Palm Sunday's Star

Read Closely!

From the 118th Psalm, verses 19-29: Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the Lord. This is the gate of the Lord; the righteous shall enter through it. I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation. The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This is the Lord's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Save us, we beseech you, O Lord! O Lord, we beseech you, give us success! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord. We bless you from the house of the Lord. The Lord is God, and he has given us light. Bind the festal procession with branches, up to the horns of the altar. You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God, I will extol you. O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.

As David wrote the psalms, some were for his immediate needs, some were honest reflections of his heart, and some were prophetic in nature, such as this one. Though he imagined himself as entering these gates, when applied in the context of history, we see who this truly applies to; Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Yes, David loved the Lord, and he loved going to worship, but he recognizes that the gate to which he is referring is that gate in which Jesus entered triumphantly on that first Palm Sunday. Jesus entered with righteousness to a city desperately in need of that. Jesus entered the city offering salvation, which all people need. Jesus seemingly was rejected, but we know now and proclaim Him as the chief cornerstone of our faith and existence. And all of this is God's doing, and a marvelous thing to behold. Some Sunday to your church and watch the gleam in any child's eye as she or he walks down the aisles waving a palm branch. There you will the marvelousness of which David speaks.

Then the verse so many of us recite or regret as we awaken each day: (Clue: Rejoice!) This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. (I would add an exclamation point!). Our needs still continue, we need saving from so many things that we are facing. We desire victory and success over that which seeks to overwhelm us; but look to the One whom David mentions: Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord (Clue: Jesus Christ!). Let us bless God by our acceptance and faith in Christ Jesus.

PRAYER: You are my God, and I give thanks to You; You are my God, I extol You. Let me join all who say: O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever. AMEN!

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

The Drama Unfolds...

Glimpses of Purpose in Prophecy

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

Sunday begins the drama of Christ's Passion for us. The seemingly joyous entry into Jerusalem sets the stage for the greater good that would come but with great cost and pain for Jesus. Our worship services will probably feature a parade of smiling children swatting palm branches, proud and glad parents elated that their child is part of that happy parade, and these bless our hearts; but we know the story in the Bible is one of great preparation for the event coming on that Friday. And God shared in this passage glimpses of that purpose. Much of Jesus' ministry was that of being a teacher unlike others. He taught with authority, He taught through parables and stories. He demonstrated a love from God not yet seen in the ways that Jesus used. God gave Jesus a listening ear, to hear us and our weariness. God gave Jesus that which saw Him through the painful descriptions mentioned here: Being struck by different people, having His beard pulled; facing those who insulted and spit on Him. Through this all, God sustained Him, and did not allow for Jesus to be disgraced nor to shame. Ultimately, who that came to inflict pain and shame was able to stand against He who defeated death and sin?

Jesus stands with the weary. Jesus comforts the afflicted. Jesus gives hope and life to those who seem to have lost both, and Jesus gives to us the words to join Him in listening and sharing those same things with those in a world of hurt and pain.

At the start of a meeting last night, the chairperson shared how one member not yet present, had lost her husband suddenly and unexpectedly to a stroke. The chair cautioned the group against making the meeting about this woman and her situation. The woman arrived shortly thereafter and the meeting proceeded fine. I was asked to pray and as I prayed I started to hear her sobs. When the meeting ended the woman was in pain and great sorrow. I embraced her and shared from Jesus' words in the gospel of John. I pray that that word might have sustained this woman whose world changed so unexpectedly and so quickly. She is but one of so many, who need to hear from us what God shared through Jesus.

PRAYER: Gracious Lord, make real the hope and joy that comes through You in Jesus. May this season of Lent truly be a time of preparation for the greater good that comes in Resurrection. This I pray in Christ Jesus, our Lord and Savior, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

The Mind of Christ; the Heart of God

Humility and Love at the Core of Servanthood & Discipleship

From Philippians 2:5-11: Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death— even death on a cross. Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

I struggle with what finds its way into my mind. I sometimes find myself thinking thoughts shaped by shows I've seen or music I've heard. And this is even sometimes in church when my mind should be focused solely on God. Paul knew that struggle as do many of you, so he writes, as much for himself as for you and me: Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus. Can you imagine? Better yet, can you possess that same mind? A mind that sought God first in all things and in all decisions and actions? A mind that loved all people, who saw needs and beyond needs to the heart of true need; the need to feel and be loved by God, so much so that He, as Paul continues, "emptied Himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness."?

This is humility with empathy, servanthood with obedience and compassion to all of God's creatures. It is what is seriously lacking in so many of us. A mind that puts others and their needs first; leaving behind thoughts of wealth and fortune, glamour and fame. A mind that says, Here I am, Lord, use me. Those who say such a thing humble themselves before the One who can exalt and lift up.

I love the closing of this passage as a clarion call to all believers, "so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend (bow), in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Much yet to be done to get every tongue confessing that instead of what's driving other things to come out. I want to be counted among that number who now confess and pray that Jesus is Lord. It takes the mind of Christ to say that.

PRAYER: Loving God, grant to me the mind of Christ. Help me cleanse myself of thoughts impure and unsure; strengthen my mind to holiness and humility. Grant to my heart new founts of love to love everyone as You have loved me. This I pray in the strong name of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Palm Sunday!

Image from http://www.progressiveinvolvement.com

Where in the Crowd Would You Be?

From Mark 11:1-11: When they were approaching Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples and said to them, "Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately as you enter it, you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden; untie it and bring it. If anyone says to you, "Why are you doing this?' just say this, "The Lord needs it and will send it back here immediately.' " They went away and found a colt tied near a door, outside in the street. As they were untying it, some of the bystanders said to them, "What are you doing, untying the colt?" They told them what Jesus had said; and they allowed them to take it. Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it; and he sat on it. Many people spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut in the fields. Then those who went ahead and those who followed were shouting, "Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor David! Hosanna in the highest heaven!" Then he entered Jerusalem and went into the temple; and when he had looked around at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve.

Everything falls into place when God's involved. Such was the case with this special entry into Jerusalem. The village ahead of Jesus and His disciples had the colt and people ready for Jesus to use it. Once they had it, they placed their cloaks on it and Jesus sat on it and off they went into the city of Jerusalem. I used to think the "parade" started at the city gates of this mighty city, but it started with the disciples and those who followed Jesus. Steadily this group had grown from 12 to about 125 people who loved and went with Jesus. They were the ones who started the chant, "Hosanna!" which is a Hebrew expression of praise; "Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor David! Hosanna in the highest heaven!" They were proclaiming several things at once. One was the fact some considered Jesus anointed and One who did all things in the name of the Lord God. Some were those who believed at long last, the political kingdom of David would be restored in this political Messiah. All seemed to proclaim this event as heavenly.

The shouting and acclaim followed Jesus all the way to the temple. This gospel has Jesus receiving this welcome and then going to rest in Bethany. The entry had been done, and the stage was set for what comes during the rest of the week. This event is special in our lives because it does proclaim Jesus as Messiah. We know now He was not the political savior that some people wanted, and some still expect; He was a spiritual Messiah, the Messiah; He who would die to take away our sins and restore our right relationship with God. What follows during Holy Week blesses and strengthens us and prepares us for the suffering, agony, and death of Jesus, but it also helps us realize in a deeper way, the joy and victory of Resurrection.

I have often wondered where I would have been in the crowd. Would I have been among the 125 who already worshiped Jesus and His teachings? Would I have been among the 125 who sought more amazement and wonder at His miracles and unexplainable healings? Would I have been inside Jerusalem, minding my own business and then followed the crowd as it swelled and started its shouting and praises? The honest answer is that I'm where I am right now, awed by it all, hoping to still be a part of that crowd that grows the crowd of those who truly believe this is the One we have been waiting for; Blessed is He who has come in the name of the Lord!

PRAYER: Loving God, blessed are You and blessed is Your Son, Jesus; but blessed am I for believing in Him. Help me to bless others in bringing them to faith. This I ask in His precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

The New Covenant

Image from surprisingjoy.com

The Day is Here! Know God!

From Jeremiah 31:31-34: The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant that I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt—a covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, says the Lord. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. No longer shall they teach one another, or say to each other, "Know the Lord," for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the Lord; for I will forgive their iniquity, and remember their sin no more.

We couldn't wait! It was what we talked about for days and though we knew it was coming, it couldn't get here soon enough! Apply that to your life and you may know exactly what day I'm talking about. For some, it was your graduation day. For others, it was the coming of Christmas. For some others, it was your wedding day; the birth of your first, third, or fourth child. For the prophet, it was the coming of a day when God would "make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah." It was unlike other covenants, including the one that led to their freedom from slavery, which the people broke. This covenant speaks of a living law written upon the hearts of God's people; where we would truly be God's people and God would be our God.

That day was the coming of Jesus, Who came, taught, healed, suffered, died, and rose again. Jesus spoke the truth of the love and grace of God and still writes in those hearts open to Him: You are mine, and I am yours. The day is soon coming when all people shall know the Lord and not need instruction about Him and His teachings; that day brings with it what Jesus offers to all who would receive: Forgiveness of our sins and the forgetting of those same sins.

Not all aspects of that day have been put into place. Our job remains to bring others into that knowledge of God's saving grace; but what better invitation than "God saves us from ourselves, our sins can be removed and forgotten if we but just turn them over to Him?"

PRAYER: Lord, let me be a part of those who share those good news. Write upon my heart the words of life and love, and let me be bold in sharing them. In Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

The Obedience of Christ to God

A Model for Our Lives

From Hebrews 5:5-10: So also Christ did not glorify himself in becoming a high priest, but was appointed by the one who said to him, "You are my Son, today I have begotten you"; as he says also in another place, "You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek." In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Although he was a Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered; and having been made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him, having been designated by God a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.

Disobedience is all about me; it is saying to oneself: I know more, and I can make and should make decisions that please only me. Original sin is being born with disobedience. Obedience goes against some natural instincts, but it is a calling to a higher and better life. Obedience defeats pride and ego driven decisions. Obedience seeks to please the One to Whom we ultimately report. Obedience seeks no status other than that that says I obey. Obedience seeks only the title of servant. In this passage, Jesus' life is the model for true obedience. The writer of Hebrews says Christ did not seek any glory or title for Himself. The role and duty of high priest was bestowed upon Him by His Father. And the higher title was that given to Jesus by God, Son. Jesus' life showed that love and obedience to God the Father in serving others, praying for others, even giving Himself up to death to save others. All Jesus did was in obedience to God, and serves as the model for us. Jesus was made perfect and the source of salvation for we who should obey Him.

This passage is all about Jesus and His place in history and in Heaven. There are those who come to believe in the greatness and role of Melchizedek, but the mention of that name serves only in messianic terms. It is a reference to the person and purpose of Jesus; nothing else. The passage is a call for you and me to be more like Jesus, obedient in love towards God in our service to God and those who are God's.

PRAYER: Loving God, speak to my heart, soul, mind, and spirit; I seek to be obedient to You. Help me be like Jesus in my service and in my life. I pray in that precious name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

We Wish to See Jesus!

Photo from http://fumc-mccamey.blogspot.com

May It Be that Christ is Seen in Us Today

From John 12: 20-33: Now among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus." Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. Jesus answered them, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor. "Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say—"Father, save me from this hour'? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name." Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again." The crowd standing there heard it and said that it was thunder. Others said, "An angel has spoken to him." Jesus answered, "This voice has come for your sake, not for mine. Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself." He said this to indicate the kind of death he was to die.

A simple request resulted in a profound reflection. The city was full of visitors, including those believers (Jews) from other countries; the town was a buzz with rumors and stories of Jesus and Jesus' power and teachings. Among those affected by these stories were some Greeks who approach Philip with a request, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus." This set off a chain of command of sorts, with Philip telling Andrew, and Andrew and Philip both go to see if Jesus would see these Greeks. Jesus' response was directed at the time that was rapidly approaching. Jesus spoke of "the hour," and that "for the Son of Man to be glorified." He speaks of grain dying in order for a crop to come in. He spoke of love of life to the point of losing it, and hating life to the point of keeping it for eternal life. He spoke of following Jesus by service to Him, and His promise to be with those in service. Then, what troubles us, Jesus was troubled; His humanity came through; should He ask that He be spared that which was coming His way: death by crucifixion? The answer was no, "Father, glorify You name."

The heavens spoke, God telling Jesus that He was glorified and would glorify it again. Those nearby hear thunder; some heard an angel. Jesus' response was that this voice was for the disciples and believers sake. The time had come for judgment upon the world; the "ruler of this world will be driven out." Time's up for Satan and his ploys. Jesus is driving out sin and all the ways it manifests itself. The time had come for the fullness of life, through Jesus Christ to find its way into those who would surrender their lives into lives of service in Jesus. The Crucifixion was the key event of that victory.

Has Jesus won in your life?

PRAYER: Loving God, may Jesus have the victory in my life. Drive out that which is in me that should not be; lead me to faithful and joyful obedience. I pray in Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Coming to Life in Christ

Saved by Grace; Do Something with It!

