An Advent Checklist

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Begin with Never-ending Joy!

From 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24: Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise the words of prophets, 21 but test everything; hold fast to what is good; abstain from every form of evil. May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this.

As now who travels constantly, that first ten miles are the most difficult. I have a mental checklist of things that I should have packed, and then to help stress myself more, I ask if I left the stove on. Nellie, who travels with me, will help in this as well. Years ago, I printed out a literal checklist that I had on my dresser of absolute essential items that needed to accompany me on whatever trip I was taking. This journey of Advent, the writer of Thessalonians say, has its own checklist of those things that absolutely must travel with us for our own good.

The first is a joy that won't quit. I have joked with some of my pastors and said that I want to publish a coffee table book called "Faces in the Choir." With no particular church in mind, there have been some moments in worship that I, as a worshipper, have noticed that perhaps the preacher has not. Most in the choir kept a cherub's face, holy and blessed, thankful to be sitting where they're sitting. Some, and these are the ones I want in the picture, let's just say have other things on their mind, with joy being the farthest thing from their mind and heart. This holds true for those in the congregation as well; sometimes me too. Joy in the morning blesses us, and for this Advent to make it a part of a daily checklist, will bless us these days as we await the birth of Jesus and as we await the Lord's return. The second item is to "pray without ceasing." We need to stay connected with God. I preached bilingually at the district conference of El Valle District and God gave me the illustration for a church that does not pray, as being an aquarium filled with fish and no water. A person that does not pray is like a fish out of water, flopping around, fighting for breath that can only be found in the water. And a fish, like an aquarium, without water soon stinks. Pray without stopping! The third is that attitude of gratitude that runs through most of the Bible. We are recipients of God's grace and blessings. We should give thanks to God for everything; the good and the not-so-good. I asked one pastor struggling in his church if he ever said from the pulpit if he was thankful to be the pastor there. The answer was obvious. I replied, "From now on, starting with this Sunday, first thing you say from the pulpit is 'I am so thankful to be your pastor and to be in this church!' Now, you may not mean it, but you keep saying that and thinking that and before too long, you won't be lying about that anymore."

God's will is for our attitude to reflect all that was mentioned above; a joyful, prayerful, thankful life. This helps us in our worship life as we listen to sermons and read books of inspiration. We should seek to find and hold on to the good that is out there, and do our best, with God's help to stay away from every kind of evil around us. God will make us holy in every aspect of our lives, and our souls will be, as the writer says, "sound and blameless" when Christ comes again. God is faithful and will provide all these things. Our job is to ask and receive these things.

PRAYER: Awesome God, what a joy it is to be in prayer with You. Increase our joy, make us people of prayer, and grant to all of us an attitude of gratitude; for we know the better our attitude, the higher the altitude we can soar in life. Keep us sound and blameless, for we ask these things in Christ Jesus our Lord, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Prayer Request: My Office Manager's daughter, Alison, undergoes a delicate surgery this morning in San Antonio. Please keep Alison, her husband, children Jenna and Asher, mom Sheila and dad, Don, in your prayers.

I'll Tell You Who I'm Not

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Intro to John the Baptist, Witness to Light

From John 1:6-8; 19-28: There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. This is the testimony given by John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?" He confessed and did not deny it, but confessed, "I am not the Messiah." And they asked him, "What then? Are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the prophet?" He answered, "No." Then they said to him, "Who are you? Let us have an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?" He said, "I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, "Make straight the way of the Lord,' " as the prophet Isaiah said. Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. They asked him, "Why then are you baptizing if you are neither the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?" John answered them, "I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not know, the one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal." This took place in Bethany across the Jordan where John was baptizing.

John's Gospel starts on the spiritual level for which it is known; no birth of Jesus story, straight to the facts as he sees them. He does know that the prophet Isaiah did speak a word of one who would come to prepare the way for the Messiah. He also knows that as he reflected back on John's ministry and words, that John the Baptist was a "witness to the light, so that all might believe through him." John, the writer, says that John the Baptist "was not the light," but came to testify to it. John records the interview between the priest and Levites, and John the Baptist, about who he truly was. Question one: Are you the Messiah? John: "I am not the Messiah." Question two: What then? Are you Elijah? "I am not." Question three: Are you the prophet? Question four, and notice their anger getting a bit riled up: Who are you? Let us have an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself? John: "I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, 'Make straight the way of the Lord,' as the prophet Isaiah said. Those sent by the Pharisees then asked, "Why then are you baptizing if you are neither the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?" John: "I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not know, the one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal."

At some point in his life, John came to realize who he was. It took him to the place where he realized what he was not, but was humbled to know the One who was coming behind him. Tradition tells us that John the Baptist and Jesus were related; some say as cousins. In their relationship there may have come that vision or voice that told John all that he was to share on behalf of the Messiah. Also, in that relationship came the realization that this Messiah was an awesome person, and John knew that in the face of this Christ, he was not worthy to even untie his sandals. It was not about position or power for John the B; it was about faithfulness and service. His job was to lift up the Christ, not himself. His job was to give witness about the Christ, not himself. His job was to proclaim an unpopular message that riled up the religious authorities, putting himself at personal risk and danger. And yet, he still was faithful.

Our job as believers is to say, "Let me tell you who I'm all about - Jesus!" Following the model of John the Baptist, we lift up Christ and His love and purpose, while downplaying who we are; we are servants of the Most High, and there is no better place in which to find ourselves. We have lots of work still to do...

Get busy!

PRAYER: Loving God, help me to humble myself in Your presence so that I may lift high the Name and person of Jesus. Help me to be a witness to all the good You have done in my life, so that others may come to life in You. This is my prayer, in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Make Time to Listen to God

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Hear the Words of Forgiveness, Walk the Path of the Lord

From Psalm 82:1-2, 8-13: Lord, you were favorable to your land; you restored the fortunes of Jacob. You forgave the iniquity of your people; you pardoned all their sin. Let me hear what God the Lord will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, to his faithful, to those who turn to him in their hearts. Surely his salvation is at hand for those who fear him, that his glory may dwell in our land. Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace will kiss each other. Faithfulness will spring up from the ground, and righteousness will look down from the sky. The Lord will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase. Righteousness will go before him, and will make a path for his steps.

As we grow older there are many voices that are now silent forever on this earth. Some have been silenced by death, though in our minds and thoughts we hear and replay that by which we remembered them; some are silenced by disease that take away lucidity, such as Alzheimers or dementia. We long in our spirits to hear them once again.

The voice of God will never be silenced. We may try to drown that voice out with the busyness of our lives or the stress of our pace in this life, but God still speaks. Sadness and sorrow sometimes drowns out the very voice we need to hear speaking of comfort and peace, yet God continues to speak to us. Such was the case for the prophets of old, and even those who speak for God today; stop talking or shouting, and listen. The psalmist, prophetic in many ways, heard the voice of God speak to His people. The message was a needed one, of forgiveness and pardon. God spoke a message of peace to those who were faithful, who had turned in their hearts towards Him. God spoke a message of relationship, desiring to restore into fullness our awareness and fulfillment of our need for God. And where two or three gather with that need and call out to God, and then listen, God will speak.

The Psalmist said, imagine a place where God's steadfast love and faithfulness meet; imagine a place where righteousness and peace can kiss each other; it is in that very place where faithfulness will spring up from the ground (our hearts), and righteousness will look down from the sky (God's heart). That place is a time and setting where we make time to listen to God. God will speak a message of goodness and blessing; and the path towards God will be opened for us.

PRAYER: Loving God, speak that message now in my heart. Let my listening for You provide the setting where Your steadfast love and faithfulness can meet in my heart and mind; and may this meeting lead to the kiss of righteousness and peace; how I need that. I pray in Christ Jesus' name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Comfort for God's People

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Even us sinners qualify!

From Isaiah 40:1-11: Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that she has served her term, that her penalty is paid, that she has received from the Lord's hand double for all her sins. A voice cries out: "In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken." A voice says, "Cry out!" And I said, "What shall I cry?" All people are grass, their constancy is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades, when the breath of the Lord blows upon it; surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades; but the word of our God will stand forever. Get you up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good tidings; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good tidings, lift it up, do not fear; say to the cities of Judah, "Here is your God!" See, the Lord God comes with might, and his arm rules for him; his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. He will feed his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms, and carry them in his bosom, and gently lead the mother sheep.

There were three deaths that affected our family directly and indirectly. One was my first cousin, Bobbie Garibaldi; the second was the mother of my sister-in-law; and the third was the grandmother of a family friend. Three instances where comfort was, and is, needed. A significant church here in our district found out that their beloved pastor was moving to another church who also found out their beloved pastor was moving. Another church is saying goodbye to a retiring pastor, and just last night met their incoming interim pastor. "Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God." Still others are finding out their job status may be changing. Some are discovering they no longer have the job they have had for some time. "Speak tenderly to Jerusalem..."

Advent is a time of hearing the cries for comfort and being the voice of the One who provides it. God is not through with us yet. This seemingly never-ending pain or discomfort is not the end. The prophet said of one whose voice would be like one in the wilderness, but one with hope in it: "Every valley (low point in life) shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill (obstacles and challenges in our path) will be made low. Even those places where the ground seems uneven, shall become level, "and the rough places a plain." Yes, God's comfort is for all people, with even us sinners included!

Our voice should be, even in the midst of our own personal challenges, that which says, "God's not finished with us yet! There is still hope coming!" Today, more than previous days, the Church (that's you and me) is called to stand in places where we can be heard with that message that is one of "good tidings" and one that says, God "will feed His flock like a shepherd; God will gather thee lambs in His arms, and carry them in His bosom, and gently lead the mother sheep."

Find your spot. Raise your voice!

PRAYER: Loving God, let it be that today my voice will be the one heard by those in need that God, You are at work in our lives and needs. May it be a message of peace, joy, and hope that I can proclaim, for Your sake and the sake of Your people. I pray in the Name of He who brought peace, joy, and hope to my life, Jesus my Lord, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Advent is Upon Us

From Mark 1:1-8: The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in the prophet Isaiah, "See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way; the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: "Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,' " John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. He proclaimed, "The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."

In spite of my sinfulness, in several of my churches, some children knew me as Jesus. This was funny, but scary at the same time. I remember being in the grocery store and hearing children using their "whispers voice" to tell their parents, "There's Jesus!" I would smile and wave. It was also funny for Nellie, who taught a Sunday school class of little ones, and as they concluded the lesson, she asked them to clean the room. One little boy looked out the window and said, "Jesus is coming! Hurry up! Get Ready!" She wondered what he meant and then I walked in to greet the kids and she knew that he was referring to me.

Mark is saying basically the same thing in this passage from his gospel. He quotes the prophet Isaiah and refers to the Advent of a "messenger" who would prepare the way of the coming Messiah, and compares his role as a "voice crying in the wilderness." The job of those who heard this cry were to hear it and get ready. In Mark's gospel he shares how this took place in the person and purpose of John the Baptist. His simple, but hard-hitting message was to repent. It was a needed message because many were those who lined up to confess their sins and to be baptized in water seeking forgiveness of those sins. And his message continued, There is one coming who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to untie, who will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.

The trappings of the season are already all around us, and as one preacher said yesterday, "Give them a season for the reason!" And it is true. Many have never truly heard what Christmas is all about. Advent is the time of year we can remind them. The important message for believers is not the greeting we use during this time that matters, it is the Person of Jesus Who matters. Keep Christ in Christmas say the bumper stickers. We should say, Keep Christ in Your Heart and Your Life; Live a life that says Jesus is Lord!

PRAYER: Come, once again, Lord Jesus, into my heart, my mind, my soul, my home, my work, my play. Let me live in a way that truly does give a season for the reason. This I pray in Thy holy name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

God Bless You With a Special Day!

Thanksgiving Blessings for You and Yours

We are so blessed to know you, and to know the love of God. May this day be a spiritual day of renewal and rejoicing. For those who are in need of blessings, please share your love in prayer and outstretched hands of grace.

Eradio Valverde

Giving Thanks Lifts Us Up!

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An Attitude of Gratitude Gives Us a Higher Altitude

From Luke 17:11-19: On the way to Jerusalem Jesus was going through the region between Samaria and Galilee. As he entered a village, ten lepers approached him. Keeping their distance, they called out, saying, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!" When he saw them, he said to them, "Go and show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, they were made clean. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. He prostrated himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him. And he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus asked, "Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they? Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" Then he said to him, "Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well."

Thanksgiving 1963 was one of the most somber days in my life. The country has just witnessed the killing of a sitting United States president, and that act may have caused the heart attack and death of my aunt, Paulina Martinez, or "Tía Nina" as we called her. She was my grandmother's sister and really my Dad's aunt, but we grew up calling her our aunt and she was well-loved by us. She lived and died in McAllen, Texas, and her funeral was in La Havana, TX, where she and my grandmother were raised. Our Thanksgiving meal was held in the roadside part of US 281, just north of the checkpoint. We pulled over at lunch, and Mom brought out white bread and baloney and I think, cheese. There may have been potato chips, and drinks of some kind. She made the declaration, "This is our Thanksgiving meal for this year!" I think my Dad might have laughed; the kids not so much. I, being the oldest, protested, "This cannot be our Thanksgiving meal! We don't have a turkey, or dressing and all the other foods that you make on this day!" I don't remember their response, but I do know that the next day we had that meal with all the fixing's.

In thinking about the significance of Thanksgiving, it is all about giving thanks to God. It is a national day of gratitude. And in thinking about gratitude I realize that in having a grateful attitude, you're lifted above the petty, above the griping and grumbling of dissatisfaction, to the realm of the spiritual; it is a connection with God, Who supplies and shares all things. In today's gospel passage, it was a foreigner, who was lifted above the attitude of It's about time!, to woah, I am well. It was that attitude that allowed him and only him, to return to Jesus, and with a loud voice, to praise God, and then to fall prostate before Jesus and thank Him. It was this act of gratitude that made him, and only him, completely well. The others may have had their skin disease removed from their bodies, but the hearts were untouched by this act of God's love.

Don't let the pettiness of things barricade your heart from seeing and connecting with God and all that God has done in your life. Rise above the griping and grumbling, and connect with God in a manner that makes you completely well, heart and all.

PRAYER: Lord, for all You have provided, Thank YOU! For making me well in all things, Thank YOU! Let me tell others about what You do in a loud manner that blessed You and Yours. In Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day, and may tomorrow's celebrations be truly a day of Giving Thanks!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Eradio Valverde

Advent! Be Ready!

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Advent means Christ came once; Christ will come again!

From Mark 13:24-37 "But in those days, after that suffering, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see "the Son of Man coming in clouds' with great power and glory. Then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven. "From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. "But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his slaves in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch. Therefore, keep awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn, or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly. And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake."

Every year I wonder who or what will be first in placing the subtle reminder that the Christmas holidays are coming. For many years it was the old department store Foley's, who would place in mid to late August, their Christmas china on display. A quiet, subtle reminder that yes, the holiday season would soon be here. Dishes, cups, saucers, platters, with poinsettia designs, red and green and gold on beautiful white china. Those who walked by knew what they were up to. Then by late September, early October, and yes, it gets earlier each year, more and more Christmas displays. The purists cry stop! The nostalgic cry more!

Advent begins this Sunday. The scriptures are those telling us to be watchful, and hopeful. The first coming of Jesus was through His birth; the second shall be His return in glory. This week's passage says it will be a welcomed return for it will follow much suffering. In fact, the passage says that this advent of Christ's second return comes with full effects too; a darkened sun, a moon without light, stars falling from heaven, and even "the powers in the heavens will be shaken." For many it will be a frightening experience. The "'Son of Man coming in the clouds' with great power and glory." It will be a time of gathering those who believed in Him together. The signs, Jesus says, are subtle, but telling; be aware, be ready, and do not be afraid.

This passage comes at a time when many are expecting loved ones for the Thanksgiving holiday. The question many ask or wonder, "When will you get here?" In our case, we're expecting all four of our children and their families. It will be a time with a full household, great food, and a great time seeing and being with those who live far from us. We're expectant of these things, but we have lots to do. We still have to brave the crowds at the grocery store, buy all the ingredients to all things that will be roasted, baked, and prepared. All done with great hope and joy; the day soon comes. Pity to those who just wait and do not prepare. Even those who do not prepare anything, must call and make reservations at the place where they might eat. All must prepare. All must be ready. And yes, it is the same with what Jesus said about His return. We celebrate the joy of the birth, with all its trimmings and trappings; but we should have in our hearts and minds, that Christ will come again.

Keep awake!

PRAYER: Lord, for those waiting loved ones, we pray Your protection and blessings. Guide safely to homes those traveling today and in the days ahead. May Your Spirit be present at every home and at every table. For those who do not have homes or tables, keep us mindful and loving. For those sick who can not be with us, bring comfort and healing. For those awaiting an empty spot at a table for the first time ever, bring Your peace. But in every heart, mind, and spirit, may we know You love enough to come back for us. Help us to be ready. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

The Lost Will Be Found

And We Might Have a Part In It!

From Ezekiel 34:11-16; 20-24: For thus says the Lord God: I myself will search for my sheep, and will seek them out. As shepherds seek out their flocks when they are among their scattered sheep, so I will seek out my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places to which they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land; and I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the watercourses, and in all the inhabited parts of the land. I will feed them with good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel shall be their pasture; there they shall lie down in good grazing land, and they shall feed on rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I will make them lie down, says the Lord God. I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, but the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them with justice. Therefore, thus says the Lord God to them: I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. Because you pushed with flank and shoulder, and butted at all the weak animals with your horns until you scattered them far and wide, I will save my flock, and they shall no longer be ravaged; and I will judge between sheep and sheep. I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd. And I, the Lord, will be their God, and my servant David shall be prince among them; I, the Lord, have spoken.

For many this is the time of year some question, "Who will join us at the table this year?" Some ask, "Who can I join at the table?" The question is asked as preparations are beginning for the biggest meal in the USA, Thanksgiving. If you have walked the aisles of your grocery store you have seen and perhaps already bought turkey gravy, a huge pumpkin/pecan pie (or both). Many will remember the loved ones who sadly, for the first time ever, will not join us, because they have departed this earth. Imagine God's heart as God seeks those children who have left His table, to wander the earth in search of meaning and purpose, and are looking in all the wrong places. Such was the purpose behind Ezekiel's word from God. God is a seeking God, who rests and rejoices when the lost are found. God is a protecting God, who even in the midst of life's most terrific storms, can reach out a strong, loving hand and bring the lost back into safety.

The image used by the prophet is similar to the one used by Jesus from the Matthew text of Monday. Sheep matter to God; so much so, the one being neglected matter the most to God. In this passage, that theme is again stated this time in terms of those who are well fed, and those who are hungry. The injured, the weak, will all be restored to health; those who neglected them will be dealt with accordingly.

God is a God of salvation, meaning that God desires and will establish a loving relationship with those who are lost and seek it. God is a God who knocks on the door of all hearts; our job is to make sure others hear it. If we have heard that knock and have invited Christ into our lives, we should live it! We should be the light that leads people out of darkness. We may even have to knock on some doors ourselves.

PRAYER: Loving God, lead us to faithful obedience. Help us be those who helpers of those still wandering. Thank You for your love that seeks and protects. Let me be a part of Your work. In Jesus' precious and powerful name I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

This is Serious, Y'all!

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Christ is Coming; Be Busy!

From Matthew 25:31-46: "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. Then the king will say to those at his right hand, "Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.' Then the righteous will answer him, "Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?' And the king will answer them, "Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.' Then he will say to those at his left hand, "You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' Then they also will answer, "Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?' Then he will answer them, "Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.' And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."

I do not like movies where children die. I do not like reading books where children die. And I especially do not like news reports where children die. Imaging God's heart on seeing the same thing from His throne in Heaven. And God sees not just the death of children, but the slow death of people of all ages, from hunger, disease, nakedness, loneliness, friendlessness, and thirst. So the message from His Son, Jesus Christ to us in this passage is serious, y'all. We, you and me, through our churches, and our nation, and especially ourselves, have a life-saving, life-affirming responsibility to care for one another, especially those in need. It is interesting to note that this powerful message comes after the disciples ask about His return to earth. Jesus' message is simply this: be ready, but be working in the meantime, for there is much to do.

At the time of this writing, there are only nine days before most of us will sit down to the greatest meal we have in our year. Most Thanksgiving tables at which I have sat, both mine and others, have been laden with food; more food than we can consume in one sitting. There is, if grandmas and moms of college students home for the holiday have anything to do with the choices, foods of all kinds. Not just the roasted or fried turkey, but the dressing, mashed potatoes, corn, green beans, casseroles of all kinds, and the list goes on and on. On the dessert table; okay, I'll stop. I'm hungry, too. Yet, our hearts and minds should be attuned to those who have nothing; who, if they wander into a place that feeds the hungry, get a similar meal; but do not enjoy the setting of family and love. Yes, even those in homes of family may feel some loneliness or experience tensions of past hurts and pains; but the message should be clear: Do for one another as God has done for us.

Feed the hungry. Quench the thirst of the thirsty. Welcome the stranger. Clothe the naked (and Christ did not mean, at low prices in a rummage or church garage sale!). Care for the sick. Visit the prisons. This was a partial list of all that is needed even today. And, Jesus said, when you do this for the "least of these, you did it for me." By the same token, if we neglect to do that, we are neglecting Christ. The rewards are there because they are real in my opinion. Heaven is as real as hell; and it will be us who decide in which we will reside.

Choose to share life, and you will enjoy the fullness of life here, and when it is time to return home; there with God.

PRAYER: Loving God, prepare our hearts, minds, spirits, and hands to care for one another. Help us to be all about being YOU in the midst of those who do not yet know You. Give us courage, boldness and vision, to do Your will. This, we pray in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

No Better Place to Dwell

Photo of Eliana Beth Garcia

Where Do You Come Alive?

From Psalm 90:1-8; 13-17: Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. You turn us back to dust, and say, "Turn back, you mortals." For a thousand years in your sight are like yesterday when it is past, or like a watch in the night. You sweep them away; they are like a dream, like grass that is renewed in the morning; in the morning it flourishes and is renewed; in the evening it fades and withers. For we are consumed by your anger; by your wrath we are overwhelmed. You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your countenance. Turn, O Lord! How long? Have compassion on your servants! Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, so that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. Make us glad as many days as you have afflicted us, and as many years as we have seen evil. Let your work be manifest to your servants, and your glorious power to their children. Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and prosper for us the work of our hands— O prosper the work of our hands!

To think of a dwelling for some reason, takes my mind back to cartoons of the Flintstones. Not that they live in a cave, but they should have! Dwelling is a word that I seldom, if ever, use. We use home, or house, or whatever you may call the place where you "live." The question I ask is, Where do you come alive? For many of us it is our home. I laugh as I have seen how my grandchildren love their homes and how relaxed and carefree they become in them. Most of them relax immediately upon arriving home. They undress. Some put on comfortable clothes; others choose to stay undressed. They watch and dance to videos on television or on iPads; they yell at action on screens or laugh uncontrollably at the silliest things. In other words, they come alive!

Do you come alive in God? I've been amazed at the ways some truly do come alive in God in different settings, whether it be worship or study or prayer. It's a change of attitude because of gratitude or become hope becomes real on the inside and we can face all things that we are facing. This psalm is attributed to Moses, whose life we know all too well. Interesting infancy, raised as a prince of Egypt, murderer, fugitive, deliverer, prophet, and a man of God. He saw God face to face and did not die. In all that he did and encountered, he lived a life secure in knowing that in God he came alive. He knew God and and trusted and loved Him.

How about you? Do the external things affect your internal spiritual side? Or is it, as it should be, the spiritual side affects your external side? Come alive in God and you'll be alive and well to face all things.

PRAYER: God of the fullness of life, come alive in me, and le me come alive in You. In Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

A Woman of God

photo by Eradio Valverde. Painting by Jason Rodriguez of Corpus Christi.

The Prophetess Deborah From Judges 4:1-7 we find these words: The Israelites again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, after Ehud died. So the Lord sold them into the hand of King Jabin of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor; the commander of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth-ha-goiim. Then the Israelites cried out to the Lord for help; for he had nine hundred chariots of iron, and had oppressed the Israelites cruelly twenty years. At that time Deborah, a prophetess, wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel. She used to sit under the palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim; and the Israelites came up to her for judgment. She sent and summoned Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali, and said to him, "The Lord, the God of Israel, commands you, "Go, take position at Mount Tabor, bringing ten thousand from the tribe of Naphtali and the tribe of Zebulun. I will draw out Sisera, the general of Jabin's army, to meet you by the Wadi Kishon with his chariots and his troops; and I will give him into your hand.' "

The Concert for Valor was held last night in Washington, DC, to honor Veterans and to raise money to assist those in need. Top name musical acts and celebrities from other art forms were on hand to honor our warriors. Video clips introduced some heroes that were present on stage. One such clip featured one of the first female combat officer. The first words from her were, "I am five feet tall; so I don't consider myself an officer who can be looked up to..." but her valor and leadership gained her the respect of her troops, proving herself three days into combat.

The Bible introduces us to a woman of faith, valor and leadership; Deborah. She is the fourth judge of Israel, and the only female judge ever to serve in pre-monarchic Israel. She was married to Lappidoth. She had great faith for God and as prophet, spoke for God. God used her to answer a great cry for help from Israel, after they had done "again...what was evil in the sight of the Lord." Their unfaithfulness and wickedness led them to be "sold...into the hand of King Jabin of Canaan," a cruel oppressor of Israel. God speaks to Deborah the answer they are seeking and it will involve a military campaign.

God answers all prayers. Sometimes the answer is no, other times, not yet. But these are answers. Sometimes the answer involves work on our part, assisted at times by the wisdom of those in tune with God, who understand our situation and guide us to next steps or even first steps towards that prayer being answered. The photograph above features Melanie, a young woman from our church in Port Lavaca, Texas. She was the only child who spoke during our Witness part of our charge conference there, sharing "My hope for the church is..." She is standing beside the painting our worship painter shared during the worship hour, which he entitled, after being inspired at earlier charge conferences by children and youth, "My Hope For The Church Is..." These children and youth are part of our hope for the Church, and we know they are, and will, work hard to answer our prayers for the future of His work on earth.

What is God calling you to do?

PRAYER: God, please grant us the faith and strength of Deborah in all facets of our spiritual life. Help us to have courage and boldness, like her, to face the enemies of doubt, discouragement, indifference, apathy, and evil. We know we are more than conquerors in all things because of You. And it is in Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior that we pray. Amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Jesus Will Come Again. You Ready?

Photo from Beach Retreat 2011 with Rusty Freeman, by Eradio Valverde

Instructions on Preparation

From 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11: Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers and sisters, you do not need to have anything written to you. For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. When they say, "There is peace and security," then sudden destruction will come upon them, as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and there will be no escape! But you, beloved, are not in darkness, for that day to surprise you like a thief; for you are all children of light and children of the day; we are not of the night or of darkness. So then let us not fall asleep as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober; for those who sleep sleep at night, and those who are drunk get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, and put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. For God has destined us not for wrath but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep we may live with him. Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing.

Some people are ready for whatever in a matter of minutes. Others, and you can't see me pointing at myself, or you for that matter; take our time. Very few people like to leave for an event or a journey in a rushed manner. I never like to leave the house for an extended stay without my medicines. Life would become too interesting without them. I know from experience. So, now my medicines never leave my suitcase, and my suitcase never leaves the side of my bed. Okay, TMI. But it lets us understand how the author of this passage took being ready for Christ's return. One thing was certain, it is emphasized, no one knows the day nor hour. "A thief in the night" is the most common illustration. Nor should we be lulled by a false sense of security and peace. And, taking a lesson from pregnancy, the start of labor for some is the start of a long day or night; the longer the delay the more the urgency for wanting the baby born. And, like a pregnant woman who cannot tell her baby to wait until a more opportune time, can we expect that the coming of the Lord will depend on our readiness or willingness.

The good news is that we who believe an trust the Lord, are ready now. And we should be awake and sober, keeping to our task of helping us know and be ready for Jesus. Here, the writer uses the illustration of the Roman soldier's armor: Protect our hearts with the breastplate of faith and love, and keep our thoughts protected with the certainty of our salvation; for we are ready, not for wrath or destruction, but for eternal life through Jesus Christ, who is our Lord and Savior. Live a life that encourages and builds up one another.

In other words, brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus, live a life that says Yes, I know Jesus. I love Jesus, and I'm ready right now for Jesus to return.

PRAYER: Loving God, may that be my prayer; that I live a life that reflects and encourages others to believe and be ready for Your coming. In Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

My Hope for the Church Is...

Photograph by Eradio Valverde

Jesus Wants Us Prepared, but Working

From Matthew 25:14-30: "For it will be as when a man going on a journey called his servants and entrusted to them his property; to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them; and he made five talents more. So also, he who had the two talents made two talents more. But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money. Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, 'Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more.' His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little, I will set you over much; enter into the joy of your master.' And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, 'Master, you delivered to me two talents; here I have made two talents more.' His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little, I will set you over much; enter into the joy of your master.' He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, 'Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not winnow; so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.' But his master answered him, 'You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sowed, and gather where I have not winnowed? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has the ten talents. For to every one who has will more be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.'

The young lady above in the photograph is named Melanie. She's from First United Methodist Church of Port Lavaca, Texas. She participated in the Witness part of our charge conference. She was the last of a good group of children and youth who have shared their hope for the Church. We have had with us at each charge conference, an exciting worship painter named Jason Rodriguez, who yesterday, painted this awesome painting that he named, My Hope for the Church Is... He said he was inspired by the words shared by these children and youth about the church.

In the same way, we can say that this parable is Jesus' Hope for the Church. It is a parable of preparation and utilization. In other words, what has God shared with you; and what are you doing with it? The use of the word talent in this parable lends itself to be limited to just ability; but it goes beyond that. Jesus is talking about something valuable entrusted to the care of these three servants/slaves. The Master obviously has everything, and these slaves have nothing, even limited freedom. Each is entrusted with different amounts of this prize possession and the master leaves on a journey. The first received five talents or five shares of this entrusted property. He is a wise and savvy person and goes and makes five more. He risked what had been entrusted to him and reaped a reward double in size to the initial gift. The second, does the same. Risks and wins. The last, who was entrusted with only one share, does nothing. Risks nothing, and buries his entrusted possession in the ground, and gains nothing. His concern was more about not losing so he risked nothing.

What has God entrusted to your care and what risks have you taken with it? If we were to with an ability that we call a talent, what talents has God entrusted to your care and what risks have you taken? For those who preach, great risk occurs every time we step behind a pulpit or podium. To open our mouths to share that first word scares the honest ones more than we care to share. For Jason to have one day felt that his talent was good enough to paint a picture was to risk trying it out and risk being criticized for that first painting. You see above what great talent this risk has brought to God's Kingdom.

In the same way, Jesus' hope for the church rests in you and what He has shared with you. What are you doing with it? If you're scared of taking that first step or speaking that first word, or lifting that first paint brush, or entering into a Sunday school room as teacher; what have you got to gain?

PRAYER: Loving God, thank You for putting Your trust and hope for the Church in me. It is a daunting task, but one, with your help and blessing that I can take. Help me to grow your church with risks that I need to take. But I take comfort in knowing that You are with me. In Your name I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Stay in Touch

Image by Eradio Valverde of Caleb, Eliana, and Liam; grandkids!

Touch, Touching, Touched

From the Psalmist these words from Psalm 78: 1-4, 12-16: Give ear, O my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old, things that we have heard and known, that our ancestors have told us. We will not hide them from their children; we will tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders that he has done. In the sight of their ancestors he worked marvels in the land of Egypt, in the fields of Zoan. He divided the sea and let them pass through it, and made the waters stand like a heap. In the daytime he led them with a cloud, and all night long with a fiery light. He split rocks open in the wilderness, and gave them drink abundantly as from the deep. He made streams come out of the rock, and caused waters to flow down like rivers.

Facebook has done more to keep people in touch. Some of it has been great; seeing old friends and meeting relatives we did not know we had or with whom we had lost touch. Some of it not so good; spouses making contact with old lovers or ex's that have led to breakups of marriages and destruction of families. We'll focus on the good for this morning. You have probably reconnected with someone you had been thinking about and had not seen, and been blessed to have received a message from them. You've seen pictures of new family members. We've even seen how some cannot live without Facebook. (I won't ask for a show of hands...) But imagine how in touch with God we could stay if we rushed to the Word of God as some of us to to see updates or messages on Facebook? This is what the Psalmist is sharing in this psalm. As he has stayed in touch with God, he wants to share the same urgency and need that he has discovered in his times of prayer, fasting, and worship. God, he reminds all, has done great things, spoken great things and these must be shared with everybody, starting with our children or little ones around us. I won't forget the time my two grandsons were playing in our living room where we have a large family Bible with pictures; they stopped their playing because there was a picture that had lions all around this man. "What's going on in this picture, grandpa?" they asked. And I had a marvelous opportunity to tell them the story of Daniel in the lion's den. It is a great story and it helped bring two young minds to the thinking and teaching of God's power to help us in our time of need.

What are the great things God has done in your life that you have not yet shared? Whom have you told? When has God provided life-saving, life-affirming help to you that you should be telling others about? They may be facing what you did and your taking time to share with them might be exactly what they need to hear.

Okay, at least post it on Facebook.

PRAYER: Loving God of love and touch; touch me anew and bring me to fullness of life. Help me to share all things that You have done so that the touch given me may help me touch others and let them touch someone and they someone new. In Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

As For Me and My Household

We Will Serve the Lord

From Joshua 24:1-3a,14-25 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. And Joshua said to all the people, "Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Long ago your ancestors—Terah and his sons Abraham and Nahor—lived beyond the Euphrates and served other gods. Then I took your father Abraham from beyond the River and led him through all the land of Canaan and made his offspring many. I gave him Isaac; "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. 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." Then the people answered, "Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods; 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; 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." But Joshua said to the people, "You cannot serve the Lord, for he is a holy God. He is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions or your sins. If you forsake the Lord and serve foreign gods, then he will turn and do you harm, and consume you, after having done you good." And the people said to Joshua, "No, we will serve the Lord!" Then Joshua said to the people, "You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the Lord, to serve him." And they said, "We are witnesses." He said, "Then put away the foreign gods that are among you, and incline your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel." The people said to Joshua, "The Lord our God we will serve, and him we will obey." So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and made statutes and ordinances for them at Shechem.

You never forget kindness shown to you, or assistance when you needed it the most. You probably have a list of those who have blessed your life in a significant way. Their help allowed you to get something or to be something. Imagine now, if you can, trying to put a list together of all that God has done for you. Mine would be a long list. I cannot, in all honestly, remember all the good God has shown me, and/or all the wonderful, special blessings that God has given me. Where I sit today is a place of blessing only because of God. This is what Joshua is trying to convey to the people of Israel at this important thing in their history. They had reached the point of blessing as promised by God, and Joshua knows our limited memory, and so he says, friends, today we have to decide Who we're going to believe in and serve. He shares his belief: God has done so much for me, I will revere the Lord and serve Him in sincerity and faithfulness. As for foolish gods and idols, out the window they go! "But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." (Put that on a plaque and hang in your living room!)

Then the challenge from Joshua, who wanted to make sure they truly understood what they were promising. His final command in this sermon; if you will serve the Lord, give evidence by putting away the gods and idols you were drawn to during this journey; that all stops now.

Friend, you have said it with your mouth and mind, that you, too, would serve the Lord. As Joshua has said, Put that into practice. Put away that which takes God's place in your life, home, or family. Give evidence of a life truly committed to Almighty God. It is that kind of life that helps make disciples of those who have yet to believe.

PRAYER: Lord, let my life be a living sermon of that which has blessed me and might bless others. Help me to prioritize and order my life in ways that praise You. This I pray in Christ Jesus my Lord, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Neither the Day nor the Hour

Photo by Eradio Valverde

People, Get Ready!

From Matthew 25:1-13: "Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a shout, "Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.' Then all those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish said to the wise, "Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' But the wise replied, "No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.' And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut. Later the other bridesmaids came also, saying, "Lord, lord, open to us.' But he replied, "Truly I tell you, I do not know you.' Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

Jesus loved weddings. We know He attended the one at Cana of Galilee and images of God's coming kingdom contain wedding references and images. And as He shared stories about the coming kingdom, He stressed common themes; readiness and responsibility. The common practice of His day was a days long celebration, with some element of mystery and surprise, such as this story contains. The bridesmaids were to be ready for the bridegroom's arrival, and some would say a tradition that continues in most marriage ceremonies even today, it never starts on time! But in Jesus' day, the bridegroom would come in, usually at night, the bridesmaids had to help light the way and announce the wedding. Five bridesmaids were ready; five were not. Some planned ahead; some did not. Those who did, showed their capacity for responsibility by being ready ahead of time by bringing additional oil. The ones who were not ready, brought only the oil in their lamps. The arrival of the groom was not until midnight and all had fallen asleep until the shout, "Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!" Those who were ready enjoyed the bright light of readiness, the others could not. They asked for the readied ones to share with them, but in the rush to greet and walk with the groom, they could not. They were sent to buy, at midnight, from the dealers; the bridegroom came and off they went, the not prepared were left out.

Jesus is saying for us to live a life that is ready and responsible for all that needs to be done both now and in the coming days. We do not know when the Bridegroom is coming to take us home, so we have to be ready; and responsibility to be ready is ours alone. Our task is to get others ready and encourage their readiness. No one knows the day nor the hour, but those who are ready will not care about the day nor hour for they will be ready and in the procession that leads to the eternal celebration.

Are you ready? Do you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior? Do you know that He died to free you from all your sins and make you right with God? If you do not, simply say the simple, but powerful prayer: Lord Jesus, I confess I am a sinner. I repent of my sins and desire a relationship with You. Come into my heart to be my Lord and Savior. Amen. That is but the first of the readiness Christ expects from you. Be active in a church, study all you can, and grow in your love and relationship with Jesus and love others. Be a part of that which brings them in!

PRAYER: Loving Lord, for those who today have said that simple prayer, thank You! I know the angels in Heaven are rejoicing for the one who has returned to You. And for those who have not yet said that prayer or invited You in, help me be a part of that effort that will bring them in. Give us courage and strength. This I pray in Your name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

How's Your Altitude?

Photo by Eradio Valverde, Jr.

An Attitude of Gratitude Towards God Will Lift You Up

From the Psalmist in the 107th Psalm: 1-7; 33-37: O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, those he redeemed from trouble and gathered in from the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south. Some wandered in desert wastes, finding no way to an inhabited town; hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted within them. Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress; he led them by a straight way, until they reached an inhabited town.He turns rivers into a desert, springs of water into thirsty ground, a fruitful land into a salty waste, because of the wickedness of its inhabitants. He turns a desert into pools of water, a parched land into springs of water. And there he lets the hungry live, and they establish a town to live in; they sow fields, and plant vineyards, and get a fruitful yield.

Nothing goes farther and higher than an attitude of gratitude towards God. It was David's son that said, "In all ways acknowledge Him and He will make straight your paths," (Proverbs 3:6). In all things we should say, "Thank You, God." This is what the Psalmist is saying, and he starts in the right place; If nothing else, give thanks for God's love. God's love is all around us, it is eternal, and it is steadfast. And evidence of that is that in all corners of the globe, God's love is there and has redeemed so many. From desert wastes to highly populated cities; hungry and thirsty, almost to the point of fainting, yes, their spirits fainted, but their cried to God did not go unanswered. Out of trouble God led them to the places where they needed to be.

And David goes farther in declaring God's power (With apologies to the Pope and his declaration yesterday) to create the unexpected and the highly debated: Rivers into deserts; springs of water into very thirsty ground (Yes, God's visited Texas!); fruitful lands into salty wastes; all because of people's unfaithfulness towards God. But, the reverse is true, when people return to Him: Deserts into pools of water; parches lands into springs of water. The hungry come back to life and begin the fullness of life again, filled with faithfulness.

Our gratitude should say a lot about our spirit. Those who seek to see the work of the Lord even during difficult times soon see that the difficulties are brief, and great blessed times return. Through all things we never give up, nor think we are alone.

PRAYER: Lord God, give me the faith and eyes of David. Give me a heart full of love towards You and others; and let me in all things and all ways, say, Thank You! In Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Your Feet Might Get Wet, But...

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Faith Sees You Through What Doubt Can't See From Joshua 3:7-17: The Lord said to Joshua, "This day I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, so that they may know that I will be with you as I was with Moses. You are the one who shall command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, "When you come to the edge of the waters of the Jordan, you shall stand still in the Jordan.' " Joshua then said to the Israelites, "Draw near and hear the words of the Lord your God." Joshua said, "By this you shall know that among you is the living God who without fail will drive out from before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites: the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is going to pass before you into the Jordan. So now select twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe. When the soles of the feet of the priests who bear the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan flowing from above shall be cut off; they shall stand in a single heap." When the people set out from their tents to cross over the Jordan, the priests bearing the ark of the covenant were in front of the people. Now the Jordan overflows all its banks throughout the time of harvest. So when those who bore the ark had come to the Jordan, and the feet of the priests bearing the ark were dipped in the edge of the water, the waters flowing from above stood still, rising up in a single heap far off at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan, while those flowing toward the sea of the Arabah, the Dead Sea, were wholly cut off. Then the people crossed over opposite Jericho. While all Israel were crossing over on dry ground, the priests who bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, until the entire nation finished crossing over the Jordan.

Life is a series of first steps. A baby begins by crawling and exploring, and sometimes comes to the edge of the blanket set on the floor, and looks around before venturing off of it onto the floor. Then comes the literal first step, marking the day that child no longer holds onto the coffee table or wall, to take that step. Each time most babies will have a smile of joy, some even squeal with delight at that accomplishment. The first steps that follow are harder but necessary. As faith becomes a part of that child's life, it serves as strength to encounter and overcome the hardships and challenges that may come its way. Imagine the first steps Joshua had to take when the mantle of leadership fell on him. He had awfully big shoes (sandals?) to fill; Moses was "the man," and Joshua, at first, "not so much." Yet, both men had God on their side, and to both men, God said, "I am with you; do as I tell you." In this case, God wanted to show Israel that He was guiding Joshua just as He had guided Moses; but the big test came in selecting one man from each of the 12 tribes to carry the ark of the Lord into the Jordan River. Each man knew of the power of the ark and how the wrong person carrying it usually died; the first step would be to have the faith needed to touch the ark. Then to lift it and to begin walking with the ark into the bank overflowing waters of this river. Your feet might get wet, but the rest will be a cinch, might have been what Joshua said to these twelve. Ask yourself, Do I have the faith to get my feet wet as I set off to walk across a river?

We may not literally get asked by God to cross a river, but we are asked to cross the aisle in church; across the street from the church; and across rivers of difference between races, cultures, ideologies, and whatever else has for years divided our churches. Yes, our feet may get wet, or even stepped or stomped on; but the trip towards a promised land of new life and cooperation will make the whole journey worth it.

PRAYER: Loving God, strengthen my heart, my mind and my willingness to move forward in faith to cross over whatever has been dividing me and Your Church, towards a new life with new people, myself included. This I pray in Christ Jesus' precious name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

A Living, Active Word

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Hearing, Doing, and Living the Word of God for Our Lives

From 1 Thessalonians 2:9-13: You remember our labor and toil, brothers and sisters; we worked night and day, so that we might not burden any of you while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. You are witnesses, and God also, how pure, upright, and blameless our conduct was toward you believers. As you know, we dealt with each one of you like a father with his children, urging and encouraging you and pleading that you lead a life worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory. We also constantly give thanks to God for this, that when you received the word of God that you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word but as what it really is, God's word, which is also at work in you believers.

This passage made me think of some of those who were my pastor as a child first hearing and learning about God's love. My parents were key, thank God, and their role was very important; but as I think back to sitting and church and hearing key things here and there, I made an early decision to become a believer. And it truly was as Paul writes, seeing God's word "at work" in me and other believers that had me in awe. The labor of these pastors, preaching, teaching, joking, caring, all was a part of that work. It was their example and model for my life that made me want to believe and later, to become like them, as I heard God's call on my life to serve Him as a minister and pastor. But, as I have learned, it is the work of all of us to seek others and work among them, sometimes night and day, sharing, witnessing, living that which changed our life. Our conduct among others should be like the Word we have heard, pure, upright, and blameless; we should not burden others with the way we live or act. We should be as parents with some; all the while urging and encouraging one another to lead lives that will witness to others.

The best appreciation we can have of our pastors is to live a life that witnesses to the work they have lived among us. And to live it in such a way, others will want to join in!

PRAYER: For all, pastors and lay, who have given of their lives to witness to mine, thank You! And let me be among those who now live a life that speaks volumes of what You have and are doing among us. In Jesus Christ I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Do You Suffer from an Enlarged Phylactery?

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Living and Being a true Follower of Jesus Christ

From Matthew 23:1-12: Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, "The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat; therefore, do whatever they teach you and follow it; but do not do as they do, for they do not practice what they teach. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on the shoulders of others; but they themselves are unwilling to lift a finger to move them They do all their deeds to be seen by others; for they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long. They love to have the place of honor at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues, and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and to have people call them rabbi. But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all students. And call no one your father on earth, for you have one Father—the one in heaven. Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Messiah. The greatest among you will be your servant. All who exalt themselves will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be exalted.

There is a Dad's School my own Dad neglected to tell me about. A place where they teach sayings and practices that one does not hear very much any more. In some ways that's good, overall, well, the jury is still out. But in reading this passage I remember my Dad saying, "Do as I say, not as I do." In some ways Jesus was saying that about the religious leaders of His day. "You may do as they teach you, but not live they way they do." The reality was that these leaders were teaching their interpretation of what they believed God wanted taught, but their lifestyle reflected nothing of the demands and burdens they were placing on others. They sought recognition and places of privilege, but did nothing to show they were in any sense worthy of these. Their dress reflected commitment, but their life screamed convenience. Jesus said, you know better. Live a life worthy of God. Their phylactery were leather reminders of prayer and devotion, but these gentlemen preferred privilege over prayer.

Our role as followers and believers in Jesus Christ is to live as He did. A loving, humble servant of the Most High. Jesus sought to serve and save, and so should we. Our reward will come later, and for those obedient Jesus said our reward will be great.

PRAYER: Loving God, forgive me of the times I have sought that which the religious leaders of Jesus' time sought; help me to seek the truth of love and service, humility and devotion. This I pray in Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Secret Sins

We all pray they stay secret...

The psalmist writes in Psalm 90: 1-8, 13-17: Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. You turn us back to dust, and say, "Turn back, you mortals." For a thousand years in your sight are like yesterday when it is past, or like a watch in the night. You sweep them away; they are like a dream, like grass that is renewed in the morning; in the morning it flourishes and is renewed; in the evening it fades and withers. For we are consumed by your anger; by your wrath we are overwhelmed. You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your countenance. Turn, O Lord! How long? Have compassion on your servants! Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, so that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. Make us glad as many days as you have afflicted us, and as many years as we have seen evil. Let your work be manifest to your servants, and your glorious power to their children. Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and prosper for us the work of our hands— O prosper the work of our hands!

The psalmist had them. We have them. Sins. Plural. Thoughts, words, deeds, that went against what we knew hurt God, and ultimately hurt others and us; but, for some unknown, and some very well known reasons, we went ahead and did them. Missing the mark is what some call the literal word of sin, as in you see the bull's eye, but you still aim low, usually low, and zap, there goes the arrow away from the spot where we knew the arrow should have hit. And until the Lord removes them, these sins gnaw away at us. Some painful, like the hunger in our stomachs; others subtle like butterflies, make that moths, fluttering around our faces.

David wrote these words first as an affirmation of faith, then a confession of sin and life. God is everlasting. We are not. A thousand years for God are like yesterday to us; all days like the renewing of grass by morning dew. And yet, on we sin, angering God, he declares; all while knowing of Your wrath. Before You, lay all our sins, even our secret sins, brightly exposed by God's countenance. Ouch! But, we like David, say, Have mercy on us, God; remove our sins and bring back gladness to our souls. Bring prosperity to the work of our actions; bring newness of life to us.

The gospel message is that God does remove sin, and does grant to us mercy and love. On the cross Jesus took away our sinfulness and offered to us a new relationship with God through Him. May it be that which we choose for ourselves today.

PRAYER: Loving God, like David, I confess that I am a sinner and need Your forgiveness. Remove from my spirit the sins that I have tried to hide from You. Make me a new creation that strives to please only You and not me. In Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Pastor's Appreciation

Are you easily discouraged?

From 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8: 1 You yourselves know, brothers and sisters, that our coming to you was not in vain, 2 but though we had already suffered and been shamefully mistreated at Philippi, as you know, we had courage in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in spite of great opposition. 3 For our appeal does not spring from deceit or impure motives or trickery, 4 but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the message of the gospel, even so we speak, not to please mortals, but to please God who tests our hearts. 5 As you know and as God is our witness, we never came with words of flattery or with a pretext for greed; 6 nor did we seek praise from mortals, whether from you or from others, 7 though we might have made demands as apostles of Christ. But we were gentle among you, like a nurse tenderly caring for her own children. 8 So deeply do we care for you that we are determined to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you have become very dear to us.

I returned home last night from a wonderful time with pastors from the Río Grande Conference at their annual Pastoral Convocation. It was a small group, but very Spirit-filled. As I drove there my prayer was that if I could be a blessing to someone, for God to please use me. And even if it were me going for the blessing, I was excited. The youngest pastor there on the second morning asked me an important question about staying encouraged in ministry. I responded honestly and said that I suffered from discouragement as easily as anyone else, and it was God who strengthened me and kept me going. I went in to some detail, but the point of Paul's words in this passage is about encouragement and pressing on. Paul is the model for pastoral ministry; he suffered and endured much, but on he went with an urgency of sharing Christ with all who would listen. Reread verse two, suffering and shameful mistreatment are mentioned as is "courage in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in spite of great opposition." All with Paul's desire to please God with the honest message of getting right with God. I more fully understand the passage in verse 7, having a nurse living with us, "like a nurse tenderly caring for her own children." And he continues how he wishes to share not only the gospel but himself because they matter to him.

October is Pastor Appreciation Month. A month set aside to ask churches, parishioners, and all who would, to show some appreciation to their pastors. As a superintendent I encourage that for my pastors for I have been in those churches that show no appreciation as well as those who show much appreciation and love. Yes, my calling does not depend on whether I am appreciated or not, but it sure does help when a small kindness is shown that says that my work among people is appreciated. But, like Paul, I minister to please God, and appreciation from church folks or not, my work is still ever before me. I meet with pastors at the point of giving up. I meet with pastors who are raring to minister and are doing great things. No part of ministry, when done to please God and share God's love, is ever in vain. But prayer for, respect for, and laboring with, your pastors makes the journey for all, a much better one to travel.

If you've not yet shown some love for your pastor, please do. Start by praying for him or her. Write him a line or two of appreciation on a card or a note. The results will be wonderful.

PRAYER: God of our call, call our hearts to love one another, especially those who labor among us to please You. May your protection and blessing be with all pastors, and all who minister for You. Let our appreciation for them reflect the love and appreciation we have for You. Forgive us for those times when we have not shown love. This we pray in the name of Jesus our Lord, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

What Do You Think About Jesus?

My grandson, Liam, in the playground of St. Paul UMC, Corpus Christi, on Dedication Day.

Our Thinking May Be a Blessing to Others

From Matthew 22: 41-16: 41 Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them this question: 42 "What do you think of the Messiah? Whose son is he?" They said to him, "The son of David." 43 He said to them, "How is it then that David by the Spirit calls him Lord, saying, 44 "The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet" '? 45 If David thus calls him Lord, how can he be his son?" 46 No one was able to give him an answer, nor from that day did anyone dare to ask him any more questions.

Yesterday, one of my pastors came to share about her ministry in an improvised area of our city. Her church recently was awarded a generous grant which allowed for them to place a community playground on part of their property. It immediately became the playground of choice with its attractively painted equipment. Friday night a group of four were still on the playground and she went to check on them. These were community kids that she did not know and she talked to them. One of the children, Ricky, thanked her for having such a nice playground. She told him that the church was there to bless and help them, and invited them to church. Sunday morning, the four brought two additional friends and the six sat in the Sunday school room of an excited teacher and preacher. As the pastor was introducing them, Ricky held up a $5 dollar bill. "This is for your playground, " he exclaimed. "That's nice of you, Ricky! Where did you get five dollars? she asked. "I got good grades, and I want to use the money to help the playground." The pastor went and brought Ricky an offering envelope and a pencil and asked Ricky to write his name on it. The other five stared with expressions that gave them away, "Why did he get one and we didn't?" The pastor quickly went and brought them each an envelope and a pencil, along with some change she found to share with them. They also wrote their names on the envelope and the date. The six later joined an impromptu children's choir during worship, making it one of the largest choirs this church has seen in a long time.

What Ricky thought blessed him and his friends. Six little boys that I pray will soon come to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior and their actions of faith will be a blessing to others. Such was the hope of Jesus in asking the question, "What do you think of the Messiah? Whose son is he?" Given the date and time He asked it, the answer was a standard one, "The Messiah is the son of David." Correct, but not complete. They were on the right track, but not quite where they needed to be. Jesus then asked them, "How is it then that David by the Spirit calls him Lord?" Stumped! No more questions.

Lord. Last night I sang two powerful hymns en español with pastors of the Río Grande Conference of the United Methodist Church. Lord was the message of both. Lord of my life, Lord of all who submit to Him as servants and believers in the Most High. Jesus is He who provides for us in all things. This is what I think, and I pray what I live, so that others may come to know the same.

PRAYER: Loving God, thank You for Jesus, Who is my Lord and Savior. As David said, "I shall not be in want," for in Him I have found all. Let it be so for those still seeking, and let me be a part of the discovery they can make in finding the love, mercy and joy that I have found in You. This I pray in Christ Jesus, my Lord, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

The Great Commandment

Making it Personal; Not Keeping It "Out There."

From Matthew's Gospel, Chapter 22: 34 When the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, 35 and one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. 36 "Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?" 37 He said to him, " "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.' 38 This is the greatest and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."

It was Stump Jesus Day, as chapter twenty-two of Matthew shows. Questions left and right were asked of Jesus, all in an attempt to confuse Him or expose Him. It is this question that may stump us if we are not living the answer. "Which commandment in the law is the greatest?" Jesus knew that answer, as He knew they did as well; "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind." Jesus then shared the second greatest commandment, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." And from that foundation all other laws and prophetic work can be built.

I know it is easy to keep that commandment as an "out there" ideal or principle; but in knowing and loving God, we know the commandment was given to guide us to a deeper, complete love of God. Not only should we love God with our heart, we also should not compartmentalize our love for God; every aspect of our life and being should be geared to loving God. We speak of broken hearts when we lose someone or end a relationship. We tell special persons that we love them with all our heart. We even cross our hearts and hope to die if we should be telling a lie. But do we love God with our souls and our minds? Do we yearn to know God in the depths of our being? Do we think on things that reminds us of God's love for us and in turn guide ourselves to loving God in our thinking and thoughts?

We cannot live without love for God as a personal commitment; and we cannot live without sharing that commitment we've made towards God with others. God is the source of love and our hearts, souls, and minds should receive and share that love with others. That second commandment was equally important; move beyond selfish motives and desires, and start loving others in the way we should love ourselves. What a world this would be, were this true.

Thank you for your prayers and messages to me about this devotional. I truly missed writing it and thus being in contact with you. I had a blessed and restful renewal leave. I worked hard to be able to leave for that period of time, and it makes sense to come back and discover I must work hard to make up. But, please continue to pray for me and work ever before all of us.

PRAYER: Loving God; thank You for loving us. Our prayer is that we would truly make it our desire and purpose to love You in the way You have loved us. May every aspect of my very being be in love with You, and may I truly love others the way that I love myself. I pray in the Name of He who taught us this, Jesus, my Lord, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde