The Joy of the Lord's Reign

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1 God rules: there's something to shout over! On the double, mainlands and islands - celebrate! 2 Bright clouds and storm clouds circle 'round him; Right and justice anchor his rule. 3 Fire blazes out before him, Flaming high up the craggy mountains. 4 His lightnings light up the world; Earth, wide-eyed, trembles in fear. 5 The mountains take one look at God And melt, melt like wax before earth's Lord. 6 The heavens announce that he'll set everything right, And everyone will see it happen - glorious! 7 All who serve handcrafted gods will be sorry - And they were so proud of their ragamuffin gods! On your knees, all you gods - worship him! 8 And Zion, you listen and take heart! Daughters of Zion, sing your hearts out: God has done it all, has set everything right. 9 You, God, are High God of the cosmos, Far, far higher than any of the gods. 10 God loves all who hate evil, And those who love him he keeps safe, Snatches them from the grip of the wicked. 11 Light-seeds are planted in the souls of God's people, Joy-seeds are planted in good heart-soil. 12 So, God's people, shout praise to God, Give thanks to our Holy God! (Psalm 97 The Message Bible)

Happy Thursday, dear Friend! Make it a wonderful day sharing Jesus' love to alll people. Our psalm today is from The Message Bible, a modern paraphrase of The Bible written by Dr. Eugene Peterson.

Psalm 97 in The Message translation is full of movement, color, and celebration. It opens with an unmistakable command: shout, celebrate, rejoice! Why? Because God rules. That truth alone is meant to stir joy in every corner of creation—from islands to mountains, from clouds to fire.

This isn't a quiet, polite acknowledgment of God’s authority; it’s a vibrant, full-body response. The earth dances, nature trembles, and light bursts forth because God is present. And yet, this joy isn't lighthearted because everything is perfect—it’s a deep celebration that justice and righteousness are the foundation of His throne.

Verse 11 is especially powerful: “Light-seeds are planted in the souls of God’s people, Joy-seeds are planted in good heart-soil.” What an image! God is gardening joy and light into our lives. But like any good garden, it takes time, patience, and the right conditions. Sometimes we walk through darkness, but the promise is that God is always planting something in us—something that will bloom in His time.

In a world that often trades in fear and cynicism, Psalm 97 calls us to a bold, beautiful response: Rejoice in God. Love what’s good. Celebrate what is right. This isn’t about ignoring pain or pretending everything is fine. It’s about knowing Who is truly in control, and choosing joy even when life is uncertain.

PRAYER: God of Light and Justice, thank You for ruling with love and righteousness. Plant Your joy deeper in my heart today. Teach me to rejoice—not because life is easy, but because You are good, faithful, and near. Let my soul reflect Your light. Amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: Wherever you are today—on a quiet island or a busy mainland—take a moment to rejoice. Let the seeds of joy and light planted by God grow into praise.

I love you and I thank God for you!

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

My Chains are Gone; I've Been Set Free!

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16 One day, as we were going to the place of prayer, we met a slave-girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners a great deal of money by fortune-telling. 17 While she followed Paul and us, she would cry out, "These men are slaves of the Most High God, who proclaim to you a way of salvation." 18 She kept doing this for many days. But Paul, very much annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, "I order you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her." And it came out that very hour. 19 But when her owners saw that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the authorities. 20 When they had brought them before the magistrates, they said, "These men are disturbing our city; they are Jews 21 and are advocating customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to adopt or observe." 22 The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates had them stripped of their clothing and ordered them to be beaten with rods. 23 After they had given them a severe flogging, they threw them into prison and ordered the jailer to keep them securely. 24 Following these instructions, he put them in the innermost cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. 25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was an earthquake, so violent that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's chains were unfastened. 27 When the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors wide open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, since he supposed that the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul shouted in a loud voice, "Do not harm yourself, for we are all here." 29 The jailer called for lights, and rushing in, he fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 Then he brought them outside and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" 31 They answered, "Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household." 32 They spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. 33 At the same hour of the night he took them and washed their wounds; then he and his entire family were baptized without delay. 34 He brought them up into the house and set food before them; and he and his entire household rejoiced that he had become a believer in God. (Acts 16:16-34 NRSV)

HAPPY Wednesday! May God's grace be sufficient for you, dear Friend! May this truly be the day the Lord has made and may we rejoice and be glad in it! Seek to bless the Lord and His people in all that you say, think and do! Update on Rev. Dana Hamilton: She's been in Cedar Park Regional Hospital and may go home today (Tuesday). Please continue to pray for her.

Evil is real and it is everywhere, usually taking shortcuts to making money or making people uneasy. In this passage, Paul and Silas encounter two men who were making easy money with a slave girl who was possessed by a demon that allowed her to predict the future. A funny but sad story I heard while a district superintendent from another district was a pastor who was unhappy in his appointment so he ran up an $800 phone bill for calling 1-800 psychic hotline wanting to know where he was going to be sent after this unhappy church! The slave girl knew who Paul and Silas were saying, "These men are slaves of the Most High God, who proclaim to you a way of salvation." Wow! And every time she saw them she would repeat that statement to the point it annoyed Paul and he turned and said to the spirit, "I order you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her." Bam! Out! But that also meant the money-making hustle was over. No bueno for the evil men who owned her. The men grabbed Paul and Silas and dragged them to the magistrates and announced that they were disturbing the city and that they were Jews and also advocating "customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to adopt or observe." Ouch! Evil but smart in manipulation. They used the right hate words and the other citizens joined in attacking Paul and Silas, and soon these two believers were stripped of their clothing and were ordered to be beaten with rods. Then they were thrown into prison and ordered the jailer to keep them locked up. Theyh are placed in the innermost part of the jail and had their feet placed in stocks.

At midnight, when most people are sleeping, Paul and Silas were in worship/praise mode. They were singing hymns of praise and praying to God, and this had the attention of the other prisoners. Suddenly there was a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken and immediately all the doors of the jail were opened and everyone's chains were unfastened! This woke up and scared the jailer, so much so he drew a sword to kill himself, for the Roman law stated that he needed to die because a Roman prisoner escaped. But Paul, knowing the law, shouted at him to stop for no one hd escaped. The jailer calls for lights and saw that indeed no one had escaped so he asks what he had to do be saved. The example of Paul and Silas had an impact on this jailer, and so after the word is shared with them, they asked to be baptized, and the entire family was baptized. He had Paul and Silas over for supper and the passage ends with the phrase, "and he and his entire household rejoiced that he had become a believer in God." Amen. God specializes in breaking chains. Sometimes they’re physical. Sometimes emotional. Often spiritual. But always, when we choose to worship—even in our hardest moments—God moves, and others take notice.