From Ephesians 2: 1-10: You were dead through the trespasses and sins in which you once lived, following the course of this world, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work among those who are disobedient. All of us once lived among them in the passions of our flesh, following the desires of flesh and senses, and we were by nature children of wrath, like everyone else. But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ —by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God— not the result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.

Most of us love to receive gifts. I've often come into my office and there will be a gift bag or a wrapped gift on my chair and I get almost as excited as a child on Christmas day. A gift says several things; someone was thinking of you; someone did more than think, they went and bought or made something for you; they went and bought a gift bag or wrapped the gift; they delivered it to you; and they blessed you with this gift.

Grace is a gift from God to you and me. This passage defines grace in a great way. Grace is God's love to you though we honestly don't deserve it. Grace is God sending Jesus to give us life even though we were dead because of our "trespasses and sins." Grace is being shown a new road on which to travel even though we were lost on a highway leading to a place no one should go. Grace is being pulled out of what we believe to be a great party of things we shouldn't be doing, to an even better party where we are blessed beyond our wildest dreams. Grace is what saved us. We were pulled out of death and brought into life, and not just life, but life in abundance. And it was nothing we did, nor could do; it was a gift. A gift from God.

PRAYER: Loving God, may Your grace be at work in my life today. Pull me upward and away from the muck and mire of this sin. I pray in Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Look up and Live!

Life from the Cross

From Numbers 21:4-9:

From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; but the people became impatient on the way. The people spoke against God and against Moses, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we detest this miserable food." Then the Lord sent poisonous serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many Israelites died. The people came to Moses and said, "We have sinned by speaking against the Lord and against you; pray to the Lord to take away the serpents from us." So Moses prayed for the people. And the Lord said to Moses, "Make a poisonous serpent, and set it on a pole; and everyone who is bitten shall look at it and live." So Moses made a serpent of bronze, and put it upon a pole; and whenever a serpent bit someone, that person would look at the serpent of bronze and live.

The ancients thought that any unexplainable thing was from or caused by God. In this passage we see where the Israelites are being led to their freedom by Moses. But these were a murmuring people, griping about everything, even their newfound freedom! The writer's understanding was that as a result of their murmuring that God sent poisonous snakes and may Israelites died. The good thing was they realized this and asked Moses to pray for God to take away these snakes. And that's what Moses did, he prayed for the snakes to be taken away. The Lord said to Moses to form a poisonous serpent to be placed on a pole; "and everyone who is bitten shall look at it and live." This Moses did, making a bronze serpent and whenever someone was bitten, by looking up towards the serpent they would live.

We have been bitten by the serpents of life; envy, strife, jealousy, lust, hatred, racism, distrust, doubt; a list too long for us to list here. But, we were also given that symbol of life, the cross of Jesus, where He was lifted up so that we might live. The serpent on a pole was a foretaste of that which was to come in Jesus; in Jesus' cross we find the fullness of life away from the sins that have bitten us and almost had us dead.

We can look down and not find that which gives life, or we can look up to Jesus and live!

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, help me remember that You are there for me. Let me look to You to find the life that I so desperately need. This I pray in Your name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

So!

IMage from heartofthearts.files.wordpress.com

Isn't that what the redeemed should say?

From Psalm 107: 1-9; 43: 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. Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wonderful works to humankind. For he satisfies the thirsty, and the hungry he fills with good things. Let those who are wise give heed to these things, and consider the steadfast love of the Lord.

There was a praise song the youth used to sing in the Río Grande Conference which included a refrain with the words, "let the redeemed of the Lord say so," and some wise acres, myself included, would yell, "SO!" (Thus the title of this devotional). And who wouldn't want to yell so to giving thanks to the Lord's goodness? And for His unending steadfast love? This is a psalm of praise for all that God does. God has redeemed those who were in trouble and gathered them in from the four corners of the world. From wandering lost in desolate places, to seemingly never arriving in inhabited places; hungry and thirsty, and with fainting souls, when they cried out to the Lord, He delivered them. In God there can be no more thirsty, nor hungry; for God satisfies all.

So, will you join me in saying, so?

So!

PRAYER: Thank You, Loving God, for all You do! Amen!

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

For God so loved you...

Image from theology.greek.nz

This verse is key to the way you live

From John 3:14-21:

And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. "Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God."

What more does the world need to hear than the words of the sixteenth verse? What more do you need to hear? Let's put it in context first: Jesus is having a night meeting. He's meeting Nick at night. Remember Nick wanted to know more about Jesus and Jesus hit him with you must be born again/anew/from above. That in itself is an entire sermon (You can see why the Bible was divided into chapters and verses, right?), but Jesus continued with the reality of what was coming to him soon. He would be lifted up. This can be taken in the literal, that once nailed to the cross, He was lifted up for the painful death process to begin; and the spiritual: This death lifted Jesus above all others. On that cross came victory over sin and death. Then the key: For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him may not perish but have eternal life." I heard a dear friend once share a testimony at an Emmaus retreat where this verse did not mean much to him until another person said, "Change the word world to your name." When he did that he got the truth: For God so loved Skip that He gave His only Son..."

The rest is equally powerful. We tend to only read the underlined parts of our Bibles. We may be missing equally good things! "Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him." Saved. Pulled from the brink of death into the fullness of life is what this passage is all about. There are countless lives who have been saved from the ravages of life's deadliest things because of this passage, including mine, because we came to understand the awesomeness of God's love towards us. One of my favorite stories that I've shared in this devotional before, but bears repeating is the story of the Bible missionary sent to Africa to distribute the Word of God and he came to a fierce tribe. Their chief was a man who loved to smoke. He grew his own tobacco but lacked the papers with which to enjoy this habit. The missionary spoke about God and God's love and handed the chief a Bible. The chief had not really heard the message, he was too busy eyeing the Bible and its fine paper. Once in his hand, the chief thanked the missionary for this large supply of paper. The missionary feared that that would happened and he begged of the chief one promise, "Please read each page on both sides before you smoke it!" The chief reluctantly agreed. Years later at a conference of missionaries sponsored by the same agency that sent this missionary, he was set to speak. On the first row was a well dressed man, who called to him as soon as he saw him. "Don't you recognize me?" The missionary had to be honest and say no. "I am the chief to whom you gave a Bible. I told you I was going to smoke all the pages of that Bible and you begged me to please read each page. Well, I smoked every page until I came to John 3:16, and then I stopped smoking! My life was changed, and I became a believer. My tribe became believers and here I am, a missionary for the living God."

PRAYER: Loving God, pull us from the smoke and smell of our sins, to the place of sweet-smelling salvation, a new and right relationship with you. Thank You for loving so much that You gave Jesus to me. Help me to share Him with everyone that I can. In Jesus' precious and powerful name I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

God's Sermon is All Around

What Nature Says About God Blesses Us

From Psalm 19: The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night declares knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard; yet their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In the heavens he has set a tent for the sun, which comes out like a bridegroom from his wedding canopy, and like a strong man runs its course with joy. Its rising is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the end of them; and nothing is hid from its heat. The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the decrees of the Lord are sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is clear, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever; the ordinances of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey, and drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward. But who can detect their errors? Clear me from hidden faults. Keep back your servant also from the insolent; do not let them have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

There is a saying, God gave us two ears, and one mouth; so that we can listen more than we talk. In the same way God gave us two eyes and one mouth, so that we can listen with our eyes. This psalm made me think of this, for the psalmist was reflecting on nature. He saw in the heavens the glory of God, and in the earth around him, the handiwork of God. He saw a sermon of the goodness of God in all that was around him. The psalmist also saw God in the laws that God handed on to us. He saw new life available in the law. Yesterdays's text was Exodus 20 and the Ten Commandments. Those speak of new life if we but follow them. He also saw in the law clear warnings about who we are to be and how we are to live, which brings this new life. He saw the need for repentance and confession. His desire was to be blameless and innocent before God. And the classic, powerful, and beautiful sentence: "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer."

Why not look for that same sermon in nature today? For many of us, it will be overcast and cold, but still, can we see the handiwork of God in that? As we read God's Word, can we not hear words needed for our life to be truly new before God? Can we not seek to live a life that says truly that we seek to please God?

PRAYER: Bless the Lord, O my soul. Bless the Lord's people, O my life. In Jesus I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

The Big Ten!

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Solid Foundational Plans for an Abundant Life

From Exodus 20: 1-4; 7-9, 12-20: Then God spoke all these words: I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; you shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not acquit anyone who misuses his name. Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work. Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor. When all the people witnessed the thunder and lightning, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking, they were afraid and trembled and stood at a distance, and said to Moses, "You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, or we will die." Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid; for God has come only to test you and to put the fear of him upon you so that you do not sin."

I confess. I love walking through Ikea. Ikea is an interesting store. Thank God there are none close to here. The nearest is in Round Rock, Texas. I hate buying things from there that require assembly. Okay, I shouldn't hate; I strongly dislike buying things that require assembly. I can do it, and have done it numerous times, but the idea of a floor full of parts, slats, boards, and a huge diagram of what to do just does not appeal to me. The reason I have been successful in putting things together is my daughter, Carli, who is a whiz at reading these things and knowing how to put everything together. When Carli is not with me to help me it will take me hours to put anything together. Thank God for the assembly guide and manual for putting things in order.

Today's passage is all about putting our lives in order. It is a passage that contains the Ten Commandments. They put everything in perspective. It starts, as did everything, with God. God declares and we should believe He is our God. The ten then begin: 1. We should have no other gods. God takes first place in our lives, minds, hearts, bodies. Anything else in first place is a god, with a little g. 2. We don't need manufactured representations of God. God is not limited to any image. Idols need not apply. God is everywhere. God is awesome! 3. God's name is sacred. Special. Blessed. Holy. In fact, too holy to be put in any swearing or cussing we think needs God's name. Use your own name to gripe. 4. There should be a holy day in our lives for God. For some, it is Saturday. For others, it is Sunday. Whatever the day is, set it apart just for God. Be blessed in it as you bless God. 5. Honor those who gave birth and life to you. Honor is a special, little used word anymore, but do show that special respect and place where your Mom and Dad should be in your life. For some this means different things. For others it may be a call to re-think and re-pray that relationship. Moms and Dads: There's other references about how we should treat and be with our children. 6. Life is sacred; we should not take it away, in any sense of the word from other living creatures. 7. God expects sexual purity from us. To take someone else's spouse is a sin. Sex is a beautiful gift from God as expressed in marriage; anything else cheapens us and takes away spiritual blessings. 8. God has blessed us with blessings; we should not take those blessings away from others. Respect private property. Leave only with memories of those things you'd like to have. 9. Be a person of truth and honesty. There is no need to make things up about someone else, especially if it leads to legal settings. 10. It's not okay to desire the possessions of someone else, especially when that desire takes us to actions that break any of the above commandments. Respect and enjoy what God has blessed with us; thank God for someone else's blessings.

Our Lenten Journey should be reminded of these ten solid teachings. Notice how they help us build proper relationships with God, ourselves, and others. Notice how strong your foundation will be for your life if you build on these ten!

PRAYER: Bless my life, Loving God, and living soul, bless the Lord and all those whom God has made. Amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

The Power of God

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The work of the cross hard to understand

From 1 Corinthians 1:18-25: For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart." Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness of our proclamation, to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For God's foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God's weakness is stronger than human strength.

"I know everything!" These are the words of a child. When said by a child these are cute and funny. But when said seriously by an adult, it is usually a sign that the person saying it has closed his/her mind to new things. Paul knew, as he writes this passage that believers will encounter those who claiming to be wise, know little to nothing about God and God's power. Those who scoff at the cross believe it be to be something not real; but to those whom the cross has saved from sin and death, it is the very power of God.

Our Lenten Journey may take us to people who doubt the cross, doubt God, doubt that there is any hope for them; these are the very ones to whom we have been led. We who know the power of the cross to bring life and life in abundance, speak to those who doubt. We who have seen and lived hope, share with those who are hopeless or despairing. Those who don't see the benefit of being alive, we should speak the words of life that Jesus shared with us.

Don't let the foolishness of this world limit or stop the power of God; for as Paul closes this passage, "God's weakness is stronger than human strength."

PRAYER: Shine through me, Light of the world! Hope above all hope, speak through me. Life of all life, help me to share that with those in need. In the name of He who brings these, Jesus my Lord, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Cleansing what is God's

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That Includes and Begins with Us!

From John 2:13-22: The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables. Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle. He also poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. He told those who were selling the doves, "Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father's house a marketplace!" His disciples remembered that it was written, "Zeal for your house will consume me." The Jews then said to him, "What sign can you show us for doing this?" Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." The Jews then said, "This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and will you raise it up in three days?" But he was speaking of the temple of his body. After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this; and they believed the scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.

Our Lenten Journey is a cleansing one. We seek to give up those things that affect us negatively, and we seek to take up those things that bless us and bless God. This story is one of most powerful stories in Jesus' ministry. Having just entered Jerusalem in a mighty way, Jesus' acceptance crowd on that Palm Sunday quickly turns against Him for this act. Jesus finds the Temple not as a place for worship and prayer, but as a money-making operation for the powers that be. Yes, cattle, sheep, and doves were a part of the sacrificial aspects of worship, they had overrun the temple and instead of having come from people's homes, they were now a part of how the temple officials made their money. Some have invited us to consider the smells of what should be a sweet-smelling place of worship to a barn. Jesus drove out the money-makers, and the livestock, and overturned the tables. His words reflect his anger, "Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father's house a marketplace!"

What in us has made our temple, our body, a marketplace? Do we not know that our temples should be the house of God? Can God live in a house filled with anger, regret, doubt, lust, drugs, addictions, and a list too long to list here? We should drive out those things that stink up our temple and ask God's sweet-smelling presence to replace them. Our lives, guided and blessed by the presence of the living God will call to others to join us.

PRAYER: Living God, live in me. Help me to rid my temple of those things that offend You and Yours. I want to be a sweet-smelling sacrifice of Your love. Help me to be a witness of that grace. This I pray in the He who lives in me, Jesus the Lord, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

A Carousel of Life?

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Powerful Psalm of Pain and Promise

From Psalm 22: My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer; and by night, but find no rest. Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel. In you our ancestors trusted; they trusted, and you delivered them. To you they cried, and were saved; in you they trusted, and were not put to shame. But I am a worm, and not human; scorned by others, and despised by the people. All who see me mock at me; they make mouths at me, they shake their heads; "Commit your cause to the Lord; let him deliver— let him rescue the one in whom he delights!" Yet it was you who took me from the womb; you kept me safe on my mother's breast. On you I was cast from my birth, and since my mother bore me you have been my God. Do not be far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help. Many bulls encircle me, strong bulls of Bashan surround me; they open wide their mouths at me, like a ravening and roaring lion. I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within my breast; my mouth is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death. For dogs are all around me; a company of evildoers encircles me. My hands and feet have shriveled; I can count all my bones. They stare and gloat over me; they divide my clothes among themselves, and for my clothing they cast lots. But you, O Lord, do not be far away! O my help, come quickly to my aid! Deliver my soul from the sword, my life from the power of the dog! Save me from the mouth of the lion! From the horns of the wild oxen you have rescued me. I will tell of your name to my brothers and sisters; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you: You who fear the Lord, praise him! All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him; stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel! For he did not despise or abhor the affliction of the afflicted; he did not hide his face from me, but heard when I cried to him. From you comes my praise in the great congregation; my vows I will pay before those who fear him. The poor shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the Lord. May your hearts live forever! All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord; and all the families of the nations shall worship before him. For dominion belongs to the Lord, and he rules over the nations. To him, indeed, shall all who sleep in the earth bow down; before him shall bow all who go down to the dust, and I shall live for him. Posterity will serve him; future generations will be told about the Lord, and proclaim his deliverance to a people yet unborn, saying that he has done it.

The list of animals in the psalm is long. Let's start with worm, and how the psalmist feels like a worm. You've been there, haven't you? How about bulls encircling you? Yep. Yet, these are bulls which remind him of hungry lions. Dogs are all around him. Wild oxen are in there. So are lions. That's why I thought about a carousel; for some, it's a fun ride; some are afraid to get on it because of the animals. I have always loved carousels, and I have enjoyed them recently with my little ones. But imagine your life being like a carousel of real live symbolic animals because of your situation. You believe you've come to the end, an end with no hope. Haven't we heard this psalm somewhere else before? Think about it... Weren't these words uttered by a man hanging on a cross? Yes, Jesus shared these words as part of what we now call the Seven Last Words of Christ. (Mt. 27:26) And verse 18 of this same psalm appears in the crucifixion in John 19: 24.

The Lenten Journey may be like this for you or for people around you. Your search for hope takes you through dark valleys of loved ones or close friends. It is our job to take those hands of sorrow and lead them to the hands of salvation; the hands of Jesus. The psalmist ends this psalm on a positive, hopeful note. The fear and despair of the first part is replaced by praise to God, a God who will deliver His people.

PRAYER: Deliverer God, help me be delivered from sorrow and sadness, so that I may join those who seek to praise You to those still hurting and sad. This I pray in Jesus' name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Walk Blameless before God

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God bless us with every new step to be a blameless one.

From Genesis 17:1-7; 15-16: When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said to him, "I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless. And I will make my covenant between me and you, and will make you exceedingly numerous." Then Abram fell on his face; and God said to him, "As for me, this is my covenant with you: You shall be the ancestor of a multitude of nations. No longer shall your name be Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you the ancestor of a multitude of nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. I will establish my covenant between me and you, and your offspring after you throughout their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you. God said to Abraham, "As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. I will bless her, and moreover I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she shall give rise to nations; kings of peoples shall come from her."

Rev. Charles Allen, the late pastor for First UMC in Houston, used to say, "Old age has a way of boiling away who you pretend to be, to who you really are." And he would share examples that we've seen as well; some old people become the sweetest, most loving people you ever hope to meet, and some become bitter, angry persons who hate everyone, especially themselves. This passage speaks to the need of all people to start early with walking blameless before God so that as the years peel away our facades we will be exposed as people of love. The blessings will be countless! Father Abraham, in this passage, is called by God to walk before God in a blameless way, and God promises a covenant to him. And with that covenant a promise of great blessings. And a name change. From a name meaning "exalted father" to "the father of multitudes." And keep in mind his age; Father Abraham is 99 years young.

So, it matters not how old or young you are, God wants us to walk with Him. He wants us to love Him and His in a way that blesses Him and blesses us. To walk blameless is to love God and please God. It means to put others before ourselves and to care and love one another.

Ready to take that first blameless step? God is! And blessings will be ours!

PRAYER: Loving God, let me walk blameless before You today and all days. I do it just for loving You, but I know great blessings will be mine as I care for You and Yours. This I pray in Jesus' name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

God is Able

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Faith vs. Law

From Romans 4: 13-25: For the promise that he would inherit the world did not come to Abraham or to his descendants through the law but through the righteousness of faith. If it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. For the law brings wrath; but where there is no law, neither is there violation. For this reason it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his descendants, not only to the adherents of the law but also to those who share the faith of Abraham (for he is the father of all of us, as it is written, "I have made you the father of many nations")—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. Hoping against hope, he believed that he would become "the father of many nations," according to what was said, "So numerous shall your descendants be." He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was already as good as dead (for he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah's womb. No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, being fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. Therefore his faith "was reckoned to him as righteousness." Now the words, "it was reckoned to him," were written not for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be reckoned to us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was handed over to death for our trespasses and was raised for our justification.

Our Lenten Journey should take us to the place where we can say, God is able. For, if nothing more, as we seek to grow closer to God and deeper into His Word, we find passages like today's, that say that very thing. Jesus came to show that it is faith in God's power and promise that brings fullness of life, not simply adhering to do's and don'ts. Abraham became the father of nations when he was as "good as dead," and when he considered his wife's womb as barren. His faith was strengthened by giving God glory.

As we walk these 40 days, stop to give God glory. It is in so doing that we are made stronger, and that which we know becomes real: God is able.

PRAYER: Loving God, as I face whatever comes my way during my days, help me to give You glory in all things. Help my faith to strengthen and help me honor and bless Your precious and holy name. This I pray in my Savior's powerful name, Jesus the Christ, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

What Did You Say?

Image of a painting by Jason Rodriguez, and the admiration of that by our grandson, Liam Carlos Vasquez. Taken at Beacon of Hope in Aransas Pass.

I lost You after You said You were going to die!

From Mark 8: 31-38: Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, "Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things." He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels."

Jesus shared some serious things with His disciples, and one of them in return, shared some serious things with Him. Jesus said, I will suffer greatly. I will be rejected by the elders. I will be rejected by the chief priests. I will be rejected by the scribed. I will be killed. And, I will, after three days, rise again. Where would Jesus have lost you? Peter was lost with probably the first thing. Peter was so upset with that first thing, he didn't hear any of the things after, especially the part of resurrection. Peter takes Jesus aside and rebukes Him! Jesus calls Peter Satan, and tells him to behind Him. Jesus also told Peter that he was setting his mind on human things, not the divine things.

Here comes somer more serious stuff: If you want to become Jesus' follower, you must 1) deny yourself, 2) take up your cross, and 3) follow Jesus. This Lenten Journey has been about denying ourselves; putting Christ and spiritual things first over the physical. Taking up the cross, especially in recent days, could mean marking yourself for death. The ISIS group before executing 21 Christians from Egypt said their enemy was now "the people of the Cross."

We should fear not, for like Jesus, we too, will rise again through Him. We should live our lives not ashamed or afraid to follow Jesus, but live a life with confidence and love. Help somebody come to that same life.

PRAYER: Loving God, in spite of all the dangers, we place You first. Help me to deny myself, to take up my cross, and to follow Jesus. This I pray in His name, Jesus my Lord and Savior, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Lenten Covenant

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Everything You See One of These From Genesis 9:8-17:

Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him, "As for me, I am establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you, and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the domestic animals, and every animal of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark. I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth." God said, "This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: I have set my bow in the clouds, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth." God said to Noah, "This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth."

Covenant is a special word. It is found in our scriptures, and comes to mean something along the lines of a holy contract, but more special. If it were a contract, God would be the party of the first part, the central party; the one party that will never break His end of the promise. We find such a contract in today's passage. Noah, after the flood, as he and his family is worshiping God, hears God say, "I am establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you...that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth." And to emphasis that covenant, God placed a rainbow in the sky as a sign of that promise. But we should note the word in the Bible for rainbow is the word for bow as in bow and arrow, emphasizing the seriousness of that promise.

A greater covenant was the one made with us through Jesus Christ. One that is called Good News. Christ took away our sins and gave us victory over death.

PRAYER: Loving God, help me to never forget the seriousness of Your love towards me. May we seek You in all things to glorify You. In Christ Jesus our Lord we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Step Three of Forty

Leading Me to God

From 1 Peter 3:18-22:

For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, in order to bring you to God. He was put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit, in which also he went and made a proclamation to the spirits in prison, who in former times did not obey, when God waited patiently in the days of Noah, during the building of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were saved through water. And baptism, which this prefigured, now saves you—not as a removal of dirt from the body, but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers made subject to him.

We are people of the cross. To have received a cross of ash or oil on Wednesday identified us as believers in all that the cross represents; Christ suffering for our sins once and for all, the Righteous (Jesus) dying for the unrighteous (you and me!) to put to death death in the flesh and to bring to life the spirit. It is believed that while in death, Christ visited those dead without Him; and now sits at the right hand of God, with everyone and everything subject to His reign.

Let us live a life that glorifies the power of Jesus to defeat death and sin in our lives. Let us be not afraid to tell others about this awesome act.

PRAYER: Loving God, in You I have found life. Let me share it with others. I pray this in Christ Jesus' precious name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Step Two of Forty

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Jesus is in Sight!

From Joel 2: 1-2; 12-17: Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the Lord is coming, it is near— a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness! Like blackness spread upon the mountains a great and powerful army comes; their like has never been from of old, nor will be again after them in ages to come. Yet even now, says the Lord, return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;rend your hearts and not your clothing. Return to the Lord, your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and relents from punishing. Who knows whether he will not turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him, a grain offering and a drink offering for the Lord, your God? Blow the trumpet in Zion; sanctify a fast; call a solemn assembly; gather the people. Sanctify the congregation; assemble the aged; gather the children, even infants at the breast. Let the bridegroom leave his room, and the bride her canopy. Between the vestibule and the altar let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep. Let them say, "Spare your people, O Lord, and do not make your heritage a mockery, a byword among the nations. Why should it be said among the peoples, "Where is their God?' "

As quiet as we make Lent out to be, our silent observation of spiritual disciplines should shout out the glory of God in our actions and attitudes. Our return to God should involve every aspect of our being, starting with our love, and not just for God, but for all people; our fasting, what we have taken up should include doing for others and being aware of others; our emotions, yes, weep for the injustices we see and read about, mourn with those who mourn; inwardly show God you're sincere and mean what you are trying to and be.

As people may wonder or ask, "Where is God," they should be able to see Him in us. Anything or anyone else is a sham. Lent is real. And so should we be.

PRAYER: Let me be real in every aspect of my being; remove what is evil and bad, guide me to the pure and good; let my life shout that I belong to You, O Living God. Amen!

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Step One of Forty

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Walking Towards Jesus

From 2 Corinthians 5:20-6:10: we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. As we work together with him, we urge you also not to accept the grace of God in vain. For he says, "At an acceptable time I have listened to you, and on a day of salvation I have helped you." See, now is the acceptable time; see, now is the day of salvation! We are putting no obstacle in anyone's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of God we have commended ourselves in every way: through great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, holiness of spirit, genuine love, truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; in honor and dishonor, in ill repute and good repute. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet are well known; as dying, and see—we are alive; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing everything.

Reconciliation. What a wonderful word when it is lived out. We have all been at that place where we have been estranged from someone; sometimes we even forgot the reason why we no longer talk or even acknowledge their existence. But when we reconcile the joy and freedom that comes with it is so worth the effort. Remember back when you were estranged from God. Jesus came to make that right, and there was that moment when you said, "Yes, Lord, I do want You and I want to be in a relationship with You." That was reconciliation with God through Jesus Christ. That is also salvation. We were saved from a life of sin and despair to the fullness of life, a life lived with meaning and purpose. Lent is that time when we remember that and tell others about it. We should live our lives as Paul and his followers who lived blameless lives, nothing could be pointed at and said, "Aha, but look at how you're living!" Those followers did not let anything get in the way of that blameless life, not afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger. Instead, purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, holiness of spirit, genuine love, truthful speech, and the power of God; all came together as a weapon of love and righteousness. Attitudes were changed and life was made even more glorious.

Take the first step. Reconcile with God. Tell somebody about it. The journey is best traveled with others joining us.

PRAYER: LORD, I take this first step and invite You into my heart again. Let me walk with You and towards God. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

P.S. I've started a 40 photos for Lent blog. You can see the first one here: http://40lentphotos.blogspot.com/2015/02/announce.html

Prayer Request: Mr. Daryl Edwards of Goliad, TX, was filling in at our church Fannin Street UMC. He died while preaching at a funeral two days ago. He died unexpectedly, and leaves a great void in the ministry of that church, and of course, in his family. His funeral will be Saturday. Please pray for his widow, Gladys, and for his family and the church family of Fannin Street.

Image from angusday.org Jesus' example for us

From Mark 1:9-15: In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, "You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased." And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. 1He was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels waited on him. Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news."

This is the reading for next Sunday. To better understand it, this Wednesday is Ash Wednesday, the day that marks the beginning a forty day journey known as Lent. Most churches will offer the imposition of ashes on one's forehead as a symbol of our readiness for this Lenten Journey. It is very much a spiritual journey, involving discipline and sacrifice. This passage shows Jesus' commitment to this journey for Himself. He presents Himself for baptism, and this faithfulness is marked by a voice from Heaven declaring Jesus to be "My Son, the Beloved; with You I am well pleased." Spirit driven, Spirit rewarded, Jesus' baptism shows the need to identify with humanity and humanity's biggest need is to seek that which delivers us from our sins. Jesus, Whom we know was without sin, identifies with the power of baptism and shows that He is very much in tune with the human condition. And just as the Holy Spirit drove Him to baptism, it leads Him into the wilderness for forty days. Mark's gospel summarizes these days with "tempted by Satan; and He was with the wild beasts; and the angels waited on Him." Other gospels share longer insights into what happened in the desert, but Mark is content with just sharing the highlights. It was a time of preparation and a difficult time at that; and after it was over, Jesus was ready to move forward obediently to what awaited Him.

Mark shows Jesus coming to Galilee to begin His public ministry by proclaiming the sermon of His cousin John the Baptist: "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news." Again with that pesky issue of sin. For one to know and enter into God's kingdom, one must repent of one's sins, and have faith in the good news of God's love and deliverance for all people.

Lent is that time when we focus on God's power to free us from our sins. God knows the journey that leads to sin, but God offers that which delivers us from that condition. We enter into the fulfillment of time when we ask that our sins be removed and believe in the message of good news.

PRAYER: Loving God, as I prepare to know You better, help me to know that the sin within me from be removed. I can't do it alone, I need You to remove that sin from me. Take me from this marking of time into the fulness of time and the joy of the good news. This I pray in Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

God is Coming to Judge

Image from thefoundaltar.com

Are You Willing to Flee the Coming Wrath of God?

From Psalm 50:1-6:

The mighty one, God the Lord, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting. Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines forth. Our God comes and does not keep silence, before him is a devouring fire, and a mighty tempest all around him. He calls to the heavens above and to the earth, that he may judge his people: "Gather to me my faithful ones, who made a covenant with me by sacrifice!" The heavens declare his righteousness, for God himself is judge. (Selah)

"How is it with your soul?" "Are you willing to flee from the coming wrath of God?" Two difficult questions that most people today would be afraid to ask, let alone answer. Yet, these are very distinctly Methodist questions, asked by John Wesley. The first was a weekly asked question as you would gather to spend time together with your small class. The second was the admission question that would get you membership into that small class. Wesley knew his Bible and he was aware and a believer in the judgment of God. He knew those were eternal questions and did not want anyone not to know the answer for he knew those who did not know the answers would die separated from God.

The psalmist knew the love of God, but also knew the demands of God for His people to be righteous. He compares the daily rising and setting of the sun to the life cycle of birth and death, and God's role and presence in it. God gave us this life to live as righteous and as loving as we can; caring and helping others, seeking to make others aware of God. The self-centered and self-loving would be those who would risk the wrath of God for their greedy decisions and lifestyles that sought only to please themselves. Judgment would be harsh for them; not so for the ones who loved God and sought to love others.

PRAYER: Loving God, make me more aware of what You seek from me and in me. May I be one who encourages others to live a life that blesses You and others. Let me seek to be righteous for Thy sake; in Jesus' powerful name I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Wow!

Where Do We Begin?

From 2 Kings 2:1-12:

Now when the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. Elijah said to Elisha, "Stay here; for the Lord has sent me as far as Bethel." But Elisha said, "As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you." So they went down to Bethel. The company of prophets who were in Bethel came out to Elisha, and said to him, "Do you know that today the Lord will take your master away from you?" And he said, "Yes, I know; keep silent." Elijah said to him, "Elisha, stay here; for the Lord has sent me to Jericho." But he said, "As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you." So they came to Jericho. The company of prophets who were at Jericho drew near to Elisha, and said to him, "Do you know that today the Lord will take your master away from you?" And he answered, "Yes, I know; be silent. Then Elijah said to him, "Stay here; for the Lord has sent me to the Jordan." But he said, "As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you." So the two of them went on. Fifty men of the company of prophets also went, and stood at some distance from them, as they both were standing by the Jordan. Then Elijah took his mantle and rolled it up, and struck the water; the water was parted to the one side and to the other, until the two of them crossed on dry ground. When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, "Tell me what I may do for you, before I am taken from you." Elisha said, "Please let me inherit a double share of your spirit." He responded, "You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it will be granted you; if not, it will not." As they continued walking and talking, a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them, and Elijah ascended in a whirlwind into heaven. Elisha kept watching and crying out, "Father, father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!" But when he could no longer see him, he grasped his own clothes and tore them in two pieces.

At first reading of this powerful passage there are a lot of stories happening in this one story. Elijah is about to leave this earth, and that is a big deal, especially for Elisha, his understudy. They are traveling to the place where Elijah is about to be taken. It is difficult for Elisha to say goodbye to Elijah. There are other prophets who seem to be enjoying telling Elisha that his mentor is about to leave earth. Enough already, shut up! Elijah performs a miracle in divides the Jordan River. They cross it on dry ground. Any last requests from me, asks Elijah? The younger prophet asks for a double portion of Elijah's spirit. Difficult request, but doable. A chariot of fire appears pulled by horses of fire. They take Elijah up to Heaven. Elisha mourns his departure.

Elijah had a tremendous ministry. I wish I could say he never wavered nor felt doubt. He did. He even sought to go home before it was time. But God used him in mighty ways even on his last day on earth. And Elijah's reward was that he did not experience death. He got a free ride up on this amazing chariot of fire right to the doors of Heaven. And Elisha was a witness to this amazing thing. His request was even granted; a double portion of Elijah's spirit to be faithful in the ministry that he was to begin.

The easiest thing to say is that God is involved in all of this. In the good and the bad, in the easy and the difficult, we can count on God's presence and power. In the loudness of other voices and influences we have the right to say enough already, shut up! In the miracles of life, both the expected and unexpected, God is awesome. And, important lesson, life never ends for those who walk with God. God is involved in your life. God is involved in your ministry. God will provide all you need to be faithful to Him. What are you waiting for?

PRAYER: Loving God, again I pray asking that the awe factor that I find in You never fade. You are an awesome God and I seek to delight in You. Give me strength; lift me up. Help me to see beyond what I see to the unseen, to the glorious in that realm that is You. In Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Let Light Shine Out of Darkness

Image from snowmobiling of Eradio and Nellie

We Preach Jesus as Lord

From 2 Corinthians 4:3-6:

And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus' sake. For it is the God who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Nellie and I did something we never dreamed we do just last week. In a trip to Colorado, on the day before we returned home, we bundled ourselves up in clothing we had bought to play in the snow, and if that was not enough we squeezed ourselves into snow jumpsuits. We had to wear a helmet, and we bought snow goggles. What made the adventure a bit scary was the fact that goggles tend to fog up to the point of limited vision. The guide said that if we wore our glasses those would certainly fog up and we'd see nothing. Well, as the driver of our snowmobile I did not like the idea of no vision, especially as we were going up the side of a mountain to the Continental Divide. Everything was too beautiful not to see. The idea of a "veiled gospel" is not a good idea. And an even worse idea is to let "the god of this world," read, Satan, to blind "the minds of unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God." This is where we, as believers, not blinded, step in. It is through our witness of our words and actions that we reflect the image of God in Christ. We should be living lives that are the only sermons many people will see. If we stumble around in darkness like everyone else, we are serving no purpose; for as verse 6 clearly states, "For it is the God who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness.'" Our hearts should be beaming out the light and love of Jesus who reflects the glory of God.

And as believers who gather to worship God, our churches should be lighthouses of this same glory. Let it not be as the story goes, the pastor asked for any prayer requests and a little child said, "I'd like to ask for more smiling faces!" A frowning congregation of people reflect no light nor love; even if one is hurting, while in worship, one is in the presence of the living God who will deliver us from our hurts, help us overcome the challenges we face, and lead us to glory; that in itself, dear readers, is enough to turn our frowns upside down! Let the church be a living sermon too, of what God can do in the lives of all who enter it.

Be the best sermon God can preach on this day.

PRAYER: Loving God, let me live a sermon life, that speaks of light in the face of darkness; hope in the face of hopelessness; joy in the face of despair; and healing in the face of hurts. This I ask in the name of He who is Love, Jesus my Savior, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Here and There, God is Glorified!

The Mountain Top Experience

From Mark 9:2-9:

After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus. Peter said to Jesus, "Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters--one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah." (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.) Then a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and a voice came from the cloud: "This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!" Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus. As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead.

You and I have probably had those mountaintop experiences, where suddenly something about God became crystal clear. You can't quite explain it, but you feel it; sometimes you've seen it; and whatever it is you don't want it to end. Several settings lend themselves to these type of experiences; Mount Wesley in Kerrville was in my youth, the setting where I learned a lot about God. Later, in the mid-80s, it was where I was a pilgrim on my first Walk to Emmaus. The passage from Mark is the ultimate mountaintop experience for Jesus' inner circle. Peter, James and John were privy to several experiences that only they saw or experienced while alone with Jesus.

This comes right after Peter and several of His disciples try to rebuke Jesus for having said He was to suffer much and be killed at the hands of those who wanted His life. Peter was even called "Satan" for his role in this incident. But that's now behind them, and Jesus takes them to the top of this high mountain. As soon as they arrive there, Jesus is transfigured. The easiest way to try to explain this is that Jesus' body is both here, on that mountain, and there in Glory, the realm of God. The disciples could only explain it by trying to explain His clothing becoming "dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them." And to further the spiritual nature of this unique experience, they were able to see two figures with Jesus, whom they identified as being Elijah and Moses, who are talking with Jesus. The only thing Peter can think to say is that he and the other two could build shelters, or places to spend the night; that's how scared he was. Then, God sends a cloud and God's voice declares, "This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to Him!" Then it all ended. This is the second time in Jesus' ministry that God has made this declaration; the first at Jesus' baptism, and now.

I always remember the closing words of the last book of the Old Testament; Malachi 4:4-5, where God says, "Remember the law of my servant Moses...Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes." Hmm. Coincidence that the disciples saw these two men mentioned? No. This is fulfillment of prophecy and promise, that God would send these two men, which He does in this experience. Peter. James. John. Witnesses to this unexplainable image of Jesus both here and There; Elijah and Moses present with them; and God declaring this is My Son!

We don't need mountaintop experiences to strengthen our faith. We just need reminders of what God has done in our lives thus far. The challenges and obstacles that are now gone because of God's action; the blessings too numerous to count; and the joy of life because He who came to bring the fullness of life lives within our hearts.

PRAYER: Loving God, for the joy of today I thank You. Yes, for many it is Monday and we may gripe about having to go to work, but remind us we are blessed to have that which provides for us and our families. Give me the joy of a mountaintop experience because You are with me. This I pray in Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde