Christ Knows Our Sins and Still Loves Us!

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So he came to a Samaritan city called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired out by his journey, was sitting by the well. It was about noon.A Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, ‘Give me a drink’. (His disciples had gone to the city to buy food.) The Samaritan woman said to him, ‘How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?’ (Jews do not share things in common with Samaritans.) Jesus answered her, ‘If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, “Give me a drink”, you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.’ The woman said to him, ‘Sir, you have no bucket, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? Are you greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us the well, and with his sons and his flocks drank from it?’ Jesus said to her, ‘Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life.’ The woman said to him, ‘Sir, give me this water, so that I may never be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water.’Jesus said to her, ‘Go, call your husband, and come back.’ The woman answered him, ‘I have no husband.’ Jesus said to her, ‘You are right in saying, “I have no husband”; for you have had five husbands, and the one you have now is not your husband. What you have said is true!’ The woman said to him, ‘Sir, I see that you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshipped on this mountain, but you say that the place where people must worship is in Jerusalem.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.’ The woman said to him, ‘I know that Messiah is coming’ (who is called Christ). ‘When he comes, he will proclaim all things to us.’ Jesus said to her, ‘I am he,the one who is speaking to you.’Just then his disciples came. They were astonished that he was speaking with a woman, but no one said, ‘What do you want?’ or, ‘Why are you speaking with her?’ Then the woman left her water-jar and went back to the city. She said to the people, ‘Come and see a man who told me everything I have ever done! He cannot be the Messiah, can he?’ They left the city and were on their way to him.Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, ‘Rabbi, eat something.’ But he said to them, ‘I have food to eat that you do not know about.’ So the disciples said to one another, ‘Surely no one has brought him something to eat?’ Jesus said to them, ‘My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to complete his work. Do you not say, “Four months more, then comes the harvest”? But I tell you, look around you, and see how the fields are ripe for harvesting. The reaper is already receiving wages and is gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. For here the saying holds true, “One sows and another reaps.” I sent you to reap that for which you did not labour. Others have laboured, and you have entered into their labour.’ Many Samaritans from that city believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, ‘He told me everything I have ever done.’ So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them; and he stayed there for two days. And many more believed because of his word.They said to the woman, ‘It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is truly the Savior of the world.’  (John 4:5-42)

This is certainly not a short passage.  Yet, it contains power and truth.  Jesus alone, unfed, thirsty, and awaiting the return of the disciples, meets a woman who has come to draw water from the well known as Jacob's well.  This was a significant historical spot for it was here that Jacob had given this plot of land to his son Joseph.  "Give me a drink," is how Jesus starts a conversation that will end with the woman knowing exactly who Jesus is, and who she is.  She, being a Samaritan, tries to get Jesus not to ask for water by reminding Him of their differences. Jesus may have confused her by saying if you knew who I was, you would have asked living water from me.  She replies that He has no bucket, the well is deep, where in the world would you get such living water?  And Jesus proceeds to tell her all about that living water and how it leads to eternal life.  She still didn't get it and thinks that maybe this is finally the running water she needs to stop making this trip to the well.  Jesus asks her to bring her husband.  The woman is honest in saying she has no husband, and Jesus concurs and says, "You're right in saying you have no husband, because you have had five husbands, and the one you have now is not your husband.  What you have said is true!"  This takes the woman by surprise and wonders if Jesus is a prophet, and speaks of the place where they are located.Jesus speaks of true worship being done in spirit and truth, and she replies in saying she knows the Messiah is coming.  Jesus declares Himself to be the Messiah.  The disciples arrive, and the woman returns to her village inviting all to come and see a man "who told me everything I have ever done!  He cannot be the Messiah, can He?"  

The woman was amazed that Jesus knew everything she had ever done.  Jesus knew her sins, yet, she could tell He was not condemning her but inviting her to come into a new relationship with herself and with God.  How do we react when we find out that Jesus knows all of our sins?  "Everything (we) have ever done?"  Some might feel embarrassed, or shameful; few might feel relieved - but I hope all of us would feel thankful that in spite of our sin, we were still invited to love Jesus and receive from Jesus the forgiveness of our sins.  This encounter is a Lenten encounter.  Jesus shares with His disciples that His food was in doing the will of God.  They were hungry and believed Jesus to be, but He was content in doing what God asked of Him.  He was sharing forgiveness of sins, offering living water, and speaking truth about living water leading to eternal life.  It took a while for the woman to get it, but the villagers seemed to get it quicker because of Jesus' teachings, and they proclaimed Jesus to be the Savior of the world. 

Jesus' invitation to us still holds.  In spite of who we believe ourselves to be, the long list of sins that we have amassed, Jesus is with us, loving us and sharing with us that which blesses us with living water and eternal life.  I would pray dear friend, that you would, if you have not yet done so, accept His loving invitation to you. We're getting closer to that Friday in which Jesus died for us a painful death, becoming the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world (that's you and me!).  Won't you accept Him?

PRAYER:  Awesome Father, thank You for Jesus and all He did on our behalf.  Help me to know and accept Jesus as MY Savior and Lord.  Thank You for loving us in spite of bad decisions, terrible choices that I have made.  Please give to me, living water, life in abundance, and life eternal.  Take my sins away and replace them with love and grace for all.  This I pray in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Need a Reminder?

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I lift up my eyes to the hills—from where will my help come?  My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade at your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time on and for evermore.(Psalm 121)

I took our car to be serviced this past Tuesday.  It received a brand new dashboard.  The model year of my car had a recall to replace dashboards because the sun would make the old ones melt and become super sticky.  When I went online to find a "cure" for that I discovered there was a recall for sticky dashboards and it took about a year to order and get a new one, but we did.  As Nellie and I were taking it home I saw an old penny on the floor right under the steering wheel and I smiled, picked it up and said, "In God We Trust!"  Indeed.  I have shared with you the story of a woman going through a difficult time and she asked God for a sign or reminder of God's strength and presence with her during difficult times.  And she found a penny, picked it up and read the inscription I quoted above:  In God We Trust.  From then on she discovered the tougher the day and its challenges, she would find a penny and that would remind her and she was calm.  On a day she was facing surgery she prayed for God's presence and help and thought she would find a penny, but did not.  She was trying to calm herself on the gurney in the prep area that even though she had not found that heavenly reminder, God was still with her.  An orderly came in and asked, "Ma'am, I found a penny right outside the door; is it yours?"  Yes, she said, It is mine.

Not everyone needs reminders, but boy does this psalm do the trick for us as we face life and some of life's tough days.  The psalmist is said to have been surrounded by enemy armies on the hills around his camp; as far as the eye could see there they were, ready to attack and try to kill him and his men.  So, he wrote the famous lines that are the first verses of this powerful psalm.  He knew that God was with him and would see him through the challenge of battle.  His spirit reminded him, God made heaven and earth and with that same power and strength, God can protect you!  He won't even leet your foot be moved and He won't fall asleep or doze off while protecting you.  God is your keeper; beyond that God is your shade at your right hand, not even the sun or the moon can do you harm.  God is so strong, God can protect you from all evil and God will keep your life.  God watches as we go out and as we come in; not just now, but all the time, even forever.

What more of a reminder do we need?

PRAYER:  Loving God, speak to my heart and to my fears.  As the challenges of this day come my way, let them be chased away by the presence and power of God.  I claim the words of this psalm for my life, and I claim a victory in all that is before me; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Do Ya Have Enuff Faith to Get Up & Go?