PRAYER: Lord, when I feel bound by fear, pain, or uncertainty, teach me to sing. Help me trust that Your power is greater than any prison I face. Let my faith be a light to those around me, and may my life echo the good news that You are still breaking chains today. Amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: When you find yourself in a difficult place, worship anyway. Your song might just be the spark that sets someone else free.

I love you and I thank God for you!

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

And So It Ends? Nah!

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12 "See, I am coming soon; my reward is with me, to repay according to everyone's work. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end." 14 Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they will have the right to the tree of life and may enter the city by the gates. 16 "It is I, Jesus, who sent my angel to you with this testimony for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star." 17 The Spirit and the bride say, "Come." And let everyone who hears say, "Come." And let everyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who wishes take the water of life as a gift. 20 The one who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! 21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all the saints. Amen. (Revelation 22:12-14, 16-17, 20-21 NRSV)

These are the words that close out the entire Bible! I hope you have read the Bible from cover to cover at least once in your life; it's quite the experience! I've shared how my nephew when he was five years old was going through a scary time in his life, thinking there were monsters under his bed, etc., and so he called me and knowing that I was a pastor and had always said that if anyone needed a Bible I could get them one, and he asked me for five! "Why five, Mijito (my child) I asked?" "Because I'm really scared. I told him if he received the one I could give him and if he promised to read it, he would be fine." Some time later I checked on it and asked how he was doing in his Bible reading? "I read Genesis and most of the other books, but when I came to Job I couldn't figure out if the man needed a job or wanted a job and I felt like giving up!" Thankfully, his fears went away. As will ours if we trust God's word.

I know some people who will read the first and last chapters of novels they buy so they can have an idea of what's to come in between. I also once heard of a man who in the early days of satellite tv had on his dish, the Eastern coast feed, meaning while he lived in Hawaii, he could watch shows from New York on satellite, then later on regular television feed. One day his favorite college football team was playing and he watched the game on the satellite then re-watched it at home and his wife was bothered by his yelling and screaming and loudly worrying about how his team would fare! "Honey," she said, "You already know how the game ends! We win!" Many are those who have read the Bible and still worry about how it all ends; more are the ones who have not read and really do not know how it all ends; we do! Jesus wins! We win! As we examine the text again hear the highlights; Jesus is coming back, and that, soon. He is returning with His reward; meaning what we sowed we will reap; the good things will be rewarded; the bad things not. Jesus reminds us that He is the beginning and the end. Those of us who had our "robes" washed, means those who have surrendered to Jesus and His washing away of our sins, we will be allowed to enter the city by the gates, and we will have the right to the tree of life. Jesus again identifies Himself again and declares that He is the Messiah who will say to those allowed in, "Come," and we will be allowed in. The thirsty will be allowed entrance and access to the living water that will satisfy our thirst; and again Jesus says, "Surely I am coming soon." We should say as did the narrative, "Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!" His grace will be with all the saints (you and me if we are in Him). This as a yearning for restoration, a desire to see all things made new. It’s also a commitment: to live each day as people who believe He is coming soon. All of this is a message of hope, not fear; in Jesus we will have life.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, we hear Your promise and echo Your invitation: Come. Teach us to live with watchful hearts and hopeful hands. Remind us that You are the beginning and the end of all things, including our own stories. Help us walk in Your grace as we await the fullness of Your return. Amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: Live today as one who believes the final word belongs to Jesus. Extend the invitation: “Come.” Let your life speak hope to the thirsty.

I love you and I thank God for you!

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Unity in Jesus

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20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. 24 “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. 25 “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. 26 I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.” (John 17:20-26 NIV)

Happy and Blessed Monday, dear Friend! May we continue to pray for one another; praying for the Hamilton Family as they grieve the loss of Mr. Dick Hamilton. Rev. Dana was taken to the ER after Dick's graveside and it was determined she should be transferred to a heart hospital in Austin. That's the last word I got, so please pray she is well. Prayers for the families of 42 persons affiliated with the Global Methodist Church in Nigeria, Africa, murdered by an Islamic terrorist group. Pray a prayer of gratitude for The Rev. Scott Bradford who underwent kidney stone surgery on Saturday and was released home on Sunday. May his recovery be comfortable and rapid.

Imagine churches having names that told a story; make it an honest story, like, I don't know; The Church of the Perpetual Fight? The Church of the Eternal Judgment? The Don't Sit in My Pew Methodist Church! The First Church of Eternal Stewardship Campaigns? Or, I as I would joke with pastors when offering them a church in my district; "It's a church with few miles on it, used only on Sundays, and is owned by two little old ladies...." Ouch! I write this because Jesus is stressing unity among believers. Nothing more painful than a worship space where people do not get along nor agree on anything. Jesus says that He wants all of them (us) to be one, just as Jesus and the Father are one. If we can present ourselves as united, Jesus states, then the world may just believe that we have been sent by God. And Jesus shared His glory with us so that we may be united in that glory; further evidence that we are from God. And Jesus stresses the importance of love. Love is the foundation of unity in my opinion. And whoever does not love is not really from God. Apply that where you will.

This passage draws us into the heart of Jesus' final prayer before His arrest. It’s a prayer not just for His disciples then, but for every future believer—including us. He prays not for safety, success, or even courage, but for unity.

In a world often marked by division—families torn by politics, churches split over preference, societies polarized by ideologies—Jesus speaks into the chaos with a plea: “That all of them may be one.” This isn’t a superficial call for agreement but a deeply spiritual unity that mirrors the relationship between the Father and the Son.

Think of the Trinity like a perfectly choreographed dance—each person of the Godhead moving in love, purpose, and harmony. Jesus desires that same rhythm for His people. When we live in that kind of unity, it becomes our most powerful witness. “Then the world will know…”

We often think the world needs more compelling arguments, bigger churches, or trendier services. But Jesus said the world will recognize Him through our oneness. That’s a challenge. Unity doesn’t mean uniformity; it means holding Christ at the center, even when we don’t all look, vote, or worship exactly the same.

Jesus ends this section of prayer with longing: that we would see His glory and know the depth of God’s love. That’s what sustains unity—not just commitment to each other, but confidence in how much we are loved.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, thank You for including us in Your prayer. You saw us even then—our struggles, our hopes, our disagreements—and still prayed that we might be one. Teach us to love one another in ways that reflect Your heart. Break down the walls we’ve built, and build within us a deep desire to live in unity. May our love for each other point others to You. Amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: Let someone see the love of God in you today—not by how loud you speak, but by how deeply you live out the unity Jesus prayed for.

