We Have a Savior!

Jesus Explained All Things

From Matthew 13:24-30; 36-40: He put before them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. And the slaves of the householder came and said to him, "Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from?' He answered, "An enemy has done this.' The slaves said to him, "Then do you want us to go and gather them?' But he replied, "No; for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.' " Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples approached him, saying, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field." He answered, "The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; the field is the world, and the good seed are the children of the kingdom; the weeds are the children of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. Just as the weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, and they will throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let anyone with ears listen!

Farmers know that when wheat is fully ripe it bows with the weight of the grain. Weeds do not. Growing side by side, yet one bows and the other does not. Jesus knew that; He understood the ancient methods of farming and uses that knowledge to share His understanding of how good and evil people are present in the world even today. Using this parable to demonstrate that, Jesus spoke of the good intentions of the sower and the evil intentions of the one who came at night to plant weeds. Those working the field asked the householder if they should not go and pull out the weeds before they got any bigger. The answer was no, let them grow side by side. The householder feared the yanking of weeds might destroy some of the good crop. It would be at harvest time when the separation would come; weeds here and wheat there. The weeds would be burned and the wheat would be enjoyed for what it produced. This parable makes sense to those of us who have wondered how in a world created by God for good we find so many who do not yet know God nor seek Him. How can one make sense of those who kill, steal, and destroy? How can one see or hear news reports of so much evil in the world and wonder why God allows this? This is what Jesus is trying to explain in the parable found in this passage. Good and evil will exist side by side until the end of the world. The parable follows the parable of the sower from last week, and it again stresses that God is at work through us and others, in trying to win those who are not yet His. Yet, we know there will be those who choose not to follow God and choose to please only themselves. That does not diminish our work of trying to reach everyone we can; the urgency is still ever before us to reach just one more. Jesus says we do have an enemy, but we also know that we have a Savior.

"We have a Savior" is good news to a world that seems lost at times. We have One who provides life in the midst of death. We have a Savior to pull us out from the depths of wrong to bring us to the side of what is right. We have a Savior to lead us when everyone else seems so lost. We have a Savior who makes room for those who desire to be on the side of God. We have a Savior is light to a world trying to make its way through darkness. Here's the deal; don't let the thought of "We have a Savior" stay "out there;" make Jesus your personal savior, and then you can also say, "I have a Savior."

PRAYER: Come, Jesus Christ, into my heart again today. I need a Savior; I need You. I need You to help me from being lost, from doing what I hate, from being led down wrong paths. Help me to walk right next to You to the path that leads to life to the fullest, blessed by You. This I pray in Your name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

The Power of God's Word

Great Passage and a Great Song

From the Psalmist 119: 105-112: Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. I have sworn an oath and confirmed it, to observe your righteous ordinances. I am severely afflicted; give me life, O Lord, according to your word. Accept my offerings of praise, O Lord, and teach me your ordinances. I hold my life in my hand continually, but I do not forget your law. The wicked have laid a snare for me, but I do not stray from your precepts. Your decrees are my heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart. I incline my heart to perform your statutes forever, to the end.

The song now stuck in my head is a nice one. Amy Grant singing, "Thy Word." It was inspired by this passage, and David's familiarity with the Word was what inspired him to write the passage. For those walking in darkness, a great fall can come, and worse, one could lose one's way forever. It is in knowing God's word that we receive that lamp our feet need to avoid stumbling and the light that guides our path. So in love was David with God's word that he says he made a deep commitment to study it and more importantly, to follow it. And a good thing he did, and that we do, for the very next word is one of his suffering. "Afflicted" is what David shares without revealed what it was, but we know that it was something that made him think he was losing life and so he adds, "Give me life, O Lord, according to your word." He and we should know this should come from God and even in the midst of any affliction we can start our songs and words of praise.

We were at a funeral recently where one of the scripture readers approached the lectern with his phone and confessed he could not read the type and he added, that thankfully someone had printed out the text for him to read in large print. A smart phone today can link us to a Bible immediately through the internet or one can download apps that contain the Bible. But what has happened to carrying Bibles? More importantly, what has happened to studying the Bible? To find the lamp and light we must study the Bible. No one can just hear a phone ring and know what the message is from the caller. Yes, we have the ability to modify ringtones and know who is calling, but we don't always know what they are calling about. In the same way, we have our Bibles close at hand, but what is God calling us to do? We will never find out if we don't pray and reflect, read and pray, and then just listen to what God may be asking of us. Life led by a Bible is a brightly lit path; we dim the light when we choose to ignore what God has asked and we choose to do what we want. You and I have been blessed by new insights into life when we've spent time reading God's word. You and I have been blessed by messages from those who prayerfully study the word and bring us messages in worship. I have been blessed by missionaries whose lives were changed by picking up a Bible for the very first time. I will never forget a missionary from India speaking to our ministerial alliance and his saying that he had come to faith because he picked up a Bible and for the first time in his life he held what he called, "A talking book!" We've heard those who have also said, "I tried to read the Bible, but it read me!"

Feeling alone or afraid? Let God bless you. Feeling like you're walking in the dark with no direction or purpose? Let God bless you. Read the Bible. Facing a problem that seems bigger than you? Let God, who is bigger than any problem, bless you. Read the Bible. Facing challenges or discouragement? Let the Author of life, joy, peace, and comfort speak to you as you open the blessing that is the word of God for our lives.

PRAYER: Loving God, as we face the coming of today and all that it contains, ready our hearts and spirits in the knowledge that we walk not alone, nor in darkness, when we first turn to You and trust You. Help us dust off our Bibles so that You can dust off our lives and spirits. Make us be light for others through Christ living in us; this we pray in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

God Provides!

In All Things & In All Ways! (Isaiah 55:10-13)

From Isaiah 55: 10-13 come these words: For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there until they have watered the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the thing for which I sent it. For you shall go out in joy, and be led back in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall burst into song, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress; instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle; and it shall be to the Lord for a memorial, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.

In all ways and in all things, God provides! Such was the faith of this prophet as he wrote these words in the passage above. He could see evidence of God's handiwork in nature and compared it to how God provides and brings forth harvest from His word. Rain and snow, while not very common around these parts lately, still comes from heaven, says the prophet, and in the same way they water the earth, so does God's word water those who are dry and thirsty. As the heavenly moisture provides the harvest which brings bread to those hungry, so does the word of God provide nourishment for the spirits of those who hunger for God's grace. Rainfall and snowfalls never return to God empty, neither does the sharing of God's word; there is a purpose God needs accomplished here on the earth and our willingness to share is part of that purpose. Those who accept to share, the prophet says, go out in joy and return home led in peace. As those who go forth to share God's word, nature joins in and the mountains and hills burst into song, and the trees of the field applaud the works of God. And instead of thorns, the nourishment God's word provides, will bring forth myrtle. All serving to glorify God as a memorial of His presence and power, and a sign that will never be removed. In all ways and in all things, God provides!

God awaits our response. Let us go forth to share as God has shared with us. In all ways and in all things, God provides!

PRAYER: Loving God, the emphasis this week has been on sowing seed; today's passage speaks of the way you work in the lives of those who say yes to sharing Your word. Count me in among those who have said yes and send me forth in joy and lead me back in peace. Let my ears be attuned to the praise and applause of nature, not for me, but for You and what You do. For in all things and in all ways, You do surely provide! Amen.

Not Guilty!

Romans 8: 1-11

From Paul's Letter to the Romans: There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do: by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and to deal with sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, so that the just requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For this reason the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God's law—indeed it cannot, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you.

"Not Guilty" are the words anyone who has a trial before a judge; From Paul's hand come those words to "those who are in Christ Jesus." This comes as Paul's way of explaining God's grace to believers. The Law had existed to point out sins and guide humanity towards faithfulness, and as Paul and many saw it, the law was basically about "sin and death," but in Jesus Christ, the law was fulfilled and life in the Spirit came to be the guide for us all. Through Jesus' example we are to live as people of the Spirit, setting our thoughts and actions of the things from above, not the things below. Paul knew that those who live guided only by the flesh will find themselves opposed to God and the things of God; those who seek to live by the Spirit find life and peace. And it comes natural to those who have invited God's Spirit to live in them.

My mornings usually start with a long prayer. In it I seek to worship and praise God, a time of confession and repentance, a time of thanksgiving, and a time of supplication, of praying for others. In that prayer I ask that I be emptied of me and filled with Him. I sometimes feel the need to invite Jesus into my heart again and again. I want my day to reflect my prayer; worship and praise, connected to God and guided by Him. I want my life to share with others life and peace as promised through this passage. I share this not because I'm perfect but because I am far from perfection; yet, as I said at my ordination, I strive towards it, with God's help.

PRAYER: Loving God, may I seek You in all things and in all ways. I invite Jesus and His Holy Spirit into my heart, mind, and body. May I live a life that invites others to come and experience the joy and peace that come from You. It is in Christ Jesus that I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Which Seed Are You?

Photo taken by Nellie Valverde, graphics made by Carli Valverde

Jesus Meant Us in This Parable

From Matthew 13: 1-9; 18-23: That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables, saying: "Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Let anyone with ears listen!" "Hear then the parable of the sower. When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet such a person has no root, but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing. But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty."

A NOTICE AND A WORD OF APPRECIATION. Dear friends, Just to thank you for being faithful readers of my devotional thoughts. I write this to personally reflect where I am and where I believe God wants me to be. Through the years, actually since 1999 when I started these, I have won and lost readers; to God be the glory! I am thankful to God if a single word can bring a blessing to your life. My notice is that starting on the 14, one week from today, ConCafe will be very sporadic as I begin a renewal leave. These are recommended for district superintendents and it is my turn to take this time off. I will still be engaged in a daily devotional, just not sharing it like before. I may send out some "Classic ConCafes" to continue blessing those of you who are blessed by these. I ask for your prayers as I seek to read and write while on this leave as well as take some time with my wife and with children and grandchildren. You are a blessing to me!

Jesus shares what I believe to most believers is a well known story. Set in His context and shared to illustrate the challenges of faith, Jesus talks about a sower, a person whose job it is to sow seeds to help prepare for a harvest. The sight of a sower was a common thing for Jesus' day and so He hooks His audience by sharing this story in this context. Probably in those listening to this story there were those who had sown seed in their lives or had relatives who had or still sowed seed for their living. This particular sower sowed everywhere he went, and that also may have caught the crowd's attention. "Why, everybody knows a sower goes into a prepared soil not just haphazardly throwing seed here and there!" There was a purpose to that as well.

But seed was thrown along a path, some rocky ground, thorns, and good soil. The path allowed for these seeds to become bird feed. Those along the rocky ground became sun scorched seeds. Those along the thorns became things for the thorns to choke. The good soil brought forth grain in varying measure.

Jesus explains the parable to the disciples. The seed is the "word of the kingdom." The teachings by Jesus were meant to bring about life, growth, and change in a person's life for the better. The types of settings that Jesus shared is the type of reactions that people have towards this precious word. Keep in mind that this sower sowed everywhere, not just good soil. The seeds along the path are those who have heard the word but do not understand it. They do not seek to find meaning or an explanation for that word and so they are snatched away by "the evil one." The rocky ground setting talks about those who hear and joyously receive the word of God, but never deepen their roots and when challenges or problems come along, they lose faith and they're lost as well. Those among the thorns are those who seek wealth or are easily distracted by the "cares of the world" are choked by those cares and lures, and they yield nothing. Are we among those?

The good soil are those who have heard, understood, and borne fruit for God's kingdom. The harvest varies, but it is still harvest. Are we among these?

Jesus spoke the truth and it is hard to imagine us being among the settings where there is no harvest, but we sometimes are. The good news is that we do not have to stay there! With God's help we can become those who bear fruit for God's kingdom in our midst.

Happy where you are? Or should we move?

PRAYER: Loving God, move me to change where I am towards becoming one who bears much fruit for You. Let us never be satisfied where we are when we know we have much to do and many to reach. This we pray in Christ Jesus our Lord, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

A Fresh Start is Found in God

Giving Up Is Not an Option!

From Psalm 145:8-15 we find these words: God is all mercy and grace - not quick to anger, is rich in love. God is good to one and all; everything he does is suffused with grace. Creation and creatures applaud you, God; your holy people bless you. They talk about the glories of your rule, they exclaim over your splendor, Letting the world know of your power for good, the lavish splendor of your kingdom. Your kingdom is a kingdom eternal; you never get voted out of office. God always does what he says, and is gracious in everything he does. God gives a hand to those down on their luck, gives a fresh start to those ready to quit. (The Message)

David writes a psalm of reflection on the goodness of God. In God he found forgiveness and grace; so do we. He understands God to be a God who is slow to anger, and extremely rich in love. He knew God to be good to one and all, sharing all things filled with grace. God is worshipped and applauded by all creation and all creatures; songs of God's glory, praises of God's splendor; telling all the world of God's power for good. God is an eternal king of love; God's kingdom will never end. And the best message in the text? God gives a helping hand to those who have seen better days and who have reached a point where they think they can give up. David says, and we should too, "Don't give up!"

With the resources of God behind us and in those who ask, giving up should never be an option. God is a God of forward and upward movement. We should lift our hands towards God when we're down, and God will lift us up. We should lift up our hearts when we feel down, and God's praise will lift our hearts. When our eyes are downcast, look upward and see the greatness of God, and you will be lifted up. In all things and in all ways; God is with us and will bless us.

PRAYER: Loving God, lift us up now. May this day prove to be a day of service to all, especially those who are down. Help us to exclaim Your goodness; we pray in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Doing The Very Thing I Hate!

Image from angusday.org

Paul Shares His Struggles with Sin

From Romans 7: 15-25a: I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree that the law is good. But in fact it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot do it. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me. So I find it to be a law that when I want to do what is good, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God in my inmost self, but I see in my members another law at war with the law of my mind, making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!

We are all persons of good intentions. We make resolutions at New Year's, we "give up" things at Lent, we start diets, we buy expensive exercise equipment; all to find ourselves right back where we started. Paul is being honest with God and himself that he is the same way when it comes to saying no to sin. His first statement in this passage could have been penned by you and me. We often do the very thing we hate. We say the things we swore we would never say, we think the things we don't want to think; and we find we sometimes cannot explain our actions to those whom we love but hurt. Paul knew that sin left unattended in our spirits can cause us to sin more and more, leading us to become people of flesh, and not people of faith. We can become people of evil instead of eternity. Paul found himself sounding like David of the Psalms: "Who will reduce me from this body of death?" Paul knows the only answer is found in Jesus Christ so the says, "Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!"

Thanks, indeed, for Him who bore our sins and paid the price for our liberty from sin. Daily we should commit ourselves to God's loving hands by confessing our sins and asking their removal and daily inviting Jesus into our hearts and lives so that we might indeed have a loving relationship with Him. For it is in Christ Jesus that we have the freedom for joyful and fruitful obedience. Praise be to God!

PRAYER: Loving God, help us as we walk to walk towards obedience and faithfulness. Free us from sin today and all days. Let our lives be an example of that which is possible in You. We pray in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Sight Unseen; Woah!

Image from http://www.sharonministries.org.za

Rebekah Meets Isaac; Talk About An Arranged Marriage

From Genesis 24: 42-48: (The entire recommended portion from Genesis includes verses 34-38; 42-49; and 58-67) "I came today to the spring, and said, "O Lord, the God of my master Abraham, if now you will only make successful the way I am going! I am standing here by the spring of water; let the young woman who comes out to draw, to whom I shall say, "Please give me a little water from your jar to drink," and who will say to me, "Drink, and I will draw for your camels also"—let her be the woman whom the Lord has appointed for my master's son.' "Before I had finished speaking in my heart, there was Rebekah coming out with her water jar on her shoulder; and she went down to the spring, and drew. I said to her, "Please let me drink.' She quickly let down her jar from her shoulder, and said, "Drink, and I will also water your camels.' So I drank, and she also watered the camels. Then I asked her, "Whose daughter are you?' She said, "The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor's son, whom Milcah bore to him.' So I put the ring on her nose, and the bracelets on her arms. Then I bowed my head and worshiped the Lord, and blessed the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me by the right way to obtain the daughter of my master's kinsman for his son.

I confess that I have not watched a single episode of The Bachelorette nor The Bachelor. I know that I may be lacking in cultural wisdom about those popular shows, but I know the premise enough to know that I would not want to watch it. And here I am reading about an arranged marriage, albeit by God, between a grieving young man and a bewildered but compliant young woman. The marriage was the desire of a very old man who had lost his wife, for his (only) son. Abraham came to a point in his life when he knew that his son Isaac, should marry. And he desired for his son a wife not from among the Canaanite women, but the women from Israel. While that may seem racist in this context it was done for religious purposes primarily; Abraham knew the religion of his new neighbors and he remembered his role in helping form this religion of Israel; a wife with little or no respect for Judaism would not help the cause. So he sends a servant to find a wife with instructions to know that God's angel would go before him, and the servant himself prayed when he reached the place where he knew the right wife would be found.

The prayer that this servant prayed included the way he would know if the right woman had come along. He would make a request of her and she would not only comply with it, she would go the extra step. And so it was that the young woman he met was Rebekah. He asked her for a drink of water and she gave it to him as well as giving water to his camels. This was the fulfilled request of that prayer. The servant knew then that God was with him and that this young woman was the woman for Isaac. I know this is foreign to most readers who are well versed in dating, courtship, engagement and marriage. It's all based on the notion of true love. The steps have changed and even become blurred, reflected even in the popular music of my day; from the singing of "I Want to Hold Your Hand" to the rapid rise of "Let's Spend the Night Together," to whatever my grandkids are singing now. The cultural emphasis of this type of marriage was to find the person with which to have children and in which to find a helper/partner/companion for all of life's endeavors. The servant believed it was Rebekah. (Please read the send-off given to her by her family in verse 60!).

The story is about trusting and knowing that God is involved in every aspect of our lives if we so invite. God will and does come into our lives when invited and to guide and bless as we ask. Prayer was part of this story as was the faith that God had guided and answered the prayers of Abraham and this unnamed servant. (Eliezer is the believed name of this servant). And the passage fits into the Lectionary readings in stressing that in God we find rest for our souls. God's message through Jesus is true in this Old Testament story as it is today in our lives, if we come to Him, He will give us rest. As Rebekah shared her water and watered the camels, rest came to the soul of the servant. When Abraham and Isaac saw Rebekah coming towards them, rest came to their souls. If we seek the hand of God in our lives, we will see it and rest will come to our souls.

PRAYER: Loving God, I confess that sometimes I want to, but think I cannot see Your hand at work; but then in Your time, I see it and rest does come to my soul. In the hectic pace of life, grant to me the peace and pace I need to faithfully serve You. I know that true rest for my soul comes from my faithfulness to You. I pray this prayer of faith in Christ Jesus, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Come Unto Me All Who Are Heavy Laden

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And I Will Give You Rest

From the New King James Version of Matthew 11: 16-19; 25-30: But to what shall I liken this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their companions, and saying: 'We played the flute for you, And you did not dance; We mourned to you, And you did not lament.' For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon.' The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' But wisdom is justified by her children." At that time Jesus answered and said, "I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight. All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

Jesus compared the generation of people for whom He came as a generation much like marketplace children. While their parents tended their shops or while they shopped, the kids would taunt other kids. The saying Jesus uses is one to tease those who were not aware of much, children who did not know what to do or how to react. The ministries of John the Baptist and Jesus were not understood and many did not know what to do or how to react. The taunts were a bit harsher with accusations running from demon possession to drunkenness and influence by bad company. But the truth was, Jesus say, that God was revealing to "babes" the things of God's Kingdom among them. Those whom the world believed had no clue, indeed had the keys to the kingdom. Those who were "heavy laden" would find in Jesus' message and teachings, "rest." Being yoked to Jesus would mean having an understanding no one else would; and a rest for souls that the world could not match.

Nellie and I were reflecting on the impact God is already having on our grandson Liam's life at this point. While his mom works on Sunday, Liam usually ends up making long trips with grandma and grandpa, usually to things he would not normally choose. Yesterday was such a day. We worshipped here in Corpus Christi, then we felt led to take a nursing student to lunch. We then drove to Cuero, Texas, for a five o'clock dedication service of their new organ and we sang and sang. We sang what I called the "newer Doxology" that has in it several "Alleluias," and we heard a community choir sing the Hallelujah Chorus. As we left the church he could not stop singing "Alleluia, Alleluia," and even asked if I had in my iPod "that church song with the alleluia?" I do have the Hallelujah Chorus and played it several times on our way to Beeville where we greeted the young workers of the UM Army in town to do repair work on several homes. His singing of alleluia I believe, is rest for his young soul. He's being exposed to worship experiences that others are not. My prayer is that his soul never depart from that understanding and relationship that he has or will have with Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior. In Christ we find rest for our souls; an understanding and acceptance that the world cannot and tries not to match. In Christ there is a pace and a peace that everyone needs and should have. And guess what? It's ours for the asking.

PRAYER: Lord, the demands of life on my soul can be taxing at times, but I thank You that in You I can find the pace and the peace that I need. Help me to receive it, and more importantly, help me to share it. This I pray in Christ Jesus' precious name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

God Say, "Kill Me a Son;" Abe say, "You're putting' Me On!"

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Sacrifice and the Faithful

From Genesis 22:1-14: After these things God tested Abraham. He said to him, "Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am." He said, "Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I shall show you." So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac; he cut the wood for the burnt offering, and set out and went to the place in the distance that God had shown him. On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place far away. Then Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here with the donkey; the boy and I will go over there; we will worship, and then we will come back to you." Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked on together. Isaac said to his father Abraham, "Father!" And he said, "Here I am, my son." He said, "The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?" Abraham said, "God himself will provide the lamb for a burnt offering, my son." So the two of them walked on together. When they came to the place that God had shown him, Abraham built an altar there and laid the wood in order. He bound his son Isaac, and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to kill his son. But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, and said, "Abraham, Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am." He said, "Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me." And Abraham looked up and saw a ram, caught in a thicket by its horns. Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place "The Lord will provide"; as it is said to this day, "On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided."

This is a difficult passage to read and even more difficult to imagine from a parent's perspective. Abraham, the father of the faith, promised a son; given one through a servant woman, later one from his wife, is tested to the limits of faith. Bob Dylan, in his classic "Highway 61" song said it this way:

Oh God said to Abraham,"Kill me a son" Abe says, "Man, you must be putting' me on" God say,"No." Abe say,"What?" God say, "You can do what you want Abe, but The next time you see me com in' you better run" Well Abe says, "Where do you want this killin' done?" God says, "Out on Highway 61."

The father of the faith faces the greatest testing of faith. The question as posed by the Oxford Annotated Bible in its study notes asks, Do you have enough faith to surrender that which God has given you? Isaac was the gift of faith from God to Abraham, then God asks for this gift to be returned. Faith is what allowed Abraham to know that in God is life; God who is able to make all things out of nothing, and even provide an heir when most would find themselves on a golf course in twilight years, moves toward that act of obedience asked by God. Obedience is the product of faith, seeing what no one else can see, hoping above hope and moving towards that which God has asked. It is not easy, but necessary. One can only imagine the pace that Abraham took as he made his way up that mountain, praying all the way. Some of our life's most difficult moments slow us down to that pace of prayer in the face of what we believe is certain defeat and sure loss. The trip took three days, uphill all the way. You and I have traveled those paths, have we not? It was on that third day that he left his helpers behind and took his young son with him to the site where he would sacrifice his son. In other religions of the area, this was a commonplace practice, but for the Hebrews it was not, and shows the difficulty in understanding and accepting of such a barbaric ritual. Then the questions from the boy, "Where is the lamb?" Where is the lamb, indeed? A question that would be asked for years until the Pascual Lamb, Jesus the Christ came to answer it for all time.

At the point of what many would consider the point of no return, God intervenes and God provided. And yes, that should be the name of our faith journey with God, "God will provide, for He always does."

PRAYER: Loving God, be with those facing difficult decision and situations with loved ones, especially sons and daughters. Bring to them the hope that rises above hope, and the peace that passes understanding. This we pray in Christ Jesus, amen. Have a great and blessed day in the Lord. Eradio Valverde

Children of the Resurrection

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Freed for Joyful Obedience and Service to God

From Romans 6:12-23: Therefore, do not let sin exercise dominion in your mortal bodies, to make you obey their passions. No longer present your members to sin as instruments of wickedness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and present your members to God as instruments of righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace. What then? Should we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God that you, having once been slaves of sin, have become obedient from the heart to the form of teaching to which you were entrusted, and that you, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. I am speaking in human terms because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to greater and greater iniquity, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness for sanctification. When you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. So what advantage did you then get from the things of which you now are ashamed? The end of those things is death. But now that you have been freed from sin and enslaved to God, the advantage you get is sanctification. The end is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The impact and power of Christ's resurrection continues daily our lives. Our freedom to choose not to sin, is a fruit of that resurrection. Yet, Paul knew that if we are not careful, we continue to choose to sin, and so urges us to make the choice to not sin. We, as children of the Resurrection, are spiritual people not carnal one. We are children of righteousness, not wickedness; and our path should be the one that leads to the fullness of life and eternal life. Sin no longer has the same power it once did because we have surrendered ourselves to Christ Jesus. And that is part of the "joyful obedience" that we say every time we confess immediately prior to receiving Holy Communion. We are no longer slaves to sin, but we should be "slaves to righteousness." All part of our journey of sanctification, being made perfect in love in this lifetime. Our question should be, Am I living better today in God's eyes than I was yesterday? Have my choices reflected righteousness or am I living like everyone else?

Life is not an easy journey at times, but with the power and presence of God's Holy Spirit it becomes a fulfilling one. The other road we were on led straight to death, proving what Paul declares in the last verse, "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

PRAYER: Awesome God, help me to make the choices of righteousness in my life. Let my life bless You and Yours. Make me an example of a life lived seeking fullness of life and the reward of eternal life. Truly free me for joyful obedience. This I pray in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Remember, Welcome, & Bless

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Continued Instructions for Faithful Living

From Matthew 10:40-42: "Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet's reward; and whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of the righteous; and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple—truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward."

Today's reading contain further instructions from Jesus to His disciples about the work they must carry on in reaching people for God. Jesus knew from personal experience that not all people welcome others. He had experienced rejection and questions about who He was and what He was about. Jesus also knew that the same would hold true for us when we go about God's business, and more so if we try to share a word about God to others. In the midst of all these things, Jesus knew the smallest kindness would be a blessing.

So, Jesus begins by reminding us to remember that He goes with us wherever we are led to work. And as we arrive at those places or among those people, Jesus is with us and if we are welcomed, Jesus is welcomed; and if Jesus is welcomed, then those people have welcomed God into their midst. My father was a man who loved to visit relatives. We were regular visitors to our kin in Kingsville. And there was one house in our route that had a stern warning in Spanish about that household being a Catholic home and that others were not welcomed, especially if they were coming to try and convert them away from their Catholicism. When I learned to read and comprehend that message I wondered how truly welcomed we were; we were not Roman Catholics, but then I knew that our visit was not about religion or teachings, it was about family. This family always welcomed us. I wonder how many "signs" we may have around us about how welcome others are into our lives, especially if they are different from us.

Jesus then speaks about prophets, and we remember that the Bible speaks of a prophet as being one who speaks a word on behalf of God. And those who welcome prophets receive a prophet's reward. Interesting because prophets were not necessarily welcome in most of the stories in the Old Testament; and some received a "reward" of death. But those who truly received and welcomed a prophet welcomed great joy and peace into their homes and into their hearts; this I believe is the reward that blesses those who welcome one who would speak on behalf of God. I remember as a child the visit of our minister to our home. If we knew that he was coming, we were usually given stern instructions on how to act while our pastor was with us. Even as a child I felt a peace and a joy whenever he arrived and shared his smile and words with us. The reward of a righteous person is inner peace and comfort; whoever welcomes a righteous person receives the same into their lives.

All of our visitors were asked by my mom or dad if they had eaten. In those days that was the standard question. Most of our visitors always said yes, they had eaten. And prior to our getting off our car as we visited, we were told the correct and only answer we could share if asked that question was yes, we have eaten. And our guests if they declined food, were asked if we could offer them something to drink. At best we had Kool Aid, we always had water. And most times the guest would say they would take a glass of water. Gestures of welcome and care are these of sharing at least water with a person. It is a desire to share that which is essential for well-being and life. And to share these, Jesus says, is to ensure that we do not lose our reward as we give "even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple."

PRAYER: Loving God, may Jesus' teaching remind us how important it is to go and visit with others about You. As we seek to bless, let us be a blessing to You and Yours. This we pray in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Never Give Up on God

Photo by Eradio Valverde of an abandoned UM church in Taiban, NM.

God Never Gives Up on Us!

From the Psalmist, these dark words. Psalm 69:7-18: Because of you I look like an idiot, I walk around ashamed to show my face. My brothers shun me like a bum off the street; My family treats me like an unwanted guest. I love you more than I can say. Because I'm madly in love with you, They blame me for everything they dislike about you. When I poured myself out in prayer and fasting, All it got me was more contempt. When I put on a sad face, They treated me like a clown. Now drunks and gluttons Make up drinking songs about me. And me? I pray. God, it's time for a break! God, answer in love! Answer with your sure salvation! Rescue me from the swamp, Don't let me go under for good, Pull me out of the clutch of the enemy; This whirlpool is sucking me down. Don't let the swamp be my grave, the Black Hole Swallow me, its jaws clenched around me. Now answer me, God, because you love me; Let me see your great mercy full-face. Don't look the other way; your servant can't take it. I'm in trouble. Answer right now! Come close, God; get me out of here. Rescue me from this deathtrap.

A day late. A dollar short. You open your mouth and the wrong thing comes out. You do this, they want that. You try hard. You still fall short. Such was the day David was having. His faith was strong, but not his attitude. It seemed the more he trusted God the more those around him expected more of David. So he writes this psalm, and in this version of The Message, it really sounds like a bad day he was having.

Too bad you and I never have bad day, huh? Right. We do. Yet, the message is clear from this psalm that we should never give up on God. Though we think we can't see evidence of God's presence, God is still there. Though our loved ones may chide our faithfulness, we still see God's fruitfulness. No matter how low we think we have sunk in our lives, the strong arm of God can pull us up and out.

PRAYER: Loving God, thank You for Your faithfulness and fruitfulness in our lives. Let our lives reflect a strong, enduring faith in You. And help us share that with others. This we pray in Christ Jesus our Lord, the model of never-ending faith, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

The God of Isaac & The God of Ismael

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God of All People

From Genesis 21:8-21: The child grew, and was weaned; and Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned. But Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, playing with her son Isaac. So she said to Abraham, "Cast out this slave woman with her son; for the son of this slave woman shall not inherit along with my son Isaac." The matter was very distressing to Abraham on account of his son. But God said to Abraham, "Do not be distressed because of the boy and because of your slave woman; whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, for it is through Isaac that offspring shall be named for you. As for the son of the slave woman, I will make a nation of him also, because he is your offspring." So Abraham rose early in the morning, and took bread and a skin of water, and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, along with the child, and sent her away. And she departed, and wandered about in the wilderness of Beer-sheba. When the water in the skin was gone, she cast the child under one of the bushes. Then she went and sat down opposite him a good way off, about the distance of a bowshot; for she said, "Do not let me look on the death of the child." And as she sat opposite him, she lifted up her voice and wept. And God heard the voice of the boy; and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven, and said to her, "What troubles you, Hagar? Do not be afraid; for God has heard the voice of the boy where he is. Come, lift up the boy and hold him fast with your hand, for I will make a great nation of him." Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. She went, and filled the skin with water, and gave the boy a drink. God was with the boy, and he grew up; he lived in the wilderness, and became an expert with the bow. He lived in the wilderness of Paran; and his mother got a wife for him from the land of Egypt.

The Bible is filled with real people, scars, warts, and all. No one in the Bible, save Jesus, is perfect. The Bible paints an honest picture of the human condition. Today's story is an example of that. The father of the faith, Abraham has had two sons. One through his slave woman, Hagar, at the urging of his wife, Sarah. The child is Ismael. Abraham had a second son, Isaac, from Sarah. The children are growing together and playing together, but it is Sarah who is uncomfortable with the arrangement she has made for herself, and orders Abraham to send away Ismael and his mother. Abraham is distressed at this order but complies after God tells him that things will be okay with Hagar and Ismael, even with the promise that a nation will be made from Ismael. And off they are sent. Re-read the story to see the conditions Hagar and Ismael suffer together.

From Ismael have come the Arab people. From Isaac have come the Jewish people. Same father, two sons whose nations have come to hate each other bitterly. The situation in the Middle East has these biblical roots of a shared father, who chose one over the other. Of course, not all Arabic people hate Jews, and not all Jews hate the Arabic people; but the majority have been raised in a culture of distrust and anger towards the other. Both claim the promised land as their own, and whatever land the Jewish people occupy today is claimed by the other side. The two have separate religions and both of their holy books name Abraham as father. And that may be the only agreement between the two nations. The aspect and nature of God is different and people argue whether Yahweh and Allah are the same God.

On this we should agree, that God is indeed the God of all people. We credit God with our creation and the creation of all things and that includes all people. Whatever differences, skin color, cultural differences, histories, etc. we may have, we should seek the common ground of a belief in a God that loves us all. We are the ones who should work towards peace in our hearts towards others and a shared world where we can live peaceably with each other. The peace of Christ should be the peace for which we strive. And the love of Christ should be what we share with each other. Common ground should be what we tread on for life is too short to fill it with violence and hate. Our places of worship should be the breeding ground for love and harmony. Every heart should have room for love for all people, especially those that no one else loves.

PRAYER: Loving God, for years we have sung the hymn, "Let there be peace on earth," and we forget that included in those words are those that say, "and let it begin in me." May it be so. May today be the day when I finally have that peace that allows me to love all people in the way You love us. May it be so. In Jesus' name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Dead to Sin; Alive to God!

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The Fullness of Life Begins with Death to Sin in Us

From Romans 6:1-11: What then are we to say? Should we continue in sin in order that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin go on living in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin. For whoever has died is freed from sin. But if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. The death he died, he died to sin, once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Dear friends, I apologize for no ConCafe yesterday. The day found Nellie and I in bed with a bad cold that we picked up at annual conference. We both had severe sore throats, and fever. Thankfully we were smart in seeing our doctor on Monday who prescribed an antibiotic and today we're both feeling much better. We appreciate your faithfulness and your prayers. We pray you do not come down with a summer cold; they're the worst!

Sin is missing the mark, some have said. God has set a mark for our lives and we have chosen to live it our way. Sin is that which we do which we know is not pleasing to God and usually comes as a result of our disobedience to God. The Bible says that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23), meaning that all unremoved sin will cause our spiritual death and may cause eternal death, a separation from God if we are not careful. Sin causes guilt and guilt causes a great weight in our heart or conscience that makes fullness of life impossible. But the good news is that Christ died to set us free from our sins, and yet some wonder, as Paul asks in the first verse of this passage, "Should we continue in sin in order that grace may abound?" And he also gives us the answer: NO! When we ask forgiveness of our sin, that sin is removed from us and we are dead to sin. And because of our baptism, we were joined with Christ in that death, but also because of that baptism we are joined with Christ in His life. And that brings about our walking with newness of life.

Newness of life means a deep appreciation for life, a strong positive attitude towards all things, seeing the good beyond the bad, and a contagious hope. The person with this newness of life tastes the sweet in the Lord as found all around us and his or her face reflects it. Sin no longer has a claim on our lives and life is ours! Yet, as pastor I have heard people say, "Well, pastor, I don't know, if I die today, I may not go to heaven!" What's that hymn that we sing? "Blessed Assurance, Jesus is mine! O what a foretaste of Glory divine! Heir of salvation, purchase of God, born of His spirit, washed in His blood." And the Refrains says, "This is my story, this is my son, praising my Savior all the day long." This IS our story once we have surrendered to Jesus all of our sins and commit our lives to Him. Dead will be the sin as well as the doubt and negative thoughts about life and our future.

Start singing!

PRAYER: Thank You, Lord God, for Your love and mercy. Thank You for bringing life to the dead, and taking to the death the sin once found in us. Free us for joyful obedience and a life that shows the newness in our souls. This we claim and pray in the precious and powerful name of Jesus my Lord, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Sixteen Verses, Sixteen Sermons

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Instructions for New Disciples

From Matthew 10:24-39: "A disciple is not above the teacher, nor a slave above the master; it is enough for the disciple to be like the teacher, and the slave like the master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household! "So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known. What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops. Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. And even the hairs of your head are all counted. So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows. "Everyone therefore who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven; but whoever denies me before others, I also will deny before my Father in heaven. "Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and one's foes will be members of one's own household. Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.

Sixteen verses containing what could be sixteen sermons. And that's the way the Bible is in some sections; small verses, powerful messages. But these verses are found in a section where Jesus has called and gathered His new disciples and is instructing them on the life ahead. The Oxford Annotated Bible calls this their "commissioning." To receive a commission is to become a part of the shared mission, and in this case to reach the world. But Jesus shares several things that bless us today.

1) Remember that we have our place in this mission, and humility and obedience will serve us well. We seek to become like our teacher who is Jesus the Christ. 2) And it won't be easy following Jesus, for he reminds them His detractors called him Beelzebul (Satan) and they will more than likely be called other names as well. 3) We should not be afraid or have fear. 4) Always share what God has done for us with as many as will hear it. 5) Have a deep love and respect for God (This is what "fear" means in the NT). 6) Our worth to God is assured always. 7) Always acknowledge Jesus for Who He is in our lives. I once received a pocket cross with the instruction: "Remember Whose you are, and who you are." I have since received more to hand out and I always say that to the person with whom I share them. 8) Not all who receive this message will receive a warm welcome in their own homes. 9) Our task will involve our taking up our cross; that burden of sharing truth and love might bring repercussions against us. 10) Hold on to Jesus, never let go! Our task is to be faithful to Jesus and our reward will be great.

That in a nutshell is Whose we are and who we are. It's a wonderful life worth living, as the disciples soon found out. They, according to legend, all paid the price, but it was worth it because the world has yet to hear of God's great love and concern for them. Let us embark on this journey with joy!

PRAYER: Thank You, Loving God, for being with me and helping me to bear the cross. I want to serve You and Yours. I pray this in Christ Jesus' precious name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

The Wonder of God

Image from Corpus Christi, Texas. A photograph taken by Eradio Valverde, Jr.

God is Greater than all that we fear!

From the psalmist, Psalm 8: O Lord, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. Out of the mouths of babes and infants you have founded a bulwark because of your foes, to silence the enemy and the avenger. When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established; what are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals \that you care for them? Yet you have made them a little lower than God,and crowned them with glory and honor. You have given them dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under their feet, all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas. O Lord, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Our annual conference is about to begin. Every year we gather here in Corpus Christi, "The Sparkling City by the Sea" as our chamber of commerce calls it, or used to. And for many who do not live by it, and even those of us who do; the sea brings to us a marvel of God's handiwork and creation. I look out over the bay and marvel at the water that connects us with so many other places, an ancient highway to new lands. The replica of one of the ships of Cristobal Colón (Columbus) sits in the bay as an accent mark of discovery. The psalmist felt the same way about the night sky, the day sky, the beauty and wonder of babies and toddlers; how their babbles and sounds fight against all that would come against God. He marveled at our place as humans in all of creation, realizing that God created us "a little lower than God," and yet, "crowned with glory and honor." God has given us authority to rule over creation. All should serve to motivate us to deeper faith and stronger works among all creation, people included.

This psalm is a call to action of a better life and a brilliant witness to the wonder of God in our midst. We are called to live a life that points to God and gives God glory and honor. To live with strife or hatred or distrust honors no one, especially ourselves. We are not called to simply stand and point up; we should live an action life that does the pointing at God and God's people, which are everyone we see. Life is too precious and too short, to limit it to seeking everything for ourselves. Seek to honor and glorify God by loving and working with all.

PRAYER: Amazing and loving God, fill my heart with love and wonder for You and Yours. May today be a day when I see Your face reflected in all whom I meet, especially those who may not look or dress or talk like me. This is my prayer and may it be the prayer of all who seek You. In Jesus Christ I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Please hold our annual conference in your prayers!

Eradio Valverde

God Saw That It Was Good!

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The Story of Creation Genesis 1:1-2:4a

From Genesis 1:26-28; 31a: Then God said, "Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth." So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth." God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good.

Yesterday, while picnicking with our two oldest grandchildren, one of them asked, "What's that noise?" We were at Goliad State Park, near a busy highway, and the noise he was hearing were large trucks that have dominated our area with the oil boom. I replied that answer, then it was quiet and we could hear the sounds of insects all around us. Again, "What's that noise?" I told him they were bugs and how all creation liked to praise God with their sounds. It was a great day to see their wonder about ant lions and their clever ways to trap ants; ants being too smart to fall into those holes, spiders at work trying to catch their food, and to see the San Antonio River away from the commercialization that is the famous River Walk. The story from Genesis tells of God's creation. Our college professor in an intro to Old Testament class asked us to imagine being seated around a campfire listening to the oldest person there telling this story to answer the question where did we come from?

The story is presented in a way so that as the story is learned, it is learned in a way that it can be passed down to future generations as they begin to ask the questions of life. An orderly story of how order came out of chaos, all the work of God's hand. Included in that is our story, the creation of humankind. Made in the image of God, meant to reflect that awe of God for God's goodness and love, we are the work of God's hand. Our creation involved a blessing from God, showing the love and intent of God to be invited and involved in our lives; our response by faithful and fruitful living will affirm what it says in the last verse of today, "it was very good."

Invite God to be a part of you life. I can think of nothing else that involves and invites the Maker to come along for the journey. Once you buy a new car Detroit takes its money and you're pretty much on your own. The same with any appliance, home, etc. Those who made those things usually want to walk away with their money. Not so with us; God made us, loves us, and desires to walk with us. The scriptures say that through the years God has shown the ways God is One and God is Three. Even in this story, the "us" shows that God was at work in the ways that blesses us with the knowledge of a loving Father, a loving and sacrificed Son, and the presence and power of God's Holy Spirit.

PRAYER: Loving God, thank You for creating me. While the world may point out my imperfectness, grant me peace and the assurance that in Your eyes I am very good. Help me to live a life that points that out to others, especially those hurting. This I ask in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Live in Peace, Love God, Kiss Each Other (Holy that is)

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All From "Yours Sincerely"?

The Apostle Paul closes out his 2nd Letter to the Corinthians in this way: (13:11-13) Finally, brothers and sisters, farewell. Put things in order, listen to my appeal, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints greet you. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.

Back in the days people wrote letters to one another, before email and texts, and early in my ministerial career, I received some wonderful letters. My junior high youth director, a student at the University of Houston at the time, and later a pastor in the Rio Grande Conference, became registrar of the board of ordained ministry and so he and I corresponded in both English and español. I always admired his command of both languages, especially the Spanish. I especially marveled at the way he would close his letters with some abbreviations that I trust I deciphered well. And Paul is no exception either; in this closing of his second letter to the people at Corinth he closes with quite a list of things they should be doing: 1) Farewell. The word farewell means that; that they should fare well. 2) Put things in order. An ordered life is easier to live than a disordered, haphazard life. 3) Listen to Paul's appeal. In other words, re-read what he shares before the closing of this letter. 4) Agree with one another. Life is too short to be caught up in divisions and disagreements. Seek reminders of what brought us together in the first place. The wife angry at a lifted toilet seat, and the husband angry at how his wife squeezes the toothpaste tube, should remember first dates and the love that brought them into the relationship in the first place. 5) Live in peace. Who likes to live in conflict all the time? 6) Invite God, the source of love and peace, to be with us. 7) Greet one another with a holy kiss. The meaning and practice of this ancient tradition has gone away, but show genuine love when greeting one another. 8) Know there are others just like you, living and enduring what we're going through. 9) Enjoy the grace of Jesus Christ our Lord. 10) Receive and enjoy the love of God. 11) And be blessed with the communion of the Holy Spirit with us.

We're set to celebrate Trinity Sunday and the last three are a reminder of Who and what God is and does. Grace is ours because of Jesus' ministry and teaching. The incarnational God brought to us the understand of undeserved but still given, love to all who will receive it. Love from God was shown by Jesus and Jesus reminded us of the love shown to us before He arrived. Jesus prepared us for the coming and blessing of the Holy Spirit, and the communion the Holy Spirit shares with us in the encouragement and strength we need. Though I have mentioned Jesus and His role among us as key and important, we know that God is One and Three.

You have a list. Follow it. Live it. Be blessed by it.

PRAYER: Loving God, help my life to be as Paul shared in his yours truly to us. I seek to live a life that is pleasing and a blessing to You and Yours. This I pray in the name of the Triune God; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

The Triune God

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Grounded in One in Three

From Matthew's last chapter, 28:16-20: Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

"The Trinity is a mystery. Always has been, always will be." This was the nervous response to a stern teacher/priest of a Catholic schoolboy in an ancient movie, "Heaven Help Us." (It's one of those movies you can watch on Youtube.com). But this coming Sunday is the day we celebrate the nature of God. And we start by saying it is a mystery. Who can fully understand God. We believe in a God whose knowledge we repeat every time we say one of the creeds, but Who's true identity eludes us on a personal level if we're not intentional about knowing God. The sharing of Who God is in this passage comes as Jesus is about to ascend into Heaven. Jesus directed them to meet Him at this mountain in Galilee and there upon seeing Him, "they worshiped Him, but some doubted," which is like most churches every Sunday. Jesus approaches them and says that He has received all authority in Heaven and earth adding, "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age." This part of the passage is called The Great Commission and almost every church knows it as such, but usually does little to nothing about it. But let's look at the passage with hopeful and trusting eyes to accomplish what Jesus has asked of us all.

We believe in a God of constant movement. The Bible shares how God's favorite word is go. The God of creation continues to move and do. We're asked to do the same thing. The stirring church is a faithful and fruitful one. It constantly tries new things to reach people. The stagnant church is a dying church. The next part of the commission uses the word make. Interestingly enough, my wife asked, "What's the difference between baptizing people and making disciples?" The making of disciples, I replied, is a process. This passage implies that we must first convince a person to the point of baptism about God and God's love and action in his or her life. The response to that new faith is usually to ask or offer baptism as a sign of entrance into this new body of faith. Baptism is not the end of the making of a disciple in my opinion; it is part of the entire journey of, to use a Wesleyan concept, of sanctification. A true disciple will seek to grow daily in her or his walk with God.

This baptism, Jesus said, must be in the name of the One who sent us; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And here comes where we have the Trinity to emphasize and explain. I could just say, Go to your church this Sunday and hear a wonderful explanation of God as One and Three, but that would not be fair to your pastor or to you. Jesus' use of the three is a reminder to the believers that God is One, and God is three. The other way we have explained the Trinity has been to say God is Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer, but that does not do full justice to the awesomeness of God. Yes, God did create, but we also believe Jesus was present and involved in creation as was the movement of the Holy Spirit. The same God in three persons, whose involvement and love have always been at work in all creation and especially in us. And Jesus is saying as we bring people to faith, all three must be acknowledged and believed as we welcome them into God's kingdom. The blessing of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is a complete blessing on new believers.

After the baptism should come the instruction of God's purpose and plan for humanity and as we believe, for individual lives. Our desire should be to grow and learn every single day. And when discouragement or disappointment comes, we should hear what Jesus said at the last: "And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

PRAYER: Loving God, come to us and make us know just how awesome You are. Stir in us the desire to do Your will among all people in all ways. This we pray in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Eradio Valverde

Renew the Face of the Earth!

Photo of Eliana Beth Garcia on her arrival day, Oct. 25, 2012!

This is our prayer, Lord!

From the Psalms 104: 29-34: When you hide your face, they are dismayed; when you take away their breath, they die and return to their dust. When you send forth your spirit, they are created; and you renew the face of the ground. May the glory of the Lord endure forever; may the Lord rejoice in his works— who looks on the earth and it trembles, who touches the mountains and they smoke. I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being. May my meditation be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the Lord. Bless the Lord, O my soul. Praise the Lord!

There is a tattered card in my wallet that I've carried in there since 1985. It was a prayer card given to me on Walk #22, held at Mt. Wesley Methodist Encampment, during my Walk to Emmaus® experience. It is a prayer that I know by heart that says this phrase in it: "Send forth your Spirit and we shall be created. And you shall renew the face of the earth." When I first prayed that together with all the men on that walk I said, "Wow!" I confess, most everything I heard, read, saw, or experienced made me say Wow, over and over. And I think I lost weight in tears that I gained again by delicious homemade chocolate chip cookies. What strikes me in the phrase is God's power to create and to make new; and when we include ourselves in that we have the entire Gospel message - God can make even us new!

The psalmist knew this for he had seen it in nature. In his quiet walks with his flocks and as he lay under the stars awaiting sleep, he saw God at work. He knew that if God hid from us, an expression more about our actions leading us away from God, great dismay comes upon all the earth. Should God choose to take away His breath from us, we would die; but, when God sends forth His Holy Spirit, new creation happens, and the face of the earth is renewed and God is glorified. This made the psalmist sing and praise the Lord, and it should make us do the same. Our hope and trust remains in the One who can create and make all things, us included, new!

PRAYER: Let us pray that special prayer: Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in us the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and we shall be created. And you shall renew the face of the earth. O God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy your consolations. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

If you have not yet been blessed by the awesomeness of God in such a spiritual weekend, please talk to your pastor about attending a Walk to Emmaus in the near future! Or visit the Walk to Emmaus page at emmaus.upperroom.org.

Blessed and Burdened by the Holy Spirit

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Understanding the Third Person of the Trinity

From Numbers 11:24-30: So Moses went out and told the people the words of the LORD; and he gathered seventy men of the elders of the people, and placed them round about the tent. Then the LORD came down in the cloud and spoke to him, and took some of the spirit that was upon him and put it upon the seventy elders; and when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied. But they did so no more. Now two men remained in the camp, one named Eldad, and the other named Medad, and the spirit rested upon them; they were among those registered, but they had not gone out to the tent, and so they prophesied in the camp. And a young man ran and told Moses, "Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp." And Joshua the son of Nun, the minister of Moses, one of his chosen men, said, "My lord Moses, forbid them." But Moses said to him, "Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the LORD's people were prophets, that the LORD would put his spirit upon them!" And Moses and the elders of Israel returned to the camp.

The Gospel of John was placed smack dab in the middle of a one-volume work that is now Luke and Acts. The organizers of the Bible felt it might be better to understand the Holy Spirit if a Gospel book, like John, came before Acts. It is John's gospel, after all, that talks more about the coming of the Holy Spirit. Yet, we find in this Old Testament book a movement and a sharing of the Holy Spirit among Moses and the elders of Israel. We see that from Moses' portion of this Spirit, a part of it is taken to share among 70 elders so that they could be a part of sharing what God was doing. Prophesying is not looking into a crystal ball to foresee the future; it is sharing a word from God with truth applicable to the situation. The situation in Moses' day was an unhappy people, impatient about all that was happening and wondering what could possibly come next.

A careful look at that entire chapter 11 of Numbers we find: Complaint. Complaint. Complaint. Quail from the Sea. Challenge. Sound familiar? First complaint was against God, and God sent fire to burn their camp. Second complaint was about the lack of meat; "Manna isn't enough! We're sick and tired of manna (bread from heaven)!" Third complaint was about leadership; "We're tired of the current leadership! We want another leader!" Hmm.

These people, like some people, need a word from God, and that word is that God uses current leadership for their good if they would but humble themselves and seek to follow the leader who has received a vision from God. God was trying to form a new people throughout the Exile experience. The people, however, wanted freedom once, and once they had it were not so sure they really wanted it. "Let's go back!" was their cry, when God was leading them forward to a new land and a new life.

Those who seek to know God may just receive a word from God that needs to be shared among all people and that word might not be a pleasant one. God's word tends to call people into a relationship that begins with our realizing the need in our life is to be made holy and pure; then to get our hands dirty among those not yet with us. This is God at work through His Holy Spirit. And this is what the Church should be about. It is not a competition among people about who does what; it's about doing what God has asked of us. As Moses said, we should also say, "Would that all the Lord's people were prophets, that the Lord would put His spirit upon them!" Yes, indeed.

PRAYER: Come, Holy Spirit, into my life as a blessing and burden; that I might seek to be at work among You and Yours. This I pray with the help and hope of Jesus my Lord, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Many Gifts, One Body

Photograph of the Corpus Christi District's clergy and family retreat, April, 2014

Discovering, Developing, and Deploying our Gifts

From 1 Corinthians 12: 4-13: Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the discernment of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are activated by one and the same Spirit, who allots to each one individually just as the Spirit chooses. For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.

Have you ever thought, "I wish I had what that guy/gal has, I'd really be able to serve the Lord if I only had what they had!"? If you have you're not alone, but as Paul is describing these gifts of the Holy Spirit, he had the wisdom given to him by God and through his experiences at working with Spirit-filled believers to know that not all people have the same gift; but all are still part of the one body of Christ. It is the same God who gave you your gift and gave me mine. The real question is discovering, developing and deploying our gift to honor and serve God. No one is better or worse because they have different gifts; what may be different is that some have discovered and are using their gift more effectively. The sad thing is there are some who have beautiful gifts but do not use them out of fear or other reasons. Paul had seen and heard people speak wise things. He had heard awesome knowledge shared by others. Paul had seen faith unlike faith ever seen before, and he had seen people with the gift to heal others. Same Spirit. Same God. Paul had seen miracles worked before his very eyes, and heard speak a tremendous word from God in situations needing it. And he had heard people speak in tongues and heard people with the gift to interpret tongues. It did become confusing, and it became a source of contention for many; Paul is called upon by God to share the words we just read. "For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ."

The Holy Spirit is, or can be, at work in you and the work you were called to do for God in your setting. The real gift is to do and share what God has shared with you. We have to take the first step towards faithfulness and fruitfulness. We overcome fear or shyness with prayers asking for God to make us bolder and stronger; we ask for wisdom and courage to act when the time is right, but knowing that the time is now. And we do our work not for recognition or thanks from those who are in need, but to honor and glorify God.

PRAYER: Amazing God of all gifts, help me to discover, develop, and deploy my gifts for Your good. Help me in my weakness become the person You called me to be; this I pray in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

The Day of Pentecost!

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Tongues of Fire on a Church That Wants to Stay Monolingual

We find this in Acts 2:2-4: And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.

God knows the importance of connecting with others as was demonstrated by this awesome event in Jerusalem during a celebration where people from all around the world were gathered. God sent the Holy Spirit to move among those gathered there to hear of the awesomeness of God and each in their own language. First, in the Upper Room where the disciples were hiding out in fear, then to the streets where they could not help but take this awesome message of God. The entire passage shows some of the nations represented that day on those streets, and the miracle was that of helping all to connect, in their own language with the love of God.

What will the scene be like this Sunday? A fired-up preacher will preach on Pentecost to a crowd that has driven quietly in to "worship," and will leave quietly, undisturbed, that the lesson has been on taking God's love to the streets in whatever language or ways it takes to reach everyone. And we wonder why our church is dying. We are the Church of the Most High, Most Powerful, the One,True Living God, and yet we forget that and live a life that says we do not care.

PRAYER: Lord, we humble ourselves before You to ask forgiveness for the way we have lived since that Day of Pentecost. Set our hearts afire with Your Holy Spirit, to go into the streets and share Your love and message in ways that all can understand and receive. This we pray in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde