What Really Matters?

1 Timothy 1:6 Those who fail to keep to this point soon wander off into cul-de-sacs of gossip. 7 They set themselves up as experts on religious issues, but haven't the remotest idea of what they're holding forth with such imposing eloquence. 8 It's true that moral guidance and counsel need to be given, but the way you say it and to whom you say it are as important as what you say. 9 It's obvious, isn't it, that the law code isn't primarily for people who live responsibly, but for the irresponsible, who defy all authority, riding roughshod over God, life, 10 sex, truth, whatever! 11 They are contemptuous of this great Message I've been put in charge of by this great God. (The Message)

The opposite of a life open to God is a life open to anything. While that in and of itself is not bad, a life not open to God is not anchored in truth. Paul continues to teach Timothy of the great task that he shares with Paul and to honestly prepare Tim for the challenges ahead. I just heard on a sports show about the growing violence in stadiums across the country and one of the reasons given in the report was that people need to belong and since many are no longer going to church, they tend to find belonging and meaning in sports teams and will go to any lengths to show their loyalty and support to that team. Paul writes "that moral guidance and counsel need to be given," and delivery, that is, the way we share that, has an importance that matches even the message. The Law, Paul argues, is there for those who are living irresponsibly, who think nothing of defying authority or even "riding roughshod over God, life, sex, truth, whatever!" They have turned their back to the Good News and even try to go against it with contempt.

What would you do if you were Timothy? Many might say, "I'd run!" And by running, I mean, running away. But, there are still those being called by Almighty God to run towards those who are living irresponsibly, to show them with love and compassion, the better way of life. Ours is still a faith based on the promise made by Jesus, that He came to bring us life, and that in abundance. (John 10:10). Nothing the world offers, in any shape or form, can match or equal that abundant life that comes to us through Jesus Christ. We know that, and why do we keep it hidden or as a secret? Jesus said that even the rocks would cry out if we don't. We could be hollering that from the rooftops, but instead, we try to match our lives to those lives who do not know abundant life. We know the better way and we should live and share the better way.

PRAYER: Loving God, it is frightening to know that so many do not want anything to do with the Good News of Jesus Christ or so they claim. It is up to us to bring a new understanding to those people through our lives, for many are not receiving moral guidance and counsel to live a better life. Grant me strength and wisdom to live such a life. I pray in Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Pulled Back to the Center

1 Timothy 1: 1 I, Paul, am an apostle on special assignment for Christ, our living hope. Under God our Savior's command, 2 I'm writing this to you, Timothy, my son in the faith. All the best from our God and Christ be yours! 3 On my way to the province of Macedonia, I advised you to stay in Ephesus. Well, I haven't changed my mind. Stay right there on top of things so that the teaching stays on track. 4 Apparently some people have been introducing fantasy stories and fanciful family trees that digress into silliness instead of pulling the people back into the center, deepening faith and obedience. 5 The whole point of what we're urging is simply love - love uncontaminated by self-interest and counterfeit faith, a life open to God. (The Message)

What's at the center of your life? It is easy to let several things or people take the center of our lives, but where does the love for God fall? This first letter of Timothy is written by Paul to the young Timothy, a believer, whom Paul considered "My son in the faith." Paul loved him and had confidence in him and had been given an assignment by Paul to stay with the believers in Ephesus. This is the church that received the letter which is the book Ephesians. Though they believed in Jesus, they had recently been introduced to what Paul calls in this version, "fantasy stories and fanciful family trees," whose purpose served no godly aim. Paul says they served only to "digress into silliness instead of pulling the people back into the center, deepening faith and obedience." There is the theme for our study. The center of our life should be Jesus Christ and His love for us. We should be about sharing that love, a love that Paul further defines as "love uncontaminated by self-interest and counterfeit faith, a life open to God." Notice that word "self-interest." That's the main cause behind many of the problems we face as individuals and as churches. We have a natural tendency to watch out for ourselves and to want to survive. But we also sometimes just want to put ourselves and our passions first. Self-centeredness means we put ourselves at the center and by doing so replace God. A person who is solely in love with him/herself cannot love like s/he should. A self-loving person is obedient only to oneself. On top of that, imagine being pulled away by "fanciful family tree" and "fantasy stories." Such was the challenge faced by Timothy in this assignment. Our assignment is to closely examine our heart and our life. Is God and God's love at the center of your life? Do you consider your life open to God, willing to serve God and God's people?

My prayer is that as we study this letter, that we would see it as a letter written either to us or about us. May it truly speak to our hearts and minds and let us examine where we find ourselves and where we know God would rather us be.

PRAYER: Loving God, may my love be for You and Yours. May we seek to be obedient and drawn closer to the center. Life on the fringe is not a happy life. May my life be open to you is my prayer, which I pray in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Our Place in Serving and Welcoming

Mark 9: 30 They went on from there and passed through Galilee. He did not want anyone to know it; 31 for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, "The Son of Man is to be betrayed into human hands, and they will kill him, and three days after being killed, he will rise again." 32 But they did not understand what he was saying and were afraid to ask him. 33 Then they came to Capernaum; and when he was in the house he asked them, "What were you arguing about on the way?" 34 But they were silent, for on the way they had argued with one another who was the greatest. 35 He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, "Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all." 36 Then he took a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms, he said to them, 37 "Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me." (NRSV)

Are we paying attention as we should? Or, are we missing the greater point because of our earthly worries? As a pastor I know when people are not paying attention. And being human, it does bother me a bit. Jesus had this same problem as He is trying to teach His disciples about that which awaited Him, but they were busy talking about other things. His declaration, "The Son of Man is to be betrayed into human hands (The Message says, "Those who do not care about God"), and they will kill Him, and three days after being killed, He will rise again" fell on empty ears. What was more important? Who was going to be the greatest in this little band of twelve. Their response to Jesus was exactly like little children who are caught in the act and remain silent when asked about what they were up to. Jesus knew and made another declaration; "Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all." This was a teaching moment and an important one. In God's Kingdom, it is all about God and God's people and not us. Most of the problems I see in a church are because we have lost focus of that and center on ourselves, our comfort, our authority, our power, and our way. Sounds like the Message version was right; those problems make it seem like we don't care about God because we're too busy caring about ourselves.

Jesus then moves to the children and lifting one in His arms, Jesus said, "Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me." (v. 37). In one of my previous churches I heard something that still pains me for it spoke directly in Jesus' face and teaching. This person said, "I don't care if I ever see another child in this church." Ouch. If Jesus was right, this person was saying, "I don't care if I ever see God in this church again." Someone was not paying attention.

How about you, dear friend? Have you been paying attention to your relationship with God and God's children? Do you realize it is not about your place in line whether you're first or last, about who serves you and how much you get served; it's about our willingness to be last and not only last but also to serve as needed. And our attitude should be like that of children, welcoming with joy and love those whom God may send our way,and in so doing, we are welcoming not only the children, we're welcoming in Jesus and Jesus' Father, our Heavenly Father as well.

PRAYER: Loving God, help me to pay attention to You. Forgive me the times I have not heard or have chosen not to hear because I'm busying planning for my successes and my comforts and joys. I realize now that I must be last and not only last, but Your servant, humble and obedient and willing to serve You and Yours. Help me to welcome all, especially children, because I not only need children around me, but You and Your Son, Jesus; in Whose name I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

GOD LISTENS TOO!

Psalm 116: 1 I love God because he listened to me, listened as I begged for mercy. 2 He listened so intently as I laid out my case before him. 3 Death stared me in the face, hell was hard on my heels. Up against it, I didn't know which way to turn; 4 then I called out to God for help: "Please, God!" I cried out. "Save my life!" 5 God is gracious - it is he who makes things right, our most compassionate God. 6 God takes the side of the helpless; when I was at the end of my rope, he saved me. 7 I said to myself, "Relax and rest. God has showered you with blessings. 8 Soul, you've been rescued from death; Eye, you've been rescued from tears; And you, Foot, were kept from stumbling." 9 I'm striding in the presence of God, alive in the land of the living! (The Message)

Yesterday we talked about listening to God so that we can be better speakers and teachers for God. Today, we learn that God loves to listen to us. In other words, PRAY! One of the people I hope to meet beyond the pearly gates is David's mother. I know his father was key as well, but something tells me that this little lady was something else, along the lines of Susanna Wesley. There is a lot to be said about that special parent who spends time listening and talking with their child(ren). There is also much to be said about those moms and dads who take time to teach the important things of God, beginning with prayer. David's mother I believe was one of those. I can imagine the conversations in their home. David was not an only child nor was he the oldest, yet I believe she took time out to treat David like she did Eliab, her firstborn. And somewhere in those conversations and teachings, she planted the seed of faith that blossomed out in the fields and pastures of that adventurous boy. David loved God and knew that God loved him. And in the love of that relationship David came to know that talking with God was as important as listening to God. Yes, David knew to pray in difficult times, but he also took advantage of "down time" to share with God. Look at the words of this passage again. David states the reason for his love for God; God listens. God listens so closely David knew to lay out his entire plan of need before God. This instance in David's life, he was facing something life-threatening and God listened. David's plea was simple: "'Please, God!' I cried out, 'Save my life!'"

God can straighten things out if we share what things need the straightening. God identifies and helps those who admit their weakness and powerlessness before God. God is compassionate. Even at the end of our rope, God can step in and make all things right. David illustrates this by addressing his soul, his eye, and even his foot. HIs journey among the living can continue.

God loves you. God wants to hear from you. His line is open. Call now.

PRAYER: Thank You, Loving God, for loving me and wanting to listen to me. There are times when it seems no one has time to listen or are not paying attention - You are. Help me to have a stronger and better prayer life. I want to give witness to You and as I listen to You I know You are listening to me. I pray this prayer of faith in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Listening to God

Isaiah 50:4 The Lord God has given me the tongue of a teacher, that I may know how to sustain the weary with a word. Morning by morning he wakens— wakens my ear to listen as those who are taught. 5 The Lord God has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious, I did not turn backward. 6 I gave my back to those who struck me, and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard; I did not hide my face from insult and spitting. 7 The Lord God helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame; 8 he who vindicates me is near. Who will contend with me? Let us stand up together. Who are my adversaries? Let them confront me. 9 It is the Lord God who helps me; who will declare me guilty? All of them will wear out like a garment; the moth will eat them up.

The tongue of a teacher works better with an ear for God. The theme for this week shows that those who listen for God can teach better than those who listen only to themselves. The Gospel lesson for this week was the dialogue between Jesus and His disciples about what people were saying. That required a listening ear. But when Jesus asked who they thought He was, only Peter was able to answer with the correct response. Peter's ears had been listening to God. As should ours. The writer in Isaiah is aware of the awesomeness of his task, "to sustain the weary with a word," and what better word than a Word from God? Isaiah knew who spoke from his lips and that was God because Isaiah had learned early enough to listen to God. This past Sunday two dear brothers in Christ were thanking me for ConCafe and how they were faithful readers and one of them said he had saved one because it spoke to him. I could only reply with "God amazes me every morning, for some mornings I think I have nothing to say, and God does." Isaiah's attitude was to be an obedient listener. Do you remember your Mom or Dad trying to teach you something and you were so eager to get on with it but could have been hurt had you not listened completely to what was being taught? This is the same thing only more important; God has something to share with us, but we have to listen closely and eagerly. I remember the times I did not want to hear what either parent had to say, I wanted to go outside and play! Time for instruction was not for me at that time. Wrong. That kind of attitude even today does not help me nor bless me, for I must listen intently to God.

Isaiah's results were not always pleasant nor will ours, but a spirit of faithfulness to God still blesses us. I pray that none of you reading will have to have your backs struck or your beards pulled from your cheeks, but insults and verbal "spits" may come our way. If we have been listening to God and we are sharing what God has shared with us through prayer and Bible readings, we will not "be put to shame" (v. 7). God is near, always. Those who listen to God and stand together with God in our midst will stand victorious over all things. Attacks will come and go. Truth is eternal.

PRAYER: Loving God, as a I pray this morning, let me share what is on my heart and mind. Let me pray for those who have asked me for prayer. Let me ask for healing, recovery safe travel, reconciliations, transformation, nourishment, and all else that is needed among those whom I know and love. But I also ask that You might teach me to learn that after I say Amen to this prayer, it will be Your turn to talk. Let me listen obediently and intently. Let me receive from you exactly what I will need today so that I might indeed be a good teacher for You. I pray this in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

What Evidence Do Our Tongues Leave?

James 2: 1 Don't be in any rush to become a teacher, my friends. Teaching is highly responsible work. Teachers are held to the strictest standards. 2 And none of us is perfectly qualified. We get it wrong nearly every time we open our mouths. If you could find someone whose speech was perfectly true, you'd have a perfect person, in perfect control of life. 3 A bit in the mouth of a horse controls the whole horse. 4 A small rudder on a huge ship in the hands of a skilled captain sets a course in the face of the strongest winds. 5 A word out of your mouth may seem of no account, but it can accomplish nearly anything - or destroy it! 6 A careless or wrongly placed word out of your mouth can do that. By our speech we can ruin the world, turn harmony to chaos, throw mud on a reputation, send the whole world up in smoke and go up in smoke with it, smoke right from the pit of hell. 7 This is scary: You can tame a tiger, 8 but you can't tame a tongue - it's never been done. The tongue runs wild, a wanton killer. 9 With our tongues we bless God our Father; with the same tongues we curse the very men and women he made in his image. 10 Curses and blessings out of the same mouth! 11 A spring doesn't gush fresh water one day and brackish the next, does it? 12 Apple trees don't bear strawberries, do they? Raspberry bushes don't bear apples, do they? You're not going to dip into a polluted mud hole and get a cup of clear, cool water, are you? (The Message)

It was difficult choosing the picture for this morning's Bible verse. I had one of my youngest grandson with a pacifier in his mouth and I had this one of our granddaughter with evidence of blue candy. The pacifier shows how a tongue can be truly controlled; a baby is hungry or restless and if the baby accepts it, it allows for them to calm down and await his or her feeding. Blue candy leaves evidence. Our words also leave evidence sad to say. Some evidence shows the presence of God's Spirit in our lives. Some evidence we wish would be sent to the bottom of the sea. James knew that and so instructs his readers that to be a Christian is a difficult thing and to try and be a Christian teacher is even harder. I don't think he was trying to get people to not be teachers, but to say if you're going to be a teacher what you say outside of your Sunday school room may be remembered way longer than what was said inside. The comparisons James makes to the tongue are true; a bit in a horse's mouth, the rudder of a huge ship, all control the direction of that which they guide, but a misspoken word can destroy relationships, marriages, churches, or people. James knows that we use our tongues to bless God and with the same tongue curse God's creatures made in God's image. Can, should, curses and blessings come out of the same mouth?

A mouth guided by prayer and reflection is a mouth that springs forth life and carefully crafted thoughts of praise and comfort. A mouth guided by a heart that listens to God will bring life.

PRAYER: Lord, I seek a heart that is blessed and nourished by You so that I may bless and nourish others with my words. Help me to build instead of destroy, to fan flames of holiness rather than quench and kill. I ask these things in Christ Jesus' precious name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Take Up Your Cross and Follow Me

What we say about Jesus is very different from the way we live with Jesus. It was a crucial point in the life of the disciples when Jesus had this conversation with them. They were hearing rumors and falsehoods about Jesus, and Jesus knew because certainly He had heard some of them, so He asks the disciples, "Who do people say that I am?" (v. 27). The answers were as varied as the people telling them; "Some say you are John the Baptist come back to life," "Others say you are Elijah, after all, Scripture says he was to come back," and "Others that you have to be one of the prophets." You could almost hear Jesus say, "Hmm, what about you? Who do you say that I am?" We don't know if there was a delay in the time the question left Jesus' lips until the time Peter opened his to answer, but it was Peter who said, "You are the Messiah." In other words, the people's answers were almost right, but not quite. They knew that a special messenger would come before the coming of the Anointed One of God showed up. This was John the Baptist. Others knew that their scriptures told of the return of Elijah, after all, he had not died, but had been taken up to heaven in a fiery chariot. And the prophets lived interesting lives and were anointed of God, and if God's in all this, what's to keep God from sending one of them back? Yet, no one was yet saying that Jesus was the Messiah, for the Messiah was a big deal. The coming of the Chosen One of God would be a super special deal. This one, would be the One. Period. In Him, all the scriptures would be fulfilled and a new relationship between God and God's people would be established. No one dared say that Jesus was that One, for they were not sure. It took Everyman Peter to answer with the correct answer. Play all the game show time music, like the Jeopardy time to think music or the more dramatic Who Wants to Be a Millionaire music and here is Regis shocked, for Peter has answered correctly, "Jesus is the Messiah." You would think Jesus would celebrate that and say, "High five, Bro, you're right on!" No, read that passage again, "He sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about Him." (v. 30) Then the hard lesson follows; this Messiah will suffer greatly, suffer rejection by all the religious folks of our day, and he will be killed, and after three days rise again. Peter, the one with the right answer, doesn't buy it. Peter takes Jesus aside and began to rebuke Jesus! It was a loving rebuke along the line I would think of, "Lord, how could we possibly let anything like this happen to You? We'd rather die than let You suffer and be killed!" Jesus then calls Peter "Satan" for Peter was putting his mind on earthly things not divine ones.

Mark 8: 27 Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that I am?" 28 And they answered him, "John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets." 29 He asked them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered him, "You are the Messiah." 30 And he sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him. 31 Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33 But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, "Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things." 34 He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35 For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. 36 For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? 37 Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? 38 Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels." (NRSV)

The cross is a heavenly thing. This weekend we were in one of my old churches, where I served eleven years. One of the most striking features of that church is the huge cross that runs almost from the floor to the very top of the vaulted ceiling. I smiled as I remembered the comment my mentor and dear friend, whom I followed there, said about his grandson when talking about different churches. His grandson associated the cross with Jesus and when he asked his grandpa, "My Jesus is bigger than your Jesus!" The little boy had seen both crosses and knew that the one in his church was way bigger. What Jesus is saying here is not about that decorative item that we sometimes wear around our neck or place on our walls; Jesus was talking about the reality of the cost of discipleship, of truly being His disciple in a world that draws further from Him it seems almost each day. "Put yourself last, take up this cross of suffering, anguish and pain, and then, follow me." What good does it do to try and save your own life and then realize you've lost the most important part of your life. Override the human mode of survival, and think divinely of serving God and others, and you will be saved. If you do less, you run the risk of Jesus being ashame of you and how you lived your life.

PRAYER: Loving God, help me to see as You see. Help me to see that I do need to put You and Yours first and become a true servant who seeks to serve even at the risk of pain, anguish and suffering. I do want my life to count and to count for You. I ask this in Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord.

Eradio Valverde

Mountain Strength

Psalm 125:1 Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever. 2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people, from this time on and forevermore. 3 For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest on the land allotted to the righteous, so that the righteous might not stretch out their hands to do wrong. 4 Do good, O Lord, to those who are good, and to those who are upright in their hearts. 5 But those who turn aside to their own crooked ways the Lord will lead away with evildoers. Peace be upon Israel!

Mountains have always fascinated me. The first "mountain" in my life was Mt. Wesley. While that may make some of you laugh, as this is a hill in the Texas Hill Country, for a boy from Kingsville, it was and still is, a real treat. When I first saw it, it was far from the town of Kerrville. Getting to it was an adventure as was spending a week on it. At Vesper Point one could see a distant town and a few scattered homes, and of course, the drive-in theatre, which provided a secondary treat in trying to decipher dialogue or identification of the movie. Years later I would see the true mountains of Monterrey, Mexico, and later still, the Rockies in Colorado. There is, pardon the word, a certain majesty with mountains. And as the Psalmist came to know Mt. Zion, he also knew there was a certain strength and certainty to it as there is with all mountains. Jesus would tease this when He said if we had the faith the size of a mustard seed we could tell the mountain to move. Today's passage says that when we trust the Lord our faith will not waver, we will stand strong for God stands with us. Verse two drives the point even further, as mountains surround Jerusalem so does God surround us. Then the prayer that closes out the passage, asking God to do good by the righteous, and to share justice with the unjust. He ends with asking for peace to be upon the people of God.

May our day be a mountain day in which our trust stays strong in the Lord come what may. If we stand with God, God will stand with us and there is no better winning combination for facing the joys and the challenges of the day.

PRAYER: Loving God, come and stand with me. I proclaim that my faith is mountain strong in You. Surround me and mine with that strength and peace. I pray in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

God Still Brings Wholeness!

Isaiah 35:4 Tell fearful souls, "Courage! Take heart! God is here, right here, on his way to put things right And redress all wrongs. He's on his way! He'll save you!" 5 Blind eyes will be opened, deaf ears unstopped, 6 Lame men and women will leap like deer, the voiceless break into song. Springs of water will burst out in the wilderness, streams flow in the desert. 7 Hot sands will become a cool oasis, thirsty ground a splashing fountain. Even lowly jackals will have water to drink, and barren grasslands flourish richly. (The Message)




The above photograph shows one of our pastors (in a cap) baptizing a brand-new believer in Christ Jesus, being baptized in the Bay. In a cooperative ministry with another church in her town, Pastor Camille Bryant, started a new Sunday night ministry that is drawing the sort of crowd that does not come to a Sunday morning service. And if it did, it would not sit still for the type of worship found in most of our churches. The message is about Jesus and what Jesus offers and so far since its start, seven young people have made the life-saving decision to trust Jesus and enter into a relationship with God. Could it be that their once fearful souls now have courage? (See verse 4). Could it also be that now God has put right the things in their lives that were once not right? Have the wrongs either done to them or that they did, now been redressed? Could it truly be that God has saved these people? You better believe it!

The Gospel still continues to be the message that opens blind eyes. New vision and perspectives are given to those who ask. The eyes of love and compassion are given to the ones who before, because of hatred and fear saw only anger and prejudice. The Gospel still opens deaf ears and now the words of God flow smoothly into the ears and lives of those once closed to God and as a result, these people can now hear the "cry of the needy," as is prayed everytime we celebrate Holy Communion. Those once paralyzed by doubt now leap forward to go and do the things of God as a result of the saving power of Jesus' powerful message. Once timid and shy persons are now passionate and bold about their faith. Souls once parched and dry by a drought of spiritual presence are now "springs of water," and "streams" flowing freely in what was once a desert.

God still provides this to us all. All we have to do is ask and we will receive. And once we have received, we will move forward to sharing it with those who have yet to receive.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for the faith and boldness of pastors like our sister Camille, who are open to Your leading and can do new things in old settings or who look for new settings in which to proclaim Your love and wholeness. I pray You bless this dear reader with whatever she or he lacks so that they too, and me, can be all about bringing new life to those almost dead. I pray this in the precious and powerful name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Do We Really Want Those Whom Nobody Else Sees Nor Wants?

James 2:1 My dear friends, don't let public opinion influence how you live out our glorious, Christ-originated faith. 2 If a man enters your church wearing an expensive suit, and a street person wearing rags comes in right after him, 3 and you say to the man in the suit, "Sit here, sir; this is the best seat in the house!" and either ignore the street person or say, "Better sit here in the back row," 4 haven't you segregated God's children and proved that you are judges who can't be trusted? 5 Listen, dear friends. Isn't it clear by now that God operates quite differently? He chose the world's down-and-out as the kingdom's first citizens, with full rights and privileges. This kingdom is promised to anyone who loves God. 6 And here you are abusing these same citizens! Isn't it the high and mighty who exploit you, who use the courts to rob you blind? 7 Aren't they the ones who scorn the new name - "Christian" - used in your baptisms? 8 You do well when you complete the Royal Rule of the Scriptures: "Love others as you love yourself." 9 But if you play up to these so-called important people, you go against the Rule and stand convicted by it. 10 You can't pick and choose in these things, specializing in keeping one or two things in God's law and ignoring others. 11 The same God who said, "Don't commit adultery," also said, "Don't murder." If you don't commit adultery but go ahead and murder, do you think your non-adultery will cancel out your murder? No, you're a murderer, period. 12 Talk and act like a person expecting to be judged by the Rule that sets us free. 13 For if you refuse to act kindly, you can hardly expect to be treated kindly. Kind mercy wins over harsh judgment every time. 14 Dear friends, do you think you'll get anywhere in this if you learn all the right words but never do anything? Does merely talking about faith indicate that a person really has it? 15 For instance, you come upon an old friend dressed in rags and half-starved 16 and say, "Good morning, friend! Be clothed in Christ! Be filled with the Holy Spirit!" and walk off without providing so much as a coat or a cup of soup - where does that get you? 17 Isn't it obvious that God-talk without God-acts is outrageous nonsense? (The message)

What a concept to pray to ask God for those for whom we can offer grace and compassion or even to ask for new church members, but the ones nobody else wants or sees! We should be people who ask God for everything, especially for how we can best serve God's people. We tend to limit our prayers to asking God to bless "the fellowship" or membership. Our prayer lists may reflect the exclusive nature of our "club;" those outside of membership need not bother. I know this is not true, but it is not the message we sometimes share? "If you pray for me, I'll pray for you!" I had one person unsubscribe from this devotional list because "I don't know these people for whom you're asking prayer so I'm not going to pray for them." Hmmm. If our prayer life, which we do in private conversation with God reflects such an attitude then how are we living out our "Christian" life? James tackles that from experience. We have room, he says, for the ones with money, in fact, the best room, the best seats; but we don't seem to have room for the poor or the down and out. I keep referring back to an old movie I used to show my students in campus ministry, "Kevin Can Wait" which was loosely based on the popular movie "Heaven Can Wait," except this one was about a young man, Kevin, who is visited by an angel who is told that God had a special plan for his life. Kevin begins to imagine all the glamorous things he is being groomed for; a large arena-sized church, or as a Banana Republic (yes, they used to sell safari clothes!) clad missionary, or hosting a Tonight Show type Christian talk show. And spoiler alert, God wanted Kevin to make the young mechanic with the dirty fingernails who was visiting his Sunday school (remember those?) to be made feel welcome. Kevin was a university-aged young man and one of the young ladies in his class was dating the university football star quarterback and his first Sunday there everyone clamored to greet and meet him, while the young mechanic lingered in the back. He was the one not seen and not wanted. God wanted Kevin to make him feel welcome.

God already has too many "judges who can't be trusted." What God needs are "attorneys/cousenlors" who represent the cause of the unseen and unwanted, who truly "Love others as you love yourself." (v. 8). We are asked to "Talk and act like a person expecting to be judged by the Rule that sets us free." We are free; free to love and care for those whom no one else seems to want nor see. Put your freedom into action by caring for "the least, the lost, and the last."

PRAYER: Loving God, do send to me and whoever else makes this their prayer, the ones no one else can see nor wants. Let me live my life as one who represents and cares for them. I know there is a place also for the rich and mighty in your kingdom, but let us all know we are in service to the One who calls and welcomes all. I pray this in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord.

Eradio Valverde

Though for the Day

If you seek to welcome Jesus, you welcome Him and all his "interesting friends".

From Crumbs to Wholeness

Mark 7: 24 From there he set out and went away to the region of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know he was there. Yet he could not escape notice, 25 but a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit immediately heard about him, and she came and bowed down at his feet. 26 Now the woman was a Gentile, of Syrophoenician origin. She begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. 27 He said to her, "Let the children be fed first, for it is not fair to take the children's food and throw it to the dogs." 28 But she answered him, "Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs." 29 Then he said to her, "For saying that, you may go—the demon has left your daughter." 30 So she went home, found the child lying on the bed, and the demon gone. 31 Then he returned from the region of Tyre, and went by way of Sidon towards the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. 32 They brought to him a deaf man who had an impediment in his speech; and they begged him to lay his hand on him. 33 He took him aside in private, away from the crowd, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue. 34 Then looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, "Ephphatha," that is, "Be opened." 35 And immediately his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. 36 Then Jesus ordered them to tell no one; but the more he ordered them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. 37 They were astounded beyond measure, saying, "He has done everything well; he even makes the deaf to hear and the mute to speak."

"No somos dignos de aun recoger las migajas baja de tu mesa." From years of celebrating the Sacrament of Holy Communion, that is the line that stands out loud and clear from the Great Thanksgiving; "we are not worthy even to gather up the crumbs from under your table," a part of the confession the celebrant prays and acknowledges our state before God. In the passage from today, Jesus had sought a quiet place to rest and reflect, but as was the custom, people found Him and wanted something from Him. In this case, a foreign woman, a Greek, "of Syrophoenician origin" wanted healing for her daughter. The daugher was demon possessed and she knew Jesus had the power to cast this demon out. Jesus' reply was an interesting one for He said that "the children" must be fed first, "for it is not fair to take the children's food and throw it to the dogs." Her reply was a wise one for he said, "Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs." It was a statement of faith that touched Jesus and at that moment the demon had fled and Jesus tells her so.

Jesus goes to yet another place and they bring to him a deaf man who also suffered from a speech ailment. The plea from loved ones and friends was that Jesus just touch him and heal him. This healing Jesus does away from the crowd but in the presence of His disciples and the man is healed. The crowd reacts with disbelief, though they knew of Jesus' power and abilities; their declaration, "He has done everything well; He even makes the deaf to hear and the mute to speak."

We all come with needs before God on a daily basis. Our needs may be smaller or even greater than the ones mentioned in Scripture, yet our faith should tell us that while we may think we are unworthy, God thinks otherwise. We are worthy and we are going to be blessed. Our nagging spirits of fear or doubt may be keeping us from peace, especially at night, but God through Jesus has the power to cast those spirits out of us. We may think we cannot function fully before God that we may not understand all things so we keep our mouths shut from sharing as we should, but God can help us not only to hear but to understand completely and fully and thus we have loosened and healed lips to share our story. In other words, the limitations we may think we have or that we have placed on ourselves are nothing for God to remove; we must ask and receive and then utilize these to help bring others to the salvation knowledge of God.

PRAYER: Loving God, come and cast out from me those spirits of doubt, fear, mistrust, or whatever is keeping us from feeling or being whole. We celebrate that while we may think we are not worthy of eating crumbs from underneath your table, You invite us to the banquet of celebration and wholeness. May we share that celebration with others with new tongues and lips that proclaim Your love and goodness; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

At a Level of Love?

Good day dear friends. At the start of the new work week and for many, first day of school; may God's love and protection be with you and yours. May the rich blessings of God bring peace to you; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Our text for today comes from Mark 7: 1 Now when the Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around him, 2 they noticed that some of his disciples were eating with defiled hands, that is, without washing them. 3 (For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not eat unless they thoroughly wash their hands, thus observing the tradition of the elders; 4 and they do not eat anything from the market unless they wash it; and there are also many other traditions that they observe, the washing of cups, pots, and bronze kettles. ) 5 So the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, "Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?" 6 He said to them, "Isaiah prophesied rightly about you hypocrites, as it is written, "This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; 7 in vain do they worship me, teaching human precepts as doctrines.' 8 You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition." 14Then he called the crowd again and said to them, "Listen to me, all of you, and understand: 15there is nothing outside a person that by going in can defile, but the things that come out are what defile." 21 For it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come: fornication, theft, murder, 22 adultery, avarice, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, folly. 23 All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person." (NRSV)

There is now a ritual in many churches today, of using the hand sanitizer before serving Holy Communion. I hear of some churches were the communion servers wear gloves. And about four years ago, there was a scare of a flu that had some churches cancel the celebration of The Lord's Supper out of fear. What would Jesus make of that, given what He taught in today's passage? The disciples around Jesus were closely watched, as was Jesus, to see what offense they could find in their daily lives. Being married to tradition and customs, the religious people of Jesus' day, watched closely to see what they could charge Jesus or His followers with, to stop His ministry. In today's passage the best they could do was to find that the disciples did not always wash their hands before eating. This is a violation of a "tradition of the elders." Yes, it is common sense to wash one's hands before eating, but given their schedule and their haste in getting out God's message on occasion the disciples did not wash their hands. The accusation of the Pharisees and those with them is met by Jesus' truth about what really defiles a person. Is it what goes into a person that defiles one? Or, is it what comes out? The list of those sins and actions that come out of a person was why Jesus came in the first place. Jesus wanted to remove the barriers and obstacles to God's love, and to hear that a germ or two making their way into a person's stomach was laughable.

It is what is in your heart that produces your thoughts, words and actions. It is these that help others determine where your heart really is. Jesus saw the actions of the Pharisees and the religious as a fulfillment of the prophet Isaiah, "This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; 7 in vain do they worship me, teaching human precepts as doctrines.' Going farther, Jesus added, " You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition." We're guilty of that too, in our lives, our homes, and sadly, even in our churches; we place a higher value on the things we've established for our comfort and convenience, and we ignore the commandments of God. It gives our hearts away; for in so doing, God is no where to be found in us. We should strive to be people of love, placing God first and seeking to serve all of God's creatures; then it will be said that we honor God with our hearts and our lips.

PRAYER: Loving God, forgive us for the times traditions and customs we believe serve us better than love and compassion. Help us to overcome these barriers and obstacles in our lives and practices and rise to a level of love and service. May it be said of us that we are people of love. We pray in Christ Jesus, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Sing!

Good day dear friends. God's gracious blessings be yours today; go forth in peace and seek to serve without fear, open to loving and seeing all. In Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Our text for today comes from Psalm 84: 1 How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts! 2 My soul longs, indeed it faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God. 3 Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God. 4 Happy are those who live in your house, ever singing your praise. (Selah) 5 Happy are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion. 6 As they go through the valley of Baca they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with pools. 7 They go from strength to strength; the God of gods will be seen in Zion. 8O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob! (Selah) 9 Behold our shield, O God; look on the face of your anointed. 10 For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than live in the tents of wickedness. 11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield; he bestows favor and honor. No good thing does the Lord withhold from those who walk uprightly. 12 O Lord of hosts, happy is everyone who trusts in you. (NRSV)

Do you sing on the way to church? Or does the radio/MP3 player/satellite radio/DVD player drain your mind as you drive? I remember when our children were young we would sing and sing a lot. We would sing in English and Spanish and it made the journey shorter and happier. Sometimes one of the girls would say, "Again!" And we'd sing the song again. This psalm was believed to be a hymn for pilgrims on their way to Mt. Zion. The singing on the way to church set the tone and mood for the worship once they were there; indeed worship starts when you sing praises to God. Someone even said that you pray twice when you sing. Look at the words again as that double prayer of preparation for what awaited them in worship. The attitude of the song is a joyous, positive one, preparing the singers for worship. Notice the song does not complain that "no one seems to care for our church! There's bird's nests everywhere!" Instead it is thankful that the house of God is able to provide a home for sparrows, including the image of even the birds being a part of worship. The songs thanks God for strength found in God; who listens to and answers our prayers. And the best known line, at least for me, "For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere." I read The Message version and decided against using it this morning, but I did like that verse for it said one day in God's house is better than a thousand on a Greek island beach and instead of being a "doorkeeper in the house of my God," it uses, "I'd rather scrub floors in the house of my God than be an invited guest in a palace of sin." You get the point. Serving God with the right heart and spirit is better than to be among temptation and sin.

Ah, the power of song is ours. Start singing now!

PRAYER: Loving God of song and praise, grant to us a right spirit through the gifts of Your songs; prepare us now for worship and service; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Setting the Pace and Place for God

Good day dear friends. Gracious is the Lord; may God's mercies be yours today in all that you may face; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Our text for today comes from Joshua 24: 1 Then Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and summoned the elders, the heads, the judges, and the officers of Israel; and they presented themselves before God. 2 And Joshua said to all the people, 14 "Now therefore revere the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness; put away the gods that your ancestors served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. 15 Now if you are unwilling to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served in the region beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." 16 Then the people answered, "Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods; 17 for it is the Lord our God who brought us and our ancestors up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, and who did those great signs in our sight. He protected us along all the way that we went, and among all the peoples through whom we passed; 18 and the Lord drove out before us all the peoples, the Amorites who lived in the land. Therefore we also will serve the Lord, for he is our God." (NRSV)

I was blessed growing up, thought I did not know it, when it came to worship and God. I was never given a choice as to my presence and participation in church. I had to be there. My father and mother made the decision even before I was born as to the importance of God and worship in their marriage and as God blessed them with children, they made the decision for their children. It was on a Sunday morning that I came to know the love of God through Jesus Christ. It was something that my minister said and I invited Jesus into my heart and into my life. From that moment on, going to church and all that goes in worship, etc., made sense. The evidence would come years later when I found myself working on a Sunday morning at my college; doing precisely what I had hoped I would never have to do, work on a Sunday. As the assignments were made for our work-study program, I knew ahead of time that for the first time in my life, instead of being in church I would be in a cafeteria, washing dishes at both breakfast and lunch. I quickly checked around and found out that First United Methodist Church, a little over a mile from the campus, had a Sunday evening worship service. Yes, this was years ago. I knew where I had to be Sunday night, and I talked a group of other cafeteria workers into going with me to worship God that night. We were received like family and though, for the first time in my life, I was worshipping in a different language, I knew the hymns and I could sing my praises to God.

Joshua had assembled the people of Israel and asked them to consider setting the pace for their lives. I recommend you read the entire chapter, but in the passages selected by the Lecti0nary, it is God speaking through Joshua about all that God has done and all that is before them. The words come strong, God has done a lot for us and it would serve us best to not be tempted by the gods of the people whose land we are about to occupy; but, if you decide you do not want to serve the Lord, you better decide now what gods you will serve. Then Joshua offered up that which decorates many a home today, "But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." The response of the people is loud and clear that they too, will serve the Lord.

Who has set the pace and place for God in your life? If no one has yet, are you willing to be the one to step forward and say, "We must serve the Lord"? It may well be there are those who are waiting for the pace and place to be set for God; and it may be that if you and your household set this pace and place for God, others may come to do the same.

PRAYER: Loving God, may I set the pace today for myself and my household about serving You. May it be a decision that blesses all of my household and those around it. May we set such a pace of peace and love that they will desire the same for themselves; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

You're Ready for a Great Day!

Good day dear friends. May the awe and wonder of God's amazing creation bless and strengthen your journey today; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Our text for today comes from Ephesians 6: 10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness. 15 As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace. 16 With all of these, take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints. 19 Pray also for me, so that when I speak, a message may be given to me to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it boldly, as I must speak. (NRSV)

Some years ago, our men's Sunday school group studied a book entitled, Why Men Don't Go to Church. The cover sold the book, a man, head back, mouth open, sitting in a church pew, sound asleep. I just tried finding it on Amazon.com and could not find it. It must be out of print. But the cover told the story, most men find church boring and not challenging. What challenges they do find in church they resist; holding hands, praying aloud, etc. The book makes the case for churches to focus more on the things of the Bible that speak to men, such as battle and warfare, and this passage falls in that category. Paul in his writing, it is believed, was under house arrest and a Roman soldier was assigned to his home to guard him. Paul must have talked at length to that soldier about Jesus, and about everything else. The uniform and all its components must have fascinated Paul. Every part of that armor plays an important part in keeping the soldier alive. The Roman army was the most advanced of its day and their experts had designed it to allow soldiers to fight and keep on fighting in fierce battles. Paul as he reflects and prays on his inner struggles with fear and doubt and the uncertainty of what each day might bring to him, realizes that we, too, as believers, have at our disposal the same armor. Paul know that we daily stand "against the wiles of the devil," fighting off the real enemy of our souls, "rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places." (v. 12). What we have at our disposal, through fervent prayer, is everything we could possibly need: "The belt of truth around your waist," standing strong in the conviction that God provides for our every need, even hunger; we cannot be misled or easily led away by falsehoods that God does not care nor provide for us. Truth is on our side when we line up with God. Our "gut feeling" should be the truth of God. Our heart is protected by "the breastplate of righteousness," knowing that as we strive to do what is right in the sight of God, our heart will be protected. When we know we are doing wrong and being led away from God, our heart suffers and breaks. God's love protects us and provides for our heart. Our love for God and for those of God also protects us in our knowing that we are loving as God intended. Our shoes indicate our willingness to be ready to go wherever it is that God might have us go to share "the gospel of peace." If you don't think shoes are important, talk to someone about to go on a hike or a journey over rugged terrain. Speak to one who collects shoes and ask if shoes are important. If you still doubt their importance, go and price some hiking boots or good running shoes. One who tires out or suffers from foot pain soon shortens the time spent on task or on vacation.

Paul then addresses the "shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one." In recent months, guided by our children, we have watched more of our share of medieval shows which featured many sword fights. The best defense against a sword is a good shield and knowing how to use it. As these warriors stormed castles, the flaming arrows that rained down from above usually ended up embedded in the shield rather than the body of the warrior. Paul knew that with our dominant arm we would use our sword, and with our other arm we would use the shield to protect us from the blows that come from our enemy. A strong faith in God helps us with doubt, despair. and fear. No one can say that their mind never gets these sorts of thoughts, but the shield of faith helps us remember who we are and Whose we are. Then Paul speak of the helmet, "the helmet of salvation," which is our protection of our brain and eyes. Salvation, that right relationship we have with God through Jesus Christ, speaks to us about how important we are to God and how God will do anything to keep and protect us. It is in our brain that negative thoughts enter and with the assurance and promise of "salvation" we fight off these destructive thoughts. Paul then turns to the "sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." By our reading and using our Bibles, we have that sword to not only defend but to advance our beliefs as we share the good news with those who have yet to hear or receive. And the closing verses deal with the importance of prayer. John Wesley in his commentary on this passage said that all of the above are necessary but we need to engage in incessant prayer that shows our daily dependence on God, not just on the gifts that God gives (Notes, 6:18-20).

You're all set for a great day! Make it so!

PRAYER: Loving and Merciful God, You provide all things for us especially that which we need to be strong in You. May all of these gifts be ours but may we also remember our need to daily stay connected to You; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Point of Decision

Good day dear friends. May the grace and peace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you today in ways that will bless and amaze you; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Our text for today comes from John 6: 56 Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. 57 Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. 58This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever." 59 He said these things while he was teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum. 60 When many of his disciples heard it, they said, "This teaching is difficult; who can accept it?" 61 But Jesus, being aware that his disciples were complaining about it, said to them, "Does this offend you? 62 Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? 63 It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64 But among you there are some who do not believe." For Jesus knew from the first who were the ones that did not believe, and who was the one that would betray him. 65 And he said, "For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted by the Father." 66 Because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him. 67 So Jesus asked the twelve, "Do you also wish to go away?" 68 Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God." (New Revised Standard Version)

Do you remember when you made a personal decision to have a relationship with Jesus Christ? Was it an easy decision to make, or did it take years? Or, are you still weighing your options? For some, it was an immediate thing; after years of wandering and wondering about your life and needs, it was apparent that for you only Jesus Christ would do, and you said Yes. For others, it was a discernment period and after much reflection and thought, you decided that only Jesus could meet the needs and questions of life. For others, you may have seen how important and real Jesus was for the lives of people important to you and you wanted the same for your life. For others, as I said, you're still wondering and wandering.

Imagine sitting in that hot, dusty synagogue on that Sabbath day when Jesus made the above claim. Jesus said that everyone who ate His body and drank His blood were His. Huh? Excuse me? Are we talking cannibalism? The declaration is shocking, for this is the first revelation, even to His disciples that something was coming that would be unlike anything they had seen to this point. They had seen some pretty unexplainable things, but now they're hearing a teaching that no one else had offered. For them, at that time, the sacrifice of animals was understood, accepted, and practiced, but there was and had been pride in that they were not people who believed in human sacrifice. The sacrificing of animals was an external thing; the animal died, the sin was paid, and life went on; what was this about Jesus "abiding" in us? And what was the talk about eternal life and no death? Even the disciples, those who had already committed to following Jesus, talked about themselves and wondered what to make of these new claims of Jesus. And true to His nature, Jesus knew the discussion was taking place and asks, "Does this offend you? What would you say to seeing me ascending to where I'm from?" Jesus then speaks about the Spirit and how His words are "spirit and life." Jesus knew and declared that there would be some who would not believe unless it was granted to them by God. And in a verse numbered 6:66, we see that "many of His disciples turned back and no longer went about with Him." Your church was not the first to lose members when the teaching and practices of Jesus offended them. Here, Jesus Himself, loses "many" of the people who had committed to Him.

Those who stayed did so because they knew Jesus and believed in Him. It was Peter who said, "Where would we go? You're the one who hold the answers of eternal life. We have come to believe You are the Holy One of God." When given the options of what they had seen and faced; Jesus was still the answer. Given the option of not believing and facing life without Jesus, they chose to believe. They knew that life with Jesus was difficult, but a life without Jesus was impossible. Given all that they knew and all they had seen and all they had heard, the choice was easy - Jesus.

PRAYER: Loving God we have come to know that life brings difficult challenges at times, but with Jesus abiding in us and we in Him, life is still good. Grant us stronger faith and a faith that lives in an inviting way to show others that in Jesus we can have the fullness of life. And Lord, there may be some who have yet to invite You into a personal relationship with You; may this be the day that they open the door of their heart to you and invite you in, asking forgiveness of past sins, and the strength to turn away from destructive and deadly lives. May it be so, as we pray this and all things in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Being Thankful

Good day dear friends. May God's awesome peace and joy be yours today; may all you encounter today be blessed by that awesomeness in you; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Our text for today comes from Psalm 111: 1 Hallelujah! I give thanks to God with everything I've got - Wherever good people gather, and in the congregation. 2 God's works are so great, worth A lifetime of study - endless enjoyment! 3Splendor and beauty mark his craft; His generosity never gives out. 4 His miracles are his memorial - This God of Grace, this God of Love. 5 He gave food to those who fear him, He remembered to keep his ancient promise. 6 He proved to his people that he could do what he said: Hand them the nations on a platter - a gift! 7 He manufactures truth and justice; All his products are guaranteed to last - 8 Never out-of-date, never obsolete, rust-proof. All that he makes and does is honest and true: 9 He paid the ransom for his people, He ordered his Covenant kept forever. He's so personal and holy, worthy of our respect. 10 The good life begins in the fear of God - Do that and you'll know the blessing of God. His Hallelujah lasts forever! (The Message)

Today is our daughter Caitlin's birthday. She is a nursing student who, along with her husband and our grandson, live with us. So, everyone is up early and we just followed our early morning ritual of birthdays in our family; the playing of "Birthday" by The Beatles, chosen years ago for its ability to wake up sleepy-heads, followed by the gift-giving (Liam, who is 3, asked where his gift was - we had bought one two days early for him) and a time of giving thanks for the life of the birthday person. I believe we are all wonderfully blessed, and like the Psalmist, we should give thanks to God for all that God has given to us. The Psalmist has summed up a partial list of all we should be thankful - God's grace, God's love, provision, kept promises, truth, justice, the promise of eternity in what God has shared with us, honesty, our redemption, and the unbroken Covenant. Every realm of our life is to be something on our Thank You, God list.

What are you thankful for? Have you stopped and made a mental list of all for which you are truly thankful? Pause now and give thanks. You'd be amazed at all that you have, thanks to God.

PRAYER: Loving Provider of all things; thank You! May I never stop giving You thanks as You never stop giving. Make me mindful that all things do indeed come from You; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

If You Had One Wish...

Good day dear friends. May the rich blessings of God be yours in ways that bless those with whom you interact today; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Our text for today comes from 1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14: 10 Then David slept with his ancestors, and was buried in the city of David. 11 The time that David reigned over Israel was forty years; he reigned seven years in Hebron, and thirty-three years in Jerusalem. 12 So Solomon sat on the throne of his father David; and his kingdom was firmly established. 3:3 Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of his father David; only, he sacrificed and offered incense at the high places. 4 The king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the principal high place; Solomon used to offer a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. 5 At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, "Ask what I should give you." 6And Solomon said, "You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant my father David, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward you; and you have kept for him this great and steadfast love, and have given him a son to sit on his throne today. 7 And now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David, although I am only a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. 8 And your servant is in the midst of the people whom you have chosen, a great people, so numerous they cannot be numbered or counted. 9 Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil; for who can govern this your great people?" 10 It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. 11 God said to him, "Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches, or for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, 12 I now do according to your word. Indeed I give you a wise and discerning mind; no one like you has been before you and no one like you shall arise after you. 13 I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor all your life; no other king shall compare with you. 14 If you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your life." (New Revised Standard Version)

I have shared many times how when a little child, one of my favorite games was to play, "If you had one wish," and we would change that wish month to month, sometimes adding up to "three wishes," depending on how greedy or needy we felt. Not once do I remember asking for wisdom, and yes, years later you can still tell. But this is the passage where that does happen, the young son of the now recently deceased great king, David, is visited by God. Take note that the verses give credit to Solomon for loving God and walking in the statutes of his father, David. But Solomon gets visited by God and gets that one wish that we all dreamed of getting one day. Solomon showed his wisdom even before asking, by first acknowledging that he and his father had been richly blessed by God, and humbly admitting that to reign in his place, Solomon is very blessed, but does make the request to be able to have "an understanding mind," one that would help him know the difference between "good and evil," and again acknowledging that the challenge to rule effectively was a great one. God grants him not only that request but also shares with him what he did not request, riches and honor. God told him that most would have asked for riches, long life, or for the life of their enemies (How did God know my list??), but since he had not, he would get those things. Then God adds that if Solomon keeps the commandments and statutes of God, as did David, then he would also get long life.

Our take-away? First, we should love God. If we have that, we have everything, but it is also a great foundation for the other things we need in life. Wisdom comes to those who love God and ask it of God. Riches, the kind that matter and are not subject to being stolen or transferred out of accounts, are ours as well. Honor comes to those who learn to honor God and all of God's people. And long life comes in showing respect to all people. Everything else, may also come your way, but you'll be in the better, prepared place, to receive them and use them as a blessing to God and God's people.

PRAYER: Gracious God, may my heart yearn to love You more. I understand that in loving You I am in a special, blessed place. From here wherever You may lead me, will be an added blessing to my life. Grant me eyes and ears to see and hear that which You are sharing so that I may be a blessing to You and Yours. I pray this in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Inspired Advice

Good day dear friends. May the grace and peace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you and yours today. May His love and mercy bless you as you seek to bless others is my prayer for you; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Our text for today comes from Ephesians 5: 15 So watch your step. Use your head. 16 Make the most of every chance you get. These are desperate times! 17 Don't live carelessly, unthinkingly. Make sure you understand what the Master wants. 18 Don't drink too much wine. That cheapens your life. Drink the Spirit of God, huge draughts of him. 19 Sing hymns instead of drinking songs! Sing songs from your heart to Christ. 20 Sing praises over everything, any excuse for a song to God the Father in the name of our Master, Jesus Christ. (The Message)

Make the most of each day, for Jesus Christ. That is the message of this passage that comes from the heart and mind of the Apostle Paul. Never one to trifle his time, the urgency of Jesus made it important for him to share these words with all believers. Paul truly believed in the first part of his ministry that Jesus was coming any day in his lifetime. Those writings showed that urgency to tell as many people as he could so that no one would be left out from the love of God. Later, as he knew his day of meeting Jesus was drawing near and Jesus had not yet returned, his message changed slightly, but not much, for he still believed as many as could, needed to be saved in that relationship that God offers to us.

Look at that passage carefully. Should we watch our step? Not if you want to stumble, both literally and figuratively. Should we use our head? That's why they weigh so much. Should we make the most of every chance we have? Yes. Chances come along as they do, but take advantage of the ones right in front of you. Are these desperate times? In every sense of the word, don't get me started. Should we live carelessly? Not really; life is precious and we should enjoy it and take advantage of it, and thinking usually helps. Should we seek to know what "the Master" wants? Everyday, in every way. And the rest we understand as well; we have a story to tell and an audience that is our harvest ripe for the gleaning. What could possibly be more important?

All around us, we see or we may be, deep in the process of sending our kids to school. Some parents have made the long/short journeys to drop off sons and daughters at colleges and universities. Others have said their goodbyes to sons and daughters entering the military. Some are just now buying backpacks and lunch boxes, pencils and paper, to send their daughters and sons to "big school." Our prayers are with them as should be the words of Paul as inspired by God to share with their loved ones. As we prepare them to learn, teach them what is best in knowing and serving Jesus Christ.

PRAYER: Loving God, may Your love and protection be with all who are praying this as their own and with those who are coming to their minds as they pray. We ask You bless and protect their children as another school year draws close to starting. May it be all about You in their lives and may we take to heart the urgency of sharing Your Son, Jesus Christ, with the whole world. We pray this in His precious name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord.

Eradio Valverde

You Are The Sermon for Today

Good day dear friends. May the grace and peace of the Lord Jesus, and He living in and around you, bring you peace, a peace of preparation for the joys and challenges of the day ahead; I pray this in Christ Jesus, amen.

Our text for today comes from the Gospel of John 6: 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh." 52 The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" 53 So Jesus said to them, "Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day; 55 for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. 56 Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. 57 Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever." (New Revised Standard Version)

John's Gospel is different from the other three. It is not considered one of the synoptic gospels because its message is different. I heard it called the "spiritual gospel" because of its emphasis on more spiritual matters and more on the Holy Spirit than the others. I, and others, believe that is why the Luke-Acts book was divided this way, to make John the in-between book, to help believers better understand the Holy Spirit before the Day of Pentecost as shared in Acts. John's story contains Jesus making making many "I am" claims and this is one of the most powerful. As I shared last week, there is a connection with scripture of His day, in that Jesus reminds the listener present with Him, of their heritage and belief in manna, the bread from Heaven provided during the Exodus. But this "bread" that Jesus offers is a sacrificial bread, in that Jesus offers His body as bread. Those listening immediately get angry as to someone offering their flesh as a meal and Jesus tries to explain it as a preparation for that which was to come, yet many still did not understand. To further cloud things, Jesus talks of eternal life, something everyone desired but did not understand how to do that and Jesus also speaks of His blood being a part of it and that He could "abide" in people and people should abide in Him.

Wow! Would you have believed that had you been present at that first delivery of that statement? Chances are that we would not. Given what we know now about Jesus and Who Jesus truly is in our faith, we say, "Yes, I would have believed." But had we been like those in the crowd seeking answers, seeking meaning and purpose, seeking to know more about the one, true God, we might now have been all that disposed to believe. Thanks be to God that we are where we are, knowing what we know, and trying to do what we do. We are the people who know the Answer to life's toughest questions, and the ones who know of the great meal that was, and is, offered to us very often. The question is, what are we doing about it? How are we helping those who are still seeking answers, and meaning and purpose for their lives. How are we offering this precious gift of forgiveness to those who are still trapped in the prisons of their sins? How are we offering the God of love to the ones who barely believe in a god of existence and sin? The best way is to live the message. If we live a life of love and hope, people will ask and we should answer that we are who we are, because of Jesus.

PRAYER: Loving God, may my life be the message needed to be heard by so many. May my actions and words betray the presence of the One who abides in me and in Whom I abide. May I help glorify Your name today; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

"Forgiveness is Your Habit"

Good day dear friends. Receive this prayer, "Loving God bless the life and needs of this dear reader; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen."

Our text for today comes from Psalm 130: 1 Help, God - the bottom has fallen out of my life! Master, hear my cry for help! 2 Listen hard! Open your ears! Listen to my cries for mercy. 3 If you, God, kept records on wrongdoings, who would stand a chance? 4 As it turns out, forgiveness is your habit, and that's why you're worshiped. 5 I pray to God - my life a prayer - and wait for what he'll say and do. 6 My life's on the line before God, my Lord, waiting and watching till morning, waiting and watching till morning.7 O Israel, wait and watch for God - with God's arrival comes love, with God's arrival comes generous redemption. 8 No doubt about it - he'll redeem Israel, buy back Israel from captivity to sin. (The Message)

If the bottom has fallen out of your life, the good thing is knowing the only way out is up. And you can't get any higher up than God. This message of the Bible has the writer experiencing what was for him an experience that felt like the bottom had fallen out of his life. He knew to call on God with those words pleading for help. He knows God and how God is, and that's a comfort for him especially in the state he's in. God is a God of mercy and I love this, "forgiveness is your habit." It seems that if more of us knew that, we could go to God as we should asking that God forgive us and help us move forward and upward in our lives. This psalm then shifts to a national prayer; God can deal with our needs and God can also deal with the needs of the nation, if the nation realizes that is needs God.

It is our job as Christians and as members of a Christian church to get the news out about God and God's love and mercy for all. People are not listening like the should about what God offers and so we miss out and suffer the consequences of lives whose directions have not been centered on love and mercy. At this writing our nation has suffered senseless shootings and murders, some based on hate, others on uneasiness within. Church, our job is to reach more and help more come to the love of God. It takes our going beyond our praying, which is foundational and important, but we have to take our message and presence to the streets. What are you willing to do?

PRAYER: Loving God, bless our nation and let me be part of that blessing. May our prayers lead us to action and to helping bring revival and renewal to lives which believe they are eternally lost. Guide us and lead us; we ask in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord.

Eradio Valverde

May Love Exceed Pain

Good day dear friends. I stand amazed at what God does through our prayers. I thank God for your faithfulness and for the awesome, if not miraculous workings of God's Holy Spirit among us! The reports from our district among two spouses who have been battling cancer, are great! Thanks be to God! I urge you to also read today's Upper Room on giving thanks.

Our text for today comes from 2 Samuel 18: 5 The king ordered Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, "Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom." And all the people heard when the king gave orders to all the commanders concerning Absalom. 6 So the army went out into the field against Israel; and the battle was fought in the forest of Ephraim. 7 The men of Israel were defeated there by the servants of David, and the slaughter there was great on that day, twenty thousand men. 8 The battle spread over the face of all the country; and the forest claimed more victims that day than the sword. 9 Absalom happened to meet the servants of David. Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a great oak. His head caught fast in the oak, and he was left hanging between heaven and earth, while the mule that was under him went on. 15 And ten young men, Joab's armor-bearers, surrounded Absalom and struck him, and killed him. 31 Then the Cushite came; and the Cushite said, "Good tidings for my lord the king! For the Lord has vindicated you this day, delivering you from the power of all who rose up against you." 32 The king said to the Cushite, "Is it well with the young man Absalom?" The Cushite answered, "May the enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise up to do you harm, be like that young man." 33 The king was deeply moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept; and as he went, he said, "O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!" (NRSV)

My grandmother, Petra Valverde, the only grandmother I knew, years ago gave me a copy of Kenneth N. Taylor, La Biblia en Cuadros para Niños (The Bible in Pictures for Children). Her handwriting is still on the front page and this and another gift, remind me of her love for God and her faith in Christ Jesus. The book sits on our coffee table in our living room and I await the day I can share some of its stories with my grandchildren. What has always impressed me about this book are the beautiful pictures of each story that the author relates in the book. One image that never has left me is the one of Absalom hanging from a tree. The biggest battle my Dad and I ever fought was the one regarding my hair. Some time ago, on the Facebook circuit, someone shared the "Official Hairstyles for Men and Boys" from the 1950s and I immediately shared it with my two brothers and we all laughed and remembered our days in the barber chair. We had a choice at least, flattop or GI. We usually chose the flat top because that left a fence of sorts around the front of our noggins. It was tough sporting that kind of haircut in the days of Elvis and later the moptops themselves, The Beatles. Absalom did not have that battle, but he did battle his father for the kingdom. He had reached a point where he believed he would better serve God and the people of Israel by being their king. Taylor says in his book, "But God did not want that." What stands out in the passage is the love of a father for his son. David orders his general, Joab, to deal gently with this rebel of the state, but once Joab's men find Absalom tangled from a tree, the son is quickly murdered and this word gets to the king. The king grieves and expresses the sentiment of all parents, "Would I have died instead of you."

Very few parents want to see even rebellious children suffer. You may have been there or you may be there now; your love for your child exceeds the pain they may have caused in your heart or life. Imagine how God feels about us and our lives and our choices for them. Can you realize how much God loved you to send His only begotten Son to die in your place? God was willing to pay that price. Of all the gods that humanity has known, the only god to sacrifice himself, is our God; thus is the love of God for you.

PRAYER: Loving God, thank You for Your love. I can only begin to imagine how much You love us; let me just enjoy it and let me enjoy it enough to spread it to others. Forgive me the days of my rebellion against You and against my earthly parents. And bless those who may be going through that challenge now in their lives. May love exceed pain. I pray in Jesus' name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Keep Company with God

Good day dear friends.

Our text for today comes from Ephesians 4: 25 What this adds up to, then, is this: no more lies, no more pretense. Tell your neighbor the truth. In Christ's body we're all connected to each other, after all. When you lie to others, you end up lying to yourself. 26 Go ahead and be angry. You do well to be angry - but don't use your anger as fuel for revenge. And don't stay angry. Don't go to bed angry. 27 Don't give the Devil that kind of foothold in your life. 28 Did you used to make ends meet by stealing? Well, no more! Get an honest job so that you can help others who can't work. 29 Watch the way you talk. Let nothing foul or dirty come out of your mouth. Say only what helps, each word a gift. 30 Don't grieve God. Don't break his heart. His Holy Spirit, moving and breathing in you, is the most intimate part of your life, making you fit for himself. Don't take such a gift for granted. 31 Make a clean break with all cutting, backbiting, profane talk. 32 Be gentle with one another, sensitive. Forgive one another as quickly and thoroughly as God in Christ forgave you. 5:1 Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. 2 Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn't love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that. (The Message)

Dime con quien andas y te dire quien eres. I don't remember when I first heard it, but I knew what it meant immediately. "Tell me who your friends are, and I'll tell you who you are." Literally, it means tell me with who you are with, and I will tell you who you are. Whether we like it or not the company we keep usually defines who we are. Try as we may to be the most influential in any group, it becomes difficult to always be the positive, hopeful one. Jesus, of course, was the exception, but then again, Jesus hung around with God a lot. The writer is saying the same thing, if we spend time and "keep company" with God, we do indeed learn a different life, a "life of love." Look at Jesus, the writer continues, notice how Jesus loved us with extravagant, giving love; "love like that." The verses that come before speak of the high ideals of truthfulness, relational calm that we should keep and practice. Anger, the writer knows, serves no good purpose. And it certainly does not help to go to sleep angry. I heard and I later used this with premarital counseling; a night spent apart because of anger, makes it easy to make it many nights and days apart from your loved one. Nellie and I learned to settle differences before morning and that blessed our marriage. The passage also says to respect what is not ours, and to use words to construct and build up one another; we serve no purpose in putting or cutting anyone down. We should live our lives in a way that glorifies God.

PRAYER: Loving God, I thank You for the extravagant love You have shown me and mine, through Jesus Christ. Make me like Christ. Make me a person whose life does indeed glorify You and You only. May my words, thoughts, and actions be only for Your good. I pray this in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord.

Eradio Valverde

Bread from Heaven

Good day dear friends. It has been a long time and I trust everyone is well. Again, my thanks for your continued prayers.

Our text for today comes from John 6: 35 Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. 41 Then the Jews began to complain about him because he said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven." 42 They were saying, "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, "I have come down from heaven'?" 43 Jesus answered them, "Do not complain among yourselves. 44 No one can come to me unless drawn by the Father who sent me; and I will raise that person up on the last day. 45It is written in the prophets, "And they shall all be taught by God.' Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me. 46 Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God; he has seen the Father. 47 Very truly, I tell you, whoever believes has eternal life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died.50 This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh." (NRSV)

John captures the essence of Jesus in ways that most people can relate to. John shares more "I am" statements from Jesus than the other three gospels. Here, Jesus says that He is the bread of life. Most people understood the importance and centrality of bread to their diets. Others understood and related to the importance of bread in their history, more especially the manna of the Exodus. And here Jesus says that He is the bread of life and shares how this bread is a satisfying bread that will not allow hunger after having eaten it. Yet, it is a bold claim and one that not everyone would understand nor accept. The Jews were angered by this claim. Those who knew Jesus and His family were upset by the heavenly claim when they knew who His parents were. "How can Jesus say he's from heaven when we know he's from here?" Not everyone on the ground floor of an idea will understand nor accept the coming bigger picture. In this case, what Jesus is sharing, we, centuries later, completely understand that Jesus' whole life and ministry would be seen as a needed sacrifice for our eternal good. Those on the ground floor with Jesus did not. The issue of finding and having daily bread was still a challenge, and it's hard to think on spiritual things when your stomach is growling with hunger. Please know I am not defending them nor making less of their need for Jesus; some were not yet in a position to understand nor accept all of the things that Jesus came to share.

Yesterday in the church where we worshipped we had Holy Communion. The words of this sacrament remind us of all that God did for us through Jesus. "Do this in remembrance of me," we hear over and over, and yet, we sometimes forget that because of love, God remembered us and we should remember God in all things and in all ways, every single day. God has always provided for us and will continue to do so. Sometimes we are so overwhelmed by abundance we take it for granted. May we never forget that during our time of need, God was right there offering us Jesus and when we said yes to Him, we were never the same.

PRAYER: O Provider of Heavenly Bread, provide for me right now. Fill me and use me. Thank You, for Jesus and all that Jesus has shared with me. May I seek to share Jesus with others this day and all days; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde