God's Face Shines Upon Us!

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May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us,that your way may be known upon earth,your saving power among all nations. Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you. Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth.Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you. The earth has yielded its increase; God, our God, has blessed us. May God continue to bless us; let all the ends of the earth revere him. (Psalm 67)

Don't you just love people with great big smiles?  Something in them is happy and content and as they see people their mouths just form the perfect smile and you can almost feel the warmth of that person.  Imagine God's smile.  David knew it and wrote about it a lot.  Other Old Testament writers did as well.  We closed our MYF meetings back in the day with the MYF Blessing that included that phrase from the Numbers 6:24-26, "The Lord make His face shine upon you,"  It was asking for our actions to bless God to the point of God smiling upon us.  And this psalm asks the same of God, but it also places on us our responsibility to praise God and to make God's way known among all the nations.

Stop and think about ways that you have been personally blessed.  Now think about how those ways make others know about God and God's role and place in your life.

PRAYER:  Loving God, I celebrate You and Your love.  Let me today cause You to smile upon me by doing that which pleases You and blesses others.  In Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

God's Covenant Leaves No One Out

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Thus says the Lord:Maintain justice, and do what is right,for soon my salvation will come,and my deliverance be revealed. And the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord,to minister to him, to love the name of the Lord, and to be his servants,all who keep the sabbath, and do not profane it,and hold fast my covenant— these I will bring to my holy mountain,and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt-offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples. Thus says the Lord God, who gathers the outcasts of Israel,I will gather others to them besides those already gathered. (Isaiah 56:1, 6-8)

Monday's text ends with a non-Jewish woman (Foreigner) asking Jesus for her daughter's healing. Remember Jesus' response? "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." The woman persisted and even countered Jesus' assertion that "It is not fair to take the children's food and throw it to the dogs," with "Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table." The prophet Isaiah had heard from God that even foreigners who join themselves to Him, to minister to Him, to love the name of the Lord, and to be His servants, who keep the sabbath without profaning it, and holding fast to the covenant, will be included now and forever. In other words, God's covenant really does not leave anyone out. Those who desire God, and follow God, will see God, no matter their race or nationality.

We even asked and answered the question, Does God ever give up on us? The answer is still no. God loves us, desires a relationship with us, and even welcomes us back when we have strayed far from where we should be. This is salvation, and it is for everyone.

PRAYER: Loving God, let me never feel apart from You. Let me know always that I belong to You and You belong to me. Let me live my life in that way that shows others that they too, can join in that relationship. Open opportunities for me to witness to Your love. This I pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Welcome others, even "outsiders" into your world!

Eradio Valverde

Does God Ever Give Up on Us?

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I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin.God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel?for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. Just as you were once disobedient to God but have now received mercy because of their disobedience, so they have now been disobedient in order that, by the mercy shown to you, they too may now receive mercy. For God has imprisoned all in disobedience so that he may be merciful to all. (Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32)

Nellie and I once had a marvelous doctor who was known for firing his patients.  He was a kind, loving man who simply expected his patients to do what he told them.  If you did not, you were fired.  He was especially very rough with smokers.  He thought that smoking was very harmful to your health and if you were to continue as his patient, you had to quit smoking.  He would help you with medical options to quit that habit, but you had to follow them and ultimately quit.  Thank God, we were never fired by this doctor.

God will never fire you, nor give up on you.  We sometimes will do or say something that hurts us as we reflect on it to the point where we wonder, "Will God ever forgive me for having said/done this?"  And the answer is, of course, yes, God will forgive us.  Paul as he writes today's passage answers the question many of his day asked about the Jews and their relationship (or lack thereof) with God.  We can apply the questions, and we do, about us or our loved ones and their actions; would God ever grow tired of us and just give up on us?  No.

Ours is a God of love and mercy.  Ours is a God of patience.  We are the one who are hardest on ourselves than God will ever will be; but we need to have our hearts in the right place, filled with righteousness and the desire to please God, and we will never be out of God's favor.

PRAYER:  Loving God, thank You for your love and never failing mercy.  Help us never to take advantage of that; help us instead live lives that bless You and those who need blessing.  Help us share the message that You never give up on us, nor do You ever fire us.  This we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Bless someone with the message that God never gives up on us!

Eradio Valverde

What's in Your Heart?

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Then he called the crowd to him and said to them, ‘Listen and understand: it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles.’ Then the disciples approached and said to him, ‘Do you know that the Pharisees took offence when they heard what you said?’ He answered, ‘Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if one blind person guides another, both will fall into a pit.’ But Peter said to him, ‘Explain this parable to us.’Then he said, ‘Are you also still without understanding?Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth enters the stomach, and goes out into the sewer? But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this is what defiles. For out of the heart come evil intentions, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile.’ Jesus left that place and went away to the district of Tyre and Sidon. Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came out and started shouting, ‘Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon.’ But he did not answer her at all. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, ‘Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us.’ He answered, ‘I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.’ But she came and knelt before him, saying, ‘Lord, help me.’ He answered, ‘It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.’ She said, ‘Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.’ Then Jesus answered her, ‘Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.’ And her daughter was healed instantly. (Matthew 15:10-28)

Did you ever stop to think that what you see in the mirror may be a reflection of what is in your heart?  Certainly, what comes out of our mouths gives away who we are and what we are thinking.  The ever present critics and would-be captors of Jesus wanted to trap Him in anything He might say or do.  In this instance, Jesus and His disciples were seen as not having washed their hands before eating.  This troubled Jesus, for after His encounter with His enemies He still discussed this with the disciples.  Jesus says it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles someone, it is what comes out.  And it's not necessarily what we call curse words, but words that harm and maim and kill.  This week's news from this nation have shown that to be true.  Instead of sharing words of love, peace, and harmony among the races, hate groups like the KKK and the alt.right, and Nazis, came together in a rally.  One of the photos coming out of that meeting was a baby dressed as a Klansman, alone, touching the riot shield of a policeman.  You question, what is in the heart of this baby, and who put it there?  The same could be asked of the adults in that place, and certainly of the 20 year-old who mowed down a crowd killing a young woman.  If you have evil in your heart, evil will come out of your mouth and your actions will reflect the shortcomings you have before God and God's creatures.  It's not about how clean your hands are.  

The actions shifts as a Canaanite woman comes towards Jesus shouting, asking Jesus for mercy for her daughter, who was tormented by a demon.  At first, Jesus does not answer her and keeps walking.  It was the disciples who were bothered by her actions and they asked Jesus to send her away.  Jesus states that His plan was for the "lost sheep of the house of Israel."  The exchange between Jesus and her convinced Jesus of this woman's faith and her request was granted.  What was in her heart was the love and desire for wholeness in her daughter, and she had faith that Jesus was the One who could heal this daughter.  Out of the desire for goodness, goodness was granted to her.

What's in your heart?

PRAYER:  Loving God, examine me and remove from me all that should not be there.  Help me to be a person of faith, who blesses You and Yours.  I long to be one whose heart is filled with pure love for all; an unconditional love like the one You have for me.  Grant it so that I may tell others about You and Your love.  This I pray in Christ Jesus my Lord, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord.  Love like Jesus loves you today!

Eradio Valverde

Revive Us Again!

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Lord, you were favourable to your land; you restored the fortunes of Jacob. You forgave the iniquity of your people; you pardoned all their sin.You withdrew all your wrath; you turned from your hot anger. Restore us again, O God of our salvation,and put away your indignation towards us. Will you be angry with us for ever? Will you prolong your anger to all generations? Will you not revive us again, so that your people may rejoice in you? Show us your steadfast love, O Lord, and grant us your salvation. Let me hear what God the Lord will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, to his faithful, to those who turn to him in their hearts. Surely his salvation is at hand for those who fear him, that his glory may dwell in our land. Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace will kiss each other. Faithfulness will spring up from the ground, and righteousness will look down from the sky. The Lord will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase. Righteousness will go before him, and will make a path for his steps. (Psalm 85)

There's no telling how many plants I have killed in my lifetime.  I have planted and replanted, and tried to have this or that grow here and there, and what I usually end up having are little pots filled with dust.  The only success was asking my grandson Liam to help me plant a gardenia bush that flourished right away and bloomed some delicious-smelling flowers.  In our move from Corpus here, I donated a Valley lemon tree and a Valencia orange tree to the district office.  But we did discover some plants we had written off as dead, were revived and are now doing well here.

The psalmist knew the land and how planting and growing worked; but more importantly, he knew the need for our souls to be restored and revived in the Lord.  There is nothing sadder than to see a human whose soul is like the pot full of dust. Lack of prayer, worship, scripture reading, conversation about God all lead to the slow death of one's soul. A pot of dust does not have reason to be joyful.  It has long lost the sweet touch of love on it, and no love can come from it for others.  Salvation is the full restoration of that pot from dust to fertile soil to blooming plant; and it can and should happen in our souls.  Seek a relationship with God and all these things will be added unto you.

PRAYER:  Loving God, may the sweet rain of salvation be mine today.  I confess my sins and admit my need for You, so come living Lord into my life and reign there as Lord and Savior.  May the stale dust of inactivity and indifference towards You and Your love be blown away by Your Holy Spirit so that I may rejoice in new life.  This I pray in Christ Jesus my Lord, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Seek the Lord while He may be found; then share Him with someone today!

Eradio Valverde

At the Corner of Despair and Disappointment

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At that place he came to a cave, and spent the night there.Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’ He answered, ‘I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to take it away.’ He said, ‘Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.’ Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of sheer silence. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then there came a voice to him that said, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’ He answered, ‘I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to take it away.’Then the Lord said to him, ‘Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus; when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael as king over Aram.Also you shall anoint Jehu son of Nimshi as king over Israel; and you shall anoint Elisha son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah as prophet in your place.Whoever escapes from the sword of Hazael, Jehu shall kill; and whoever escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha shall kill. Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.’ (1 Kings 19:9-18)

We've all been there at one time or another, and pastors especially; right at the corner of Despair and Disappointment.  It seems all we have tried and all we have done has been for nought.  And that's where the prophet Elijah found himself that day.  He had seen a tremendous victory take place over the followers of Baal.  Four hundred (400) prophets of that god and followers gathered to see a contest between the Living God (our God) and the false god Baal.  God won!  But, the fallout from that victory was that the king who believed in Baal and more especially the queen (that mean old Jezebel) wanted Elijah dead.  Elijah went to hide.  And he first sought refuge under a broom tree, then later in this cave.  God came to him and asked what he was doing, and Elijah poured out his heart to God.  Then God instructs him to go and stand on this mountain before God and to await His passing by.  First, there was a great wind that splits the mountains and broke rocks into pieces.  But God was not in the wind.  Then an earthquake, but God was not in the earthquake.  Then a fire and again, God was not the fire.  And after a fire, sheer silence.  Then God asks Elijah again, "What are you doing here?"  These terrible disasters that can come from nature happen and God is not in them.  We may be near them or see what they can do to others, but we are not necessarily harmed by them.  Then it may be very quiet and we wonder, where is God?  And God speaks, and God is with us.  

Elijah then heard his new orders, which he followed.  He had the message; God was with him the entire time.  Mountains had split and broken up; earthquakes could come and destroy all kinds of things; fire could come and destroy everything, and in the sheer silence that may follow these disasters, God speaks, "I am here."  Dear friend, whatever you may be facing today may seem as big and as powerful as any of these natural disasters, but listen closely:  God is with you.  You are not now or ever alone.  Then, move forward and continue to do what God has asked of you in your life.  Greater things happen after what we believe to be setbacks or failures.  Never give  up.

PRAYER:  Loving God, as mountains fall and break, and as earthquakes come to shake the ground on which I stand, and as fires sweep through my life, You are with me.  I have to listen and be still and I will hear You.  Speak to me at Your will and share with me that which I am to do.  I ask this in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Say goodbye to the mountains stopping your forward motion; and enjoy the shaking of the ground.  Spit on the fire.  God is with you.  Then move on!

Eradio Valverde

Prayer Updates:  Bethel Lester underwent surgery yesterday morning and is recovering in the hospital.  Larry Ehrig had a rough night two nights ago, and Bill Reaves continues to recover in the Seguin hospital.  Prayers please for their recovery.

Salvation is For All

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Moses writes concerning the righteousness that comes from the law, that ‘the person who does these things will live by them.’ But the righteousness that comes from faith says, ‘Do not say in your heart, “Who will ascend into heaven?” ’ (that is, to bring Christ down) ‘or “Who will descend into the abyss?” ’ (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say?‘The word is near you,on your lips and in your heart’ (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved. The scripture says, ‘No one who believes in him will be put to shame.’ For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on him. For, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him? And how are they to proclaim him unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’ (Romans 10:5-15)

The hardest question ever posed to me was in my first Theology courses in seminary. The professor said, "We know we are saved from our sin; but what are we saved to?" Uh. The class pondered long and hard and the quizzed looks on the faces of my classmates reassured me that I was in the right place in spite of the difficulty I was having in trying to answer it. He replied, "We are saved to a new life, into abundant life!" Yes! And he was sharing that with the right people. We as believers should know all about salvation. God loves us so much (see John 3:16) and read there about salvation. God loves us so much He sent His only begotten Son, Jesus, to take us out of our sins and destructive ways, and into a life of fullness. (Read John 10:10, here it is: "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly). And today's passage is from Paul sharing with us the responsibility we have to tell others about all God has done for us. "If you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord (and you can do this on a daily basis or as needed in your spiritual walk), and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." And then he asks the questions, "How are they to call on one in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in one in whom they have not heard? And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim Him? And how are they to proclaim Him unless they are sent?" It is you and me that have that task: 1) Help others with their faith to believe in Jesus, 2) Proclaim/share Jesus with others. 3) Send them to tell others as well. This last Sunday was my first to preach at First United Methodist Church of Gonzales, where I am working part-time. As I was giving the benediction at both services, the words came to my mouth, "Receive authority to be the church as we are sent to do God's work among those who are in need." We have the authority, we have the mandate, and we have the message. What does Nike say? Just do it.

PRAYER: Loving God, help me with the task at hand. Increase my faith to the point it cannot be contained only in me! I must share it and in a way that bubbles over in those who have not yet heard. Help me teach them how to share it, and then help me send them on to others so that more can come into relationship with You. Thank You for the abundant life that is ours in Jesus, in Whose name we pray, amen!

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Share Jesus today with someone in need.

Eradio Valverde

Prayer Request and Update: Larry Ehrig underwent a successful surgery in San Antonio, and today sister Bethel Lester undergoes surgery in San Antonio as well. Prayers for healing, successful surgery and recover for these and others we know, in Jesus' name, amen!

Keep Your Eyes on Jesus!

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Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but by this time the boat, battered by the waves, was far from the land, for the wind was against them. And early in the morning he came walking towards them on the lake. But when the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified, saying, ‘It is a ghost!’ And they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, ‘Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.’Peter answered him, ‘Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.’ He said, ‘Come.’ So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came towards Jesus. But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’ Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, ‘You of little faith, why did you doubt?’ When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshipped him, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of God.’ (Matthew 14:22-33)

How many times in our lives have we tried to do things without Jesus?  Of those times how many were successful?  Some may have been, but you know something was missing.  It's like worship and going to church; those weeks that travel or illness have kept me from church, that whole week afterwards was just not the same.  And the same is true for how I start each day.  If I don't start my day praying and trusting Jesus, the day is not what God intended it to be, in my opinion.  Look at what Jesus can do in this passage.  First of all, Jesus was a man of prayer.  He always made time to find a play in which to pray.  Jesus knew the power of staying connected to God.  Jesus' ministry was the result of that strong, unbroken connection He had with His father.  The second thing about Jesus is that He knows when we are in trouble.  Jesus loved the disciples and was not about to let them sink in the storm in which they found themselves at about 4 in the morning.  He comes to them; and here's another thing Jesus can do; walking on water.  This scares the disciples even more thinking Jesus was a ghost, but hearing Jesus (that's the best thing about prayer is listening to Jesus after we say amen), who speaks to them telling them not to be afraid.  The one who hears this and believes Him most is Peter, who asks if he can come to Jesus.  And the awesomeness of this story is that Peter walks on water too.  You have to admire Peter's bravery first of all.  The others were terrified of the power of this storm and how it was churning the water in a scary way, but Peter, seeing that, asks to come to Jesus, for he knew that where Jesus is, things will be all right.  As he begins his walk on water, he's like a baby taking first steps towards Mom or Dad, but then, he takes his eyes off Jesus, and down he goes.  Jesus reaches out to him and pulls he up, and as He does says, "You of little faith, why did you doubt?"  The story ends with all worshipping Jesus as they realized that indeed, Jesus is the Son of God.

We of little faith could do so much more is we strengthened our faith and dealt with our doubt.  We can do things even in the midst of some of life's greatest stories coming towards us.  Those should not scare us or make us doubt; we must keep our focus on Jesus.  Jesus is there, offering His hand to us, and we should walk confidently and boldly towards Him, and all will be alright.   Life is hard enough without us having to make it harder with our doubts.  Doubts can serve to make us stronger if we but keep our eyes on Jesus!

PRAYER:  Loving God, I pray for this dear reader and whatever storms s/he is going through right now.  Help them keep their eyes on You and not on the storm.  Give us courage and boldness.  This we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Bless someone by keeping your eyes on Jesus!

Eradio Valverde

Prayer Requests:  Mr. Larry Ehrig of Gonzales is undergoing surgery today in San Antonio.  Please pray for he and his family as he faces this.  Mr. Doug Smith of Wimberley awaits further tests on Tuesday for a medical condition he may be facing.  Pray for healing for these and for those you know and love.  Thank you!

Don't Quit! God is Ready to Give You a Fresh Start.

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The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. The Lord is good to all and his compassion is over all that he has made. The Lord upholds all who are falling,and raises up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look to you,and you give them their food in due season. You open your hand, satisfying the desire of every living thing. The Lord is just in all his ways,and kind in all his doings. The Lord is near to all who call on him,to all who call on him in truth. He fulfils the desire of all who fear him; he also hears their cry, and saves them. The Lord watches over all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy. My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord, and all flesh will bless his holy name for ever and ever. (Psalm 145:8-9, 14-21)

Mercy is a great thing; I believe it is the foundation of fresh starts.  For many ready to quit and give up, they may just need to hear that whatever has driven them to despair and giving up may have been the absence of hearing "You're okay; we all mess up, and God gives us a new start each and every day."  We can be extremely hard on ourselves, but God is gentler with us.  Read again:  The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding (isn't that a great word?!) in steadfast (never-ending) love.  And a bit later:  The Lord upholds all who are falling, and raises up all who are bowed down."  Never quit what you know God has asked of you.  A bad day today doesn't mean tomorrow will be bad as well.

We believe in a just and fair God, who is as near as your next prayer; call on Him and He will answer.  Seek to do right by God and God will sustain you.  Bad choices will have consequences.  Praise God even now.

PRAYER:  Loving God, for all You provide, I am thankful and blessed.  I am thankful that today is a fresh start for me.  Forgive my bad choices of yesterday, and let today be a day of praise to You.  Show your mercy to me, and let me show my mercy to all who need it.  Let me call on You when I need you, but let me praise You when it seems I don't.  This I pray in Christ Jesus my Lord, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Show someone mercy today.

Eradio Valverde

An Invitation to Abundant Life

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Ho, everyone who thirsts,come to the waters;and you that have no money,come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labour for that which does not satisfy? Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good,and delight yourselves in rich food. Incline your ear, and come to me; listen, so that you may live. I will make with you an everlasting covenant,my steadfast, sure love for David. See, I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander for the peoples. See, you shall call nations that you do not know, and nations that do not know you shall run to you because of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel,for he has glorified you. Seek the Lord while he may be found,call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake their way, and the unrighteous their thoughts;let them return to the Lord, that he may have mercy on them,and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts,nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth,so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:1-9)

My family and I lived in Kingsville, Texas for thirteen years of my life.  During that whole time, we shopped only at Chapa's Grocery Store.  That was where I had my first job at 9 years of age.  There was an HEB, a supermarket, but we never set foot in it.  Honestly, I did not really know where it was until I was a littler older than 9.  At the corner of the block on the same side as Chapa's, there was a larger store named Martinez' Grocery store.  From time to time we ran to Martinez' for items that Chapa did not have.  As I have come to know of God's invitation to abundant life, I've compared it to the way my world changed when we moved to Houston.  There was no outlet or franchise location of Chapa's in Houston.  There were no HEB's, only Kroger, and Safeways.  And upon first entering the supermarket on our first grocery buying trip, it was like we had stepped into another world, a complete city the same size of Kingsville under one roof!

