17 GOSPEL ACCORDING TO PAUL: THOSE PESKY MIRRORS!

Loving God, create in us a clean heart, for all that we might face today. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Some people love mirrors. Some people don't. Some people cannot pass a mirror without pausing to get yet another look and fix their hair, makeup, etc. Some people hurry past mirrors. Regardless of which type of person you may be when it comes to mirrors, mirrors have their purpose. I believe they were created to help us dress, prepare us for the day and that's all they do. A good mirror is one that makes you look good. But are there such things as "good" mirrors? Don't they just reflect back what image is presented them? Well, we could argue angle, shape, we could even throw in circus or carnival mirrors, but when you get a decent mirror, it just shows you you!

In today's passage Paul is saying something similar about the Law. The text is from Romans 7:7-13:

7 What then should we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet, if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, "You shall not covet." 8 But sin, seizing an opportunity in the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. Apart from the law sin lies dead. 9 I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived 10 and I died, and the very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me. 11 For sin, seizing an opportunity in the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me. 12 So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and just and good. 13 Did what is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, working death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure. 14 For we know that the law is spiritual; but I am of the flesh, sold into slavery under sin. 15 I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. 16 Now if I do what I do not want, I agree that the law is good. 17 But in fact it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot do it. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me. 21 So I find it to be a law that when I want to do what is good, evil lies close at hand. 22 For I delight in the law of God in my inmost self, 23 but I see in my members another law at war with the law of my mind, making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. 24 Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with my mind I am a slave to the law of God, but with my flesh I am a slave to the law of sin.

The Law of God helped humanity know how to identify sin. God shared the commandments and the laws as a way of instilling self-restraint, control of violence, and a measure of compassion and respect towards others and the property and relationship of others. A mirror does show when we need to redo or cut our hair; at best, when we need to comb our hair. A mirror also shows when we need to exercise more and lose weight; it may even reflect a sadness or guilt that a previous action on our part has placed on our face. Paul said that the Law helped him know sin and what sin caused, namely death. Paul, as a man, struggled just like you and me, with daily temptations and situations in which we respond with actions that are not spiritual, but physical and hurtful. Paul said that the Law helped me know what sin is, yet he still sinned. The Law as our mirror shows us the things we don't want to know about ourselves; but we look beyond the image to what is not seen. Jesus, our Savior and Lord, who has deemed us worthy and loved, beyond what we may think or hear about what is "worthy and loved" by the standards of this world. In the same way, Paul knew that beyond our bodies, and how out of control we may be because of them, Jesus Christ our Lord has stepped in and delivered us to God!

So, after you read this, you will walk by or directly to a mirror. Use the eyes of God to see in that reflection a new you, made so by love, the love of God for you. As you pray and do your daily things, use the word of God as that which reminds you of what sin is and how we best should stay away from it.

PRAYER: God of eternal love, help me today see me as You do. Help me today live as You would have me live. Deliever me from the enslavements of sin to the freedom and peace of grace. I ask this in Christ Jesus' precious name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord.

Eradio Valverde

16 GOSPEL ACCORDING TO PAUL: FREE TO LIVE LIFE

Gracious God pour out a rich blessing on the life of this dear reader; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

One gets the idea that Paul was up against some very hard-headed and hard-minded traditionalists when it came to changing their views on things related to their Christian life. Hmm, we don't have those in the church anymore, do we? You would think Paul was suggesting changing the color of the carpet in the sanctuary! In today's passage, Romans 7:1-6, we find Paul's teaching about the Gospel:

1 Do you not know, brothers and sisters--for I am speaking to those who know the law--that the law is binding on a person only during that person's lifetime? 2 Thus a married woman is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives; but if her husband dies, she is discharged from the law concerning the husband. 3 Accordingly, she will be called an adulteress if she lives with another man while her husband is alive. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law, and if she marries another man, she is not an adulteress. 4 In the same way, my friends, you have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead in order that we may bear fruit for God. 5 While we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death. 6 But now we are discharged from the law, dead to that which held us captive, so that we are slaves not under the old written code but in the new life of the Spirit.

Paul asks, "Who are you married to? The Law or Christ?" It's a valid question and a good question. It's as if to say, "Who are you living for? The Law or Christ Jesus? Such was the hold of the Law on some people that Paul had to use the illustration about marriage. And you ask, why was Paul so set on setting people free? Paul saw the need and place for the Law. He was trained in it, in fact the first part of his career, he served the Law and was even a Pharisee when it came to the Law. But that all changed on that dusty Damascus Road when the Risen Lord Jesus knocked him off his high horse and Paul experienced a near-life experience. Jesus revealed to him all that He needed Paul to do for the sake of Christ's Kingdom. Part of that revelation was to set people free from the restraints of the Law and its hold on traditions and customs, and to get people to live an inviting life that would bless people and allow others, new converts, to come to the fullness of life. Paul knew the Law had served to show humanity what was right and wrong; now people needed to see the love behind the Law. God gave the Law out of love and out of concern for how people would live without the Law, but once God gave Jesus, God gave the fullness of life beyond the Law.

You and I are free to know God's love and to share that with others. We still do need to share what we know to be eternal truths when it comes to right living, but we do it in a positive, encouraging way that leads to people coming to the possibilities of living a life in Jesus.

PRAYER: Loving God, set me free from all that has had me bound to just traditions and customs and other restraints; free me for joyful obedience to You so that my life may sing a tune that attracts others to You. I ask this in Jesus' Name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

15 GOSPEL ACCORDING TO PAUL: EMBRACING LIFE AND PLEASING GOD

Loving God, morning by morning, let this dear reader see Your mercies. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

I had a Sunday school teacher who was a rocket scientist. He really was. We lived in Houston and he worked at N.A.S.A. He was a brilliant man who somewhere, somehow, had picked up a quote from one of the Patriarchs and he would say, "Love God and do as you please." The quote is attributed to St. Augustine (other say Martin Luther), and it means in the right relationship with God we are free to live life guided by that relationship. St. Paul says something similar in today's passage from Romans 6:15-23:

15 What then? Should we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! 16 Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God that you, having once been slaves of sin, have become obedient from the heart to the form of teaching to which you were entrusted, 18 and that you, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. 19 I am speaking in human terms because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to greater and greater iniquity, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness for sanctification. 20 When you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21 So what advantage did you then get from the things of which you now are ashamed? The end of those things is death. 22 But now that you have been freed from sin and enslaved to God, the advantage you get is sanctification. The end is eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Yesterday we talked about moving to a new country. Well, that move there takes us to a land where we learn to live as the others who live there. We left the land of sin, so we no longer live as blatant sinners, we live as grateful new residents of the land of grace. We live, Paul would say, modeling our lives after our "Master," presenting ourselves as righteous people who are on the journey we call sanctification. We now live as those who will never die; we've left behind those who live just to die. Paul closes this section with verse 23, "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

We now live as those who are proud to belong to Christ Jesus as the people of life and love. We have left behind the things that shamed us and made us people of self-centeredness and death. Are you inviting others by the way you live?

PRAYER: God of endless love and eternal life, thank You for the gift of Jesus Christ. May my life reflect one who has moved away from the things that used to embarrass me and You to the place where my actions are pleasing to You. Help me to leave behind the things that I embraced as a self-centered person, to live in a place where You are glorified. I pray in Christ Jesus' Name, amen!

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord.

Eradio Valverde

14 GOSPEL OF PAUL: MOVING TO A NEW COUNTRY

Loving God of grace, allow this dear reader to abide in You and You in him/her on this day. In Christ Jesus, amen.

I've never lived in another country, unless you count the state of Colorado, and even then back in the 70s it was a bit different from what it is now. I have traveled in Mexico, England, and Spain, and drove through Maryland. With my windows rolled up and doors locked. But the Message version of the Bible has this to say about chapter 6:1-14:

1 So what do we do? Keep on sinning so God can keep on forgiving? 2 I should hope not! If we've left the country where sin is sovereign, how can we still live in our old house there? 3 Or didn't you realize we packed up and left there for good? That is what happened in baptism. When we went under the water, we left the old country of sin behind; when we came up out of the water, we entered into the new country of grace - a new life in a new land! 4 When we are lowered into the water, it is like the burial of Jesus; when we are raised up out of the water, it is like the resurrection of Jesus. 5 Each of us is raised into a light-filled world by our Father so that we can see where we're going in our new grace-sovereign country. 6 Could it be any clearer? Our old way of life was nailed to the Cross with Christ, a decisive end to that sin-miserable life - no longer at sin's every beck and call! What we believe is this: 7 8 If we get included in Christ's sin-conquering death, we also get included in his life-saving resurrection. 9 We know that when Jesus was raised from the dead it was a signal of the end of death-as-the-end. Never again will death have the last word. 10 When Jesus died, he took sin down with him, but alive he brings God down to us. 11 From now on, think of it this way: Sin speaks a dead language that means nothing to you; God speaks your mother tongue, and you hang on every word. You are dead to sin and alive to God. That's what Jesus did. 12 That means you must not give sin a vote in the way you conduct your lives. Don't give it the time of day. 13 Don't even run little errands that are connected with that old way of life. Throw yourselves wholeheartedly and full-time - remember, you've been raised from the dead! - into God's way of doing things. 14 Sin can't tell you how to live. After all, you're not living under that old tyranny any longer. You're living in the freedom of God.

We have left our old home in the land of sin, through our conversion and relationship with Jesus, and moved into a new home in a new land, the land of grace. What a difference that should have made in our lives. I imagine the land of sin to be a bleak land where the sun seldom shines and there is no breeze to speak of; the grass is dead and no hope of rain to perk it up. What's more all of this is spiritual, a place where we know we are dying spiritually unless we allow God to do something about it. On the other hand, the land of grace is the exact opposite: a place of life, a place of bright home and a sense of the presence of God; we celebrate not being alone and knowing that with God with us, we fear nothing. And our desire is to do works of grace and we leave sin behind.

Paul knew we all sin and still do, but to continue in the same sin without trusting God's power to deliver us from that makes no sense. In the older version of verse one, Paul asks, "What then are we to say? Should we continue in sin in order that grace may abound? " No! We leave that behind and move towards the place God would have us be.

It's not easy leaving behind the familiar and the things and people we're used to; but in order to live and live fully, we leave behind the past, the sinful, the things that mark us as good as dead.

PRAYER: God of life, grant to me the power to move right now away from my sin. I want to leave behind this land of sin and move to my new home in the land of grace. I know the house is ready, the door is open and the fridge is stocked. Let me not even turn back to close this old house's door. You do that so that no one is tempted to walk in and live in this place. I pray this in Jesus' Name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord.

Eradio Valverde

13 GOSPEL ACCORDING TO PAUL: ONE MAN BROUGHT DEATH, ONE MAN BROUGHT LIFE

Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh on this dear reader's life and needs. In Christ Jesus, amen.

It's Adam's fault! How easy it is to blame this first man for the dilemma in which we find ourselves. I know that takes the spotlight off the president and other elected officials (dream on!). Actually, Paul says that through Adam sin made its way into the world. Our disobedience towards God was first found in this first man. And from the time of Adam until the time of Moses there was no way of knowing what was considered a transgression against God and what was not. The Message version of the Bible says, "That sin disturbed relations with God in everything and everyone, but the extent of the disturbance was not clear until God spelled it out in detail to Moses." But we do know that because of sin, death made its debut on the face of the earth. And death plagued us with fear and sorrow and uncertainty, and it wasn't until Jesus, that we began to better understand God's grace and plan for us during life and upon our earthly death.

It's Jesus' fault that we no longer need fear death and the consequences of sin. God's grace was made clear to us and offered to all who would believe and receive. The Message continues, 5:18 "Here it is in a nutshell: Just as one person did it wrong and got us in all this trouble with sin and death, another person did it right and got us out of it. But more than just getting us out of trouble, he got us into life! 19 One man said no to God and put many people in the wrong; one man said yes to God and put many in the right. "

It is through all that Christ Jesus did on our behalf that we can have life; here on earth an abundant life, and upon our death, a neverending life in Glory with God the Father. It would be Paul who would say, "For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain." (Phil 1:21). Friends, let us live life in a Jesus, not Adam way! Let us live in a way that invites others to the fullness of life.

PRAYER: Loving God, we thank You for Jesus and His mighty acts of salvation. Help me to be a part of the continuing work of Your Holy Spirit in touching and inviting lives to come to You. I ask this in Jesus' precious name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

12 GOSPEL ACCORDING TO PAUL: A CHECKLIST OF FAITH BLESSINGS

Loving God of all, pour out Your blessings upon the needs of this dear reader. In Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

During the "glory days" of campus ministry in Texas, campus ministers were allowed to teach Bible in state universities for university credit. It was a great money-maker for the state school because we would teach the three hour credit course, they would collect every cent of the tuition, the student would get university credit for an elective, and we would have the exposure to our ministries from which we could draw for our programs and ministries. Just as I left campus ministry, one certain attorney general ruled that this was not indeed separation of "church and state," and ruled that this nice set-up could no longer exist. But during my time at this university, I enjoyed the enrollment of young men who were exploring the call into the priesthood. Unless I was misinformed, these guys were encouraged to take my class, to better understand the Protestant mind. Hmm, they chose poorly! During the days we talked about justification (salvation) we took separate paths. It was the "works vs. grace" debate. I had lived that during my year at Southwestern University, a classmate was studying to become a teacher, receive her vows as a nun, and thus pay off a "sin." Her sin I discovered was not hers at all; a priest grabbed her and kissed her after school when she was in high school. She felt responsible and felt the only way to be forgiven this sin was to work it off. Paul would have told her, as I did, that we are forgiven our sins simply by grace and faith, not by works.

Romans 5:1-11 reads: Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have obtained access [by faith] to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. 3 And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. 6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person--though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. 8 But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us. 9 Much more surely then, now that we have been justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more surely, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life. 11 But more than that, we even boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

This young woman simply needed to ask God to forgive her and she would be forgiven and that would be the end of it. Paul says it in verse one, "we are justified by faith," and as a result "we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ," and a new standing with God. Paul goes on to share a faith checklist of that which we receive from whatever it is we face: Suffering produces endurance (hang in there!); endurance produces character (a better man/woman!); character produces hope (this too shall pass in God's time!); "and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us." In our times of weakness (at the right time!) Christ died for us ("the ungodly") and the classic, "But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us."

That young woman from a report heard about her, did not enter an order nor did she take vows, other than the ones she took with her husband. She did become a teacher and a mother. God granted her a peace that she needed about that unfortunate incident in her young life. In the same way, peace can be ours regardless of past actions we have done or were done to us. God is a merciful, loving God who will forgive us our sins and grant us peace. If we are suffering check off the things that are coming your way because of where you are and what you are enduring. We are never alone and we are never in a state where we say we are not being blessed. Receive your blessing today! Receive the hope that is ours!

PRAYER: Lord, only You know the needs that I face right now. You know the stress and frustrations that have come to me while facing this, but I pray that that which You revealed to Paul be mine today. Let the suffering give way to endurance, to character and to hope, and I claim that hope will not disappoint. I pray this in Jesus' name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord.

Eradio Valverde

11 GOSPEL ACCORDING TO PAUL: HOPE AGAINST HOPE

God of our faith, grant a double-portion of faith to the heart of this dear reader in all they may face today. In Christ Jesus' name, amen.

Romans 4:13-25: 13 For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would be heir of the world was not through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For if those who are of the Law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise is nullified; 15 for the Law brings about wrath, but where there is no law, there also is no violation. 16 For this reason it is by faith, in order that it may be in accordance with grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the descendants, not only to those who are of the Law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, 17 (as it is written, "A FATHER OF MANY NATIONS HAVE I MADE YOU") in the presence of Him whom he believed, even God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist. 18 In hope against hope he believed, so that he might become a father of many nations according to that which had been spoken, "SO SHALL YOUR DESCENDANTS BE." 19 Without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah's womb; 20 yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform. 22 Therefore IT WAS ALSO CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS. 23 Now not for his sake only was it written that it was credited to him, 24 but for our sake also, to whom it will be credited, as those who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, 25 He who was delivered over because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification.

Heir of the world! How would you like that as a title? "I'm so glad to meet you, my name is Abraham, and I am 'heir of the world.'" So Paul saw the title given to the Father of the Faith, Abraham. And Paul says, it was because of faith not the Law or anything that Abraham did or could have done, that the whole world was promised to him. Such is our title indeed; for all that Jesus did on our behalf, we are heirs of something better than just the world, we are heirs to the Kingdom of God. And it is nothing that we did or could do, other than to believe. And notice that Paul knows, as we should as well, just Who this God is that has made such a relationship with Him possible; "God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist." I don't know about you, but I'm impressed! Would not this God with such powers be one to hold onto His promises to us?

The next verse is interesting as well. Paul knew the difficulty of believing in something that required a lot of faith on our part. Paul writes, "In hope against hope he (Abraham) believed, in order that he might become a father of many nations, according to that which had been spoken,"So shall your descendents be." At a point where Abraham was as good as dead, and so was his wife, Sarah, he believed and trusted, and he was blessed.

What "hope against hope" do you need today? Sunday I shared but a short list of the things that come into our lives that show how weak we really are, and we shared about how God's Word speaks of God being our strength. Our call today is to hope against hope, to rise above what the world or science or medicine might say, to that which God says. This Sunday I spent all afternoon alone with Saraí Evangelina, my two-year old granddaughter. I was surprised she heard that I was going to stay home when all the rest were to go shopping. My plan was to get some rest, perhaps a nap. She promptly came and sat next to me on the sofa and said, "I'm staying with Granpa!" What a delightful afternoon we spent, watching "Nemo," playing with Granma's exercise ball, and her favorite sitting at the table and playing with PlayDoh. One of the canisters of the clay was rolling off the table and I quickly grabbed for it and said, "Hey, get back over here!" That made Saraí laugh with delight. So, I said it again. More laughter. Yesterday, Tuesday, after coming home for school she ran through the house saying, "Hey, get back over here, Granpa says!, Hey, get back over here, Granpa says!" And laughing.

What do we remember that God says, especially about what we may be facing right now?

PRAYER: Loving God of hope, speak to our hopelessness and our brokeness; truly let us hope against hope, for we put our trust in You. May Your Spirit move in and through and in spite of us, towards that which You have promised. We ask that You have the last word in that which we face. We pray in Christ Jesus' name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

10 GOSPEL ACCORDING TO PAUL: A MOST PERSONAL FAITH

God of Heaven and earth, be found near to the heart of this dear reader in all they may face today. In Christ Jesus' name, amen.

For the Jews a decision is made for the male child that he be circumcised. It is a sign of the covenant between God and them. It began with Abraham and made it the most personal sign of their new faith. From the oldest to the youngest, God commanded, will bear upon their bodies this mark of the covenant. It always strikes me as humorous, though I know it probably wasn't, that those who did not hear the conversation between God and Abraham, had to hear the old man say, "Good news fellas, we have a God! The bad news? Drop your pants!"

What impact does a physical procedure have on faith? For the Jewish male child, the decision is made on his eighth-day birthday. The parents decide for that child that he will bear upon his body the mark of his faith. For the first part of our history as Christians, the great debate between Paul and the Disciples was on requirements for becoming a Christian. The Jewish Christians wanted circumcision as a part of formal entrance into the Christian faith, one must be a Jew, with all rights and privileges thereof (read, circumcision), then that person could be a Christian. Part of that debate is found in today's passage found in 4:9-12 of Romans:

9 Is this blessedness, then, pronounced only on the circumcised, or also on the uncircumcised? We say, "Faith was reckoned to Abraham as righteousness." 10 How then was it reckoned to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? It was not after, but before he was circumcised. 11 He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was to make him the ancestor of all who believe without being circumcised and who thus have righteousness reckoned to them, 12 and likewise the ancestor of the circumcised who are not only circumcised but who also follow the example of the faith that our ancestor Abraham had before he was circumcised.

Faith came to Abraham first, Paul claims and rightly so. So, was circumcision required before faith? No. So, is Abraham father even of the uncircumcised? Yes! Those who come to faith do so spiritually. Paul knew the truth. It is not the marks we bear on our bodies that determine if we have faith or not. And to be a Christian does not require our becoming a Jew first. Yes, we do hold the scriptures of the Hebrew faith as sacred and that which introduces us to God and God's involvement in our history, but as Paul would argue, when Christ came, we received a new covenant open to all.

Let our life in Christ be one of honest and genuine faith. One that trusts God and allows us to walk and serve God like never before. God will not be interested in what we have done or not done to our body in obedience to Him, but how because of our obedience we have done for others.

PRAYER: Loving God, so personal and private is our faith that sometimes it becomes so easy to hide it from others and yes, You. Let me not hide my faith, let me joyously live it in a way that brings glory to You. I ask this in Jesus' Name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

9 GOSPEL ACCORDING TO PAUL: WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM ABRAHAM?

Eternal God of the Covenant made for all, from the oldest to the youngest, bless and hold this dear reader in all that they face today. In Christ Jesus' name we pray, amen. (The photo above is of Rev. Jet Throckmorton and myself baptizing Mr. Dylan Joseph Leal during our 10:45 worship service. Dylan took to me as I walked him around the congregation; he cried when I handed him back to Dad!)

We may soon forget the song that I learned as an adult for the sake of my girls, Father Abraham. It's a fun, lively, get your heart pumping soon, with so many motions that you have to be in shape to sing it. And as we got more intelligent we even added the right words, "Father Abraham had many sons (and daughters too!), many sons had Father Abraham..." No, it's too early for me to be singing and marching as I write!

The song's title and message comes because of his faith. As you come to know his story, it took a lot of faith for this man at that point in his life to hear God and to obey God. A lot of things were involved, several close contacts had to be severed and that first step leading away from family had to be taken. Not every one can do it. I was talking to a longtime dear friend from my first years in ministry, whose wife and he had to drive to College Station and leave their daughter behind. He shared on Facebook and in person at last evening's Big Kickoff for our Youth, that he cried as they drove away from the dorm where their precious, little, (eternally little) baby girl would now live for four years. I told him Nellie and I still held the record for dropping off our daughter in Troy, NY, and crying all the way to Virginia! To be fair to the story, it's not the parents who cry, it's the children. It is their faith that makes those long, difficult and painful drives home alone necessary. I was the one who applied to Lon Morris College and decided to attend there my first year of college. I cried as I saw my folks drive off leaving me deep in the heart of East Texas. I cried that night into my pillow, but I knew it was faith that took me there, and it was God who saw me through two very successful college years there and afterwards at Southwestern University, Iliff School of Theology and Perkins at SMU.

Paul asks us the question, what can we learn from Abraham? Was it the steps away from Mom and Dad that made him the "Father of the faith?" No, it was his faith. Nothing that Abraham did or could do, counted for anything, just his faith. In today's passage found in Romans 4:1-9 we find these words:

1 What then are we to say was gained by Abraham, our ancestor according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness." 4 Now to one who works, wages are not reckoned as a gift but as something due. 5 But to one who without works trusts him who justifies the ungodly, such faith is reckoned as righteousness. 6 So also David speaks of the blessedness of those to whom God reckons righteousness apart from works: 7 "Blessed are those whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; 8 blessed is the one against whom the Lord will not reckon sin."

Notice verse 3, it was belief in God and that was what counted as righteousness. We can do all the good we want and it counts for nothing in terms of righteousness. We have to believe first, then because of our belief we will do that which counts as fruits or evidence of our faith.

You can "pad" your church work resume and all of those things both real and imagined will not count towards righteousness unless you first believe and love God. Once that happens then your resume, better, your life, will reflect righteousness because of faith.

PRAYER: Loving God it is easy to hide behind busy-ness and busy work both in the church and in church-related things, but it is in our heart where our belief matters more. Let me today invite You in, as my Father, Jesus as my Lord, and the Holy Spirit as Comforter to be made right in You. Then let me live this day in a way that gives others an invitation to do the same because You live in me. I ask this in Christ Jesus' precious name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord.

Eradio Valverde

GREAT DAY IS THE LORD'S DAY!

Great is this day, dear Lord. It is, like all Your hand touches, a wonderful
and new creation. I ask that Your touch be upon me. Right in me that which is
wrong. Make straight the crooked, and heal the sick in me and in those whom I
love. Prepare those who lead and proclaim at worship, that I might join them in
lifting up that which is mine to life and to receive that which is mine to
receive. Be glorified and praised in all places. Bring to Your house those who
need it and those who think they don't. Speak Your words of life to those near
death; bring Your light to those in darkness. Make hope be Your message today,
may it bring peace to each heart. I ask this in Christ Jesus' name, amen.

Have a great and blessed Lord's Day in His House!

--------------------------
For Harlingen FUMC members and friends, please don't forget today we have a
Fellowship Luncheon immediately after the 10:45 services. This will be in our
Raimond Christian Center. Bring enough to share with your pastor!

8 PAUL'S GOSPEL: THAT SPECIAL CLUB TO WHICH WE ALL BELONG

God of support, pour out Your strength on this dear reader in the needs of today; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

You could probably not begin to list all the "clubs" you have been in since year one. If you were nursed by your mother, you were a part of that "club." If you learned to ride a bike with training wheels, that was another "club." If you had to walk to school, yep, club. While I may be stretching the notion of club, you're seeing the point; if we dig deep enough there is something that connects us all at one point or another. To be honest, we've connected in many ways during our lifetime.

Paul gives a description of those who have received Jesus Christ as being "the righteous." That becomes a label of identity and it also is found in other places in God's Word as showing the character of God and the high standard for living that we also share if we are led by the Lord. Paul says all who have received the Lord Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior are righteous, we've been given that special relationship with God that the Law does not provide. I shared some of the "dos and don'ts" of my childhood yesterday and I had a great fear of my Dad and my "breaking" those rules. I'll never forget when I stopped worrying about rules and stepped right into full acceptance of who I was in that relationship with him. I still respect him deeply and love him very much, and I know the same is true on his part towards me. So it is with God but multiply it by infinity. Through Jesus and His sacrifice, we have moved into acceptance (righteousness) when we deserve something less. This portion of study in Romans today includes the verse so many of us know by heart and experience, 3:23, " since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God". This is the club! Knowing we deserve nothing, God gives us everything! What a club.

The entire passage for today is Romans 3:21-31: But now, apart from law, the righteousness of God has been disclosed, and is attested by the law and the prophets, 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction, 23 since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; 24 they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a sacrifice of atonement by his blood, effective through faith. He did this to show his righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over the sins previously committed; 26 it was to prove at the present time that he himself is righteous and that he justifies the one who has faith in Jesus. 27 Then what becomes of boasting? It is excluded. By what law? By that of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28 For we hold that a person is justified by faith apart from works prescribed by the law. 29 Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, 30 since God is one; and he will justify the circumcised on the ground of faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. 31 Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.

The key is the verse that follows, justification by faith, God's gift. This means we need only believe to begin our journey with Christ. Nothing we could ever do or pray gets us that being made right before God, it's a free gift. Costly yes, because it cost Jesus' life for you and me, but given, out of love, freely to us. Regardless of the sin we may have committed yesterday, if today we approach God asking for forgiveness and show a repentant heart, we are forgiven and the sin is forgotten. We reach the point of justification, some would call it, being born again or from above; and immediately the journey begins. Because of our new and right relationship with God we "show" the world what God can do. This "showing" is also known as our "fruit" or "works" and come as the result of having been made right with God. It is nothing we could have come up with ourselves, it is the product of God living in us.

PRAYER: Loving God, make me right with you. I leave the sins of my yesterday in Your hands. I repent of what I said, thought, or did. I ask for a new start. May it be a wonderful start of a wonderful, new life, lived in You, guided by You, and blessed by You. I ask this in Jesus' precious name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

7 PAUL'S GOSPEL: WE ALL DO!

God of peace and patience, pour out Your Spirit on the needs of this dear reader. In Christ Jesus, amen.

Most every family has a list of Dos and Don'ts. Some are implied, others are very explicit. We were handed down what I suspect were perhaps Holiness church inspired rules: Don't play cards, no movies on Sundays, dancing is a sin, playing pool on Sundays was not allowed. It made for some slow paced Sundays! I remember enjoying reading the full color comics from the Sunday paper and if there were ads for toys, we'd play, "I call this! This is the toy I'm getting and you're not!" The rules existed for helping us grow and develop as mature and responsible adults having the proper respect for others and for ourselves. It was, as Paul says in verse 20 of Romans 3, to know "the knowledge of sin."

Today's passage from Romans is from chapter 3, verses 9-20:

9 What then? Are we any better off? No, not at all; for we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under the power of sin, 10 as it is written: "There is no one who is righteous, not even one; 11 there is no one who has understanding, there is no one who seeks God. 12 All have turned aside, together they have become worthless; there is no one who shows kindness, there is not even one." 13 "Their throats are opened graves; they use their tongues to deceive." "The venom of vipers is under their lips." 14 "Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness." 15 "Their feet are swift to shed blood; 16 ruin and misery are in their paths, 17 and the way of peace they have not known." 18 "There is no fear of God before their eyes." 19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. 20 For "no human being will be justified in his sight" by deeds prescribed by the law, for through the law comes the knowledge of sin.

God shared the Law to instruct us about sin. God's desire was for us to stay away from sin and seek righteousness. As Paul identified it, there is "power of sin" which does and can control us, to the point that Paul declares, "there is no one who is righteous, not even one." As harsh as that sounds, it is true. The only true righteous person was our Lord, Jesus Christ. You and I have many cracks and breaks in our pottery; only the Potter can make us right and blameless before Him. Our natural inclination is to disobey, wander off, and do that which we should not. I love the scene in that classic Christmas movie "Home Alone" where Kevin admits that he does misbehave and adds, "We all do!" How true, Kevin, how true.

Paul seeks to remind us of our failings before sharing the good news about our condition. We don't have to stay there, there is indeed, good news.

PRAYER: Loving God, I admit that I have not been righteous and have wandered from where You would have me be. I confess that I lack so much and stand in need of Your love and mercy, so guide me today to being the person that best reflects my commitment to You. I ask this in Christ Jesus' name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord.

Eradio Valverde

Prayers for Pam Pettijohn undergoing outpatient surgery on her knee. Continued prayers for Hill Cocke, Rita Tanburg, and La Verne Myrick, all at Valley Baptist Hospital; and for Barry Lenke, home awaiting first radiation treatment to battle cancer.

6 PAUL'S GOSPEL: NO MORE HIDING BEHIND...

God of History, make history in the life of this dear reader today in whatever s/he may be facing. In Christ Jesus' Name, amen.

Let us be thankful for that which defines us. Let us be more thankful for that which we allow God to do in us and through us that defines us even more. Ultimately, it is our relationship with God and the resulting fruits of that relationship that will matter most. Yes, we can proudly wear the label that says we are Christians. We also can choose the secondary labels of church affliation and membership, but it will be what is in our heart and how we allowed God to make that evident that will matter most. Sadly, some hide behind tradition. A colleague would lament that most of his anguish and battles in his church came because of the importance of a tree planted years ago by a long deceased member. That member's descendents took great pride in that action, though they had ceased attending or giving to the church. Any matters of moving forward or advancing the space for ministry were stopped because of that tree. What "tree" is in your life? It could be a pew given by your grandparents. It could be the any number of things and while those are important and appreciated, the ultimate question is what does it matter really, when it comes to the way you're living your life?

Paul shares these same thoughts towards the Jew and how they hid behind their birth and race. Our passage from today addresses those as found in Romans 2:17-3:8.

17 But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast of your relation to God 18 and know his will and determine what is best because you are instructed in the law, 19 and if you are sure that you are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, 20 a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of children, having in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth, 21 you, then, that teach others, will you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal? 22 You that forbid adultery, do you commit adultery? You that abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23 You that boast in the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? 24 For, as it is written, "The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you." 25 Circumcision indeed is of value if you obey the law; but if you break the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. 26 So, if those who are uncircumcised keep the requirements of the law, will not their uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? 27 Then those who are physically uncircumcised but keep the law will condemn you that have the written code and circumcision but break the law. 28 For a person is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is true circumcision something external and physical. 29 Rather, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly, and real circumcision is a matter of the heart—it is spiritual and not literal. Such a person receives praise not from others but from God. 3:1 Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision? 2 Much, in every way. For in the first place the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God. 3 What if some were unfaithful? Will their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? 4 By no means! Although everyone is a liar, let God be proved true, as it is written, "So that you may be justified in your words, and prevail in your judging." 5 But if our injustice serves to confirm the justice of God, what should we say? That God is unjust to inflict wrath on us? (I speak in a human way.) 6 By no means! For then how could God judge the world? 7 But if through my falsehood God's truthfulness abounds to his glory, why am I still being condemned as a sinner? 8 And why not say (as some people slander us by saying that we say), "Let us do evil so that good may come"? Their condemnation is deserved!

Paul also says, it's not just what we know, but how we live it. We could be the best preachers, teachers, counselors, etc. all for the sake of the Lord, but when it comes to our living what we preach, teach and share, if we do not live our lives in righteousness, then what good has it done us or God or God's people? Again, it's not what's on your resume, it's what's in your heart, your face, your hands. Are you showing love, smiling at folks, helping others? Or are you busy adding one more item to the list of accomplishments that you believe will be impressive to God?

Live and give to please and serve God, not yourself.

PRAYER: Loving God for all those who have blessed my life I am thankful. For the gifts and works of others in my family, I am thankful. But Lord, I know that ultimately, those things will pass away or not be used anymore like we may have wanted. Help me to know it is what I can and should do right now to be a blessing to You and Yours that really matters. Let me hide no longer behind tradition and history, but let me build on our relationship. I ask this in Christ Jesus' precious name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord

Eradio Valverde

PRAYER REQUESTS: Please be in prayer for Rita Tanburg who was admitted to the hospital yesterday afternoon. I visited with her last night and she's very upbeat and optimistic. Also, Pam Pettijohn is having surgery tomorrow morning on her knee. Please pray that God may comfort and heal her. Also, we learned of the death of Cathryn Edmiston, former resident of Camelot Village; she died up north and her family requested a memorial service and interment of her remains for Saturday, September 26th. Please pray God's comfort for the Edmiston family. And dear friends, our prayers for the Kennedy family upon hearing the news of Sen. Ted Kennedy's death. They suffered much especially in these last few weeks. May God comfort them.

5 PAUL'S GOSPEL: AWAITING GOD'S JUDGMENT AND CARING NOTHING ABOUT IT

God of healing and wholeness, bless this dear reader with what it is s/he needs this day. Bless also the loved ones who need the same. In Christ Jesus' Name, amen.

I remember the times I awaited judgment. I knew I had done wrong. I had already been tried once by my mother, and her promise had been, "Wait until your father gets home!" Gosh, so early in the day yet, and I have to pass the rest of this glorious day with that cloud of doom following me around? I usually forgot that something awaited me until I knew it was getting to be the time of my dad's arrival. I especially knew it if I had hit my sister because she knew exactly what time to turn on the water works, then she would add the wails of pain and agony, and she would be the first to go and present my case before my dad.

Paul writes today about a greater judgment, if you can imagine that. It is a judgment that awaits those who care little or nothing about how they are living their lives away from God. In the passage from Romans 2:1-16 we read:

1 Therefore you have no excuse, whoever you are, when you judge others; for in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, are doing the very same things. 2 You say, "We know that God's judgment on those who do such things is in accordance with truth." 3 Do you imagine, whoever you are, that when you judge those who do such things and yet do them yourself, you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you despise the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience? Do you not realize that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? 5 But by your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath, when God's righteous judgment will be revealed. 6 For he will repay according to each one's deeds: 7 to those who by patiently doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; 8 while for those who are self-seeking and who obey not the truth but wickedness, there will be wrath and fury. 9 There will be anguish and distress for everyone who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, 10 but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. 11 For God shows no partiality. 12 All who have sinned apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. 13 For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous in God's sight, but the doers of the law who will be justified. 14 When Gentiles, who do not possess the law, do instinctively what the law requires, these, though not having the law, are a law to themselves. 15 They show that what the law requires is written on their hearts, to which their own conscience also bears witness; and their conflicting thoughts will accuse or perhaps excuse them 16 on the day when, according to my gospel, God, through Jesus Christ, will judge the secret thoughts of all.

I find verse six especially troubling, "For he will repay according to each one's deeds." Just prior to that Paul speaks of the "riches of (God's) kindness and forbearance and patience" yet we find it necessary to "despise" these? In other words, it's our choice. For all the bad and wicked things we may have done, God's love is such that God can and will forgive us. Yet, why is it that some of us still care little or nothing about asking to be forgiven and be made right in our relationship with the most high God? No one will escape judgment. Why choose to stand in line up therer awaiting the judgment of that which down here we could have avoided by simply asking to be made right with God.

PRAYER: Loving God, forgive me my sins and let me forgive those who have sinned against me. Make me right in our relationship. Let me be a person of solid thinking and right living. Let me be a blessing to others. Let me sow love in fields of hate. Let me sow peace in places of discomfort. Let me sow hope where people have none. Let me sow the life You have shared with me, with those who are dying. I ask this in Christ Jesus' powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord.

Eradio Valverde

3 PAUL'S GOSPEL: MEDDLING OR PROCLAIMING?

God of the ages, make real Your promises in the challenges of this dear reader. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

"Are you willing to flee the coming wrath of God?" Such was the question asked of those who would join the Methodist Society. The question is attributed to John Wesley. It is a timeless question and a difficult question. It begs our response to the saving work of Jesus in our midst and in our lives. Paul warned of the wrath of God in the verses found in chapterone, 24-32. After his declaration of not being ashamed of Christ's Gospel, he gets impassioned about those who ignore or abandon the faith:

"24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the degrading of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. 26 For this reason God gave them up to degrading passions. Their women exchanged natural intercourse for unnatural, 27 and in the same way also the men, giving up natural intercourse with women, were consumed with passion for one another. Men committed shameless acts with men and received in their own persons the due penalty for their error. 28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind and to things that should not be done. 29 They were filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, covetousness, malice. Full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, craftiness, they are gossips, 30 slanderers, God-haters, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, rebellious toward parents, 31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32 They know God's decree, that those who practice such things deserve to die—yet they not only do them but even applaud others who practice them.

Paul is angry at those who abandon the one, true, living, holy God, for practices of worship that involve other humans or images of animals. And he is saddened by those who so easily give in to their lusts and passions to the things of "impurity," and denegration of their bodies. It's as if Paul is saying, "People, we know the Truth! Why are we so easily giving in to a life, ready and willing to worship creatures rather than the Creator?" The consequences were terrible. Paul shares the list of those sins. God-given "natural intercourse" with both men and women exchanged for "unnatural" all in the name of passion for one another. Paul sees this as the carnal winning over the spiritual. They did not bother to consider what is pleasing to God so long as they themselves were pleasing themselves. The practices Paul shares now share the headlines of today's news or the scripts of today's movies and television shows. Actions, practices, and consequences of what Paul called "a debased mind; things that should not be done."

That word "debased," is an interesting and telling word. When we get off-base or even away from our base, terrible things can happen. Imagine this list belonging to your children or grandchildren: Wicked children. Evil grandchildren. Children who are never happy with what they have, always wanting more, especially what their friends have. Instead of contented children, we find them to be sneering at others, entertaining thoughts of murder, promoting strife, cheating others, spreading lies or the troubles of others, happy even to fabricate things. How sad to see those who would live lives that show a contempt and hatred towards God. Try as we can, Christians will always have a job of sharing and proclaiming the One who leads us away from such things. We are called to hold high a life that is Christ-centered and Christ-driven; a life that is a banner of life in the face of so much spiritual death.

How are you living? What examples of faith are you trying to instill in those around you, especially the little ones?

PRAYER: Merciful God, share with me forgiveness of my past actions. I repent of having been guilty of so many things on that list. Lead me lovingly away from that to a life that is the Gospel that shows what can be when we turn and trust in You. I ask this in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord.

Eradio Valverde

3 PAUL'S GOSPEL: NOT BEING ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL

God of the Harvest, grant Your grace upon this dear reader so that they too may be workers in those yet to be harvested. In Christ Jesus' Name, amen.

Our church grew by four new members last night, thanks to Coffee with the Pastors. Our church borrowed the model from The Church of The Resurrection from Kansas City. Our first time guests are "mugged," that is, they get a coffee mug from our church, and last night they were invited to come, with their mugs, to have coffee with Pastor Jet and myself. Pastor Katy was there briefly as was Brandon, our student ministries director and Emma Forrest, our UMW chair. We talked about our church, what membership is all about and then gave them time to prayerfully reflect on whether they were ready to join last night or wait until a coming Sunday. Four decided to join last night. We thank God for them. And for those who will join at a later date.

We talked about the newest vow started just last year at General Conference. Besides promising to support our church with our prayers, presence, gifts, and services, now we must vow to support our church with our witness. It is bibilical because Paul declared boldly in Romans 1:16, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel; it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek." Paul knew that witnessing to one's faith, especially among the citizens of Rome who had yet to hear or believe in Jesus. Theirs was a pagan religion based on emperor worship; to be a Christian required boldness and a willingness to follow Jesus even to death. What's our holdup?

The rest of the verses from 17-23 give evidence of the importance to sharing our faith: "17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed through faith for faith; as it is written, "The one who is righteous will live by faith." 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and wickedness of those who by their wickedness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 Ever since the creation of the world his eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have been understood and seen through the things he has made. So they are without excuse; 21 for though they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their senseless minds were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools; 23 and they exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling a mortal human being or birds or four-footed animals or reptiles.

Our faith is strengthened by our witness. The challenges and obstacles to sharing faith actually fall when we do give witness to Whose we are when we share Him. Our willingness to live righteous lives in the face of those who are not godly and whose lives are wicked, bless others as well as us. Paul knew that even the wicked knew, that God is at work among us and when we give witness to what God has already done in us, through us we may just reach another person and snatch that person from hell's grip. Let us honor God and help others come to the same knowledge, that God is glorious and eternal and to join and believe God is to be a part of that same glory and immortality.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, help me to be Your witness today. Whatever may be required of me this day, give me of Your strength, courage, wisdom, and boldness to share with You all that is needed. May my witness serve as a lifelife to help those who are indeed perishing. I ask this in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord.

Eradio Valverde

PRAYER REQUESTS: I remind us to be in prayer for Rusty Benedict of our church who travels this morning to Houston to meet with a new doctor. Rusty is hopeful this new doctor may help his situation. Rusty and his sister, who is driving him up there, return again tonight. May God guide and bless his path. Please remember Barry Lemke, who undergoes a dangerous exam this morning as well to determine what is causing lung complications. We pray the exam go well and that the results show that God has been there first and is already providing healing. Pray also for members of the Hernandez family who travel to Bryan, Texas for the funeral service of Mrs. Isabel R. Hernandez.

Blessings.

2 PAUL'S GOSPEL: WHAT IS YOUR CHURCH KNOWN FOR?

God of all healings, bring your healing touch to the needs of this dear reader and/or of his/her family. In Christ Jesus' name, amen.

From Romans 1, beginning with verse 8, we find these words: 8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed throughout the world. 9 For God, whom I serve with my spirit by announcing the gospel of his Son, is my witness that without ceasing I remember you always in my prayers, 10 asking that by God's will I may somehow at last succeed in coming to you. 11 For I am longing to see you so that I may share with you some spiritual gift to strengthen you— 12 or rather so that we may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith, both yours and mine. 13 I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you as I have among the rest of the Gentiles. 14 I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish 15 —hence my eagerness to proclaim the gospel to you also who are in Rome.

Isn't it good whenever your church is known beyond its four walls for something good that it does? Usually, though, it might be for its building or location or an annual thing hosted on the grounds of the church. "Oh yeah, you're the church with the big flea market." Or "yes, the church with all the pumpkins!" The church is Rome was known for its faith. Located and living among people whose lack of faith was something worth praying for, the Christians in Rome were known for working hard in trying to share Jesus with those cosmopolitan citizens who lacked faith, direction, and purpose. Paul's desire was to go and ministry alongside them in their work. His belief was that maybe he could share something he had received from God with them. Paul wanted the Christians in Rome to be strong in their work and faith. He also knew that by working alongside them he could receive a blessing for his own faith and life. Paul knew the setting and the needs of the people in Rome and his faith was such that said, If I can go there and work alongside you, we can reach more people for Jesus. We need to reach all people, not just Jews (or our kind). Paul's own life had been blessed by the different, and sometimes "strange" people who had helped or had been helped by him.

What are you known for when it comes to your faith? Is it known beyond the local church? Are you known for being a hard worker and believer in Jesus? Are you working to make your church one that attracts "Barbarians and Greeks, the wise and the foolish?" Let's get busy!

PRAYER: Loving God of all, I thank you for my church and I ask that today be the start of my working to make it known for what it not only believes but does because of its faith. Let me be one who motivates others to service and faithfulness as we try to win the world for You. I ask this in Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord.

Eradio Valverde

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO PAUL

God of all people and places, place this dear reader where You would for the doing of Your work today and all days. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

I shared with our Sunday school class about our ten month-old grandson, Liam's love for tackling the stairs in his aunt's house. Our daughter and husband had a two-story home built there in San Marcos and Liam's joy is to crawl up the stairs. His mom worried that Liam did not crawl as early as his cousin or on schedule, but I knew that he would get the hang of it and once he did, the world was his. And so it is. He loves to crawl and he's making attempts to stand on his own, so I know that walking will be next in due time and once he masters that, he'll really be a handful in keeping indoors and in one place. But for the time being, Liam loves the stairs. He's strong enough to push aside the little baby sofa of his cousin's that his mom places there as a barrier to the stairs and when supervised he begins to joyfully crawl up each stair as fast as he can. Each step brings his little grunts of joy and excitement as he knows he's accomplishing something. Of course Grandpa or Grandma have to be right behind him because we don't want him to fall backwards and injure himself, so off we crawl right behind him. Every step brings him closer to his goal.

Such should be our joy as we begin to look at Paul's Letter to the Romans, a sixteen chapter epistle written to believers in the captial city of the world. Many have said that a modern day equivalent to Rome is New York City. While New York City is not even the capital of the state, it is in many respects the capital of the world. It is the city that never sleeps, the "big apple," the city of a million lights, a marvelous city of tall buildings and millions of people. It has the advertising center of the world located thereon Madison Avenue; it has Wall Street, once truly the financial capital of the world; it has Broadway, capital city of shows and theatres; it has Central Park, the Statue of Liberty; and it will forever carry the reminder of the hatred some nations have towards us because of who and what we have become. The place is now called Ground Zero and it is a sacred memorial to the thousands who died there on that fateful day of September 11, 2001.

Rome had much of the same for its day and time. It also had a small, but growing group of Christians that had taken the Gospel of Jesus Christ to this capital city. We believe that Paul did not start the church there, but he very much wanted to visit and take God's word to them in a new way. His plans were to finish the task he was completing at the time, which we believe was the collection of the offering for the poor in Jerusalem. Once in Jerusalem, Paul was arrested, and he did arrive in Rome as a prisoner. His letter was to prepare the way for his arrival.

Please read verses one through seven for today:

1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, 2 which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures, 3 the gospel concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh 4 and was declared to be Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, 5 through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for the sake of his name, 6 including yourselves who are called to belong to Jesus Christ, 7 To all God's beloved in Rome, who are called to be saints:

As you read, ask yourself, how am I tied to Jesus Christ? Do I see myself as one of God's most trusted advisers? Or am I a servant for God? And as a result of that connection, what am I doing about it? Do I simply do all I can to learn and simply learn what is shared with me or do I put it in practice? Thus the difference between a disciple and an apostle. How do my friends, family and co-workers see Jesus in me? Do they know Him to be the Son of God and Savior of my life? Is there a holiness about me as I live and work among them? Do I portray the life of one who expects to be resurrected upon my death? Am I living as an obedient person to God? Am I called to be a saint?

PRAYER: Loving God as I pray, let these questions guide me in my answer and response; that I might truly live as Your person in Your setting. Grant me the power of Your Holy Spirit to live a life that is a witness to others. I ask this in Jesus Christ's precious name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord.

Eradio Valverde

IN LION COUNTRY

God of mercy and love, share exactly what this dear reader needs today. In Christ Jesus' Name, amen.

The roar of a lion the first time you hear it is a beautiful thing. Yes, we hear it on television during nature shows and whatnot, but to actually hear it in person is something else. The speakers of an electronic device do not do it justice, and to be near it and to hear it live gives you a sense of the power behind this great beast. Of course, most of us have heard that live roar behind the safety and protection of a 30 foot drop, moat, thick glass, and strong steel fence. Can you imagine waking up on the ground among tall grass only to realize it is the roar of a lion that awoke you?

What would be your reaction to hearing this "king of the jungle" roaring because he has found a food source and you realize that food source is you? You might think again, "What a beautiful sound and I'm hearing it live! It's coming from one of the most majestic animals alive!" Then you realize that part of that majesty is the lion's ability to run faster than you, to capture you, and to ultimately devour you. The thoughts of beauty fade and you realize that fear has now taken over. Your next question is how did I get here? followed by "Why didn't anyone warn me?"

1 Peter 5:8 says this about life, "Discipline yourselves, keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour." Our daily life may find us exactly as stated above, in lion country, unaware or fully aware, that we are the main course for "our adversary." Whatever guise evil takes, it is still evil and we know it goes against what God would have us do. If we want to be in lion's country, it should be to guide others away from the hungry lion and to places of safety. To be a guide, one must be prepared and aware or as the Bible says, "Discipline yourselves, keep alert."

PRAYER: Loving God, if today is a walk through lion country, let this serve as part of my discipline and awakening. May I be strong and watchful and alert to all the "lion" may throw my way. Let me instead be one who guides others away from harm and into your strong, safe arms. I ask this in Jesus' Name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord.

Eradio Valverde

CONNECTION PROBLEMS

God of all connections, connect lovingly and directly with this dear reader and all that s/he may be facing today. In Christ Jesus' precious Name, amen.

Everyday, no matter what time I get up, I go immediately to pray, then arise, come to my computer and go to the Upper Room devotional link. Twice this past week, I went to connect with that site and I got an error message. I immediately checked another site and instantly that site came up. It was a problem with that site's connection. I don't understand the workings beyond my fingers hitting keys. I'd love to know how my input on the keyboard sends the proper 1's and 0's to make them an image or letter, and how that goes out wires and yes, without wires to a universe beyond our thinking to get to someone else's computer. I do know it is a matter of connection. Most of us have heard, if we don't already own, what are called "smart phones," that can connect our voices throughout the world, they can remember dates and remind us of dates, connect us to satellites orbiting above to show us exactly where we are and by the use of a digital map show us where we should be. But again, it is a matter of being connected.

If we are not connected with God, we live our lives basically the same way as a disconnected computer or disconnected phone. We cannot function properly and we don't know where we are and we have at best, a vague of idea of where we should be going. This week I've been reminded of how disconnected we can be even if we "go to church." We can sit there, sing the hymns (and they'd better be the "right ones" or we'll stew in anger until we can get to tell someone our disappointment or worse, our anger at "the direction the church is taking."), hear the prayers, and hear the first part of a sermon, but it does us little to no good if we are not seeking to be connected with God.

God desired to connect with us. You don't believe me? Read John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son..." That's a desire to be connected and it was a desire on God's part to be connected with us because of love. Plug into God! Plug in to God's love and discover the joys of living! See the world from a new perspective and enjoy the fullness of life that that Son came to share! (See and read John 10:10 and discover that truth!). Dear friend, living a disconnected life is to live a meaningless, painful life. Connecting to God may not immediately take away the pain, but it will bring meaning and new tools and resources with how to soothe the pain and may lessen the pain we inflict on others.

PRAYER: Loving God, Heavenly Father, I ask for forgiveness for all the wrong I have done during the times I have been disconnected from You. Help me to be connected right now and all this day, and all days, directly to Your heart. May that connection shock new life and perspective into me, so that I may shock others by the good and love that can flow from me. I ask this in Christ Jesus' precious Name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord. Shock somebody today with love!

Eradio Valverde

CRAZY LOVE: OBSESSED FOR THE LORD?

God of all the ages, bring youth and joy to this needed areas of this dear reader's life. In Christ Jesus' Name, amen.

Liam Carlos Vasquez is our grandson. Yesterday was an exciting day for him as he turned 10 months old, went to work at church with his mom, spent a day with family, and come night time, did not want to go to sleep. His mom called us and as we're talking we always ask, "What's Liam doing?" She replied, "He's trying to climb the wall." She relayed that he was in the crib. Once we ask for him she puts the phone on speaker so that he can hear us. Of course, Grandma and Grandpa change the tone of their conversation so that Liam will know we are speaking to him and not about him, and Caitlin said, "He's laying down now. When he hears your voice, Dad, he lays down." Hmm, it happens in church, too! When the conversation changed course, Liam would cry and get up again, and Mom said, "Liam, you're supposed to go to sleep now!" So, Grandpa started singing and Grandma joined in. Grandpa laughed as he didn't know all the words to Buddy Holly's "True Love Ways," but Mom said, "He's going to sleep!" Well, I do know the words to "Jesus Loves Me" in both English and Spanish, and several others, and soon Caitlin whispered, "He's asleep!" Grandpa said, "Thank God, and I hope this isn't a nightly thing!"

We thank God for the phone to allow us to hear those voices we recognize and love. There is a specialness to being called by our granddaughter, Sarai Evangelina, and a specialness to hear Liam laugh when we talk to him. We can't wait for Liam to be able to talk and enjoy calls from him. So it should be as we listen to the voice of God leading us and blessing us through our days. Our days would be more complete if we listened more for the voice of God than the other voices that come into our lives. I shared in my sermon yesterday how most Americans spend 10 minutes with God each day, while we spend four hours with the television. I asked if we ever talked to the TV knowing that we were being heard. The answer is yes, some of us do, sometimes with words we shouldn't use to persons whom are sharing erroneous things or when our sports teams mess up. The only one who influences us in a four-hour sitdown with the television is us. Not the same with our time with God. I would say most of those ten minutes are us telling God what to do; some are asking God for things. Most of us, if we're honest, don't listen for God to speak to us.

Our sermon was on Obsessed People; people who are so in love with God that their lives are marked with characteristics of love and service, giving, and reaching all in the Name of God. Obsessed people are guided people, people who listen and recognize the voice of God leading them to take risks and do things they might not ordinarily do.

Whose voice will you hear today?

PRAYER: Loving God, speak loud and clear to me today. Let me feel love as I hear You and as You direct me to take risks and serve Your people like never before. Let me truly be an obsessed person guided by You toward faithful and joyful service. Let the influences in my life come from You, from Your Word, from those whom You send to speak to me. I ask all this in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

CRAZY LOVE: WHAT IN THE WORLD IS AN OMER?

God of the sufficient, bless the lack in the life of this dear reader; in Christ Jesus' name, amen.

What in the world is an "omer" and how much would that be for your family to enjoy as a meal? Gather round boys and girls and ye shall learn. I'm referring to the God of provision, or as some say, "Jehovah Jireh," and how He miraculously provided for the Israelites each morning during their Exodus, the fine, delicate pastry known as manna. Here's how that text reads, "14 When the layer of dew lifted, there on the surface of the wilderness was a fine flaky substance, as fine as frost on the ground. 15 When the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, "What is it?" For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, "It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat. 16 This is what the Lord has commanded: "Gather as much of it as each of you needs, an omer to a person according to the number of persons, all providing for those in their own tents.' " 17 The Israelites did so, some gathering more, some less. 18 But when they measured it with an omer, those who gathered much had nothing over, and those who gathered little had no shortage; they gathered as much as each of them needed." Amazing how God works. God told each believer to gather "an omer to a person," and so they did; "some gathering more, some less." Isn't that human nature? I had to chuckle because Tuesday night, at National Night Out, we were handing out free popcorn and tracts about our church. On the counter we had also placed some plastic wallets containing Bible verses for daily use. The church's name appeared on the cover. Most folks had to be asked if they wanted one. Some, thinking we were not looking, would grab one quickly, hide it, then grab another. Some more boldly took three or four. All without truly knowing what they were. The same with the humans in this story. Yet, when the amount gathered was measured with the omer, all had the same.

To be honest I had never noticed that reference before. God performs miracles and sometimes within the miracle, other miracles occur. Leave it to God to perform that which we cannot explain and within that, we cannot explain other details. I'll share my unexplainable story from yesterday. After lunch I stop at a shoe store to talk with the store manager about our upcoming new ministry called "Happy Feet." We're going to collect a "noisy offering" on Sunday the 16th and all the money, along with much more "soft, quiet offerings (hint: cash and checks!)" so that we as a church can provide new shoes for needy children in our area. We wanted to partner with a store so that we could get more "bang for our buck." I walk in, ask to speak to the manager of the store and get directed to a young man. As I tell him our intent, he said, "Well, you should talk to our regional manager, who happens to be in the store right now." Hmm. Not only was the regional manager there, there was the store director (above the store manager) with him as well. They both loved the idea and we struck up a partnership.

God provides and sometimes, if we look carefully, and even if we don't, God surprises us with the unexpected additional blessing of providing not just enough, but something more than enough.

PRAYER: God of all provision, grant me the eyes to see all that You have done, are doing, and will do in my life. May I be joyfully surprised to the point of sharing that joy and blessing back to You and Yours. I pray this with all faith, in Jesus' Name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Prayer Request: Our bishop, James Dorff, lost his brother to cancer yesterday morning in Oklahoma. Please pray that God comfort Bishop and Mrs. Dorff and all of their family as they travel to be with family for the funeral.

LIVING A LIFE THAT WON'T SHUT UP!

God of light, shine brightly on the life of this dear reader especially in dark areas they may be facing. In Christ Jesus' name, amen.

In Hebrews 11 we find these words, "though he is dead, he still speaks." (v. 4). The reference was to Abel, whose faith allowed him to offer to God "the firstlings of his flock and of their fat portions." This was in comparison to his brother, Cain, who "brought an offering to the Lord of the fruit of the ground." Most pastors would be glad and would say, "We're thankful for your gifts!" God was not. It was faith that made all the difference. And it is faith that will make the difference in our lives as to the continued witness our lives will have on those people that matter to us each day. What are we "saying" now that will be "said" later?

Most will say, "I want to be remembered as a good provider." And provision is good, but is it eternal? Many are those whose parents are great providers, but because of their lack of faith and attention and affection, have tried to shower their children with things and not time. No time to listen, to love, to learn just who their children are, and the children will find others in which to find that which they never had. In early 1967, there appeared an article in The Daily Mail about a 17-year old girl who left home. The parents were quoted as saying, "I can't imagine why she would run away, she has everything here." Based on this article, Paul McCartney wrote "She's Leaving Home" that features the refrain, "She (we gave her most of our lives), is leaving; (sacrificed most of our lives) Home (we gave her everything money could buy), She's leaving home after living alone for so many years (bye bye)." When they finished recording it, their manager Brian Epstein cried. So should we if this is about us.

May we live a life of faith that speak of love, love towards God and those whom God has blessed us with, so that our lives speak not only now, but after we are long gone.

PRAYER: God of love, grant me both love and faith to live a life that speaks truth and love right now, and that when I am gone, I may continue to give witness to You because of the love You had for me and I was able to share with others. In Jesus' Name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

PRAYER REQUESTS: Ben Robbins remained in serious but stable condition but was being moved from Bryan/College Station to Houston. Maxine Lowe had been taken out of ICU to a private room but was being considered to be placed back in ICU. Alex Westbrook is at Valley Baptist Hospital, but can receive no visitors.

CRAZY LOVE: GOD WANTS ME TO DO WHAT?

God of the eternal, give a divine perspective to the temporal challenge this dear reader may be facing today. In Christ Jesus' precious name, amen.

"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." So begins the chapter that lists the champions of the faith. What an impressive list is contained in that chapter. The list contains those whose lives were made better because of faith. All of those people named in the hall of faith fame were imperfect people, with blemishes and marks, sins and pains associated with some aspect of their lives, just like you and me. Were we to listen only to ourselves and the limits we easily place on ourselves, we would find ourselves in dismal places. Faith is that which calls us out and up, to the place where God would have us be.

I heard a preview of a DVD of a famous motivational speaker, Les Brown. In that five minute segment of a presentation, Mr. Brown talked of a conviction and an assurance he gave himself that one day he would appear on Robert Schuller's program. He told everyone he could about that conviction and almost everyone asked the same thing, "When and why?" He had not yet written a book, nor was he well known. He was not someone in the news nor did he have a story yet heard that might bless people. Still, Mr. Brown even called Schuller's office and was basically asked the same things. He replied that if Dr. Schuller put him on the show, he would become well known! The reply was that the show did not exist to make celebrities. On a chance flight with perhaps five people on board, he sat next to a man to whom he shared, "I'm going to be on Robert Schuller's show!" The man asked, "When?" Mr. Brown replied, "I don't know yet, but I will. Do you know Robert Schuller or someone who does?" The man said, "My boss gave one million dollars to Robert Schuller's ministry, so yes, he knows Dr. Schuller very well." Mr. Brown said he needed to meet his boss. The man asked, "Are you a speaker?" Brown said he was. "Good, because we just had a speaker cancel on us! Could you come and be our speaker?" The shocked Brown said yes. "What do you charge?" asked the man. "Well, what was allocated?" Brown wanted to know. "Five thousand dollars." "That's what I charge!" Les Brown spoke to the group and so impressed the man's boss that the boss asked if ever there were anything he could do for him..."Do you know Robert Schuller?" Les Brown has appeared three times on The Hour of Power.

What has God given to you as your calling? Have you found the voice of faith calling you to move towards that, or are you still talking yourself down from that higher calling? Listen to faith, which is God speaking to what you can do to bless others.

PRAYER: Loving God, let Your voice come through loud and clear in my faith thoughts. I know the purpose and plan You have for me and I want to be faithful to it. If I have doubts or if I have forgotten what it is that I should be doing, remind me again. Let me know that with faith I can have both the assurance and conviction of all that You would share with and through me. I ask this in Christ Jesus' precious name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord.

Eradio Valverde

TONIGHT IS NATIONAL NIGHT OUT, a time for you and your neighbors to come out as a stand against crime. Our church will be represented at the Harlingen NNO with a popcorn booth. We'll be there from 6 until 9 and if you have time to come out and join us, please do. If your city or town is having one, go out and join friends and neighbors give witness to civility and community.

CRAZY LOVE: THE COMFORT OF THE MATERIAL VS. THE CHALLENGE OF THE SPIRITUAL

Loving God, guide and bless this dear reader in his/her needs for today. In Christ Jesus' name, amen.

Yesterday I asked the congregation to think about their life and where material possessions stood; their first meaningful toy, their first car, their first job, their first home away from home; their first adult toy. I shared how many of us would be very wealthy if we had saved all our baseball and football trading cards, wagons, dolls, etc., for we could be selling them on eBay! I shared memories of my first car, the 1968 white, four-door, Ford LTD that could have come straight off the set of the even then not too recent tv series, The FBI, starring Efraim Zimablist, Jr. The thing that never failed me was the air conditioner; it always kept me comfortable during the heats of Houston summers. The wacky thing about the car was a short in the headlights that made driving Hwy 29 at night, thrilling and dangerous. We could list the same for all of the categories mentioned, but more importantly in our lives were the people behind those things. As for my first meaningful toy, it was the relationship God blessed me with my parents. The toys did not matter as much as the love I felt from and for my Mom and Dad. Where that first meaningful toy is today, I care not, but I do know where my parents are, and I thank God still for the love they shared with me. That first car is long gone, probably rusted away in some junk yard, but the car did not matter as much as friendships developed as a result of that car, including the first ride I took with the one who would spend the rest of her life with me. On and on we could go with the list; first job, important yes, but not as much as the knowledge and skills gained that helped me realize my life's calling and purpose. My first home away from home was a place where I knew I wanted to share my life with someone and one day start my own family.

The text was Hebrews 11, with the long list of the Hall of Faith. Each character's positive qualities or faith accomplishments listed there; I shared the not-so-positives of each person's life and how that list can and should include us, when we realize the important of faith in God vs. our dependence and trust in things that one day fail or break or rust away. In that entire list of heroes of faith, it was their faith that blessed them, not their material things. It was the promise of God being with them and their willingness to be used by God that helped them be heroes of the faith.

May today be a reflection of where we stand with God in terms of our faith and service to God. Are we where we know God wants us or are we still thinking that we could be better off and more blessed with things?

PRAYER: Loving God, I thank You for the people and relationships that have blessed me in my life. I thank You for Your desire to be in relationship with me. Help me today realize that I could and should be doing more for You. Let me hold nothing back when it comes to You. I ask this in Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord.

Eradio Valverde

-----------PRAYER REQUEST: Please be in prayer for the family of The Rev. Harold Greenway, retired UM pastor who passed away this past week. Please pray especially for his son, The Rev. Dr. Jeffery Greenway, pastor of Reynoldsburg UMC, Ohio. Jeff was also president of Asbury Theological Seminary.