I love you and I thank God for you!

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Open Your Heart and Discover Your Destiny

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

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9 During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. 11 From Troas we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, and the next day we went on to Neapolis. 12 From there we traveled to Philippi, a Roman colony and the leading city of that district of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days. 13 On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. 14 One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message. 15 When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us. (Acts 16:9-15 NRSV)

In 2019, a group of friends from our church in Gonzales, Texas, were blessed to visit Greece in a tour called In The Footsteps of the Apostle Paul, and one of our stops was at the place mentioned in verses 13-15. We saw the river where Lydia and others had gathered to worship God and Paul shares the gospel with them and they were baptized, with Lydia becoming the first European to become a Christian. This painting is inside a beautiful temple of the Eastern Orthodox Church; where Lydia and Paul hold revered places.

The Apostle Paul had his heart changed in the most direct way; Jesus knocking him off his horse and asking him by name why he was persecuting Him. In a telephone conversation from a former seminary roommate and dear friend we were talking about his years in the Perkins Seminary Singers, who toured during the off-days like spring break and they were a huge two-bus choir, where the buses were divided as the saints bus and the sinners bus; the difference being sinners could smoke. Yes, it was that long ago! But he did remember the song where they had to whisper the lines "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?" As he said the lines he confessed it still gave him goosebumps as he said them again. Imagine the way Saul reacted? Evidentially, after his time in prayer and fasting, Paul's heart was open to Jesus and his new destiny was revealed. Do you think the zealous Pharisee prosecutor imagined becoming one of the persecuted? I highly doubt it. And given his position and privilege there in Jerusalem; that he would travel the known world for the sake of Jesus? What has always gotten my attention was that during his time with Jesus for those three days the Lord revealed to him most things including the way that he would die. The Lord also revealed to him the joys of his work and that set the man's heart on fire for evangelizing the world.

Even in his dreams, the apostle hears from God through a vision of a man in Macedonia who stood and begged Paul to come to Macedonia and assist them. That was all he needed for him to set in motion a tour of the Macedonia region with the good news of Jesus Christ, and in that tour he meets Lydia and the women of that area, setting the stage to make Europe a Christian continent.

Paul's obedience and willingness to open his heart to the opportunities of God made possible the conversion of Lydia and so many others. Lydia’s conversion was not dramatic in outward signs, but deeply powerful in its simplicity. A heart opened, a household baptized, and a new home for the Gospel was born. Her story reminds us that God's work often begins with quiet, willing hearts and unexpected people. She was not a preacher, but her hospitality and faith helped establish the Philippian church—one of Paul’s most beloved communities.

We often think of God’s call as something loud, urgent, or grand. But here we see that faithfulness often starts with a quiet "yes" -- yes to listening, yes to opening our homes, yes to offering what we have for God's use.

Lydia’s riverbank moment became a turning point in the story of Christianity in Europe. Who knows what God will do with your next “yes”?

PRAYER: God of quiet invitations, Thank You for the ways You call us—through visions, voices, and the gentle nudging of Your Spirit. Open our hearts like You opened Lydia’s. Help us listen eagerly, respond faithfully, and offer our lives for Your purposes. May we be people who welcome others, who nurture faith, and who believe that no act of obedience is too small in Your kingdom. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: Be attentive to the quiet invitations of God today. Say yes to listening. Say yes to hospitality. And say yes to being part of something far greater than you can see.

I love you and I thank God for you!

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

The Real City That Does Not Sleep

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Hear devo: https://bit.ly/436ZTJV

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10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. 22 I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. 24 The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. 25 On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. 26 The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. 27 Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life. 1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. 3 No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever. (Revelation 21:10, 22-22:5 NRSV)

There is an indescribable peace in the City of Jerusalem. I've mentioned that my wife, Nellie, loved the city so much during our only visit there, that she wanted to move there. I told her that I doubted there were any Methodist churches there in need of pastors, but such was the peace we felt there we did not want to leave. The city is special. It has thousands of years of historical and religious significance to three world religions; Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. There is a spiritual presence felt there that we've yet to feel in any other city; and for the people of Jesus' day, Jerusalem was the happening place for all things God. For the old disciple to be longing to be in worship at his home church and then to be visited by Jesus, this passage shares what Jesus did for him on that Sunday morning. He was carried off by the Spirit to a great mountain; definitely an E-ticket ride (Kids, google it!) experience; exhilarating and awesome. And for him to see "The Holy City, Jerusalem, " come down from Heaven was part of that same awesomeness. It is interesting to note there was no temple in the city because the realization is that the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple. The ruins of the temple in the city now still represent God and God's court, even though the walls and most of the structure is gone; but the reminder is still powerful. And John notices that the city does not need sun or moon because the glory of God shines on it, and the brilliance of the Lamb is the light as from a lamp. So great will be this light that all nations will do their daily living based on that light, and the kings of the earth will also go towards it with the splendor they bring. The city gates will no longer be shut because there will no longer be night there. Everything impure will be kept out, and all shameful and deceitful things will be kept out. Only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life will be allowed in.

The river of life will be a crystal river which will flow from the throne of God and from the throne of the Lamb, and this river will flow through the middle of the great street of the new Jerusalem; each side of the river will have the tree of life bearing twelve crops of fruit, a monthly produce; and its leaves will be for the healing of the nations. What we should also note is that Jerusalem as a city will on that day become a city filled with glory, life, and healing. A promise of what is to come thanks to God's gracious love, as well as a direction for how we live today.

This passage doesn’t just point us toward eternity; it is an invitation for us to live now as citizens of the coming city. We are to be truly bearers of that light, ambassadors of that peace, and agents of that healing. In a world often shaped by fear and despair, Revelation reminds us of our calling to live in hope, to shine with love, and to long for a future that is more than wishful thinking—it is God's promised reality.

PRAYER: God of Light and Life, Thank You for the vision of a world made whole, a city where You dwell fully with Your people, where healing flows freely, and where darkness is no more. Give us the courage to live in that light even now. Shape our hearts to long not only for heaven, but to help build glimpses of that city here on earth. Use us to bring Your healing, Your peace, and Your truth to the places You’ve called us to serve.In the name of the Lamb who reigns forever, Amen.

Have a great and blessedd ay in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: Let your life today reflect the light of that eternal city. Offer healing where there is hurt. Choose truth where there is confusion. And live with hope that the best is not behind us—but ahead.

I love you and I thank God for you!

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Peace for the Journey

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View the devo: https://bit.ly/4dkHdK0

23 Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24 Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me. 25 “All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. 28 “You heard me say, ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. 29 I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe. (John 14:23-29 NIV)

Happy Monday, my dear Friend! A Blessed Week of Worship and Wonder be yours is my prayer. I pray that you have been a blessing to many already in this day as early as it may yet be! But there's still time!

In this chapter Jesus has already spoken to His disciples about His upcoming death. "Let not your hearts be troubled," Jesus said, and spoke about His Father's house and the many rooms it has, and how He will return to His Father's House to prepare a room for us; so that where He is, we may be also. Yet, there was much still to do and miles yet to travel on this journey to which Jesus had invited and brought His band of disciples. In addition to the hope He is sharing, He is also stressing the need for love and obedience. Love from the Father will come to those who do love God and others; and the promise is that God, both Father and Son will come to them (us) and make their home with us. Then Jesus shares the promise of the coming of the Holy Spirit, Whom Jesus calls the "Advocate," Who will teach us all things and Who will remind us of all things Jesus shared with us, and peace will come to us; thus they disciples would have peace for the rest of their journey to Jerusalem and for all that would be theirs til their return Home.

This was the peace that was mine when I set out to complete the beginning of my call into ministry. It first took me to Jacksonville, TX to a small college, then to Georgetown, TX, to a small university; then to Dallas for my seminary, then my journey of running away from God, to Denver where my journey would begin again, and it was because I was never alone. It was a calm feeling of knowing no matter the darkness of night on a lonely road in Colorado or dry, long open roads in Texas, God was with me. Then God blessed me with a beautiful woman willing to ride with me and we then felt that same peace of God with us.

This peace is not like the world’s version—fragile, dependent on circumstances, and easily broken. Christ’s peace is resilient. It is the kind that walks with you through doubt, carries you in suffering, and anchors you in love. It is the steady heartbeat of the resurrection echoing into our present moment.

He promises the Holy Spirit—the Advocate—to remind us of His truth, to be His continuing voice and presence. Easter is not the end of the story, but the beginning of a Spirit-led life. In this new life, we are not abandoned, but empowered. Not fearful, but at peace.

PRAYER: Risen Lord, Thank You for the peace that only You can give—peace that calms our fear, quiets our anxious hearts, and steadies us for the journey ahead. Remind us that Your resurrection is not just a past event but a living power within us today. Help us receive Your Spirit, walk in Your truth, and live as people of the resurrection. In Your holy name we pray, Amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: Take a moment today to welcome Christ’s peace into your life—and then offer that same peace to someone else who may need it. Let the Easter message become your daily mindset: new life, Spirit-filled living, and unshakable peace.

I love you and I thank God for you!

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Days Without a Car

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1 Hallelujah! Praise God from heaven, praise him from the mountaintops; 2 Praise him, all you his angels, praise him, all you his warriors, 3 Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, you morning stars; 4 Praise him, high heaven, praise him, heavenly rain clouds; 5 Praise, oh let them praise the name of God - he spoke the word, and there they were! 6 He set them in place from all time to eternity; He gave his orders, and that's it! 7 Praise God from earth, you sea dragons, you fathomless ocean deeps; 8 Fire and hail, snow and ice, hurricanes obeying his orders; 9 Mountains and all hills, apple orchards and cedar forests; 10 Wild beasts and herds of cattle, snakes, and birds in flight; 11 Earth's kings and all races, leaders and important people, 12 Robust men and women in their prime, and yes, graybeards and little children. 13 Let them praise the name of God - it's the only Name worth praising. His radiance exceeds anything in earth and sky; 14 he's built a monument - his very own people! Praise from all who love God! Israel's children, intimate friends of God. Hallelujah! (Psalm 148 The Message Bible)

I can identify somewhat with the Apostle John on that first Sunday morning that found me working in the school cafeteria. It was my freshman year, away from home, and having to get up super early, shower, head to the back entrance of the Lon Morris College cafeteria, serve myself a nice hot breakfast, joke with the other lucky work study scholarship kids, take our trays to the window, don an apron and gloves and become the crew behind the window. I wondered at the appropriate times where my church might be, what hymn they might be singing and knowing that someone behind the window might start singing "I'm in the mood for love" to make the others of us laugh; the occasional drama major might come to the window, linger as he held the tray as he started into Bobby Vinto's Mr. Lonely. More laughs; but still the pain of not being home in worship hit hard. Hey, I was a pre-ministerial student after all. The shift would end soon enough some Sundays, others not too soon. Repeat at lunch with a very nice meal, and then supper we were on our own. That lunch however I asked the crew if any wanted to walk with me to First UMC downtown for their evening worship. Kids, ask your great-grandparents what those were! And surprising enough about six said they would and so we would meet in front of the cafeteria and we would walk to church. None of us owned cars and so this was fun, talking, walking, laughing our way to worship. Once there Dr. Gilpin would greet us warmly and we worshiped with a congregation that now does that on a daily basis in Glory. Tears streamed down some cheeks as we remembered the hymns from home. I knew the tunes, but the words were new to me. But God was the same and so the words of this psalm spoke to my heart.

The psalmist had a wonderful world view of who and what should be in worship and praise of God; everyone, everything! Angels, warriors, sun and moon; morning stars (afternoon stars who slept in), high heaven, heavenly rain clouds; a long list. All praising God, Who is worthy; His name is worthy. The monument He created, us, should be praising Him. All who love God, praise God!

This psalm reminds us that praise isn’t limited to a worship song on Sunday or a whispered prayer before a meal. The entire world is a choir, and our lives are meant to harmonize with the beauty of God’s ongoing creation. When we praise God, we join in a song that echoes from the galaxies to the garden. Whether you’re walking the dog, doing the dishes, or sitting with someone in grief, your life can echo praise when it’s rooted in gratitude and grace.

PRAYER: Loving God, thank You for the many opportunities and places where we can worship You. Thank You for all days, especially the days without cars when we could walk and be in Your house to lift high your name. Thank You for kind heart and souls who opened the doors and welcomed us in to worship. Thank You for the memory of dear friends who make the trek possible and thus shared a wonderful blessing. Thank You for the servants then and now who prepared and led us to Your presence. Let our lives become praise songs, offered not just in words, but in how we love, serve, and hope. In the name of the Risen Christ, who makes all things new, Amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: Let your life be a melody of praise today. Find one moment—however small—to offer God thanks in word or deed. When we live with gratitude and awe, we tune our lives to the rhythm of the Creator—and that’s a song worth singing.

I love you and I thank God for you!

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Tear Down the Walls!

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1 Now the apostles and the believers who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also accepted the word of God. 2 So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him, 3 saying, "Why did you go to uncircumcised men and eat with them?"4 Then Peter began to explain it to them, step by step, saying, 5 "I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. There was something like a large sheet coming down from heaven, being lowered by its four corners; and it came close to me. 6 As I looked at it closely I saw four-footed animals, beasts of prey, reptiles, and birds of the air. 7 I also heard a voice saying to me, "Get up, Peter; kill and eat.' 8 But I replied, "By no means, Lord; for nothing profane or unclean has ever entered my mouth.' 9 But a second time the voice answered from heaven, "What God has made clean, you must not call profane.' 10 This happened three times; then everything was pulled up again to heaven. 11 At that very moment three men, sent to me from Caesarea, arrived at the house where we were. 12 The Spirit told me to go with them and not to make a distinction between them and us. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man's house. 13 He told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying, "Send to Joppa and bring Simon, who is called Peter;14 he will give you a message by which you and your entire household will be saved.'15 And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as it had upon us at the beginning.16 And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said, "John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.' 17 If then God gave them the same gift that he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could hinder God?" 18 When they heard this, they were silenced. And they praised God, saying, "Then God has given even to the Gentiles the repentance that leads to life." Acts 11:1-18 NRSV)

This passage follows Acts 10, which will forever be one of the most memorable ones for me thanks to a year I spent in one seminary class called SuperBible. Midpoint through the year the professors, yes there were two, assigned texts to each student and they assigned Acts 10 to me. It was not evident at first the why until we had the final in which I had to present my paper on it. They then shared their take on the passage, and guess what? Their's was better. Their take on it was from their years of study and teaching and reflecting; mine was still from my bewilderment at having even been called to ministry.

This passage, Acts 11, is about race relations, or the lack thereof, and religious differences even within the same church. Jesus came as a new expression of Judaism that Judaism did not necessarily want. The first believers in Jesus were Jews, who did not immediately give up their Judaism. They found no problem in having both; the Jews did, especially the men folk. They held that new believers to Jesus and Judaism, needed to be circumcised; after all it was the sign of the covenant between God and them. A side note, these men were probably all 8 days old when they received the painful covenant sign. And I apologize for those of you not familiar with circumcision! I was five years old when I had the double joy of being circumcised, for medical reasons, and had my tonsils removed. I think my Mom was most embarrassed at this surgical event for she strictly warned me to say nothing of the lower surgical location just to say that I had my tonsils removed. She reports that first visitors to the hospital were told by this five year old that, and me pointing to my neck saying, "I had surgery here, but," and pointing to the spot said, "It hurts down here!" Sorry for that intermission! The uncircumcised were not accepted as being a part of the family as it were, for they did not meet the basic covenantal prerequisite. And they confront Peter about that and Peter shares his vision and encounter with God. At the hour of prayer, the apostle had a vision of a huge net filled with "four-footed animals, beasts of prey, reptiles, and birds of the air." As the net gets closer to Peter, he hears a voice ordering him to, "Get up; kill and eat." But Peter knew better or so he thought and says so, "By no means, Lord; for nothing profane or unclean has ever entered my mouth." But that goes unheeded, for the voice says, "What God has made clean, you must not call profane." Gulp. This went on for three times, and finally the net is retrieved back into heaven. Remember this was a vision and the animals were part of that vision; but it was preparing Peter for something that was about to happen. At that very hour, three men came to the house where he was and the Spirit said for Peter to go with them and to not make a distinction between them and us.

Peter goes with the men and enters a home in Caesarea where the man of the home says he had been visited by an angel who told him to send for Peter, for he was to share a message with them in order for them to be saved. And at that very moment the Holy Spirit fell upon them and it was then that Peter remembered the word of the Lord in his vision, and so declares to the Jewish Christians that these new Christians should be welcomed into the Church. "They were silenced," is how the text read, but to their credit, they praised God by saying, "Then God has given even to the Gentiles the repentance that leads to life."

Imagine you’ve always lived in a neighborhood with fences between every yard. You grow up thinking those fences define who’s in and who’s out. Then one day, someone tears the fences down and invites everyone to one big feast. At first, it’s uncomfortable—maybe even upsetting. But then you hear laughter, stories, songs you’ve never known before—and you realize, the party’s just getting started, and it’s for everyone.

That’s the message of Easter in Acts 11: God’s grace is wider than our walls. The resurrection didn’t just defeat death—it dismantled every dividing line we draw. And it started what should be a daily event of loving all people.

PRAYER: God of life and surprise, Thank You for a grace that reaches further than we expect. Forgive us when we build fences instead of opening doors. Help us to see others as You see them—not by labels or limits, but as beloved children, made clean by Your love. Teach us to be people who welcome, who trust Your Spirit, and who live in the wide open space of resurrection. In the name of Jesus, who tore the veil and broke down the walls, Amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: Let God stretch your heart today. Who have you unknowingly fenced out? Go beyond your comfort zone and live as if grace really is for everyone.

I love you and I thank God for you!

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

All Things New

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1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them; 4 he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away." 5 And the one who was seated on the throne said, "See, I am making all things new." Also he said, "Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true." 6 Then he said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. (Revelation 21:1-6a NRSV)

Happy Tuesday, dear Friend. May this be the day in which you bless God in ways you never thought possible.

Please note, dear reader the power and importance of verse 1 of this passage. Hold your finger in place in your Bible and flip back to the Old Testament book of Micah 7:19b: "You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea." For the Ancients, the sea was viewed as a void not to be messed with; and to have God "cast ALL of our sins into the sea" was quite a statement! And then in the page of the LAST book of the Bible to read "And the sea was no more," is to know that God does forgive, forget, and totally remove our sins from our lives. Amen.

This is the vision that The Apostle John had in his cave in the Isle of Patmos. God came to him when he longed to be in God's home for worship, and God revealed all the actions shared here. A glance back to the front part of verse one reveals something we don't spend much time on; Not only will there be a new heaven, there will be a new earth. The old ones will pass away. I don't know how that will work, but those who die in the Lord will either live in Heaven or on the new earth; but it will be our home. God's home, according to the vision is among God's created beings, the humans or "mortals." God will live among us; death is no longer a part of our lives; thus tears be no longer be a part of our reality, for God will do away with death, mourning and crying, and pain also will be done away with. And the declaration from the One seated on the throne is that all things are made new. He will be the beginning and the end, the Alpha and the Omega, the A to Z in our alphabet; the beginning and the end.

Easter is not the end of the story—it’s the beginning of everything new. Resurrection isn’t just something that happened to Jesus; it’s the promise of what’s coming for the world, and for us. In Revelation 21, John paints a vision of what God’s completed work looks like: a new heaven, a new earth, and God living among us, wiping every tear from our eyes.

This passage gives us a holy preview of what resurrection leads to—a future where the brokenness of this world is completely undone. Death, mourning, crying, and pain will be things of the past. The God who raised Jesus is not content to leave us in a world of despair. Instead, He declares, “See, I am making all things new.”

What makes this passage even more profound is the intimacy of it. God doesn’t fix the world from a distance. He moves in. He lives with us. He wipes our tears Himself. It’s personal. It’s relational. It’s eternal.

The resurrection of Jesus is the down payment of this promise. Easter means we live as people of hope, not denial—honest about suffering, yet anchored in God’s promise to redeem it. It means we dare to imagine a world not defined by death, but by new life. And we don’t just wait for that world—we live like it’s coming.

PRAYER: God of resurrection and renewal, Thank You for the promise of a new heaven and a new earth. Thank You for wiping our tears, healing our hurts, and drawing near. Teach us to live as Easter people—full of hope, grounded in Your love, and committed to living as if the new creation has already begun. Make us vessels of Your healing, Your justice, and Your joy. In the name of the risen Christ, we pray. Amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: Live today in light of God's promise—bring hope where there is despair, love where there is division, and joy where there is sorrow. Let the world see resurrection through you.

I love you and I thank God for you!

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Live the Love Story

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31 When he was gone, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified and God is glorified in him. 32 If God is glorified in him, God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once. 33 “My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come. 34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13: 31-35 NIV)

Happy Monday, dear Friend! May this day be a continuation of the worship of God you partook in yesterday! Let us praise God for answered prayers; our son-in-law Eric Cortez is home and looking well. And I am thankful that sniffles today do not necessarily mean a flow of blood will come upon me!

The other day on the page of my first college's Facebook, I asked a simple question: What three things did you learn while attending Lon Morris College? I meant it as a light, fun question because the three things I learned were 1) I learned that grits could be a part (now necessary part) of breakfast. I didn't know what grits were but being a college in East Texas, it was a required course. 2) I learned that donuts could be dunked in coffee. I was a coffee drinker of the mostly sugar and cream kind (Would you like a little coffee with your milk and sugar? type) and donuts were rare in my home, but at the cafeteria you could arrive early and help yourself to both coffee and donuts. (Welcome freshman-fifteen! more like 50). 3) Apply yourself and you can make it. What I should have said was that I met some incredibly loving, giving, compassionate people. People who lived the Christian faith and loved all people. My having heard about the racial biases of East Texas I went half-expecting to see more than my share of racist people and they were there, but only two went out of their way to show it to me; the rest were incredible individuals. People who cared, who listened, and who went out of the way to help one when one was in trouble or confused. My faith in humanity was charged for the positive again and again. I could see Jesus in each of the kind souls that were my classmates.

Jesus had just washed His disciples’ feet, and announced Judas' betrayal and then speaks of His glorification that is coming, but not without love. This is where Jesus also gives His new commandment from which we get the Maundy in Maundy Thursday: "Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another." BOOM! And, to further explode this new commandment, He adds, "By this everyone will know you are my disciples, if you love one another." Wow. I stop and think of the many wonderful, loving people I have met in my life. If you are one of them, and you know who you are, thank you! If you're not, get busy in loving others! I think, sadly, of the saddest, unreal, almost inhumane words and "discussions" that we have had in the church. If you are one of those, get busy walking away from that!

This is not a gentle suggestion or a seasonal virtue. It is the defining mark of the people of Jesus. In a world where identity is often found in division, appearance, or opinion, Jesus calls His followers to be known by something scandalously selfless: love.

Not the shallow love of polite gestures, but the gritty, daily love that kneels to wash feet, that speaks truth with grace, that sacrifices time and ego for the sake of another. This love forgives even before apologies are made. This love breaks through fear and shame with hope and hospitality. This is more than a mission—it is a mirror. Do our lives reflect Jesus? If someone followed us for a day, would they see Him in the way we love?

PRAYER: Jesus, You loved us even as You faced betrayal, pain, and death. Teach us to love with that same courage and compassion. When we’re tempted to close our hearts or guard our time, remind us of Your open arms. May our love—costly and kind—point the world to You. Amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: Let love be your witness. Let your words, actions, and presence quietly preach Christ.

I love you and I thank God for you!

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Restoration of the Soul

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1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters; 3 he restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for his name's sake. 4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff— they comfort me 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long. (Psalm 23 NRSV)

Dear Friend, just a sad update to our prayer request; Mr. Steven Slavik, passed away this evening (Wednesday) while on life-support. Please pray for his widos, Mrs. Penny Slavik and their children and family. Prayers for our SIL Eric Cortez as he continues to improve and await results from the pathology of that which was removed from him. And prayers for this old man as I see an ENT tomorrow morning at 8:30 am; also our grandson, Eli Muñoz sees a sleep doctor at the same time. May the Lord bless you and your needs.

Hello, Lamb. When our two first babies were indeed babies, we enrolled them into a daycare called Little Lamb College and The Clownhouse. Yes, sounds made up doesn't it? Our oldest went to the college and our second to the Clownhouse. The oldest loved it for a day or so, but our second, ever observant said, "Dad, they (meaning the adults) throw babies around." Gulp. To this day she still holds to that memory and accusation. We pulled them out not wanting them to become lambs that get thrown around or clowns of the same torture. It was both of their insistence that we withdrew them and moved them to another place. My idea for children and daycare is for them to be safe and sound, loved and appreciated; much like God desires that for you and me, no matter our age or even attitude; not all of us want to be or act like sheep. God's love is for our whole being and our entire body, but I believe a special emphasis on our soul. One definition of soul says, "A soul is the inner, spiritual part of a person—their true essence beyond just the physical body. It’s often seen as the part that holds emotions, thoughts, and connection to something greater, like God or the universe. Many believe it’s eternal and represents who a person really is." And if God cares for our soul, God would certainly want our soul to be refreshed. A careful re-walking through this psalm shows the different aspects of our lives being addressed and cared for by God. Our physical rest, our thirst, our paths through life; our fears and comfort; our recognition by Him at critical times; and the sharing of that which is good and a blessing for our souls; and the ultimate promise of life with Him in His house. And this psalm is an Easter passage, for Easter is not just a sunrise moment of joy; it is an eternal truth of strength and promise that walks with us through every valley and every shadow. This is the "go to" psalm read and recited at bedsides, over coffins and graves; powered by the resurrection hope that comes with the words of the psalm. The message is clear; the Risen Shepherd is with us - not far off, but with us - guiding, restoring, and leading us into the fullness of life.

“He restores my soul” is not only a promise of comfort, but a call to transformation. Easter restoration is more than recovery—it is resurrection. The good news is not simply that Jesus lives, but that in Him, we are being made new, even now. His goodness and mercy do not just follow us like shadows—they pursue us like grace on a mission.

But do we live like we believe that? Do we trust the Shepherd enough to follow Him into uncomfortable places—into hard forgiveness, into generosity, into peacemaking? The Resurrection is not a safe, quiet truth to be admired; it’s a bold, unsettling reality that challenges our self-made paths and invites us to walk a better way.

PRAYER: Risen Shepherd, thank You for walking with us, even when the path is dark and the way unclear. Thank You for restoring our souls, not just for our comfort, but for Your purposes. Lead us into the life You’ve made possible—one of mercy, justice, and deep trust. Teach us to follow You with courage and humility. Amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: Let the resurrection truth reshape your walk—step out of the valley with bold faith, and follow the Shepherd into the work of healing and hope that only He can do through you.

I love you and I thank God for you!

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Rise, Tabitha

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36 In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas); she was always doing good and helping the poor. 37 About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room. 38 Lydda was near Joppa; so when the disciples heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him and urged him, “Please come at once!” 39 Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them. 40 Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up. 41 He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called for the believers, especially the widows, and presented her to them alive. 42 This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord. 43 Peter stayed in Joppa for some time with a tanner named Simon.(Acts 9:36-43 NIV)

Blessings upon blessings dear Friend be yours. Receive the day as your gift from God to be and make of it all you can, with an emphasis on making new believers in Jesus Christ. Please be in prayer for Mr. Steven Slavik, who is on life-support at St. David's Hospital in Austin as he battles cancer. Prayers also for his wife, Penny and their children. May God bring the needed comfort and healing as only God can. Prayers also for our son-in-law Eric Cortez, who today underwent a procedure to remove adhesions from his intestinal tract and doctors believe they've gotten to ther problem that has had him in the hospital since Friday morning. A small section of his intestine had to be removed due to the severity of the condition there

The book of Acts is the second part of the book of Luke. Written by Lucanas, a Gentile physician, it was the culmination of oral history, interviews with eyewitnesses, and a heartfelt desire to tell the world about this man we know as our Lord Jesus Christ. The original two-part book was divided by the Church believing that the Gospel of John, the spiritual gospel would better serve the Church with its teachings on the Holy Spirit that the Gospelof Luke does not have. The Book of Acts is a history of the early Church featuring the work of not only Paul, but also Peter, who is the star of today's passage.

Peter was evangelizing in Lydda when he gets word that a solid Christian woman and worker named Dorcas in Greek, but Tabitha in Hebrew, had gotten ill and died. She had devoted her life to helping the poor and doing good works for all people. Her body had already been washed and readied for burial; but when the believers in Joppa heard that Peter was nearby they send word to get him to come at once to do what he could for Tabitha. The men sent to find Peter do so and return with him and Peter goes upstairs to where the saint's body lay. Peter enters the room to find those whom Tabitha had helped, crying and showing him the robe and clothing she had made while alive; Peter dismissed them and Peter kneels and prays. After his prayer, he turns towards the body of Tabitha and says, "Tabitha, get up." She opens her eyes and sees Peter and sits up. He takes her by the hand and helps her to her feet. He then calls the believers to reenter the room and shows her to be alive. This miracle becomes the topic of discussion for many there in Joppa and the surrounding area, serving to bring new believers to the Lord Jesus Christ. Peter stays for an additional amount of time in Joppa with a tanner named Simon.

The story of Tabitha (also known as Dorcas) is more than a miracle—it’s a testimony to the ripple effect of resurrection life. Tabitha was known for her acts of kindness and generosity, for clothing the widows and caring for the most vulnerable. She lived her faith in tangible ways, embodying the love of the risen Christ. Her death brought sorrow, but her restoration brought awe—and many believed in the Lord.

This Easter season, we see the power of resurrection not only in Jesus but in the lives He touches through us. Tabitha’s life and return point to the ongoing work of the risen Christ—He is still calling people to rise. Through prayer, faith, and compassion, God breathes new life into what seems hopeless. In quiet rooms of grief, He speaks life again.

Peter didn’t raise Tabitha by his own power. He knelt in humility and prayed, and it was God who restored. That same Spirit is still moving. Where kindness is extended, where faith acts boldly, and where grief is met with grace, resurrection is unfolding still.

PRAYER: Risen Lord, You are the source of new life. As we reflect on Your resurrection and its ripple effects, help us to become like Tabitha—generous, faithful, and full of love. Teach us to kneel in prayer and rise in service, trusting in Your power to bring life where death once reigned. Amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: Offer your life as a witness to resurrection by serving others with love today—be the reason someone else sees hope again.

I love you and I thank God for you!

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

God Comes to You

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9 After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands. 10 They cried out in a loud voice, saying, "Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!" 11 And all the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 singing, "Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen." 13 Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, "Who are these, robed in white, and where have they come from?" 14 I said to him, "Sir, you are the one that knows." Then he said to me, "These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 For this reason they are before the throne of God, and worship him day and night within his temple, and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them. 16 They will hunger no more, and thirst no more; the sun will not strike them, nor any scorching heat; 17 for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes." (Revelation 7:9-17 NRSV)

Happy Tuesday, dear Friend! This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it! So, get busy! Be joyful so much it's contagious! The world needs it!

Imagine being isolated on an island as a punishment for your faith. You have found a cave where you make your home and you try your best to make the best of this new existence. You have not lost your faith, in fact, the presence of the Lord is stronger now. Then Sunday rolls around and you feel that longing to be in God's house for worship, but there are no churches on the island and you decide you're going to God in worship. As your hour of worship begins, Jesus appears and speaks. His voice is so powerful it cracks the roof of your cave. You don't notice it right away, but later you notice the new crack in your dwelling is a cross. What has happened it's a worship experience that cannot be matched in any other place; the Risen Lord has revealed to you while in praise, the vision that is recorded in today's passage. You can't help but write down what you experienced. And while on earth, you've joined a great multitude in Heaven in worship! You notice that this crowd of heavenly believers are from all over the world! All tribes and all nations and languages; all standing before the throne of God, all robed in white, with palm branches in their hands. Yes, Palm Sunday in Heaven! And what are they singing about? Salvation! And all sing with love and joy that the Lamb and His sacrifice made their pressence in Heaven possible!

This Easter season, we are reminded that the Lamb who was slain is now the Shepherd of His people. The resurrection of Jesus is not only victory over death—it is the beginning of a new creation, one that welcomes all into its joy. Revelation 7 paints the eternal result of the empty tomb: people redeemed from every corner of the earth, gathered together, comforted, and satisfied.

This is where the Easter story is headed. It doesn't end at the cross or the garden tomb—it expands outward into the nations, into the generations, into the promise of a future where suffering is no more and every tear is tenderly wiped away by God Himself.

In this Easter vision, hope is not abstract. It is embodied. The Lamb is not distant. He is among us, guiding, healing, and restoring. And He is worthy of all our worship.

PRAYER: Risen Lamb and Shepherd of our souls, thank You for the hope of Easter that reaches across every border and barrier. As we celebrate Your triumph over death, help us live as part of the great multitude—united in praise, eager to serve, and confident in Your promises. Wipe away our tears and lead us to the waters of life. Amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: Live today as one already standing before the throne—praising, welcoming others, and joining in the work of making earth reflect heaven’s gathering joy

I love you and I thank God for you!

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

The Shepherd Holds Us Tight

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22 Then came the Festival of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon’s Colonnade. 24 The Jews who were there gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” 25 Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all ; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.” (John 10:22-30 NIV)

Welcome to Monday, dear Friend! May God's grace be with you and bless you with the outcomes you seek and need! I ask prayers for our son-in-law, Eric Cortez, who's in Baylor Scott & White Lakeway Hospital with abdominal pain. He was taken by ambulance on Friday morning after a night of constant vomiting and doctors thought it was food poisoning; tests have not shown what it is. Please pray for his healing and comfort for his wife, Saraí and daughter Sarita.

I have on my bucket list to return back to the Holy Land and find a real life Israeli shepherd tending his sheep and photograph him and his flock. I would love to converse with him I would love to hear his take on being a shepherd and to see what words of wisdom he might have about being a shepherd. When on our first visit there near a tourist attraction there was a man who owned a large lamb who was charging for tourists to hold while they had their picture taken. The lamb seemed to love its role and loved the attention and being held by folks.

During the Festival of Dedication in Jerusalem, Jesus is walking in the courts of the temple when He is asked, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly." When was Jesus not asked this question? Since the beginning of His ministry, Jesus made it clear that He was indeed the Messiah and so His response to the Jewish leaders was, "I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father's name testify about me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep." And then Jesus uses this opportunity to share more about His sheep. "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand."

This passage, nestled between confrontation and clarity, reminds us that Easter isn't only about a victorious moment in history—it's about a relationship that carries eternal security. We are held. We are known. And nothing—not fear, failure, death, or doubt—can remove us from His grasp.

Jesus’ resurrection isn’t just the end of death; it’s the guarantee of His ongoing presence. It means the Shepherd has defeated the wolves. The grave couldn’t hold Him, and it won’t hold us.

In an anxious world full of uncertainties, Jesus’ words are a rock under our feet: “No one will snatch them out of my hand.” The nail-pierced hands are now the safest place we could ever be.

PRAYER: Risen Shepherd, thank You for calling us by name and holding us in Your eternal care. As we walk through life’s valleys and victories, help us listen for Your voice and trust in Your grasp. Let our hearts rest in the assurance that we are forever Yours. Amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: Take time today to quiet your mind and listen for the Shepherd’s voice—then follow Him in trust, knowing that nothing can separate you from His love.

I. love you and I thank God for you!

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.

Lament Into Dancing

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1 I give you all the credit, God - you got me out of that mess, you didn't let my foes gloat. 2 God, my God, I yelled for help and you put me together. 3 God, you pulled me out of the grave, gave me another chance at life when I was down-and-out. 4 All you saints! Sing your hearts out to God! Thank him to his face! 5 He gets angry once in a while, but across a lifetime there is only love. The nights of crying your eyes out give way to days of laughter. 6 When things were going great I crowed, "I've got it made. 7 I'm God's favorite. He made me king of the mountain." Then you looked the other way and I fell to pieces. 8 I called out to you, God; I laid my case before you: 9 "Can you sell me for a profit when I'm dead? auction me off at a cemetery yard sale? When I'm 'dust to dust' my songs and stories of you won't sell. 10 So listen! and be kind! Help me out of this!" 11 You did it: you changed wild lament into whirling dance; You ripped off my black mourning band and decked me with wildflowers. 12 I'm about to burst with song; I can't keep quiet about you. God, my God, I can't thank you enough. (Psalm 30 The Message Bible)

The season of Easter is all about new starts even in the face of what seems to be ending. We saw it in yesterday's study of Acts 9 and the Apostle Paul's story of new beginnings. The psalmist has a story that may be similar to one of yours and mine; God putting a comma where there should be a period. A guess what; there's more track here than we thought, our journey doesn't end here. You and I have been there and we all have our tales to share. Here is David's:

David writes from the other side of deep sorrow, a season that brought him low enough to cry out from the pit. He knows what it is to feel forgotten, undone, unraveling. But in God’s mercy, he experiences a turning—a resurrection of joy. The dark night gives way to dawn. Tears dry. Grief lifts. And dance begins.

Easter is our cosmic Psalm 30. Jesus entered the pit of death, descended into silence and shadow, and then God did it. He pulled Him up. Resurrected. Vindicated. Glorified.

The psalmist’s personal story mirrors our shared hope: “He took me from the bottom and brought me back.” That’s what resurrection means for us, not just once, but again and again. Every time despair begins to define us, Jesus steps in with hope. Every time sorrow seems unending, resurrection gives it an expiration date.

The beauty of Psalm 30 is not that it avoids pain—but that it testifies to God’s power to transform it. God doesn’t erase mourning; He converts it. Like the cross transformed into the symbol of life, our darkest places become stages for grace to shine. We should trust God to turn our lament into dance.

PRAYER: God of new mornings and second chances, thank You for lifting us from the pit and teaching our hearts to dance again. Remind us this Easter that no sorrow is beyond Your reach, and no night is too long for Your dawn. Let our lives sing Your resurrection song. Amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: Today, live as one who’s been pulled from the grave—trade fear for joy, tell someone your resurrection story, and dance, even if softly, as a witness to God’s faithfulness.

I love you and I thank God for you!

Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.