to encounter Jesus? Are we willing to look foolish, to do what's undignified, to go beyond our comfort zones just to see Him? Sometimes the first step toward transformation is being willing to climb a tree when everyone's watching.

Imagine Zacchaeus perched in that sycamore tree, probably thinking he'd found the perfect hiding spot—close enough to see Jesus but safely above the hostile crowd. Then Jesus does something shocking: He stops, looks up, calls Zacchaeus by name, and invites Himself to dinner.

"I must stay at your house today." Not "I might" or "perhaps we could" but "I must." Jesus makes Zacchaeus' home His priority destination, communicating something profound: You're not just someone I'm willing to associate with—you're someone I'm choosing to honor with My presence.

This is the scandal of grace: Jesus doesn't wait for Zacchaeus to clean up his act, make restitution, or prove he's changed. He offers relationship first, knowing that genuine transformation happens in the context of acceptance, not as a prerequisite for it. Jesus meets you where you are, not where you should be.

The crowd's reaction reveals their fundamental misunderstanding of Jesus' mission. They thought He came to affirm the righteous; He came to rescue the lost. They expected Him to reward those who had it together; He prioritized those who were falling apart.

Their muttering represents the voice of religious disapproval that still exists today—the judgment that asks, "Why would God use that person? Why would Jesus choose them?" This voice forgets that none of us deserved to be chosen, that we're all recipients of scandalous grace, that every saint has a past and every sinner has a future.

If you've ever felt like the crowd's muttering was directed at you—if you've been told you're too messed up, too far gone, too sinful to be useful to God—this story is your invitation to ignore the critics and respond to Jesus' call. His opinion is the only one that matters.

"Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, 'Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.'" This isn't Zacchaeus trying to earn Jesus' approval—it's his response to having already received it.

Notice the specificity and the immediacy: "here and now." Not "I'll think about it" or "eventually I'll make some changes." Genuine encounter with Jesus produces immediate, concrete, costly transformation. Zacchaeus doesn't just feel bad about his past; he makes it right. He doesn't just promise to do better; he commits to radical generosity.

The transformation is both vertical (relationship with God) and horizontal (relationship with others). Real change always affects both dimensions. You can't truly be right with God while remaining wrong with people. Authentic spiritual transformation always produces ethical transformation.

"Today salvation has come to this house." Jesus doesn't say "will come someday" or "might come eventually." He says "today"—right now, in this moment, salvation has arrived. Zacchaeus doesn't have to wait for a better version of himself. He doesn't have to complete a program or prove his worthiness. Today—messy, imperfect, just-starting-to-change today—salvation comes.

This is the urgency and immediacy of the gospel. You don't have to wait for tomorrow to be made right with God. You don't have to clean up your life before coming to Jesus. Today—right now, in this moment, exactly as you are—salvation is available. The question isn't whether you're good enough but whether you're willing to come down from whatever tree you're hiding in and welcome Jesus gladly.

Jesus' words to Zacchaeus are His words to us: "Come down immediately." Come down from whatever perch you've climbed to observe Jesus from a safe distance. Come down from the tree of self-sufficiency, self-righteousness, or self-protection. Come down from hiding and step into relationship.

The invitation includes urgency—"immediately." Not when you feel ready, not when you're more worthy, not when your life is more together. Now. Today. This moment. Jesus doesn't wait for perfect conditions to enter your life; He enters while you're still up a tree, while the crowd is still muttering, while you're still trying to figure out how to make things right.

And the invitation promises presence—"I must stay at your house." Jesus doesn't just pass by and wave. He doesn't just acknowledge you from a distance. He comes to stay, to be present, to transform your space by His presence. When Jesus enters your life, He doesn't come as a brief visitor but as an abiding guest who makes your house His home.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, thank You for seeking us when we were lost, calling us by name when we were hiding, and offering relationship before we cleaned up our mess. Help us come down from whatever trees we've climbed to observe You from a safe distance and welcome You gladly into every area of our lives. Give us Zacchaeus' immediate responsiveness, his joyful reception, and his radical generosity. Transform us not through guilt and shame but through the scandalous grace of being chosen by You. May our lives demonstrate that salvation has come today, making us living testimonies of what happens when the lost are found and the found become generous. In Your strong name, Amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: This week, identify one "tree" you've been hiding in—one area where you've been observing Jesus from a distance rather than welcoming Him fully—and respond to His invitation to "come down immediately" by taking one concrete step toward opening that area of your life to His transforming presence.

I love you and I thank God for you! You matter to God, you matter to me, and you matter to more people than you can imainge. Go out and make a difference!

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

God does not just mend; He multiplies

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23 Children of Zion, celebrate! Be glad in your God. He's giving you a teacher to train you how to live right - Teaching, like rain out of heaven, showers of words to refresh and nourish your soul, just as he used to do. 24 And plenty of food for your body - silos full of grain, casks of wine and barrels of olive oil. 25 "I'll make up for the years of the locust, the great locust devastation - Locusts savage, locusts deadly, fierce locusts, locusts of doom, That great locust invasion I sent your way. 26 You'll eat your fill of good food. You'll be full of praises to your God, The God who has set you back on your heels in wonder. Never again will my people be despised. 27 You'll know without question that I'm in the thick of life with Israel, That I'm your God, yes, your God, the one and only real God. Never again will my people be despised. The Sun Turning Black and the Moon Blood-Red 28 "And that's just the beginning: After that - "I will pour out my Spirit on every kind of people: Your sons will prophesy, also your daughters. Your old men will dream, your young men will see visions. 29 I'll even pour out my Spirit on the servants, men and women both. 30 I'll set wonders in the sky above and signs on the earth below: Blood and fire and billowing smoke, 31 the sun turning black and the moon blood-red, Before the Judgment Day of God, the Day tremendous and awesome. 32 Whoever calls, 'Help, God!' gets help. On Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be a great rescue - just as God said. Included in the survivors are those that God calls. (Joel 2:23-32 The Message)

Today is a special day as it marks what would have been my parents' 75th Wedding Anniversary. How I miss them! What makes it a special day is that I remember when I was a child I stared at the calendar and said, "Hmm, hey, wait a minute!" I went to my Dad and said, "Hey, you guys got married on the 22nd of October and then on the 25th, three days later, I was born!" My Dad laughed and said, "Yes, Mijito, but we were born two years before you were born!" Huh? Oh, okay! Then several years later, our oldest also stared at the calendar and asked the very thing. "Daddy, I was born February 1st and you guy got married on the 25th??" And I laughed and thought of my Dad, and say, "Yes, but we were married two years before you were born!" So, Happy Heavenly Anniversary Mom and Dad!

Last night right before I fell asleep Nellie said, "If you really think you can drive now, maybe you can try tomorrow when Carli gets home so she can go with you." That's all I needed to not sleep with excitement of my being able to drive after about three months of not driving. Would my house arrest finally be over? So, this morning after our breakfast I dressed and announced that I would go and try driving. "Do you want me to come with you?" sounding like she hoped not; "Yes! I'd love for you to come." So, long story short, I'm driving again and I'm excited! I praise the Lord that my initial excursions were successful. Thank You, Lord Jesus! So, watch out!

We come again to the familiar story of a prophet speaking to a defeated, destroyed people. This time it was to hear good news from God. The bad days were over and now the horizon was filled with the promise of renewal and restoration. This may be your story as it has been mine at different times. Because we trust the Lord, the Lord comes through; usually in some awesome ways, make that, unexpected ways. To the people of Zion God says, "Celebrate! Be glad in your God. He's giving you a teacher to train you how to live right - Teaching, like rain out of heaven, showers of words to refresh and nourish your soul, just as He used to do." This is not mere encouragement—it is an invitation to expect restoration and participate in revival.

Joel reminds us that God is not limited by what was lost. The years consumed by destruction, regret, or rebellion are not beyond His reach. God does not just mend; He multiplies. The same God who allowed the land to be stripped is the God who promises overflowing harvests. The same God who calls us to repentance is the God ready to pour out His Spirit on all flesh.

God does not promise restoration so we can return to life as usual. He promises an outpouring of His Spirit so we can rise up in holy purpose. Sons and daughters will prophesy. Ordinary people will be filled with extraordinary power. Revival won’t be confined to pulpits or institutions—it will break out in living rooms, workplaces, farms, cities, and small towns.

But revival begins where repentance and expectation meet. When we humble ourselves, God releases His Spirit freely. When we turn back to Him, He turns devastation into destiny.

Joel proclaims a radical truth: Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. This includes the broken, the wandering, the spiritually dry, the young, the old, and the ones who thought their best days were behind them. It includes you.

God is gathering a people who will not sit on the sidelines of His promise but will step into the flow of His Spirit with boldness, believing that revival is not only coming—but is here.

Joel proclaims a radical truth: Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. This includes the broken, the wandering, the spiritually dry, the young, the old, and the ones who thought their best days were behind them. It includes you.

God is gathering a people who will not sit on the sidelines of His promise but will step into the flow of His Spirit with boldness, believing that revival is not only coming—but is here.

PRAYER: Lord God, we thank You for Your promise of restoration and Your outpouring of the Holy Spirit. We confess our need for You—we turn from complacency and call upon Your name. Send the rain of Your presence on our homes, churches, and communities. Revive our hearts and awaken our spirits to Your mission. Fill us with boldness to speak Your truth, love deeply, and live courageously in the power of Your Spirit. Let the promise of Joel be fulfilled in our time. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: Ask God today to show you one specific step of obedience to prepare for His outpouring—and do it immediately.

I love you and I thank God for you! You matter to God and you matter to me. Make life better by how you share you!

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Finish The Race With Faith

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6 As for me, I am already being poured out as a libation, and the time of my departure has come. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 From now on there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have longed for his appearing. 16 At my first defense no one came to my support, but all deserted me. May it not be counted against them! 17 But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion's mouth. 18 The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and save me for his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen. (2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18 The Message Bible)

Happy Tuesday, Friend. I pray this second day of your work week is blessed and of a blessing to all.

A dear friend and colleague of mine retired from a significant time as the chaplain on death row in the prison system. His was the job of praying and accompanying death row inmates to their scheduled execution. He was there from the days of the electric chair until the lethal injection. My friend spoke little to nothing of those days, guarding the intimately privacy of one's last hours; a job most people might have turned down. In the same way, some years ago, my insurance agent had an older gentleman who did his lawn. We would always talk and I invited him to our church. He started to attend faithfully for about a month when I got word that he was in the hospital. I went to see him and he told me that the doctors did not give him long to live but he was alright because he had heard the gospel message through some of the sermons I shared. He said he felt peace and was happy to know he had a home waiting for him beyond this life. It was a touching moment. Today, we heard the words from the Apostle Paul as he unloads his heart to his spiritual son, Timothy.

There's no denial, no desperation, no panic. He's facing execution with the calm assurance of someone who's lived well and finished strong.

The phrase "my life an offering" captures how Paul views his impending martyrdom—not as tragedy but as worship, not as waste but as sacrifice that honors God. His death will be the final punctuation mark on a life poured out for the gospel. It's the last sentence in a story written well.

Most of us won't face martyrdom, but we all face the question: How will I finish? Will I coast to the end, fade into irrelevance, or cross the finish line with energy and purpose still intact? Paul shows us what it looks like to end well.

"This is the only race worth running. I've run hard right to the finish, believed all the way." Paul isn't bragging—he's testifying. He's not saying he was perfect but that he was faithful, not that he never fell but that he kept getting up and running.

Notice what Paul emphasizes: He fought the good fight (not every fight, just the ones worth fighting), finished the race (didn't quit halfway through), and kept the faith (maintained his grip on truth even when pressured to let go). This is what finishing strong looks like—staying engaged in what matters until the very end.

The contemporary Christian landscape is littered with people who started strong but didn't finish—leaders who fell morally, believers who drifted spiritually, workers who burned out emotionally. Paul reminds us that how you finish matters as much as how you start.

Paul looks forward to receiving "the crown of righteousness"—not because he earned it through perfect performance but because God rewards faithful endurance.

The phrase "everyone eager for his coming" describes people who live with heaven in view, who make decisions based on Christ's return, who invest in what lasts rather than what's temporary. Paul includes himself in this group—he's not claiming special status but inviting everyone into the same promise.

This isn't about being rewarded for being better than others. It's about God honoring those who honored Him, celebrating those who stayed faithful when it would have been easier to quit. God doesn't forget your labor of love, your persistent service, your quiet obedience that no one else noticed.

Paul reflects on how God has rescued him repeatedly throughout his ministry—from angry mobs, from shipwrecks, from assassination plots, from countless dangers.

But notice what Paul means by "rescue." He's not expecting God to keep him from execution—he's already said he's about to die. The rescue he's confident in is being brought "safely to his heavenly kingdom." Even death itself becomes part of God's rescue plan, not an interruption of it.

This reframes how we think about God's deliverance. Sometimes He rescues us from the lion's mouth. Sometimes He rescues us through the lion's mouth. But either way, we end up where He intends—safe in His presence, secure in His kingdom.

Paul's final words invite us to evaluate our own race. Are you still running or have you pulled off to the side? Are you fighting the good fights or wasting energy on battles that don't matter? Are you keeping the faith or letting it slip away in the face of cultural pressure?

Finishing well doesn't happen accidentally. It requires intentional endurance, persistent faithfulness, and the daily choice to keep believing and keep serving even when it's hard. It means surrounding yourself with people who will help you finish, not distract you from the race.

Most importantly, it means recognizing that when everyone else abandons you, the Master stands by you. His presence makes the difference between finishing strong and just finishing, between crossing the line with praise and limping across with regret.

PRAYER: Lord, help us run the race worth running with the same faithfulness Paul demonstrated, trusting that even when others abandon us You will stand by us, and that the crown You promise is worth every sacrifice we make along the way.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: Honestly assess where you are in your race—are you running strong toward the finish or have you lost momentum?—and identify one specific area where you need to re-engage with the same faithfulness Paul modeled, trusting that God's presence is sufficient even when human support fails.

I love you and I thank God for you! You matter to me and you matter to God. Make life matter by how you live a positive witness of faith.

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

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Two Men. Two Prayers. Two Outcomes.

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9 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ 13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ 14 “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Luke 18:9-14 NIV)

You and I may have searched high and low for the perfect church. And the real answer is that it might be easier searching for the perfect person. There is no such person and there is no such church. The church, like the family, is made up of imperfect persons, and as such will keep you from finding anyone or anything perfect. And that is why we have Jesus, the only perfect one, Who came to show us a better way. And we come to this story about two men, one, Jesus says this teaching was directed "To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else." Ouch. So, Jesus shared the parable. Two men went to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. Jesus knew both in real life. And maybe most in the crowd receiving this teaching did as well. Jesus says, "The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: 'God, I thank You that I am not like other people - robbers, evildoers, adulterers - or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.'" We can smell the prayer from here. Eew!

"I thank you that I am not like other people" means "I thank you for me." He's grateful not for God's mercy but for his own superiority. His prayer is essentially: "God, observe how awesome I am. Notice all the things I don't do that others do. See all the religious activities I perform that others don't."

The Pharisee's problem isn't that he fasts or tithes—these are good practices. His problem is that he's using his obedience as currency, as proof that he deserves God's approval. He's comparing himself to others and finding them lacking, which makes him feel secure in his standing with God. We have to remember that Jesus is not addressing the irreligious or the obvious sinners. He's speaking to people who have their spiritual lives together—or think they do. People who measure themselves against others and always come out ahead in their own estimation.

This makes the parable uncomfortable for those of us who consider ourselves serious about faith. We're not the tax collectors of our society—we're the temple-goers, the Bible-readers, the prayer-makers. We show up, we serve, we follow the rules. And that's exactly why this parable is for us.

The danger Jesus identifies isn't blatant rebellion against God but subtle reliance on our own goodness. It's the quiet confidence that our spiritual résumé makes us acceptable, that our religious performance earns us standing with God.

"But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'" Everything about this man's posture screams unworthiness. He stands at a distance, as if not daring to come too close to holy ground. He won't even lift his eyes. He strikes his chest in grief over his sin.

His prayer contains no accomplishments, no comparisons, no justifications. Just nine words that acknowledge reality: "God, have mercy on me, a sinner." He doesn't minimize his sin or explain it away. He doesn't promise to do better tomorrow. He simply throws himself on God's mercy because he has nowhere else to turn.

The Greek phrase here is even more stark: "Be merciful to me, the sinner"—as if he sees himself as the worst of sinners, not just one among many. This isn't false humility; it's accurate self-assessment in the light of God's holiness.

"I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God." Jesus' conclusion would have shocked His original audience. The religious leader who did everything right went home unjustified. The despised tax collector who could claim no merit went home justified—declared righteous, made right with God.

This is the scandal of grace: God justifies not those who justify themselves but those who recognize their need for justification. He accepts not those who offer Him their accomplishments but those who ask for His mercy. He welcomes not those who compare favorably to others but those who have no comparison to offer except their desperate need.

The Pharisee went to the temple with his righteousness and left with only his righteousness—impressive to people, worthless to God. The tax collector came with nothing but need and left with everything—God's mercy, acceptance, and righteousness credited to his account.

This parable is fundamentally an invitation to come to God with empty hands. Not empty of sin—we're all full of that—but empty of merit, empty of claims, empty of demands based on our performance. It's an invitation to stop bringing God our résumés and start bringing Him our desperation.

The tax collector shows us what gospel faith looks like: acknowledging you're a sinner, admitting you have no claim on God's favor, asking for mercy you don't deserve, and trusting that God will give it anyway. This isn't "easy believism"—it's actually harder to come empty-handed than to come with a list of your accomplishments.

Our pride wants to contribute something, to earn at least part of our acceptance, to prove we deserve God's love. The gospel says come with nothing, receive everything, and give God all the glory. This parable challenges us to examine our hearts honestly. Which prayer sounds more like yours? Do you approach God with a list of your spiritual accomplishments or with a cry for mercy? Do you compare yourself favorably to others or see yourself accurately in light of God's holiness?

PRAYER: Father, forgive us for the times we've approached You with lists of our accomplishments rather than cries for mercy. Help us see ourselves accurately—not in comparison to others but in light of Your holiness. Give us the humility of the tax collector, who knew he had nothing to offer but desperate need. Thank You that You justify not those who think they deserve it but those who know they don't. May we come to You always with empty hands and leave with the fullness of Your grace. In Jesus' strong name, Amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: Pay attention to moments when you're tempted to compare yourself favorably to others or to use your spiritual practices as evidence that you deserve God's favor, and in those moments, consciously pray the tax collector's prayer: "God, have mercy on me, a sinner."

I love you and I thank God for you! You matter to me, and you matter to God! Make your life matter by giving some of it away today!

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

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Sweeter Than Honey

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97 Oh, how I love your law! It is my meditation all day long. 98 Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies, for it is always with me. 99 I have more understanding than all my teachers, for your decrees are my meditation. 100 I understand more than the aged, for I keep your precepts. 101 I hold back my feet from every evil way, in order to keep your word. 102 I do not turn away from your ordinances, for you have taught me. 103 How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! 104 Through your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way. (Psalm 119:87-104 NIV)

A Tremendous Thursday be with you today, Dear Friend. Make God's dreams for you come true by being obedient and bold! A great big, beautiful tomorrow starts today!

Hebrew children as they learn their sacred texts, are given tastes of honey and other sweets to teach them that every word of God's word is sweet. This was based on this passage as well as one found in Ezekiel 3:3, and Proverbs 24:13. This tradition was often accompanied by additional sweets, honey cakes and eggs with verses inscribed on them, and sometimes coins and candies brought by "angels," all reinforcing the joyful and sweet nature of Torah learning. The purpose is to give children a powerful, sensory association—the sweetness of the Torah—to encourage a life-long love of Jewish learning. This reminded me of a story I read about early Russian missionaries who told of their experiences with a chubby boy who because of his love of sweets, would memorize more Bible verses than his classmates to win the candies the missionaries offered for each winner of the contest. What was more interesting was that child was Nikita Khrushchev, who led the Soviet Union as First Secretary of the Communist Party from 1953 to 1964 and was known for his role in the Cold War, including the Cuban Missile Crisis and de-Stalinization efforts. Did the Bible verses not go beyond his tummy?

I used to carry a Bible with me to school starting in junior high. I can't believe that when God called me in eleventh grade that I was surprised God would call me? With as many books as I had in my locker and needed to take to each class. I would read parts of it when time allowed and I truly found, and still do, that God's word is sweet and life-giving. Like the psalmist I believe that God's word is not a rulebook to endure but a treasure to savor.

Meditating on Scripture reshapes the mind. The psalmist says it makes him wiser than his enemies, more insightful than his teachers, and more understanding than the elders. Wisdom is not just age or education—it’s revelation. God’s truth, when planted deeply in the heart, gives discernment that the world’s cleverness cannot match.

There’s a purity in this kind of devotion. The psalmist turns away from “every wrong path” not out of fear, but out of love. God’s Word is described as “sweeter than honey.” When the sweetness of His truth fills our souls, sin loses its flavor.

The challenge for us is simple but profound: Do we delight in God’s Word, or do we merely read it? When Scripture becomes our daily meditation, it stops being ink on a page and becomes the voice that steadies our hearts and guides our steps.

PRAYER: Lord, teach us to love Your Word as the psalmist did. Let it not be a duty but a delight, not just words we read but life that renews us. Give us wisdom that comes from knowing You, and keep our heart from every wrong path. Make Your Word sweeter than anything else we desire. In Jesus’ strong name, Amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: Set aside time each day this week to meditate on one short passage—and let its sweetness guide your thoughts, words, and choices.

I love you and I thank God for you! You matter to God and you matter to me. Make life matter to others.

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

A New Covenant is Coming

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27 “The days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will plant the kingdoms of Israel and Judah with the offspring of people and of animals. 28 Just as I watched over them to uproot and tear down, and to overthrow, destroy and bring disaster, so I will watch over them to build and to plant,” declares the LORD. 29 “In those days people will no longer say, ‘The parents have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge.’ 30 Instead, everyone will die for their own sin; whoever eats sour grapes—their own teeth will be set on edge. 31 “The days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. 32 It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them, ” declares the LORD. 33 “This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the LORD. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 34 No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the LORD,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the LORD. “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” (Jeremiah 31:27-34 NIV)

Happy Wednesday, dear Friend. May God's grace and peace flood your heart, mind, and spirit with His goodness and grace. May your love for God bubble out of your heart and into the streets; start now to make this world a better place. Truly we can win the world for Jesus!

My former seminary roommate has kept in touch with me after all these many years, and this morning he called to share the joy in his heart about two of his church members who were able to attend a Walk to Emmaus retreat for Women held not far from the church he presently serves. The two were blessed and bubbly with joy of seeing and feeling the Lord at work in their lives through this three day retreat. The retreat started in the early 1980s by the United Methodist Church's Board of Discipleship is based on an older retreat started by the Catholic Church called El Cursillo, meaning a short course, and the course is all about Jesus. There are fifteen talks on different aspects of God's love, ten are by lay people, and five by clergy. The retreat has diminished some what through the years and only two retreats are held in this area; one for men, and one for women. It is a life-changing event that when it ends, the retreat attendees are told, "The world m which you live may have changed, and you are on a spiritual high, but the world you left behind is still the same; pray for God to help you prepare to face it again." (Or something along those lines).

The people of Israel during Jeremiah's time as their prophet stayed firmly in the unchanged world, while Jeremiah tried offering them God's world. They were too blinded by what the unchanged world offered, and so chose to stay right where they are. And what makes this story so sad is that it's our story as well. God has given us so many opportunities to make changes, but we are blinded and chose foolishly to stay right where we are. The sad thing was that when Jeremiah is sharing what he's sharing the final days of Israel were drawing near.

Israel’s history had been marked by cycles of faithfulness and failure. They had broken covenant after covenant. But in this new promise, God shifts the center of obedience from stone tablets to living hearts. The transformation He envisions isn’t external compliance—it’s inward renewal. The old covenant told people what to do; the new covenant changes who they are.

In Christ, we see this promise fulfilled. The blood of Jesus seals the new covenant, and the Holy Spirit becomes the ink that writes God’s truth within us. No longer do we simply strive to follow God—we are invited to know Him personally. This knowing is intimate, not institutional; it’s love-driven, not law-driven.

Jeremiah’s message still challenges us: have we allowed God to write His truth on our hearts, or are we merely trying to follow Him with our heads? Transformation begins when the Word of God is not just read but absorbed—when His love reshapes how we think, feel, and live. But, we have to choose what God offers, not what the world does. God's offer is one of life and love, eternal and everlasting; the world has no such thing to offer.

PRAYER: Gracious loving Lord, thank You for the promise of a new covenant written not on stone, but on my heart. Forgive me when I try to live by my own strength instead of Your Spirit. Write Your truth deep within me—reshape my desires, renew my mind, and let my life reflect the grace of knowing You. Thank You for Jesus, whose love has made this covenant possible, in Whose strong name we pray, Amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord. OUR CALL TO ACTION: Spend time this week meditating on one verse that reminds you of God’s covenant love—and let it take root in your heart, not just your memory.

I love you and I thank God for you! You matter to me and you matter to God. Make others feel like they matter to God and should surrender themselves to Him.

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Stay the Course

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14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it, 15 and how from childhood you have known the sacred writings that are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work. 1 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I solemnly urge you: 2 proclaim the message; be persistent whether the time is favorable or unfavorable; convince, rebuke, and encourage, with the utmost patience in teaching. 3 For the time is coming when people will not put up with sound doctrine, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own desires, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander away to myths. 5 As for you, always be sober, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, carry out your ministry fully. (2 Timothy 3:14-4:5 NRSV)

Nellie and I are enjoying Columbus Day/Indigenous People's Day/Whatever you want to call it, with our two youngest grandsons. What has us tickled is that Eli, our 4 year old is doing his Kindergarten homework which is writing his name and some of the numbers he is studying. He is excited and as he sounds out words phonetically, he makes facial and hand movements as if he were a martial arts black belt in Phonics. Quite the show and quite the scholar! He already demonstrates a love for learning and we praise God for that. I wonder how many of us get excited when we get a chance to read God's Word? Do we make faces of joy and movements with our hands to "sound out" what God is trying to share with us? Or are the facial expressions of dread and disgust? "This again? Why do we have to read or hear the word of God again?" Eli loves for us to order him McDonalds' Happy Meals and he loves the surprise toys that come with them. The other day he got a plastic figurine that had a white karate outfit and a sash aournd its head. "This is Jesus!" Eli exclaimed. "If the next one is Jesus I'll give it to grandpa, because he loves Jesus!"

These letters to Timothy were sent with much love and as much urgency for Paul felt his time on earth was soon coming to an end, and Paul wanted to make sure Timmy was still onboard and on track with what the old apostle had shared with him. The teachings were shared with the hope that Timmy had the instructions of salvation close at hand.

Paul's instruction is clear: "Continue in what you have learned." This isn't rigidity—it's staying anchored in truth when everything around you is shifting. Paul makes a stunning claim about Scripture: it is "God-breathed" and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness. The Bible carries the very breath of God, serving a specific purpose—to equip God's people for every good work and instruct us for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. We don't simply study Scripture for information; we submit to it for transformation.

From this foundation, Paul issues a solemn charge: "Proclaim the message; be persistent whether the time is favorable or unfavorable; convince, rebuke, and encourage, with the utmost patience in teaching." He invokes God's presence, Christ's judgment, and the reality of Christ's coming kingdom. Timothy's calling isn't to be popular but to be faithful in proclaiming God's message regardless of how it's received. "Be persistent whether the time is favorable or unfavorable" challenges us to speak truth even when the message is unwelcome, the culture is hostile, or faithfulness costs something. We persist not because we enjoy confrontation but because we're accountable to God, not to public opinion. Yet our methods matter—we must speak truth with patience, clarity, and genuine compassion.

Paul explains why this charge is urgent: "The time is coming when people will not put up with sound doctrine, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own desires, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander away to myths." We live in this age now—people curate spiritual input based on comfort, surrounding themselves with voices that affirm what they already want to believe. "Itching ears" captures our tendency to seek teaching that justifies our lifestyles and never challenges our comfort. The result is wandering toward myths—not dramatic heresy but subtle drifts from truth into stories that sound spiritual but lack power to transform. These myths promise blessing without sacrifice, grace without holiness, heaven without surrender. This drift happens gradually as people accumulate teachers who tell them what they want to hear until they've wandered so far from truth they no longer recognize it.

Paul concludes: "Always be sober, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, carry out your ministry fully." This is the antidote to wandering—staying sober-minded, enduring hardship, doing the work, fulfilling the calling. "Endure suffering" isn't incidental to faithful ministry—it's central to it. Following Jesus and proclaiming His truth will cost us something. The call is to remain faithful when faithfulness becomes costly, to keep speaking truth when silence would be safer, to continue loving people even when that love is rejected. This passage calls us to counter-cultural faithfulness rooted in God-breathed Scripture, expressed through persistent proclamation, sustained through patient endurance, and motivated by accountability to Christ. In a world of wandering, we're invited to stay anchored—not rigidly stuck but firmly rooted in truth that transforms.

PRAYER: Lord, anchor us in Your God-breathed Word, give us courage to proclaim truth whether it's welcome or not, and sustain us through the suffering that faithfulness sometimes requires—keep us from wandering toward comfortable myths and root us in truth that transforms. This we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: Open your Bible this week and ask God to show you one specific way you need to let Scripture correct or train you rather than simply affirm what you already believe, then take one concrete step of obedience in response to what He shows you.

I love you and I thank God for you! You matter to God, and you matter to me! Make a life-saving difference in someone today!

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Pray Without Ceasing

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Hear the devo: https://bit.ly/470pk0f

View the devo: https://bit.ly/3J9aX1M

1 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 2 He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. 3 And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’ 4 “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’ ” 6 And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:1-8 NIV)

The bishop of Smyrna (now modern day Turkey) and for 86 years was a faithful servant of the Lord Jesus. As Rome found out that there were Christian leaders not willing to bow down and worship Caesar, they ordered his arrest. When his captors came to his residence, he asked for an hour to pray before they led him off. He prayed for all the captors by name and touched many with his sincere prayers for each of them. By the time he ended the prayers not all of them were convinced of the need to cart him off; but they did to the arena in Smyrna, where in front of a cheering crowd he was asked to renounce Jesus and worship the emperor. Polycarp refused, saying, ""Eighty and six years I have served Him, and He has done me no wrong. How then can I blaspheme my King and Savior?".This angered the Roman official who ordered him to be burned alive. According to the narrative, when the fire was lit, it miraculously formed an arch around him and did not consume his body; onlookers saw him glowing with a heavenly light. Since the fire did not kill him, an executioner was ordered to stab him. His blood reportedly poured out in such quantity that it extinguished the surrounding flames. His body was later burned. The legacy was forever his; that he was a man of faith and prayer, praying even til his own end.

We come to an older hero in the faith, an unknown, unnamed woman, a widow, who though she lived in a certain town with a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought about him. But his widow who had a need and kept pestering the judge for justice, but he initially refused and she kept coming to him asking the same thing over and over again. Remember this was Jesus trying to teach his disciples they should pray without ceasing.

Yet she keeps coming. Day after day, she appears before this corrupt judge with the same request: "Grant me justice against my adversary." She doesn't have new arguments or better evidence. She just keeps showing up, keeps asking, keeps refusing to accept silence as an answer. And here's what's remarkable—her persistence works. Not because the judge suddenly develops a conscience or discovers compassion, but because her relentless appearing becomes impossible to ignore. He grants her justice simply to get her to stop bothering him.

If an unjust judge will eventually respond to persistent asking, Jesus says, how much more will a loving Father respond to His children who cry out to Him day and night? The parable isn't teaching us that God is like the unjust judge—it's teaching us through contrast. If persistence can move an unrighteous judge who doesn't care, how much more powerful is persistence before a righteous God who does care, who loves us, who longs to give good gifts to His children?

We live in a culture of instant gratification where waiting feels like punishment and delay feels like denial. We're conditioned to expect immediate results, quick fixes, and fast answers. When we pray and nothing seems to happen, our natural response is to assume either God isn't listening or the answer is no. We give up. We stop asking. We convince ourselves that persistence is pointless or that continued prayer reveals a lack of faith.

But Jesus teaches exactly the opposite. He says we should "always pray and not give up." The widow's persistence wasn't a sign of weak faith—it was the expression of unshakeable conviction that justice existed and could be obtained. Her refusal to give up wasn't annoying the judge into submission; it was maintaining faith when circumstances suggested she should abandon hope. Persistent prayer isn't about changing God's mind or manipulating Him into action. It's about refusing to let go of what we know to be true about God's character even when our circumstances seem to contradict it.

The parable ends with a sobering question: "However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?" This isn't a rhetorical flourish or a throwaway line. Jesus has just taught about persistent prayer as the mark of genuine faith, and now He wonders aloud whether He'll find this kind of faith when He returns. The implication is clear: one of the primary ways faith is tested and proven is through perseverance in prayer when answers don't come quickly.

Faith that gives up when prayers aren't answered immediately isn't really faith in God—it's faith in outcomes, faith in timing we can control, faith in getting what we want when we want it. True faith continues to pray not because we see results but because we know the character of the One we're praying to. We persist not to convince God of our seriousness but to demonstrate our trust in His goodness even when we can't see His hand at work.

The answer lies in understanding God's perspective on time and His purposes in waiting. What feels like endless delay to us is often necessary preparation, character development, or strategic timing in God's economy. His "quickly" refers to the certainty and suddenness of His action when the appointed time arrives, not necessarily the shortness of the wait. When God moves, He moves decisively. When He answers, He answers completely. When He brings justice, He brings it thoroughly.

This means our persistent prayer is never wasted. Every prayer, every cry, every time we show up before God matters. He's not ignoring us—He's listening intently. He's not indifferent—He cares deeply. He's not powerless—He will act. Our job is to keep praying, keep believing, keep showing up, keep refusing to let circumstances convince us that God has forgotten or stopped caring.

The widow's story invites us into a different kind of faith—one that persists through silence, that keeps asking through apparent inaction, that maintains hope through delay.

PRAYER: Loving Father, give us the faith to keep praying when answers seem delayed, to keep crying out when heaven seems silent, and to keep trusting Your goodness even when we can't see Your hand—knowing that You hear every prayer and will bring justice at exactly the right time. Hear our prayer, dear Lord, that we lift up in faith in the strong name of Jesus, Our Lord and Savior, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: Choose one prayer request you've been tempted to abandon and commit to bringing it before God daily this week, letting your persistence be an act of faith in His character rather than an attempt to change His mind.

I love you and I thank God for you! You matter to God and you matter to me. Share the life God has given you with those who need a blessing.

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Make Noise for God!

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Hear devo: https://bit.ly/3KzBTs9

View devo: https://bit.ly/4gYr4M2

1 All together now - applause for God! 2 Sing songs to the tune of his glory, set glory to the rhythms of his praise. 3 Say of God, "We've never seen anything like him!" When your enemies see you in action, they slink off like scolded dogs. 4 The whole earth falls to its knees - it worships you, sings to you, can't stop enjoying your name and fame. 5 Take a good look at God's wonders - they'll take your breath away. 6 He converted sea to dry land; travelers crossed the river on foot. Now isn't that cause for a song? 7 Ever sovereign in his high tower, he keeps his eye on the godless nations. Rebels don't dare raise a finger against him. 8 Bless our God, O peoples! Give him a thunderous welcome! 9 Didn't he set us on the road to life? Didn't he keep us out of the ditch? 10 He trained us first, passed us like silver through refining fires, 11 Brought us into hardscrabble country, pushed us to our very limit, 12 Road-tested us inside and out, took us to hell and back; Finally he brought us to this well-watered place. (Psalm 66:1-12 The Message Bible)

I don't know about other states, but Texas on Friday nights is the noisest night of all nights. And Saturday is a close second. There are crowds and noise, noise and crowds. There's bright lights and music, streamers, sometimes flowers as mums, sashes, bands, halftime entertainment, and cheers! Lots of cheers, so much so that they have leaders of cheers! At least in the autumn of the year. Sunday morning, while still being, for the most part, the most segregated hour of the week, and of course, it depends where you happen to find yourself on any Sunday morning, tends to be quiet and reserved; some places are exceptions, but for the most part, quiet and reserve is the norm of most places on Sunday. It's all based on who's playing and who's winning. Am I right? If it's your team up against your rival, them the sound is amped up. And nothing anyone or anything can do will quiet you down.

The psalmist knows about crowds and noises; and he knows real battles, having battled everything from wolves, lions, bears and giants, and countless Jebusites, and Philistines; he also knows God, to Whom he says, "All together now - applause for God!"

His call is for all the earth is summoned to make noise for God, to celebrate His glory with songs and applause. This isn't quiet, reserved, proper religion. This is full-throated, hands-clapping, joy-erupting praise. But what drives this kind of exuberant worship? The psalmist answers by pointing to God's track record of doing the impossible—parting seas, preserving His people through dangers, and ultimately bringing them through to freedom. The psalm invites us to look back at what God has done and let that history fuel our present worship.

But then the psalm takes a surprising turn into difficulty: "He trained us first, passed us like silver through refining fires, brought us into hardscrabble country, pushed us to our very limit, road-tested us inside and out, took us to hell and back." This is honest acknowledgment that God's deliverance often comes through, not around, suffering. God doesn't always remove obstacles—sometimes He walks us through them. The refining fire isn't punishment; it's purification. The hardscrabble country isn't abandonment; it's training. The road-testing isn't cruelty; it's preparation for something better. God permits difficulty not to destroy us but to develop us, burning away what's false and strengthening what's real.

The psalm's climax comes with stunning relief: "Finally he brought us to this well-watered place." After the fires and the hell-and-back journey, God doesn't leave us in the wilderness. He brings us through to abundance, to a place of refreshment and provision. This is the pattern of God's redemptive work throughout Scripture—through the Red Sea to the Promised Land, through the cross to resurrection, through death to life. The difficulties aren't the destination; they're the path to something far better. Our trials have a terminus. Our testing has a purpose. Our pain has a payoff.

What does this mean for us today? It means we can worship even in the middle of hardship because we know the character of the God who's leading us. He's the God who "didn't turn a deaf ear, he stayed with me, loyal in his love." It means our current struggles aren't evidence of God's absence but often evidence of His refining presence. And it means we can trust that the God who brought others through fire to freedom is the same God who will bring us through. Our job isn't to understand every step or enjoy every moment—it's to keep walking, keep trusting, and keep our eyes fixed on the One who specializes in bringing people to well-watered places after desert journeys.

PRAYER: Loving God, when we're in the refining fire and hardscrabble country, help us trust that You're not leaving us there—You're leading us through to a well-watered place, and every difficulty is part of Your faithful plan to bring us to abundance. Grant us deep joy for praise, for You are worthy; in Christ Jesus' strong name we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: This week, look back at a past difficulty in your life and thank God specifically for how He brought you through it, letting that memory fuel your trust in whatever challenge you're currently facing. And also, make noise!

I love you and I thank God for you! You matter to God and you matter to me! Make your life count as you make noise for God!

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Plant a Garden; Stay Awhile

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Hear the devo: https://bit.ly/4pYjbu7

View the devo: https://bit.ly/4h14R04

1 These are the words of the letter that the prophet Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem to the remaining elders among the exiles, and to the priests, the prophets, and all the people, whom Nebuchadnezzar had taken into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. 4 Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5 Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat what they produce. 6 Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. 7 But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare. (Jeremiah 29:1, 4-7 NRSV)

A friend who also writes a daily devotional, today wrote where most of us do not have an idea what it's like to be exiled. To be moved to a new place without say. I felt a sudden sadness and I emailed him simply, "Our kids do." I have shared how the first call I had to make as a newly sworn-in district superintendent to a pastor letting him know he was moving, when I hung up I cried. In my mind I played out the entire scene of him telling his wife and then trying to think of a way to tell his children they were being uprooted from this place they had called home for x-number of years and going to a completely new place. I thought of the many places they would think might have usable boxes with which to pack their belongings, and wonder for how long would this new place be theirs? And I thought about the times our babies had to pack up and move because Daddy had been moved. They didn't understand the word or concept of promotion and better opportunities; they knew this was saying goodbye to old friends, and the fear of finding new ones. It meant Mommy would have to find yet another job teaching in yet another new school. Well deserved tears flowed.

Jeremiah writes to exiles in Babylon who are desperate to go home, clinging to false prophets promising a quick return to Jerusalem. But God's message through Jeremiah is stunning: don't just survive in exile—thrive there. Build houses, plant gardens, raise families, seek the city's welfare. This isn't resignation to defeat; it's a radical call to faithfulness in unwanted circumstances. The exiles wanted to hold their breath until they could return home, but God tells them to exhale, settle in, and invest in the very place that feels like punishment.

This challenges our instinct to put life on hold when circumstances aren't what we hoped. We often think faithfulness means waiting for better conditions—the right job, the ideal location, the perfect situation—before we fully engage. But God's instruction to the exiles reveals a different way: faithful presence wherever we are. The call isn't to love Babylon or pretend exile is home, but to live fully and invest deeply even in places we didn't choose and situations we'd rather escape.

The most countercultural command comes at the end: "Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare." God doesn't just ask them to tolerate Babylon—He calls them to work for its flourishing. The exiles' wellbeing is tied to Babylon's wellbeing, even though Babylon destroyed their temple and carried them away captive. This is the radical ethic of enemy-love before Jesus preached it—blessing those who harm you, praying for those who oppose you, seeking good for the place that feels like captivity.

What does this mean for us? It means faithfulness isn't conditional on favorable circumstances. Whether we're in jobs we didn't want, cities we didn't choose, seasons we wouldn't have picked, or situations that feel like exile—God calls us to build, plant, invest, and seek the welfare of the place where we find ourselves. Our flourishing and the flourishing of our community are intertwined. We're not called to withdraw, complain, or wait for rescue, but to live as people who bring blessing wherever God has placed us, even when that place feels far from home.

PRAYER: Lord, help us embrace faithful presence in the places we didn't choose, investing deeply and seeking the welfare of our communities, trusting that as we bless others we'll discover our own flourishing in unexpected ways. Bless and protect especially our children who sometimes make the bigger sacrifices; let them flourish and prosper; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord. OUR CALL TO ACTION: This week, take one concrete action to contribute to the welfare of your community—whether through volunteering, supporting a local cause, or simply being a better neighbor—treating where you are as a place worth investing in rather than enduring.

I love you and I thank God for you. You matter to me and you matter to God. Find someone who needs to hear an uplifting word and make it matter to them.

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.