What God offers is what the prophet Isaiah knew and wrote about.  It is a new world and it can't compare to the world we know.  We know a world where items have prices and some not cheap at all, and worse there are times when we can't afford very much, or even anything at all.  Yet, it is God who loving says, "Come, you who are thirsty, and you who are hungry, drink and eat!  You don't need money, my gifts have no price at all.  They're free, but they're not cheap, and these will last for all eternity.  For what God offers is love, grace, and compassion, and as we enter into relationship with God through Jesus Christ, we are part of the glory of God.  Ours is to seek the Lord, talk with Him, and let others see Him in us, so that they too, may come and be a part of the feast that God offers.  God offers us forgiveness and offers us new life.  We will come to know as the prophet did, that God thoughts are not our thoughts; and God's ways are not our ways.  God's ways and thoughts are better and more satisfying. 

PRAYER:  LOVING God, I want to accept Your invitation to abundant life.  I want new eyes, new ears, and a new heart to truly and fully understand your ways in all things.  Be with those in need this morning of Your grace and comfort; bring Your healing touch to all who hurt and need healing; for we pray this prayer of faith, loving and trusting You, in Christ Jesus our Lord, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Step into abundant life today!  Let it be obvious that you belong to God!

Eradio Valverde

Prayer Request:  Our prayers for our brother Bill Reaves of Gonzales, TX, who undergoes surgery early this morning.  May God's healing touch be with he, and comfort be with Ann, his wife.  

Sorrow for the Lost

Image from agnusday.org

I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience confirms it by the Holy Spirit— I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my own people, my kindred according to the flesh. They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises; to them belong the patriarchs, and from them, according to the flesh, comes the Messiah,who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen. (Romans 9:1-5)

It was after a funeral when my daughter Nellie and I were walking out of the back door of the church and across the alley towards our home. She asked, "Daddy, do you ever do a funeral where you know the person went to the other place?" I said quietly, "No, because I leave that to God; some people do not make it to heaven, but only God knows who those are. My job is to try to convince people to accept and serve Jesus so that they do make it to heaven." It was a sad moment for me. And as we read the above passage, Paul also went through some sad moments when he reflected on those who had not yet heard and who had refused to hear the Good News about Jesus Christ; the ones for whom all things "belonged." He was referring to the Jews; Paul's "own people," his "kindred according to the flesh," to whom belonged "the adoption (the rightful people for whom God was Father if they would but ask), the glory (all that God had done in their history and was doing through Christ was theirs), the covenants (the holy contracts, sacred covenants between God and them), the giving of the Law (all for their sake to find their path back to God), the worship, and the promises (Read the Old Testament to see all that they were promised)." And their also were the forerunners of faith, from whom Jesus had come, as Messiah, the anointed one sent to deliver Israel from their sin." And in return, God heard, "No thanks." Literally, no thanks given.

We all know or have, loved ones we want reached for the kingdom of God, but for some reason or another they never accept and they continue to wander lost in the things of the world. We want to scream, "All this could be yours if you would but believe!" But we don't give up. We plant seeds praying God's work will bring out a bud of life and hope, and the day when full-blown believers are ours. We never give up.

PRAYER: Loving God, here I share with You the names of loved ones for whom I pray salvation would come: _________________________. May Your will be done. Empower and use me to reach them in whatever way would bring faith to them. This I pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Write out that list and pray for it each morning.

Eradio Valverde

Healed, Full, and Satisfied! God Provides!

Image from missionariesofprayer.org

Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a deserted place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. When he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them and cured their sick. When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, ‘This is a deserted place, and the hour is now late; send the crowds away so that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves.’ Jesus said to them, ‘They need not go away; you give them something to eat.’ They replied, ‘We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish.’ And he said, ‘Bring them here to me.’ Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And all ate and were filled; and they took up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full. And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children. (Matthew 14:13-21)

A miracle is an unexpected, unexplainable blessing from God; meant to be enjoyed rather than understood.  This is my definition of a miracle after 41 years of ministry.  People will always wonder and some ask, "What is a miracle?"  And today's passage deals with one of the most difficult to explain miracles of Jesus.  Late in the evening, in the middle of nowhere, Jesus' compassion worries the disciples, for He wants the crowds who have been following Him, who have been healed of their sicknesses, to be fed.  They shared with Jesus their desire:  "Send them away so that they can go buy food for themselves." Jesus says, "Nah, here's what's going to happen; you all feed them."  Apparently, the disciples had already thought about that and they had a complete count of what resources they had:  5 loaves of bread, 2 fish (see the image above).  Jesus says, "Bring those here."  Jesus had asked the disciples to make the people sit; He takes the food, looks up to heaven and blesses and breaks the loaves and gives them to the disciples and the disciples takes them to the crowd and five thousand men, not counting women and children, were fed.

You and I have had our share of unexplainable blessings.  But these stories, like this one, are meant to be shared, to encourage, and enable others to see faith is real and faith continues to happen all around us.  The sadness is that the Church is getting more silent by the day; miracles still happen, but we say very little, if anything about them.  What is encouraging is how churches during this time of year are gearing up to share blessings with others.  One church shared on FaceBook that the gathering of backpacks and school supplies blessed the custodian of that church, who took the idea back to her church and members of that church told their friends, who in turn told their church, and now a whole community of needy children may be receiving backpacks filled with school supplies.  Another church gives out backpacks with school supplies but asks the students bring their backpacks back so that they can be filled with food for the weekend, because many children do not have anything to eat on Saturdays and Sundays.  We, the Church are, and should be miracle-makers, bringing unexpected, unexplainable blessings to others.

PRAYER:  Loving God, thank You for providing just what we need, when we need it.  Thank You for the way some churches are "getting it" and sharing with others.  I pray that this story would be forwarded by this dear reader, so that others would hear, and "get it" and share with others; there is still so much to do.  Bless us to be blessings; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Be a blessing!  Share something unexplainable with someone!

Eradio Valverde

Smile on Your Servant, Dear God

Image from biblia.com

Every word you give me is a miracle word - how could I help but obey? Break open your words, let the light shine out, let ordinary people see the meaning. Mouth open and panting, I wanted your commands more than anything. Turn my way, look kindly on me, as you always do to those who personally love you. Steady my steps with your Word of promise so nothing malign gets the better of me. Rescue me from the grip of bad men and women so I can live life your way. Smile on me, your servant; teach me the right way to live. I cry rivers of tears because nobody's living by your book! (Psalm 119:129-136)

If you've ever noticed ancient pictures, most people were not smiling.  I saw once an explanation for that, but I've forgotten what they said.  I remember what some comedians have said about it; but I prefer to think that for many, it was their first time in front of a camera and they did not know what to expect.  And they may have been paying a steep price in that day for this photograph; they had to wear their best, have their hair perfected combed, watch as gunpowder was placed on an apparatus and then boom!  A flash of light and the picture was taken by a man who probably was hidden safely under a protective cover near his camera.  No smile.

Today, we must search for photographs that show some sincerity; most are now taken by our phones and we try to be as silly as we can; and so many photographs are taken, some of them do not get our full attention.  But how important is a smile to you?  Can you easily shop in a place where the clerk/owner do not smile?  Can you honestly say you want to return to a church where folks only smile at the ones they know?  

The psalmist loved God.  There is no question in most of the psalms we have read and studied and prayed with.  And in most of them, he wants to maintain a healthy amount of gratitude towards God for all that he has received while reading or writing most of the psalms.  His desire was to walk in God's way and do what God expected.  And one of the things in this psalm that jumps out at us is that he would like to see God smile on him.  I remember and wish I could still see my Dad and Mom smile at me.  Even though life had been hard for them, it never robbed them of the ability to smile.  Their smile meant a lot to me, and I love to smile at my children and now at my grandchildren.  Imagine the smile of God on you today, dear friend.  It's the smile that says, I love you and I appreciate you.  It's the smile that can call us to action to do something that blesses God in return for that smile.  

PRAYER:  Thank You, Living God, for Your Word and for the smiles we find in it.  Help me to be one who shares Your smile by the way I live.  Help me to be among those the psalmist wanted to see living by your precepts and make my life shine brightly for others.  This I pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Smile!

Eradio Valverde

"Let's See, I Want..."

Image from livingthelectionary.blogspot.com

At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, ‘Ask what I should give you.’ And Solomon said, ‘You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant my father David, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart towards you; and you have kept for him this great and steadfast love, and have given him a son to sit on his throne today. And now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David, although I am only a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. And your servant is in the midst of the people whom you have chosen, a great people, so numerous they cannot be numbered or counted. Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil; for who can govern this your great people?’ It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. God said to him, ‘Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches, or for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, I now do according to your word. Indeed I give you a wise and discerning mind; no one like you has been before you and no one like you shall arise after you. (1 Kings 3:5-12)

The temptation of the first humans to be know the difference between good and evil.  And one of the greatest kings that ever lived is asked by God for whatever he wanted; and the young king asks for an understanding mind to know the difference between good and evil as he governed God's people.  This always reminds me of the discussion I had with friends about finding that magical genie in a bottle; the understanding was that to free the genie, out of gratitude he would grant you three wishes, and so the game was "What would you ask for?"  Time after time, it was "I'd wish for a million dollars!"  And the others would be very materialistic just like the million dollars.  A wise person asks for wisdom on how to use that wisdom in a way that pleases God. And this pleased God, so much so, that God granted him that request and added to it.  The ending verse gives us a clue as to the reign of King Solomon, "Indeed I give you a wise and discerning mind; no one like you has been before you and no one like you shall arise after you."

We may not be asked to govern as kings or queens, but we do have a realm of influence in our lives.  If you are a parent, you have been asked numerous times to make decisions; not many of them easy nor popular among your kids.  The same as a spouse or employee or employer; the best decisions come from God's wisdom, love, and care.  The more we model our lives after Jesus and Jesus' heart for people, the better decisions we will make.  Ours is to please God, not humans.  And our decisions should reflect that commitment.  Rushed, rash decisions lead to terrible consequences and outcomes; we are called to bless God and others.

PRAYER:  Lord, grand to me the same kind of mind that Solomon asked; a wise mind knowing the difference between good and evil.  Guide me to bless You and yours.  This I pray in Christ Jesus, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Please God with a wise decision today!

Eradio Valverde

More Than Conquerors!

Image from crossmap.org

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn within a large family. And those whom he predestined he also called; and those whom he called he also justified; and those whom he justified he also glorified.What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else? Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written,‘For your sake we are being killed all day long;we are accounted as sheep to be slaughtered.’ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.  (Romans 8:26-39)

I pray a lot of sigh prayers.  The ones where words are not needed, we simply sigh and the Holy Spirit relays those to God; God and the Holy Spirit are one, so God knows what those sighs are about.  And the Holy Spirit helps us who love God, to understand all that is going on and through our lives.  And the Holy Spirit has given us that tremendous message:  IF God is for us, who is against us?  Likewise, a checklist of things that cannot, repeat, CANNOT, separate us from the Lord of God in Christ Jesus our Lord:  hardship, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, sword?  Nope.  Add to that list:  death, nope; life, nope; angels, nope; rulers, nope; present things, nope; coming things, nope; powers, nope, height, nope, depth, nope; nada nor nothing else in all creation, will separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen!

Dear friend, that's a long list and it covers a lot, if not all, things that you and I may be facing, so the good word is Winning!  We are winning!  

PRAYER:  Loving God, thank You for understanding and for making us more than conquerors in all things.  We can't do it or face it alone, it is only through Christ Jesus our Lord that we can do these things; and in HIs name we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Share the Good News with someone today!

Eradio Valverde

Prayer Update:  Rev. John Alsbrooks is now home and doing well after his knee surgery.  Praise God and thank you for your prayers!

The Kingdom of Heaven; You In or Out?

Image from angusday.org

He put before them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.’ He told them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened.’ ‘The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. ‘Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls;on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.‘Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and caught fish of every kind; when it was full, they drew it ashore, sat down, and put the good into baskets but threw out the bad. So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous and throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. ‘Have you understood all this?’ They answered, ‘Yes.’ And he said to them, ‘Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.’ (Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52)

I watch Texas Country Reporter.  I have watched it for many years and love hearing about people and places in the Lone Star State; and this week's episode was no exception.  He featured a woman of faith from Ft. Worth who makes very beautiful jewelry, by hand, in her own home based almost entirely on mustard seeds. The show showed her dining room table and it was covered by containers holding mustard seeds.  She tried for three years to come up with the perfect way to use the seed as part of pendants and symbols; when she finally got the right recipe, she started her business.  She loves the parable of the mustard seed and believes all of us should live with a reminder of that parable.  So much so, that with every order, she encloses two one-dollar bills as seed money for the recipient of the jewelry to use to show goodness and compassion.

Jesus wanted those who would follow Him to know what is involved in this Kingdom of Heaven that He was sharing.  It begins with faith and even the smallest faith is accepted, because like the mustard seed, it can grow and become something of useful purpose.  The kingdom requires growth, like yeast, that comes from sharing that faith in positive ways that impacts the lives and thinking and actions of others who will in turn tell others, who will tell others, until there is the growth needed for this to be a great kingdom among all people.  The kingdom is a treasure; for some it is hidden for many years and then a discovery of it makes a big impact on that one life who can in turn impact others.  In my case, I was one of those, who was forced to church until I discovered the hidden treasure, who is Jesus, and once I did, my life changed!  The kingdom is life a pearl of great worth; for those who find it will do anything to have and hold that faith.  The kingdom is like a net; many will be caught in it, but the day will come when the Fisherman will decide which "fish" are good, and which are bad; the good will be taken, and the bad thrown out.  Judgment is part of the kingdom and it will happen, Jesus teaches; blessed are those who learn these lessons and draw from them each day; the new lessons as well as the old bless the one who believes.

The question remains on our making a decision for Jesus.  We must choose to accept and serve Jesus as our Lord and Savior.  You done this already?

PRAYER:  Loving God, may blessings be Yours as we seek to be and share the kingdom.  Grant us faith; the kind that grows and goes.  Help us to share our faith in positive, inviting ways; let us live a life that in the end will be among those deemed good.  We can't do it alone and we need You; for we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Tell somebody about this great kingdom you're in!

Eradio Valverde

Prayers for Rev. John Alsbrooks who undergoes knee surgery today in Austin.  Also, for the Spiller Family, as Rev. Sid's wife, has entered hospice care.  May the Lord bless and keep all in need today is our prayer.

Don't Get Thrown Off-Track!

Image from magnifythelord.wordpress.com

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

Remember the days before GPSs?  In my case it seemed I never got lost because I relied more on my sense of direction, maps, directions given to me by those awaiting me.  Now, I punch in an address and let Waze, a free app, guide me.  Waze allows us to warn others about road construction, road hazards, and yes, even where we see police in speed traps.  The choice of guide voices makes it fun; usually a movie being promoted will be available to guide us if we so choose.  But after years of relying on this, if I don't have my phone, and I get distracted in conversation, I end up lost; or as I used to say to our girls, exploring new areas.  Life is that way, too.  Life is challenging enough and we need a good guide, a G.P.S., a God Provisional System, which is God's word, prayer, worship, and any of the spiritual disciplines.  This psalm affirms that.  The first verse is enough for a devotional and a reminder that in reading the Bible we find that map and light that we need for our daily lives.  David loved the word so much he had sworn an oath to reading it and doing what it said; when he was afflicted, he found life.  Whenever he was happy and blessed, he offered praise.  Whenever the temptations that came his way were too much, he sought the Lord; and at this writing, he had inclined his heart to do what God wanted for his life.

I love the graphic for today.  Rays of light coming forth from the pages of the Bible; a true picture of what can happen when we open the pages of God's word for our lives and needs.  There is no need to walk in darkness when the brightest Light the world has ever know is right there in the pages of God's book.  If you want to get or stay lost, keep the book closed; if you want to live the life God has for you, open the book, let it read you and guide you.

PRAYER:  Awesome God of Light and Love, speak to our hearts now and when we feel lost.  Guide us back to the pages of Your love letter; help us find the way and not get lost.  This we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Hairy and Heel; Double Trouble. Mama's Boy Wins

Image from wwyeshua.wordpress.com

These are the descendants of Isaac, Abraham’s son: Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah, daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of Paddan-aram, sister of Laban the Aramean. Isaac prayed to the Lord for his wife, because she was barren; and the Lord granted his prayer, and his wife Rebekah conceived. The children struggled together within her; and she said, ‘If it is to be this way, why do I live?’ So she went to inquire of the Lord. And the Lord said to her,‘Two nations are in your womb,and two peoples born of you shall be divided; one shall be stronger than the other,the elder shall serve the younger.’ When her time to give birth was at hand, there were twins in her womb.The first came out red, all his body like a hairy mantle; so they named him Esau. Afterwards his brother came out, with his hand gripping Esau’s heel; so he was named Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.When the boys grew up, Esau was a skilful hunter, a man of the field, while Jacob was a quiet man, living in tents. Isaac loved Esau, because he was fond of game; but Rebekah loved Jacob. Once when Jacob was cooking a stew, Esau came in from the field, and he was famished. Esau said to Jacob, ‘Let me eat some of that red stuff, for I am famished!’ (Therefore he was called Edom.) Jacob said, ‘First sell me your birthright.’ Esau said, ‘I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?’ Jacob said, ‘Swear to me first.’ So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank, and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright. (Genesis 25:19-34)

Last week we read the story of how God delivered to Isaac his dream girl.  This week, the dream girl finds herself pregnant with twins and having the most agonizing pregnancy you can imagine.  And, dear friends, this was an answered prayer!  Rebekah was barren and her husband prayed for her, and now she's about to deliver twins!  That in itself would make a great sermon, and it does; but hear the human side of it too; Rebekah, like most women at some stage of their pregnancy says, "If it it to be this way, why do I live?"  Some don't say it quite that nicely...

The struggle within her as God revealed would be a lifelong one between her sons.  "Two nations are within you and they will be divided," God said.  "One stronger than the other, and the big brother will serve the younger."  And so she delivered two sons.  The first born was a very hairy baby with red hair and she named him Esau, which means "Hairy."  The second, or younger, brother was born quickly because he was holding on to his brother's heel, thus she named him Jacob, which means "Heel."  The two were as different as night and day, as God had said.  Esau was a Daddy's boy who loved hunting; Jacob was more a Momma's boy, quiet staying indoors, learning how to cook.  One day when Esau came home from hunting he was famished.  Jacob just happened to be cooking a nice stew, so he asked for a bowl of stew from his younger brother.  Jacob said, "I'll give you a bowl of red is you give me your birth right."  The hunger was more than he could stand, so Esau says, "I'm about to die, what good is a birthright, you can have it!"  And thus, the two nations were born.  From the same family.

The Bible is a very honest book.  As much as we'd love to read about the perfect family, we just can't find any.  The Adam's Family had the first murderer; the household with two sisters, Martha and Mary, had them fighting about housework and Sunday school; and the others we find aren't much better.  We can sigh and blame it to the human condition; but God sent Jesus to show us to rise above the excuse, "I'm only human," to the one we've studied about this week:  Where God's Holy Spirit is present, there is power to rise above the humanness that serves to bring us down and away from God.  God wants us near to Him, and so provided the Holy Spirit to guide us.  It may not be easy in some cases, but we still ask for love to share, and patience to endure; and God provides.

PRAYER:  Loving Heavenly Father, I pray for this dear reader and his/her family.  You know better than any what these dear souls face and fear; I pray for the presence and power of Your Holy Spirit to be within each of us to rise above what we can easily use as an excuse, that we are only human.  You want us to be divine, and so that is our prayer, in Christ Jesus' precious name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord.  Seek to be a great member of God's family by rising above!

Eradio Valverde

Has God Taken Up Residence in You?

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There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do: by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and to deal with sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, so that the just requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For this reason the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law—indeed it cannot, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you. (Romans 8:1-11)

How does your body react when you hear the opening notes of the Chicken Dance?  The song popular some years ago, YMCA?  Or, the Latin-themed, Macarena?  If you're honest and like most, a part of you gets motivated to dance or laugh.  Several years ago while preaching on the Holy Spirit I asked those of our Winter Texan guests who liked to dance, to come forward and volunteer their expertise.  It was classic.  I had our sound guy play a CD that I had recorded with those songs, and the results were just as I had hoped.  And it was easier to make the point that when the Spirit moves us, it should do so with more power than any song.  Paul is making the case for this very thing without the aid of any music.  Paul knew the power of the Holy Spirit, and He knew the person of Jesus.  His first declaration is one we should recite every day:  "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.  Which means if we have asked Christ Jesus into our lives, the condemnation of sin has been removed.  The presence and power of the Holy Spirit allows us to live lives that bring honor and glory to God.  Our minds are set on the things of God and away from the former things that served only to bring us down into sin.  God has taken up residence in us and we should live lives that give proof of that. Our very actions should all give witness to life and away from the things of death.  Minds set on the earthy things are enemies of God; with God living in us we belong to God and act accordingly.  Resurrection power lives in us, and that same power give us life and the things we need to face life.

PRAYER:  Loving God, help me to move my life according to the prompting of Your Spirit.  I invite You in again this day into my heart, mind, and spirit.  Let the Resurrection power be mine as I face life and life's challenges.  This I pray in Christ Jesus' powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Move as the Spirit prompts you!

Eradio Valverde

If you haven't yet checked out my new blog on Questions Jesus Asked, here's that link:  

It's Harvest; Which Soil are You?

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At about that same time Jesus left the house and sat on the beach.  In no time at all a crowd gathered along the shoreline, forcing him to get into a boat.  Using the boat as a pulpit, he addressed his congregation, telling stories.  As he scattered the seed, some of it fell on the road, and birds ate it.  Some fell in the gravel; it sprouted quickly but didn't put down roots,  so when the sun came up it withered just as quickly. Some fell in the weeds; as it came up, it was strangled by the weeds.  Some fell on good earth, and produced a harvest beyond his wildest dreams.  "Are you listening to this? Really listening?" "Study this story of the farmer planting seed. When anyone hears news of the kingdom and doesn't take it in, it just remains on the surface, and so the Evil One comes along and plucks it right out of that person's heart. This is the seed the farmer scatters on the road.  "The seed cast in the gravel - this is the person who hears and instantly responds with enthusiasm.  But there is no soil of character, and so when the emotions wear off and some difficulty arrives, there is nothing to show for it.  "The seed cast in the weeds is the person who hears the kingdom news, but weeds of worry and illusions about getting more and wanting everything under the sun strangle what was heard, and nothing comes of it.  "The seed cast on good earth is the person who hears and takes in the News, and then produces a harvest beyond his wildest dreams." (Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23)

Great preachers, inspired by Jesus, will share great stories and then leave them with us and it will strike us, "He/She was talking about me!"  Good, prayerful and reflective people may even say, "Ah, the problem is me!  What can I do about my situation so that I am no longer a part of the problem, but part of the power?"  Jesus is, in my opinion, the greatest preachers and teachers we can ever hope to study and emulate.  He was well aware of the spiritual problems in His days, and the main cause was that people did not believe themselves to be part of the problem; many had given up with the restrictive dos and don'ts of the day.  Worship attendance was not important for those who had given up, and now with so many listening, Jesus shares this powerful story of God's "Careless Extravagance" of grace.  Jesus knew God wants a relationship with all of us, and will go to all places and in many ways, share that invitation with us.  Many will hear it, but few will accept it or do anything about it.  Many will say, "He's not talking about me."

Where do we fall in the categories Jesus used?  Are you enthusiastic immediately, and then do nothing or abandon your enthusiasm when worries and challenges come?  Or are you one who hear and then worry and grand thoughts come about other physical things, and you do nothing?  Or, are you the one who hears and takes in that gracious invitation and then you go about doing what you know you should, and you bless God's work with a harvest greater than your wildest dreams?  Which do you think God wants?

If you're still thinking about that, stop and be honest.  What excuse do you know is just lame and serving nothing but to be a roadblock in your life for doing what God called you to do?  Throw that excuse away and receive God's love for you.  Let it soak into your very being, and then do something positive about it!

PRAYER:  Loving God, I want to be part of the power at work for good in the world.  I'm tired of doing nothing and letting others do what I should be doing.  Re-ignite in my the joy and passion that will produce.  This I pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord.  Do something for God today!

Eradio Valverde

The Lord is Gracious and Merciful

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The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. The Lord is good to all, and his compassion is over all that he has made. All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord, and all your faithful shall bless you. They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom, and tell of your power, to make known to all people your mighty deeds, and the glorious splendour of your kingdom. Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures throughout all generations. The Lord is faithful in all his words, and gracious in all his deeds. The Lord upholds all who are falling, and raises up all who are bowed down. (Psalm 145:8-14)

How I wish to say, "The Lord has never driven a car in Corpus/San Antonio/Austin/Houston/LA traffic; that's why He's gracious and merciful, and slow to anger!" But I won't. It's a reflection on my impatience in driving in those cities (and people wonder why we retired in Seguin!) And it also wouldn't be true; the Lord has driven my car many times and pulled me from situations that could have had some dangerous consequences. I honestly believe that, and I'm sticking to my story. The Lord provides a role model, albeit perfect and holy, that we should emulate; and He's a person whose story we should share both in our living and our telling. I thank God for being slow to anger and yet abounding in steadfast love. I want to be the same way. I want to be good to all, and to have a compassion that has no end. For now, as I walk with Him, I want to be part of the "works" that give thanks to God and those who bless Him. I do want God's story and love to be made known to all. And best of all, I want to be a part of those who through God, "raise up all who are bowed down." The Message version says it this way: "God gives a hand to those down on their luck, gives a fresh start to those ready to quit."

Dear friend, we cannot give up nor quit; God is too loving and powerful to let us fail in any aspect of our lives. One thing I have learned in my life and in my ministry is truly that God has the last word in all things. The giant Goliath went down by the hand of a little boy. Jonah should have died in the belly of that great fish. The little unnamed servant girl sent Naaman to the person who could heal him; and the seemingly filthy waters of that river healed him because of God's intervention. What script can we write for our lives that leaves God out? What bedtime reflection can be more honest if we don't mention what God did for us that day? God is not through in your life.

PRAYER: Loving God, keep writing on the pages of my life. What I do I consider a sure thing when I leave You out? I want You in my life and in my needs. Help me to be part of the chorus that praises You and gives honor and glory to Your name. This I pray in Christ Jesus' powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Tell somebody what God has done in your life!

Eradio Valverde

God Delivers!

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So he said, ‘I am Abraham’s servant. The Lord has greatly blessed my master, and he has become wealthy; he has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male and female slaves, camels and donkeys. And Sarah my master’s wife bore a son to my master when she was old; and he has given him all that he has. My master made me swear, saying, “You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I live; but you shall go to my father’s house, to my kindred, and get a wife for my son.”‘I came today to the spring, and said, “O Lord, the God of my master Abraham, if now you will only make successful the way I am going! I am standing here by the spring of water; let the young woman who comes out to draw, to whom I shall say, ‘Please give me a little water from your jar to drink,’ and who will say to me, ‘Drink, and I will draw for your camels also’—let her be the woman whom the Lord has appointed for my master’s son.”‘Before I had finished speaking in my heart, there was Rebekah coming out with her water-jar on her shoulder; and she went down to the spring, and drew. I said to her, “Please let me drink.” She quickly let down her jar from her shoulder, and said, “Drink, and I will also water your camels.” So I drank, and she also watered the camels. Then I asked her, “Whose daughter are you?” She said, “The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor’s son, whom Milcah bore to him.” So I put the ring on her nose, and the bracelets on her arms. Then I bowed my head and worshipped the Lord, and blessed the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me by the right way to obtain the daughter of my master’s kinsman for his son.Now then, if you will deal loyally and truly with my master, tell me; and if not, tell me, so that I may turn either to the right hand or to the left.’ And they called Rebekah, and said to her, ‘Will you go with this man?’ She said, ‘I will.’ So they sent away their sister Rebekah and her nurse along with Abraham’s servant and his men. And they blessed Rebekah and said to her,‘May you, our sister, become thousands of myriads; may your offspring gain possession of the gates of their foes.’ Then Rebekah and her maids rose up, mounted the camels, and followed the man; thus the servant took Rebekah, and went his way.Now Isaac had come from Beer-lahai-roi, and was settled in the Negeb.Isaac went out in the evening to walk in the field; and looking up, he saw camels coming. And Rebekah looked up, and when she saw Isaac, she slipped quickly from the camel, and said to the servant, ‘Who is the man over there, walking in the field to meet us?’ The servant said, ‘It is my master.’ So she took her veil and covered herself. And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done. Then Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent. He took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death. (Genesis 24:34-38, 42-49, 58-67)

We live about 14 miles from a huge Amazon.com Fulfillment Center.  Amazon.com, in case you're not familiar with them, are a huge online operation that sells everything.  I just read that Amazon.com sells 55% of the books bought in this country.  And living so close to the fulfillment center since we've moved here to Seguin, I've ordered stuff and it arrives the next day.  This is the company that is experimenting with drone delivery, and in some places there is same-day delivery.  The story for today reminded me of Amazon.com because of how God provided a wife for Isaac.  No, Amazon.com, as far as I now does not deliver brides nor grooms.  But, God delivers!  Sarah's death was a huge blow to Isaac, and to provide for his comfort and healing, God provided just the perfect mate for him.  Prayer, obedience, trust, and work were all involved in the working of God's plan for this young man.  The servant knew God and how God works and so his prayer at the beginning spells out what he was looking for in the finding of the right bride for his master.  Rebekah, in coming out to draw water for her family, responded with the right response of not only providing water for this servant, but the offer to water his camels as well.  "We have a winner!" thought the servant, and knew this was the woman of God's choosing for Isaac.

You and I have certainly had those sorts of answers to prayers, have we not?  God provides, and God delivers!  I love the many stories I have heard or read about, where at the last minute, God steps in with just what was needed in the life of those who have shared those with us.  And God has done the same for me, and I know for you as well.  Whatever need you may be facing today, it is in God's hands and God will provide.  We have but to ask.  We have to obey, and sometimes, we have to do our part and so some work as well, but God will provide, and God will deliver.

PRAYER:  Loving God, whatever may be in this dear reader's heart is before You, and we trust You will provide and You will deliver.  Help us to obey, to trust, and to do that which blesses You.  Thank You in advance for You great work in our lives; we pray this in Christ Jesus our Lord, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Perhaps, you have something to deliver for God?

Eradio Valverde

Who Will Rescue Us?

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

They say that one of the best tools to use in preaching, or sharing the Word of God, is to be honest and transparent in letting others know that which struggles one has in obeying and following the Lord.  And here, Paul is doing that in front of perhaps, his biggest audience, the Roman church.  He confesses that confusion is his when it comes to knowing and doing what is right in God's eyes.  The law defines the sin, and though he know in his mind what the sin is, his body does it anyway.  He's to the point of hating his own actions.  Sin is to blame, he says.  And in his honesty, he says "that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh."  Again, he knows what is right and can "will" himself to knowing what is right, but cannot do it.  It seems that his body continues to do the evil he does not want.  If we're honest, we should be identifying with that.  Paul doesn't name his sin, nor should we; God knows our sin and the evil we do/think/say in our lives.  We're at the point to ask, "Who will rescue us from this body of death?"  Jesus.  That's our answer.  It is only Jesus and our surrendering to Him that will allow us to be the persons we need to be.

Again, dear friend, we do not need to name our sin to anyone else, except Jesus.  Jesus knows us, cares for us, and loves us.  Jesus took our sin to the cross and there paid the price for it.  Ours is to receive God's grace to live the lives that Jesus wants us to live.  Through confession and surrender, we come to sanctification; that journey from where we used to live (sin, certain eternal death), to the road that leads to life in the fullest, and ultimately, to eternal life.  Isn't this a much better road on which to walk?

PRAYER:  Loving Father, we confess, like Paul, that we know what is right and what we should do, but many times we do not do it.  We confess further that like never before we need Jesus.  May Jesus take our sin and grant us the power of His Holy Spirit to do and live the things that please and bless You.  This we pray in HIs precious name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Walk with Jesus today as a surrendered soul to His love.

Eradio Valverde

Keeping Company with Jesus

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‘But to what will I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the market-places and calling to one another, “We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we wailed, and you did not mourn.” For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, “He has a demon”; the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, “Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax-collectors and sinners!” Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.’ At that time Jesus said, ‘I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.‘Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’ (Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30)

"Dime con quien andas, y te diré quien eres."  My mom used to say that often; "Tell me who your friends are, and I'll tell you who you are."  Sometime this past week, I hooked up the old VHS player and I found the Disney movie Pinocchio and watched it with Nellie and our granddaughter.  I had not seen it in years, but remembered its message almost immediately; Who you keep company with will determine who you are.  

Jesus, in the above passage, is a bit irked at the condition of humanity as He saw children at play.  Kids will often miss a lot of things about life because they're too busy playing or preoccupied with what pleases them. And this generation may be just as bad if not worse.  Can we not lift our heads up from our phones long enough to see what is going on around us?  The invitation from Jesus still holds, "Keep company with me, learn from me, and become the person the world needs to learn from and be blessed by.  The heaviness of life and expectations I can lift from you, and give you rest for your spirit; with me, life becomes a blessing."  

We do have a choice.  We can keep company with Jesus, or we can stay company with ourselves in ways that please only us.  We can learn from Jesus new and wonderful perspectives on life, or we will lose our way following what the world offers.

PRAYER:  Loving Father, bless us to be a blessing.  Help us to learn to keep company with You through Your Son, Jesus Christ, so that we can become like Him.  This we pray in Christ Jesus our Lord, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord.  Keep company with Jesus today, and all days.

Eradio Valverde