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Now the Lord said to Abram, ‘Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. (Genesis 12:1-4a)

I'll never forget the first trip I took with my group from campus ministry from then-Pan American University in Edinburg, Texas.  Edinburg is deep in the heart of the Valley of Texas, and most of the students in that rented or borrowed van had never left the Valley!  It was unreal to imagine, but the church and my parents had allowed me to venture into other cities, and so a trip to Kerrville and just a bit beyond was a normal occurrence to me, but to hear and see the expressions of these kids wonder and marvel of the great big world that is out there, yes, beyond the Valley, was an incredible blessing to me.  And even as I write this and you read this, there are those who will not know there is a world beyond the Valley.  For some of them, to be born and raised, live and die in the Valley is sufficient for them.  Very few things, if any, will lure them away from the comfort and peace that for them is the Rio Grande Valley.  

Imagine yourself as one who has never traveled beyond your home.  Add to that that you're seventy-five years old.  You're a religious person, you pray to the Lord and believe in God; then one day your Lord speaks to you.  And here is what he says, , I want you to leave your home, your family, and your father's house to a new land that I am going to show you."  That in itself would be enough for some to say, "Uh, God, you have the wrong number!  I'm fine where I am.  Or, as my daughter say, "I'm good."  But listen as God continues, "I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.  I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you, , all the families of the earth shall be blessed."  Wow, that's some promise you're making to me, Lord.  Abram had enough faith to say, as the old song, "I will follow Him, follow Him wherever He may go..."  (if you know the song you have it stuck in your head now, right?)

Abram is called the Father of the Faith for having said yes to God.  He was willing to leave everything and everyone who meant dear things to him, and become the father of a great nation.  It was not an easy decision.  It was a faith decision.  It required that faith that trusts God and follows God wherever God may lead.  And the promise from God was a great one as well.  It came true, finally, for the journey towards it was not an easy or simple one.  But with God at his side, Abram and Sarah journeyed forward and upward.

Do you have the courage to journey across the room to share your faith with someone in obedience to God?  How about across the street?

PRAYER:  Lord, increase my faith.  Help me to trust You enough to venture where You will lead me.  I want to serve You and be faithful and fruitful to You.  This I pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

True Gifts Come By Love, Not Works!

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What then are we to say was gained by Abraham, our ancestor according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the scripture say? ‘Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness. ’Now to one who works, wages are not reckoned as a gift but as something due. But to one who without works trusts him who justifies the ungodly, such faith is reckoned as righteousness.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. (Romans 5:1-5, 13-17)

Years ago I taught Introduction into the New Testament as part of my work as a campus minister.  In those days the state of Texas allowed off-campus instructors to teach Bible courses for university credit.  The university kept the money and we got a chance to work with students.  I learned that there was a house off campus where single men considering the priesthood lived under the tutelage of a priest, and these young men were told to take my course so they could see the difference in theology between themselves and Protestants.  The main difference was faith vs. works.  They would argue they had to work out their salvation.  I would point them to passages such as this.  Some, because of past sins, thought that being in a religious vocation was the only way to earn forgiveness.  I would argue they were forgiven just by asking.  The message of Lent should be that God forgives those who ask, not who follow acts of obedience and penitence.  And the reason God forgives us is that God loves us.  Think on your life and the greatest gifts you have received and probably most, if not all, have been the result of someone's love for you.  Our greatest gift of salvation came through Jesus' love through God in what Jesus did for us, not what we did for Him.

All Abraham did, was by faith.  He left his family and home by faith to receive the gift of faith; for that reason he is called the father of the faith.  For that reason Paul as he writes says, if you have a job the check you get is not out of love, but out of the work you did.  Our salvation came to us free.  I should point out that what we do after we are saved counts as fruits of that faith, and we should demonstrate what Christ has done in us.  Love someone enough to tell them about Jesus!

PRAYER:  Loving Father, grant to me that faith that shows Your love to all.  Thank You for Your grace and pardon.  Help me to share the good news with someone special today.  In Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord.

Eradio Valverde

Nick Wants to Know Who Jesus Is. Do You?

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Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. He came to Jesus by night and said to him, ‘Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God.’ Jesus answered him, ‘Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.’Nicodemus said to him, ‘How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?’ Jesus answered, ‘Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be astonished that I said to you, “You must be born from above.” The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.’Nicodemus said to him, ‘How can these things be?’ Jesus answered him, ‘Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things? ‘Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. 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. (John 3:1-17)

Have you ever wanted to visit someone or learn something and felt it was best to do that by night?  What was your reason?  In Nicodemus' case, it was because of who he was, a leader of the Jews.  His visit to Jesus would have shaken his status and he might have lost everything.  Yet, he took a chance and visited Jesus by night and asked Him who He was.  Notice Nick knows Jesus was from God because the things Jesus was doing no one could do if he was not from God.  Jesus takes the chance to reveal the first important teaching Nick receives that night.  Number one:  To understand God things, you must be spiritual.  And Jesus says it in a way that still speaks to many, "You must be born from above," or as some have learned it through the years, "born again."  This really confuses Nick and he asks a silly question about that process to which Jesus says, "You must be born of water and Spirit.  What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit.  Do not be astonished that I said to you, "You must be born from above."  Then Jesus tries to explain it in a way that Nicodemus can understand it; just as the wind blows wherever it chooses, and one can hear it, you still don't know where it comes from nor where it goes; it's the same way with those who are Spirit-led.  Nick still is clueless and Jesus says, "You've been a teacher of Israel and still you don't understand these things?  That's one reason you guys don't get it."  You don't understand the earthly things I have been sharing, how will you ever understand the heavenly things?  Then a close about His death comparing it to what Moses did in the wilderness to bring salvation to those being bitten by snakes, so would His being lifted up on the cross would bring life to all who believe.  Then the second and great revelation that Jesus shares with Nicodemus and with us:  "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.  '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.'"

A dear friend of mine during a sharing time in a retreat said he came to faith when someone suggested that he change the part that reads, "the world" and substitute his own name.  His name is Skip.  So, the verse became real and true to him as he said, "For God so loved Skip that He gave His only Son, so that if Skip believes in Him, Skip may have eternal life.  Have you ever thought it might read, For God so loved (your name) that He gave His only Son, so that if (your name) believes in Him, (your name) might have eternal life."?  I hope you have, because it is true.

This is the good news that we must share before it gets to be too late for some.  No one wants to see their friends, or certainly not their family perish, so share it with them in a loving way.  Live a life that becomes the gospel so that they can see in you what they are lacking.

PRAYER:  Loving God, thank You for Jesus and for Jesus' mission here on the earth.  I pray that we might truly come to receive and know Him as our Lord and Savior.  Give us the boldness and right opportunity to share Jesus with those we love and certainly more with those we don't love; for we pray in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Video Link:  Here is ConCafe On the Cuff:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SSCQKKRZKU

God-Affirmers Raise the Roof!

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Count yourself lucky, how happy you must be - you get a fresh start, your slate's wiped clean. Count yourself lucky - God holds nothing against you and you're holding nothing back from him. When I kept it all inside, my bones turned to powder, my words became daylong groans. The pressure never let up; all the juices of my life dried up. Then I let it all out; I said, "I'll make a clean breast of my failures to God." Suddenly the pressure was gone - my guilt dissolved, my sin disappeared. These things add up. Every one of us needs to pray; when all hell breaks loose and the dam bursts we'll be on high ground, untouched. God's my island hideaway, keeps danger far from the shore, throws garlands of hosannas around my neck.  Let me give you some good advice; I'm looking you in the eye and giving it to you straight: "Don't be ornery like a horse or mule that needs bit and bridle to stay on track." God-defiers are always in trouble; God-affirmers find themselves loved every time they turn around. Celebrate God. Sing together - everyone! All you honest hearts, raise the roof! (Psalm 32)

What do you do when you win something?  Do you jump up and down in the air, hollering?  This has been quite the season for such celebrations.  Think back to the World Series and those who follow the Cubs; did they not celebrate?  And as far as I know, they're still whooping and hollering.  Think back a few nights to the Academy Awards and the very last presentation; sadly, one group stood up to celebrate, only to be told, "No, we had the wrong envelope!"  Awkward.  Then when the right winner was announced, they started their celebration.  Part of these celebrations mentioned include a message put on almost everything. The Cubs immediately release their caps with the words WORLD CHAMPIONS!  You could also buy the t-shirt, the official uniform shirt, etc.  The movies that won now have the posters and tv announcement:  WINNER OF BEST PICTURE..., etc.  What do you do when you realized your sins have been truly taken away?  Do you whoop and holler and jump up and down?  Well, very few do.  This version of the psalm really celebrates that which happens when God removes the stains of disobedience from our hearts.  The more traditional verses that begin this psalm read:  "Happy are those whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.  Happy are those to whom the Lord imputes no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit."  But I love the words, "happy, fresh start, and slate's wiped clean."  That is the journey of Lent and the Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday all rolled into one.  All that was held against us, and in fact, holding us back from true service - gone!  Nothing should hold us back, we should all be now "God-affirmers," who "find themselves loved every time they turn around."  Who indeed celebrate God, who sing together, and who "raise the roof!"

You can find caps with words to the effect:  Forgiven or Set Free, but the greatest way to share the message of God is to live a life that says, "I am free from my sin.  I am loved by God.  I can't hold back my joy and rejoicing.  You might even find a church of like-minded people or see one on tv or the internet where their joy truly does raise the roof.

What are you waiting for?

PRAYER:  Loving God, fill me with Your joy as I know You have forgiven my sins.  Help me live a life that truly raises the roof as I celebrate You and Your love for me.  Help me find those whose sins are still weighing them down so that I may share the joy with them.  This I pray in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen!

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

PRAYER REPORT AND JOY:  The Rev. John Cochran is now home, after having a surgical procedure to remove his gall bladder.  He is still sore from this and asks our prayers for him.  Thank you all for praying!  God is good!

Paradise! The Relationship with God We Can Have

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The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, ‘You may freely eat of every tree of the garden; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die.’ Now the serpent was more crafty than any other wild animal that the LordGod had made. He said to the woman, ‘Did God say, “You shall not eat from any tree in the garden”?’ The woman said to the serpent, ‘We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden; but God said, “You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden, nor shall you touch it, or you shall die.” ’ But the serpent said to the woman, ‘You will not die; for God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’ So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made loincloths for themselves. (Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7)

As a child my idea of the garden of Eden was an image of a land I have yet to visit; Hawaii.  I had seen pictures and imagined that paradise must look like that.  But as I have grown, the concept of paradise has been right in front of me; the relationship we can have with God is paradise!  In this garden, God supplied all their needs, and in the evenings God walked and talked with them.  What better place could they possibly want?  Well, apparently, like children and most of us, they want more, and they want better.  And the tempter certainly supplies those to us if we aren't careful.  We could see more, or something better, and we could want that by being blinded by what we truly have.  The key is to have that walking, talking, trusting, loving relationship with God; and our eyes will see beyond what is there to what is truly with us.

The journey of Lent is about that.  We sacrifice time or food or something we desire a lot of, to be closer to God.  We cannot let the tempter prey on our wants and desires like happened to the man and the woman; they wanted the knowledge of good and evil, and disobeyed God just to get it.  And the first decision they made with this knowledge?  That God's good creation is bad; that having no clothes was not kosher. And what did this new wisdom allow them to do?  They learned to sew, and they sewed sandpaper underwear to wear.  Smart, right?

May it be that our desire will be to know God better, for God truly knows the difference between good and evil, and if we listen closely God will guide us.

PRAYER:  Loving Father, guide me to obedience and faithfulness.  May Your rich blessings of discernment, joy, peace and comfort be with this dear reader.  May this day be one filled with Your wonder and may they know how blessed they truly are.  We pray in Christ Jesus' precious name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

It Starts with a Reminder of Our Mortality...

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‘Beware of practising your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven.‘So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. ‘And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward.But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. ‘And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. ‘Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rustconsume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21)

Today is Ash Wednesday, the formal start of Lent, a forty day (not counting Sundays) walk with God.  It is meant to be a time when we draw closer to God by praying and fasting, worshiping and praising God.  Fasting takes different meaning for different people.  Some will indeed give up physical food for spiritual nourishment.  Instead of eating three meals, they will eat two, the third one will be a time of prayer or reading from the Bible.  Some will give up sugar and so during these forty days will not touch anything that has sugar in it.  Others will give up something meaningful to take up something more meaningful.  It's a private matter between you and God.

When Jesus spoke about spiritual disciplines in the above passage, He said this was a matter between us and our Father in heaven.  We do it not for the outward approval or acknowledgement of others, but for what it can truly mean to be connecting with God.  Our outward appearance should reflect the true joy that is ours when we are truly walking with God.  The aim of this time should be to build up our heavenly treasure; the peace and joy that comes from knowing God, from trusting God, from loving God, and working for God.  Our heart should reflect where our true treasure lies, with God.

PRAYER:  LORD, for all who begin this spiritual journey, grant Your peace on them.  May it truly reflect where we are in our relationship with You.  May this be a time in which our treasure there with us grows so that our blessings here may be shared with others.  This we pray in Christ Jesus our Lord, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Prayer Update:  Rev. John Cochran will remain the hospital for about three days.  Some concerns have arisen about his liver and they want to make sure there is not a stone in the duct.  This morning will see him get new blood work and if that comes back clear then surgery will happen today.  So, please continue to pray for him.

Here is a video on this week's gospel reading:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xp8dv7mqLyg&t=15s

One Man, Jesus Christ

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Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death came through sin, and so death spread to all because all have sinned—sin was indeed in the world before the law, but sin is not reckoned when there is no law. Yet death exercised dominion from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sins were not like the transgression of Adam, who is a type of the one who was to come. But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died through the one man’s trespass, much more surely have the grace of God and the free gift in the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abounded for the many. And the free gift is not like the effect of the one man’s sin. For the judgement following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brings justification. If, because of the one man’s trespass, death exercised dominion through that one, much more surely will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness exercise dominion in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.Therefore just as one man’s trespass led to condemnation for all, so one man’s act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all. For just as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. (Romans 5:12-19)

Tomorrow we begin the observation of Lent.  Forty days of preparation, and for many, fasting of some sort, to help us more fully understand the passion and death of Jesus Christ.  The focus  of Lent is on our sins, and the need we have to rid ourselves of sin.  This passage explains the idea of the first man, Adam, designed to be God's faithful and obedient creature, failed and because the model of all humans, who are prone to disobedience, and thus, sin; while the person of Jesus Christ, was that one man sent to bring us back to the right relationship with God.  Adam introduced death.  Christ introduced eternal life.  And it is our choice to enter into relationship with God through Jesus Christ or continue on the merry way we may be on, caring for nothing.  My prayer, and the prayers of many who love you, would be for you to choose Jesus as Lord and Savior, and reject your sins, ask forgiveness of those sins, and come to the fullness of life in Jesus Christ.

PRAYER:  Loving God, as Lent approaches, let us approach your throne of glory and grace.  Help me to be rid of my sins, I confess again that I stand in need of forgiveness, and accept the pardon You freely give.  My desire is to be in a loving relationship with You; be my Lord and Savior, and help me glorify You in all things.  This I pray in Christ Jesus my savior, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Prayer Request:  The Rev. John Cochran underwent emergency gall bladder surgery early this morning here in Corpus Christi.  I am on my way to see him.

Also, don't forget many youth groups in the area will be serving pancakes as a part of Shrove Tuesday, our last chance for 40 (46 if you're really counting) to indulge in something sweet!  Or as one newspaper put it:  You Batter Believe It!

Prepare Well to Win!

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Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished. The tempter came and said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.’ But he answered, ‘It is written, “One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” ’ Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written, “He will command his angels concerning you”, and “On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.” ’ Jesus said to him, ‘Again it is written, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.” ’ Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour; and he said to him, ‘All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Away with you, Satan! for it is written,“Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.” ’ Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him.  (Matthew 4:1-11)

Victory over anything in life requires good preparation, and spiritual victories come the same way.  Jesus prepares for His ministry by spending forty days and forty nights in preparation.  Jesus fasted and prayed for those days and nights.  Jesus knew that the task ahead would be an arduous one, the enemy was already prepared, and the only way to win was to be strongly prepared.  Jesus' preparation is similar to what begins this Wednesday, a period of 40 days called Lent.  Some people will give up something as a sign of fasting; a meal once a day, some ingredient that they usually crave, like sugar or sweets; but it is expected that they take up a spiritual discipline in its place.  For every ice cream bar you crave, you should pray, not to be strong against ice cream, but to be strong spiritually over the greater things that can tempt us and cause us to fall.  Scripture reading and worship should accompany our fasting, and victory will be ours.

Notice that as soon as Jesus finished his period of preparation the enemy hit hard.  Coming at his physical weakness, Satan asks Jesus to take care of His hunger by turning stones, that already looked like the bread of the area, into bread.  This was a low blow, for one's hunger after fasting completely of all food is overwhelming.  Jesus countered back with scripture about how we do not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.  Jesus knew taking care of our hunger is important, but the hunger that nags us worse is that spiritual hunger to know and love God; by being in God's word, we can take care of that and that will take care of us.

The second attack was on trusting God.  After 40 days and nights of prayer it may be easy to wonder, where is God in all of this?  The enemy hits Jesus there:  "If you are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from this high point of the temple."  Imagine, taking the Son of God to where God is worshipped and then hit with that question.  Certainly, God is here, the devil is saying, and if you throw Yourself down, God will send His angels to save You as Your own scripture says.  Again, because He was prepared, Jesus answered, "We do not put the Lord God to the test."  

The final attack was on the task at hand.  "If you would just bow down and worship me, Jesus, all these kingdoms of the world would be yours."  Jesus' task was to save these kingdoms from where they already were, deep in sin, deep in debt to Satan, so He counters, "Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only."  The devil left Him and angels came to minister to Him.

Jesus knew the battle was not over, and to this day it is not yet over, but we have read the book and we know how this story ends!  Jesus wins!  The question for now, will you win?  What are you facing that you could best face if you gave God more time during this season?  Instead of fretting over your weight, spend time in prayer and scripture reading.  Instead of worrying about illness, go out and do God's work among those who need it.  It might bring the true healing you need.  If you're worried about tomorrow, win today by standing firm in the promises of God for your life.  Ours is the victory in Christ over all that may come against us.

PRAYER:  Loving God, I worship and praise You and I thank You for Your love for us.  Help me be the warrior against the enemy that You need me to be.  Grant me a time of serious and solid preparation to win over all that may come against us.  I pray this in the name of the Victor, Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Remember the "Full Meal Deal" of Sundays?

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The Lord is king; let the peoples tremble! He sits enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth quake!  The Lord is great in Zion;he is exalted over all the peoples. Let them praise your great and awesome name.Holy is he! Mighty King, lover of justice,you have established equity;you have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob. Extol the Lord our God;worship at his footstool.Holy is he! Moses and Aaron were among his priests,Samuel also was among those who called on his name.They cried to the Lord, and he answered them. He spoke to them in the pillar of cloud;they kept his decrees,and the statutes that he gave them. O Lord our God, you answered them; you were a forgiving God to them but an avenger of their wrongdoings. Extol the Lord our God,and worship at his holy mountain; for the Lord our God is holy. (Psalm 99)

Once I understood what Church was all about, it was fun going each and every Sunday.  I loved being taught Psalm 122:1:  "I was glad when they said unto me, let us go into the house of the Lord."  "They" being my parents and I longed for, and eventually, lived for going to church.  It started with Sunday school, and my teacher was always there before I arrived.  She had a lesson prepared, and sometimes she made the lesson even better by bringing some arts and crafts things to make the lesson come more alive.  It may have been two Popsicle sticks tied with blue yarn, but we thought it was straight from a European museum!  And sometimes, sometimes, she would even bring a snack.  Now those of you who know me, know I don't like snacks... smiley face!  Then worship.  Organ and piano music of great old hymns.  I brushed up on my reading skills en español by singing along with my parents and reading along with the alternate readings in the back of our hymnals.  Then the sermon and I usually followed along and laughed at the jokes if they were included; sometimes I would just laugh at friends staring at me and making faces.  When church was over, I would run quickly to join my friends and we would usually find cool ways to get our Sunday best as muddy or dusty as we could.  Usually we were scolded for that, but it was worth it.  And Sunday didn't end there! My mom and grandmother changed out of the Sunday best in what seemed like superhero speed and before we knew it, there was a chicken frying in a skillet and before long we were called to eat a delicious Methodist meal.  (Remember the old song, "I've got that chicken-eatin' Methodism down in my heart.. to stay!" - where do you think that lyric came from?)  Sundays were also when I would see the comics in color in our Sunday paper.  I would read those carefully and quietly, and then either go outside to play or take a nap.

But the key was that this special day of the week was dedicated to God, not me.  It may seem like a lot of what I shared was about me, and in a way it was, but I learned early on, that the key character in Sunday was God and God's worship.  As the psalmist writes, where God is and Who God is, merits our praise.  All of Sunday's worship components should be about God and God's awesomeness.  Nothing should be about us nor should we angrily give up and say, "I'm not coming back to this church because the new preacher changed the doxology we sing!"  It's about God.  Re-read the psalm.  God deserves our worship and praise. God has done so much for us that we should just be grateful to be in church.

PRAYER:  Lord, we lift Your name on high; Lord, we love to sing Your praises!  I'm so glad You're in my life; I'm so glad you came to save us.  Help us to realize how important it is to worship You every day, but to set apart one day, Sunday or Saturday, to worship You in spirit and in truth.  Bless those moms who fight the urge to stay home and fight the struggles of their children who resist going as well.  The victory is Yours, dear Father, and we claim it for us and for those we love.  In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Here is the short video that goes with this psalm:

Time Set Apart for God-Mountain Top!

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The Lord said to Moses, ‘Come up to me on the mountain, and wait there; and I will give you the tablets of stone, with the law and the commandment, which I have written for their instruction.’ So Moses set out with his assistant Joshua, and Moses went up into the mountain of God. To the elders he had said, ‘Wait here for us, until we come to you again; for Aaron and Hur are with you; whoever has a dispute may go to them.’ Then Moses went up on the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. The glory of the Lord settled on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days; on the seventh day he called to Moses out of the cloud. Now the appearance of the glory of the Lord was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of the people of Israel. Moses entered the cloud, and went up on the mountain. Moses was on the mountain for forty days and forty nights. (Exodus 24:12-18)

In my humble opinion, the Texas Hill Country has mountains.  I know the definition of a "real" mountain would say that none of the "hills" we possess are high enough to be "mountains," but in spiritual terms, they have served me and many, well.  My first experience in the hill country was at Mount Wesley in Kerrville, Texas, with my parents who attended a yearly Rio Grande Conference Young Adult event.  I remember staying in one of the cabins, doing a lot of walking, time spent at Vesper Point, even making the trek up the mountain to pray at the Bolivian cross.  Years passed and I started attending there alone at youth assembly for the RGC with hundreds of other youth.  And some years later, Mt. Wesley would serve as the mother camp for Walks to Emmaus, where in 1985 I attended Walk 22.  Each mountaintop experience has blessed my life.  And I define a mountaintop experience as one where we set time apart to spend with God.  That factors in our heritage as Judeo-Christians.  Todays's passage is set on Mount Sinai where Moses spent time alone with God and received the tablets of stone, with the law and the commandment, written for our good.  It took faith to follow God out of slavery and into the wilderness; it took faith to travel forty years trusting God, but for Moses, it took a lot of faith to climb up that mountain to spend time alone with God.  First, six days covered in this cloud, then 40 days and nights, listening to God.  That's a mountaintop experience.

Let me make clear one does not need a mountain nor a hill to have a mountaintop experience.  It can happen anywhere; your dining room table, your breakfast table, your easy chair, your sofa; anywhere you intentionally set aside time to listen to God will be the setting for that experience.  And mountaintop experiences start with faith, prayer, scripture reading and reflection, praise singing (or humming); anything in which you seek the presence and peace of the Lord.  And why are mountaintop experiences needed?  Those "highs" in faith help us with our "lows."  As often as we've spoken or heard spoken of mountaintop experiences, we have also heard about "valleys" and the lows of faith where the challenges of life, trails, testings, illnesses, losses, etc., come into our lives and pull us down.  It is the mountaintop experiences that lift us up and help us live life trusting and securely believing in God.

Whatever you may be facing, dear friend, please know that God is with you.  It may be you haven't set time apart with God for some time so, today may be that day when you seek God's presence and peace.  Listen to God; remember we pray and then we say Amen, which I define as "It's Your turn, God!  I'm listening!"

PRAYER:  Loving God, I lift up this dear reader to your loving care.  You know what to do in that precious life and I claim it for them in Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Here they are again:  ConCafe Off the Cuff Video at (click on this link):  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKTsI2g7QAk&t=8s

We Are Eyewitnesses

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For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received honour and glory from God the Father when that voice was conveyed to him by the Majestic Glory, saying, ‘This is my Son, my Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.’ We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven, while we were with him on the holy mountain. So we have the prophetic message more fully confirmed. You will do well to be attentive to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, because no prophecy ever came by human will, but men and women moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God. (2 Peter 1:16-21)

Do you ever have doubts about your faith?  If you haven't, then you must be doing something exceptionally right.  Most people have doubts.  And people with doubts sometimes wonder how others can continue to believe.  Sometimes doubts come with the loss of a loved one.  And that's natural to have because of the great grief we bear at the loss of a spouse or family member.  But here Peter is responding to people doubting his message and so he says in the first verse of this passage, "we were eyewitnesses."  If an eyewitness was not a big deal why do television news call themselves Eyewitness News?  In other words, I was there; I saw and heard all these things, and I especially will never forget hearing that voice say, "This is my Son, my Beloved, with whom I am well pleased."  That confirmed our faith!  So, we will all do better, he continues, by being attentive to this as we would to the light of a lamp in a dark place - until the day comes when we will see the morning star (Jesus) rising in our hearts.  All this we have as scripture and prophecy has not come because some humans cleverly devised it, but rather because men and women were moved by the Holy Spirit speaking to them from God.

Whatever doubt we may be facing or whatever grief may be causing our doubt, it is in God we should trust and God's voice is still heard as we read and hear the word of God taught and preached.  May it be our prayer to have comfort in our hearts and joy in our souls as we are strengthened in our faith.

PRAYER:  Come, Loving Father, to the heart of this dear reader; whatever pain is there because of grief replace it with comfort.  If doubt has visited their heart and soul, remove it with Your loving truth.  Let Jesus be the morning star of this dear reader's life, for it is in Jesus' precious and powerful name that we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

A Glimpse of the Holy

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Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. Then Peter said to Jesus, ‘Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, I will make three dwellings here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.’ While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud a voice said, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!’ When the disciples heard this, they fell to the ground and were overcome by fear. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, ‘Get up and do not be afraid.’ And when they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus himself alone. As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus ordered them, ‘Tell no one about the vision until after the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.’ (Matthew 17:1-9)

I learned about time apart with God when I was in junior high and I was invited to go with our youth group to Mt. Wesley in Kerrville, Texas, for a week.  The price was steep; $20 for the whole week, plus gas and spending money.  That might be more than my family could afford thought I, but the group started with fund-raising events; bake sales, comidas, etc.  And before we knew it we had the $20 for each youth.  In those days, Mt. Wesley was out in the middle of nowhere.  Kerrville ended and some empty space, then Wt. Wesley.  It had a vespers point where you could see the drive-in theatre in town.  But the important thing was the purpose behind our being there; to get to know God a little better.  In this coming Sunday's lesson from the gospels, Jesus has taken His three inner circle disciples to a retreat up on a high mountain and there something happened that the writer could only explain as Jesus' face shining bright like the sun and Jesus' clothing being dazzling white.  Then there appeared two of the Old Testament's heroes, Moses and Elijah, who began speaking with Jesus.  Peter, James, and John, caught up in the spiritual power of the moment recognized the two and were dumbfounded as to what to do next?  Peter says they will build "dwellings" for each of them in case their time on the earth would be long, but then the voice comes from the clouds and says, "This is my Son, the Beloved; with Him I am well pleased; listen to Him!"  That knocked the three disciples to the ground, scared for their lives.  But again, it is Jesus who comes and says "Get up, and do not be afraid."  Then the order for them to not say a word about what they had seen.

As our little lamb friends say above in the comic, Jesus is the complete Word of God and if we want to know what God has to say about our lives, we should look to Jesus.  This event shared a wonderful, unexplainable glimpse into the holy, the realm of God, saying God is not really that far "out there" as we imagine, God is right here, right  now and caring for you and me.  Through Jesus we have access to God and all that God offers.  Why be afraid when we have this faith?

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, thank You for Jesus.  This event speaks to my heart; I claim courage and strength to move forward in doing what it is You would have me do and be.  I want to know You more, Lord, and through Jesus I can.  Help me be a blessing to others; this I pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Freeways of Faith!

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God, teach me lessons for living so I can stay the course. Give me insight so I can do what you tell me - my whole life one long, obedient response. Guide me down the road of your commandments; I love traveling this freeway! Give me a bent for your words of wisdom, and not for piling up loot. Divert my eyes from toys and trinkets, invigorate me on the pilgrim way. Affirm your promises to me - promises made to all who fear you. Deflect the harsh words of my critics - but what you say is always so good. See how hungry I am for your counsel; preserve my life through your righteous ways! (Psalm 119:33-40 The Message)

1965 found this country boy in Houston, Texas.  We went from a town of several traffic lights, no understanding of rush hour, and a slow pace to Houston.  At church the pastor and all his family, and I think they must have talked about it before church; all asked if we had seen the "spaghetti bowl" yet?  Huh?  We ate fideo, but spaghetti was a school dish - we had no clue.  They laughed and said it was the freeway system downtown of bridges, overpasses of all the freeways meeting there.  We smiled and said, not yet.  Some years later I learned to drive in Houston, passed my driving test in Houston and learned all about the freeways, designed to cut travel time between points A and B.   Okay in theory.  The psalmist in this modern version is talking about getting from point A to point B in his faith walk with the Lord.  He knows and want to be obedient to the Lord and using God's commandments as a "freeway," a travel free of distraction for a life blessed by God.  God's word is wisdom and instruction, he says; a pilgrim's way in which God's promises are affirmed and blessings are attained.  He begs to be free of the criticism of those opposed to him so that he could solely be blessed by God's word.  He knows that to be hungry for God's word and counsel is the way to be preserved in God's righteous ways.

The point of this passage to me, is to stay the course with God.  Yes, distractions come as do challenges, but the person who stays connected to God gets through all that and finds their way to where God is leading.  Whether you can relate this to traveling a freeway to a caliche road you call the "back way," the point is to get where God is leading.  We learn all the way there if we're open to it.  And all along the way we can be blessed and we can be a blessing to all.

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, guide my way to Your knowledge and understanding in a way that builds my faith and helps me be a blessing to You and Yours.  Help me avoid distractions and find my way straight to places of rich understandings.  This I pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Being Holy Begins With Loving Others

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The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them: You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy. You shall not render an unjust judgement; you shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great: with justice you shall judge your neighbour.You shall not go around as a slanderer among your people, and you shall not profit by the blood of your neighbour: I am the Lord.You shall not hate in your heart anyone of your kin; you shall reprove your neighbour, or you will incur guilt yourself. You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbour as yourself: I am the Lord. (Leviticus 19:1-2, 15-18)

We tend to shy away from holiness or purity thinking, "We don't want people to think we're being 'holier than thou' in our way of living," but we're missing the point.  As God was forming the people of Israel into a nation in the wilderness, holiness was very much what God expected of them.  Here is Moses hearing from God what he should say to the people.  God wanted a nation of priests, or a nation that set the example of how to best live with one another, and the foundation is holiness.  If we are made in the image of God, which we are, then that image should be holiness, for God is holy.  Then God shares a partial list of how we should act with others:  Be just people; show no partiality to the poor or rich; fair with our neighbors in judgment.  We should not slander our people, nor should we profit from the death of our neighbors.  We should not hate in our hearts anyone; we should speak in ways that build up our neighbors; we should not take revenge or bear a grudge against any of our people.  We should love our neighbor as ourself.  And to seal it, God said, "I am the Lord."  No arguments, just obedience.

To be a disciple of Jesus should separate us apart from the rest of the world.  Our actions should show that God truly lives in us and really guides us.  Our words, our actions should reflect the presence of the holy in us.  To live and act just like everyone else defeats our calling ourselves Christians or followers of Christ.  The old adage, If accused of being a Christian would there be enough evidence to convict? is a good one to help us judge how we are living with others.  The rhetoric and glamor of today's world cries out for people to love one another, to show a better way, and to a voice of hope and compassion.  We are rapidly becoming a people consumed just with ourselves when the above passage is all about others.

Begin making a difference today in how you treat others.  Make it Valentine's Day all over again.

PRAYER:  Loving God, help me be the person you called me to be.  I want to be holy, and I want to be loving.  Help me to love others the way I love myself; not wanting to hurt them or slander them; let me be a voice of change and hope.  For I pray this in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

PS  there will be no video today with this devotional.  

You Belong to Jesus Christ!

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According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building on it. Each builder must choose with care how to build on it. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one that has been laid; that foundation is Jesus Christ.Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.Do not deceive yourselves. If you think that you are wise in this age, you should become fools so that you may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written,‘He catches the wise in their craftiness’, and again,‘The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.’ So let no one boast about human leaders. For all things are yours,whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all belong to you, and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God. (1 Corinthians 3:10-11, 16-23)

This passage is filled with good news!  First, Paul assures his people in the church in Corinth that as the spiritual architect of their faith he laid a solid foundation and that foundation is Jesus Christ.  If we have faith, our faith should be built upon the foundation of Jesus.  In other words, Jesus in everything we do.  Then Paul shares that which we have heard many times:  We are God's temple because God's Spirit is dwelling in us.  Our thinking should be guided by God and our actions should reflect God's glory; and sometimes that may come off as foolish in the eyes of those who don't yet understand.  Yet in Christ we have received all things, "and you belong to Christ and Christ belongs to God."

What a way to face this day, knowing that we belong to Jesus Christ, and He belongs to God.  That should put a smile on our face, a song in our heart, and a spring in our step as we set out to serve the Lord in the opportunities God may provide for us today.  The goal is to show love in such an inviting and contagious way that others will want to know more about it.  We can bring people to faith through our actions.  

May it be so!

PRAYER:  Loving God, may Your love in me be that which blesses You and Yours.  May a smile from You bring a smile to me; may all I say today be a song of praise to You; and may I step beyond any aches and pains to that place where I will lovingly spring into action for Your sake.  This I pray in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Here is today's video link:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IW1CfF4fbw&t=1s

It's Easy to do the Expected; Do the Unexpected!

‘You have heard that it was said, “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you.‘You have heard that it was said, “You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.” But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax-collectors do the same?And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Matthew 5:38-38)

It was, forgive the pun, "eye-opening" to learn the truth behind the retaliation law that Moses introduced.  It was during the time when if someone knocked the tooth out of someone in a fight or conflict, the family of the injured would seek to kill the one who knocked out the tooth.  And the same was true for almost any type of injury.  Moses said, it's best if you seek to repay just what was taken from you.  If it was an eye, take the eye out of the one who did it.  Same for a tooth, etc.  Jesus goes further; right into the unexpected.  "If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the left one to them as well.  And if someone wants to sue you for your coat, give them your cloak as well.  And if someone forces you to go one mile, go a second mile.  And that was interesting because during the time of Jesus any Roman solider could pat you on your back with the flat of his spear which was an indication to you that you had to carry his gear for one mile.  If you refused, he would run you through with his spear.  Jesus said what He said to say, "Why risk death?  Show others the unexpected of going a second mile when that is not at all expected."  And Jesus goes even further by saying to love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you; in other words, strive for perfection, which is usually completely based on the unexpected.  The world has a set of expectations; it doesn't know what to do when the unexpected shows up.

It's easy to do the expected.  In fact, it's expected.  The difficult things are usually the Godly things; show love in unexpected ways.  Second mile living, giving, sharing, and sacrifice show the God-side of us - and doesn't the world need to see that more?  In this time of hateful rants and rhetoric, can the voice of God in us be a voice of love and understanding?  

It's up to us.  I say we should choose to live in a way that blesses and catches people off guard.  Bless God and you will be blessed!

PRAYER:  Awesome Father, as I set about this day, help me to live in an unexpected way; going the second mile, turning the other cheek, praying for those who hate me and loving those who I thought were my enemies.  I want to turn the world upside down for You.  I pray this in Jesus' name, amen!

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Here is a quick video on first thoughts on this passage:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_rTNXGlg3U

Follow God's Road

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You're blessed when you stay on course, walking steadily on the road revealed by God. You're blessed when you follow his directions, doing your best to find him. That's right - you don't go off on your own; you walk straight along the road he set. You, God, prescribed the right way to live; now you expect us to live it. Oh, that my steps might be steady, keeping to the course you set;  Then I'd never have any regrets in comparing my life with your counsel.  I thank you for speaking straight from your heart; I learn the pattern of your righteous  ways.  I'm going to do what you tell me to do; don't ever walk off and leave me. (Psalm 119:1-8)

I have a pretty good sense of direction except when I'm in some hospitals.  I dislike those hospitals that you know started small and then they just added on to them.  Another floor or two, an annex, tunnels, skywalks, etc.  Before too long you have a large hard to find patient's rooms and then back to the main door through which you came!  It's fun to watch children who have great sense of direction as adults are driving they help navigate their way back to where they need to go.  Our oldest was about two or three and was riding with her mom and a friend and the friend was driving and she said, "I don't know if this is the way I should go." Our baby said, "Yes, you're going right, but up there you have to turn that way and you'll find it."  Our oldest grandson when riding with his grandma told Nellie, "Grandma now that you can drive, you can take me to Dairy Queen!"  Nellie said, "I don't know the way."  He said, "Don't worry, I'll show you!"  And sure enough he did.

This week has been about making decisions and trusting God.  The psalmist in this modern version of the Bible says that blessings are ours when we stay on course and if we walk steadily on the road revealed by God.  Many have been the stories you and I have heard about those who turned the wrong way or so they believed until they realized the good or blessing they were bringing to someone in need because of that wrong turn.  Many have been the times we have been blessed because we obeyed that God-feeling to go a certain way.  Listen again to this verse:  "You, God, prescribed the right way to live; now you expect us to live it."  God indeed has prescribed the right way to live and we have to but follow it.

Where do you have to go today?  What is in store for you?  I think it's all part of the God-adventure we're called to live to be a blessing for God.  Listen closely, and walk steadily besides God and you will be amazed  and blessed. PRAYER:  Loving God, guide my path.  Help me stay the course towards where You are leading.  Let me be a blessing to all with whom I come in contact so that You may be glorified.  This I pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

PS:  Dear friends, please pray for me as I am on retreat/cabinet meetings this week.  Therefore, no videos with this devotional.  I may have time to share one later today.  

Making the Right Decision

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See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, death and adversity.If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God that I am commanding you today, by loving the Lord your God, walking in his ways, and observing his commandments, decrees, and ordinances, then you shall live and become numerous, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to possess. But if your heart turns away and you do not hear, but are led astray to bow down to other gods and serve them, I declare to you today that you shall perish; you shall not live long in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess. I call heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and holding fast to him; for that means life to you and length of days, so that you may live in the land that the Lord swore to give to your ancestors, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. (Deuteronomy 30:15-20)

I remember my father and mother constantly talking to me about making right decisions.  I wondered when the time would come for those decisions.  In those days I felt they pretty much ran my life.  I had no choices, I thought; I wake up, I HAVE to go to school.  After school, I have to come home.  I have to do my home work.  I have to go play outside (I didn't mind that one too much).  Yes, I had to eat.  (I loved that one.  Still do!).  I had to bathe.  I had to brush my teeth.  I had to go to sleep.  I had to say my prayers.  And in looking back it was the prayers that I lifted up or were lifted up that blessed my life and made the decisions in early life come easily.  I made good friends.  I stayed away from those whose habits were not mine.  I got offered drugs early on and I knew to say no.  I chose not to drink.  And I chose not to smoke.  And when the really big decisions came, I saw God's hand guiding and blessing me.

In today's passage, Moses is talking to the people of God as God is forming them into a nation.  Not just any nation, but a nation of priests; an example to the world of what can and does happen when we trust God fully in all aspects of life.  Yet, it had to be spelled out. It does sound like a Dad or Mom talking seriously to a child they love:  You have these things set before you; life and prosperity, death and adversity.  That seems like an easy choice, but sometimes the four are carefully disguised, some in attractive packages, others in stark contrasts; we still have to choose.  And Moses reminds them as God reminds us, If we walk with God and seek to honor and please God, we will have life, "exuberant life" as The Message version says.  The heart turned to God gets blessed; a heart turned away from God results in sad consequences, even death.  And Moses called upon heaven and earth as witnesses, that he had shared before the forming people of God life and death, blessings and curses.  He says, "choose life so that you and yours may live long lives in the places God is leading you."

Dear friend, do you see God guiding you as you make your way?  Do you trust God enough to call on Him to ask how you should live?  Do you see life and blessings as a good choice, or are you being guided towards death and adversity?  The choices as I said are sometimes very closely identical or seem packaged in a way that we can't go wrong, but I say don't be fooled.  Ask God for eyes of faith to see what is truly behind the choices presented to us.  And choose wisely that which will bless you and yours.

PRAYER:  Loving God, help me to live a life that honors and blesses You.  Help me discern the choices that will come before me today that I may choose the right way.  I want life and prosperity and I want life and blessings.  Make me wise not to be fooled into choosing that which will not be a blessing.  I pray this in Christ Jesus' precious name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Here is the link for today's video thoughts on this passage:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5rMQkH9GY0&t=27s 

Taking Solid Food

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And so, brothers and sisters, I could not speak to you as spiritual people, but rather as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for solid food. Even now you are still not ready, for you are still of the flesh. For as long as there is jealousy and quarrelling among you, are you not of the flesh, and behaving according to human inclinations? For when one says, ‘I belong to Paul’, and another, ‘I belong to Apollos’, are you not merely human? What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you came to believe, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. The one who plants and the one who waters have a common purpose, and each will receive wages according to the labour of each. For we are God’s servants, working together; you are God’s field, God’s building. (1 Corinthians 3:1-9)

Smoking or Non-Smoking?  Remember that question?  Remember when airlines would allow smoking in the smoking section?  Thank God those days are over!  Imagine walking into a church and the usher asking you, "Spiritual or Flesh?"  You'd probably say, "Excuse me?"  And the usher would say, "Milk or solid food?"  Huh?  This is what Paul is asking as he's writing to the church in Corinth.  "What in the world is going on over there?"  Or, as some parents say, "Don't make me come down there!"  Paul knew his people and he addressed them as such.  For the most part the people in the Corinthian church were flesh people, ready only for milk.  Some were ready for baby food.  No meat yet.  Why?  There was quarreling and jealousy going on in the Christian church.  They hadn't yet become spiritual people; they were behaving like people driven by the flesh.  They were arguing about who had been the better pastor among them.  Some said Paul; some said Apollos.  Paul asks, "What are we anyway?  We're just servants that brought you the faith, and it was the Lord guiding you.  Some came to faith through me, some through Apollos; what's the big deal?"  It's all about God, not about you.  Or us.  Sadly, some churches still have fleshy people.  They've not yet "gotten it," when it comes to being spiritual people.  Those are the ones who still "don't get fed," or "I'm not getting anything out of worship."  Duh.  Worship is geared towards God; Who deserves it.  We don't deserve to be worshiped, nor should we expect that anything in worship is about us.  We should come to worship with hungry hearts, open spirits set on receiving more from the Lord.  The hymns chosen should be about Jesus and God; not about the ones we really like.  We are there to worship God and a renewing of our faith and purpose in serving God.  Paul says, we will receive what we have brought to work with; "For we are God's servants, working together; you are God's field, God's building."

Pray for yourself as you prepare for this coming Sunday's worship.  Reflect on your attitude and gratitude towards God.  If you think you would be assigned to the Flesh Section, ask to be moved to the Spiritual section.  Pablum (am I giving away my age?) or Steak?  Ask for steak (or whatever meat you eat; ask for the vegan menu if you wish - you know what I'm talking about here!).

PRAYER:  Loving God, as I pray, I pray for myself and for my church.  I want to be that part of the church that worships You and blesses You.  I ask that You move me out of my fleshy thoughts and place me solidly in the spiritual part of worship.  I want to help Your church grow, and I pray this in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

To see ConCafe Off the Cuff video on this passage click here: https://youtu.be/No_7I48ePiY

Jesus says, "Play Nice!"

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If you're in a hurry, hear my ConCafe Off the Cuff right here by clicking here: https://youtu.be/Q7-gltLarFE

‘You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, “You shall not murder”; and “whoever murders shall be liable to judgement.” But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgement; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, “You fool”, you will be liable to the hell of fire. So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift. Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are on the way to court with him, or your accuser may hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. Truly I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.‘You have heard that it was said, “You shall not commit adultery.” But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to go into hell.‘It was also said, “Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.” But I say to you that anyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of unchastity, causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.‘Again, you have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, “You shall not swear falsely, but carry out the vows you have made to the Lord.” But I say to you, Do not swear at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let your word be “Yes, Yes” or “No, No”; anything more than this comes from the evil one. (Matthew 5:21-37)

We continue looking and learning from Jesus' Sermon on the Mount.  Today's passage is a lengthy one, but an important one that deals with some things that we sometimes take for granted.  Jesus has gone beyond what the ancients had said about key things to talk about the seriousness with which God wants us to understand certain parts of life.  We have the Big Ten (the Commandments that is) and Jesus begins with the one about killing/murder.  Jesus said, "This goes beyond just picking up a weapon and taking the life of someone; this is about taking someone's life and fullness of life by what you think or say or do towards that person, and it's so serious that if you're not reconciled with that person, your worship won't reconcile you with God."  Ouch.  Then He addresses another from the Commandments and that was the matter of taking someone else's spouse.  Jesus says, "If you've looked at a woman/man with lust in your heart, adultery has already been committed."  Then He adds the part about self-control.  "Keep your eyes from wandering into sin; keep your hands from taking you right into disobedience - control those or cut them out and off!  It would be better to enter heaven with one less eye or hand than to go full-bodied into eternal punishment."  Then Jesus talks about divorce and how easy some find it to divorce.  Jesus says, "Marriage is serious and sacred, but you've let it become something you discard just because you're tired or no longer want to live with that person and want a younger or better looking one."  And we do know there are some valid reasons for divorce, but Jesus is taking about those frivolous ones that some use just for their convenience.  Finally, Jesus says we are to be persons of our word; say yes when we mean yes, and no when we mean no.  We cannot hide behind an oath, such as "I swear to God," or "Cross my heart and hope to die," or the classic, "I swear on a stack of Bibles!"  If we do that, we're not glorifying God, we're helping the other guy.

As I shared in the video, we should be people of the Word, not just our word.  If we are truly people of God's Word, we will be people who play nice with others, love others, and get along with others.  We will help bring in the kingdom by being kingdom people ourselves.

PRAYER:  Loving Father, bless me to be a blessing in all the relationships I have.  Let me be a person of life, love, and truth.  Help me to forgive in the way You have forgiven me.  This I pray in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

The Fullest of Lives in the Emptiest of Places!

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"Shout! A full-throated shout! Hold nothing back - a trumpet-blast shout! Tell my people what's wrong with their lives, face my family Jacob with their sins! They're busy, busy, busy at worship, and love studying all about me. To all appearances they're a nation of right-living people - law-abiding, God-honoring. They ask me, 'What's the right thing to do?' and love having me on their side.  But they also complain, 'Why do we fast and you don't look our way? Why do we humble ourselves and you don't even notice?' "Well, here's why: "The bottom line on your 'fast days' is profit. You drive your employees much too hard. You fast, but at the same time you bicker and fight. You fast, but you swing a mean fist. The kind of fasting you do won't get your prayers off the ground. Do you think this is the kind of fast day I'm after: a day to show off humility? To put on a pious long face and parade around solemnly in black? Do you call that fasting, a fast day that I, God, would like? "This is the kind of fast day I'm after: to break the chains of injustice, get rid of exploitation in the workplace, free the oppressed, cancel debts. What I'm interested in seeing you do is: sharing your food with the hungry, inviting the homeless poor into your homes, putting clothes on the shivering ill-clad, being available to your own families. Do this and the lights will turn on, and your lives will turn around at once. Your righteousness will pave your way. The God of glory will secure your passage. Then when you pray, God will answer. You'll call out for help and I'll say, 'Here I am.' A Full Life in the Emptiest of Places "If you get rid of unfair practices, quit blaming victims, quit gossiping about other people's sins, If you are generous with the hungry and start giving yourselves to the down-and-out, Your lives will begin to glow in the darkness, your shadowed lives will be bathed in sunlight. I will always show you where to go. I'll give you a full life in the emptiest of places - firm muscles, strong bones. You'll be like a well-watered garden, a gurgling spring that never runs dry. You'll use the old rubble of past lives to build anew, rebuild the foundations from out of your past. You'll be known as those who can fix anything, restore old ruins, rebuild and renovate, make the community livable again. (Isaiah 58:1-12 The Message Version)

We sometimes still don't get it!  We sometimes prefer to live in darkness when we could be living in light.  The prophet's call to God's people in today's passage was all about that:  You're trying to act religious but you're not fooling God!  If you live a life seeking only profit as the bottom line, you're empty and will stay empty until you realize what it is that pleases God and blesses God's people. Then there's a list of things that God would prefer from His people:  Fast in the right way.  Break the chains of injustice.  Get rid of exploitation.  Free the oppressed.  Cancel debts.  Share your food with the hungry.  Invite the homeless poor into your homes.  Put clothing on the shivering ill-clad.  Be available to your own families.  Ouch.  Read that last one again; all of them are important, but think of the impact we can have by being available to our families.  God says, "You do that and the lights will turn on."  What I love is where this version says that once we do those things and pray to the Lord, God will say, "Here I am."  And boom, we are living a Full Life in the Emptiest of Places.  What an awesome way to live.  But, wait, the list continues:  Get rid of unfair practices, quit blaming victims, quit gossiping about other people's sin.  Be generous to the hungry, and start giving yourselves to the down-and-out, and your lives will begin to glow in the darkness.

Let the lights come on.  Seek to bless God and all these things will be ours.  I don't know about you, but I want that full life in the emptiest of places!

PRAYER:  Loving God, fill me with Your light so that I may walk in the fullness of life and share as I should.  Let me be one of those who blesses You by blessing others.  Take my empty life in the fullness of places and let it be a full life in the emptiest of places.  This I pray in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Prayer Requests and Joys:  In the concerns:  Prayers of condolences for the Hill family on the death of Mrs. Virginia Hill, of Harlingen.  May God's comfort be with them.  In the joys:  It was some years ago today, that seem only like yesterday that a screaming baby came out of the elevator in the old McAllen General Hospital and that bundle of joy quit screaming when she heard my voice.  I told Nellie when she came out of surgery (yes, C-Section), "She's pink!  She's beautiful!  And she looks like me!"  We thank God for the arrival of our first baby, Nellie Maria Valverde Garcia on this day.  May the Lord continue to bless her and keep her.  Happy Birthday, Mijita!

Here's the link for my early morning video on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTcTd9hq8iw&feature=youtu.be