God Is the Source of Our Good

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Hear the devotional narrated here: http://bit.ly/2nnDZRj

13 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. 14 When he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them and cured their sick. 15 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." 16 Jesus said to them, "They need not go away; you give them something to eat." 17 They replied, "We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish." 18 And he said, "Bring them here to me." 19 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. 20 And all ate and were filled; and they took up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full. 21 And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children. (Matthew 14:13-21 NRSV)

A blessed Monday be yours, my dear Friend. I pray this finds you well, safe, and blessed. The news of people that Nellie and I both personally know who are dying of Covid-19 keeps increasing and it's sorrowful for us, not to mention those who have lost loved ones. A longtime friend and former member of one of my churches, Rev. Fito Alvarado died this weekend of the virus and his wife, Yolanda, is in the hospital fighting for her life. Ms.Patty Chebultz, beloved and longtime conference worker (she coordinated moves for all pastors in our conference) died of cancer this weekend. The brother of retired DS and friend, Bill Henderson, Jim Henderson, died of complications from MS. Also, prayers for those affected by Hurricane Hannah this weekend in both Corpus Christi, and the Rio Grande Valley. Some are still without electricity. May God be with them!

I don't know if I should laugh or cry when we encounter people who, because of their own limitations, seek to interpret events in the Bible according to ways that most will find more credible. I entered seminary when the big thing was the "de-mythologization" of the Bible, which was the attempt of theologians from around the world, seeking to remove elements found in the Bible that could be considered myths. A myth is something that cannot be proven to be true, but is accepted with a skeptical eye as being a story worth keeping, but limits it to being fiction. Most of Jesus' miracles tend to fall, in the opinion of those theologians, as myths. How could a rational mind truly believe that from two fishes and five loaves, comes a meal for five thousand men, and more, if you counted the women and children present at such an event.

One counter explanation is that present at this miracles was a legion of Roman soldiers, each having lunches just like the small boy (from other versions who include him) and when made aware of the need to feed this multitude, they shared their lunches. That would have been a miracle in itself, for the Roman soldiers were hated by the Jews and would not have touched the sack of the sack lunch containing the loaves and fishes. Romans soldiers were also known to be rough people, not known for their kindness, so for either of those to have occurred that would have been counted as a miracle. Another holds that this was an illusion, a trick performed by master magician Jesus. The disciples had this much food with them all along, and when pressed, Jesus tricked the multitude in believing that God had multiplied the 2 fish and 5 loaves into the amount that fed 5,000. Some even said, "It didn't happen; people were told it did, and they went with that story." And some hold that the miracle was a miracle of sharing, that people found more food because those who had little were able to share more. I'll leave it to you to decide what you truly believe.

My dear friend, call me old-fashioned or worse, but I honestly believe that the Son of God, who was God Himself, Who had created all things out of nothing, could have very easily taken two fish and five loaves and through His power of "blessing and (breaking) the loaves," provided enough food for a crowd of spiritually hungry people, with a powerful symbolic leftover collection of twelve baskets full. The God of the twelve tribes of Israel could and did, provide for their needs, and all at the right time.

You and I have been blessed with unexpected, but needed, things at just the right moment; and to this day we cannot begin to explain how. But that's the least important thing; ours is to enjoy and return thanks to God for His lovingkindness to us. The explanations would not do justice to God's power. We can try, and we can also make God laugh. Remember the man, who in the presence of his parents, was asked by the religious leaders if Jesus was a sinner or not, replies, "Whether that man is a sinner or not I do not know, but one thing I do know; I was blind, but now I see!" Same for me. And I know the same for you.

PRAYER: Awesome Father, as we pray, we pray as people in need of so many things, but we begin by thanking You for all You have done and shared for and with us. You indeed are the source of all our good! You have filled our hearts with love, our minds with hope, and when needed, our stomachs with food. We are a blessed people, and we seek to bless others. Guide us to that; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Share what you have in Jesus' name, to bless someone today.

Receive my blessings of peace and love,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

God's Everlasting Covenant

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Hear the devotional narrated here: http://bit.ly/2nnDZRj

1 Hallelujah! Thank God! Pray to him by name! Tell everyone you meet what he has done! 2 Sing him songs, belt out hymns, translate his wonders into music! 3 Honor his holy name with Hallelujahs, you who seek God. Live a happy life! 4 Keep your eyes open for God, watch for his works; be alert for signs of his presence. 5 Remember the world of wonders he has made, his miracles, and the verdicts he's rendered - 6 O seed of Abraham, his servant, O child of Jacob, his chosen. 7 He's God, our God, in charge of the whole earth. 8 And he remembers, remembers his Covenant - for a thousand generations he's been as good as his word. 9 It's the Covenant he made with Abraham, the same oath he swore to Isaac, 10 The very statute he established with Jacob, the eternal Covenant with Israel, 11 Namely, "I give you the land. Canaan is your hill-country inheritance." 45 So they could do everything he told them - could follow his instructions to the letter. Hallelujah! (Psalm 105:1-11, 45b The Message)

A tremendous Thursday be yours today, dear Friend! May we use this day to praise God to thank Him for all the good He has done in and for us! We join the ranks of King David, the prophets, The Lord Jesus, Paul, Priscilla, and all who knew that we could, and should, praise God!

I remember the first combined church worship service I ever attended when I was a boy in Kingsville. Our little church, El Buen Pastor (all brown members), met in the sanctuary of St. Paul Methodist (all black members), for Human Relations Sunday. We walked in to loving handshakes, hugs, slaps on the back, and smiles. We were among family! But, we knew that we were a little different, because their church had, near the altar table, a drum set. We had only what King James and Jesus said a church should have, a piano and an organ! My brother and I smiled at each other hoping they were going to use it during worship, and they did! I think we were mesmerized throughout that service by the awesome beating of the drums while we sang way more spirited versions of our hymns. And we loved that when each hymn was over, the drummer added his closing zing to each, which made it just right in our opinion. I didn't see any of our older ladies faint, so I think we were alright after it was all said and done. The question in our minds was, "How come we don't seem to be as happy as they are when they're in church?" The obvious answer might have been that we were a Spanish speaking congregation, culturally different from the 1850s hymns we were singing in the European-style taught us and in the form of worship taught to our pastors, who in turn taught to us. The limits were sort of set, and we dared not venture out of them.

I can see the young shepherd David out in the pastures with his sheep and with his lyre. As David watches his flock, his mind races to the goodness of God and how God has never let him down. Hallelujah, or the Hebrew equivalent, comes to his mind, and he may have said it out loud a bit, to start. He knows no one can hear him, and even if they did, it wouldn't matter much, he is just a boy tending to his sheep. Two days ago, Nellie and I ran for twenty minutes without stopping. I know that's not a big deal for you runners, but for this old, overweight retiree, that was a frightening challenge. And as our timing app told us how much longer we had, the numbers as they shrank motivated me to smile. I mean, big. You know, I thought, "Thank God, I am going to make it!" I raised my right hand up high as a sign of worship to the Lord Almighty. It was still dark, Nellie could see it, but I wondered if she knew why. (Yes, she's been married to me long enough to know there's no telling what her husband is likely to do in any situation). But as the numbers got smaller and smaller I neared her and said, "Two minutes!" I smiled again, with a bigger smile. And as the numbers got below one minute I was happier. Five seconds, three, two, one, done! I shouted, "Hallelujah!" I turned to Nellie and laughing said, "We did it!" She smiled and we kissed. King David had nothing on us; we both felt like saying, "Hallelujah! Thank God! Pray to Him by name! Tell everyone you meet what He has done!" (I'm doing that now!). And I changed the songs on my phone to the worship/praise songs and lifted both hands in the air. I was joyful, and I was thankful. And that was for keeping me alive and breathing before, during, and after, a twenty-minute run. As I think on all of my life, the challenges, the obstacles, the miles, triumphs, joys, blessings... I join those ranks of the thankful and I thank God for His everlasting covenant to me.

This psalm goes with yesterday's Genesis lesson, and all the lessons for this week, and the Gospel lesson on mustard seeds, leaven, pearls, and treasure; and I realize we are the pearls and the treasures that Jesus came to seek and find, and, save. We are the ones who should stop, pause, and smile and say, as loudly as we feel comfortable, "Hallelujah! Thank God! Pray to Him by name! Tell everyone you meet what He has done!" And we can break out in song, we can whistle, we can hum, we can just let it all out, that God is worthy of our praise!

This is the foundational blessing for what David says, "Live a happy life!" We keep our eyes open to God, we see His works; we're blessed by the signs of His presence among us, and we should join all creation in praising His holy name. We are part of the covenant that God will never forget; in fact, we are part of the covenant that God will fulfill in us!

PRAYER: Loving and awesome God, we pause to add our names to the millions who at this very moment are praying alongside us. We can't see them, and we can't hear them, but we know that at the foot of Your throne, the voices in so many languages, sighs, and groans, are arriving there and sounding like Beethoven, Vivaldi, Luciano, Rocio, Bono, George, and all other great singers and composers of our day, had gotten together and presented this marvelous symphony of praise to You. You are worthy, You are mighty, and we thank You. May our lives reflect that gratitude wherever it is You take us to do whatever you desire us to do; so that in all things, and in all ways, You would be glorified in us! We pray in Jesus' name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! You don't have to run or even walk, but if you reach a point where you thought you won't be, thank God! And don't be shy about it!

Receive my blessings of love and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Love At Any Cost

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Hear the devotional here: http://bit.ly/2nnDZRj

15 Then Laban said to Jacob, "Because you are my kinsman, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?" 16 Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17 Leah's eyes were lovely, and Rachel was graceful and beautiful. 18 Jacob loved Rachel; so he said, "I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel." 19 Laban said, "It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to any other man; stay with me." 20 So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her. 21 Then Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife that I may go in to her, for my time is completed." 22 So Laban gathered together all the people of the place, and made a feast. 23 But in the evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob; and he went in to her. 24 (Laban gave his maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her maid.) 25 When morning came, it was Leah! And Jacob said to Laban, "What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?" 26 Laban said, "This is not done in our country—giving the younger before the firstborn. 27 Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also in return for serving me another seven years." 28 Jacob did so, and completed her week; then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as a wife. (Genesis 29:15-28 NRSV)

Happy Wednesday to you, dear Friend! Praying all is well with you. As a prayer request, some have suggested asking for rain; our forecast here says perhaps later in the week we may see some; and then we add to the mix a tropical depression that may be forming in the Gulf. Praise Report, all went well with my neighbor, Mr. Hector Cruz. He's home and recovering; doctors do not need to see him for a long time! Pray for one another; pray for yourselves.

Someone has said that in this story, the king of cons gets conned. Jacob, you will remember, was a rascal when it came to making deals and coming out ahead, even if it meant cheating a brother out of his birthright, and so it may seem right to some, that he finally gets his. Here's the story. It might have been love at first sight; Jacob saw the daughter of Laban and found her very attractive. Remember, he was on the run, all alone, afraid, fearing for his life, and then sets his eyes on a woman he finds very beautiful and perhaps perfect for marriage. This is an ancient story, and it is true that Laban, the father of Rachel, is related to Jacob, and some have added that upon meeting Jacob, Laban may have adopted him as a son, as was a custom in those times, for verse 14 (not in today's reading) included the phrase, "my bone and my flesh" which was part of ancient adoption services. It could also have been to indicate that Laban does recognize the family resemblances and affirms those. We hear, "Oh you have the Valverde ears," which does not indicate people are willing to adopt us necessarily. Yet, as the story develops, that adoption or family tie goes the way of Jacob becoming a servant.

It's been a month and nephew and uncle are talking. Uncle Laban says to the young man, "I think it's only fair that since you've been helping out on the ranch I should pay you for your services." I mean, biscuits and red gravy are fine and they go a long way, but one can't go into town and buy anything with just a full stomach, right? And the boy had been thinking and his heart was on Rachel. So, instead of a six-figure salary, he wants Rachel as his wages. The story reminds us that Laban had two daughters; Leah, the oldest and it mentioned in this version that her eyes were "lovely." Other versions say, "her eyes were weak." It could mean one of two things; she could have worn glasses had they been available in those days, or they lack luster, which among people that loved sparkling eyes didn't cut it. I leave it to you to make up your mind. The story does say that Rachel was "beautiful of form and face." Okay, that one doesn't require much, they spell it out for you.

So, Jacob names the terms, saying he would work seven years for his bride. And Laban agrees. This was love at any cost, though he set the terms himself. Someone might have said a year, or two, but Jacob likes a solid biblical number of seven. Laban likes the idea that his daughter would go with someone like Jacob. And Jacob begins to mark on his calendar the days until he completed the seven. He also downloaded the app Countdown which would let him know as the seconds, minutes, and hours passed, just how much longer he had to wait. The app finally beeped and Jacob danced as he marked the last day on the wall calendar. It was one of those discounted cat calendars you can get at Dollar Tree after the start of the year!

"Uncle Laban! Today's the day you go from being my uncle to Daddy-in-law!" Yes, sounds strange, but this was happening in another time where this was permitted. Hey, until 2005, Texans could marry their first cousins, so stop wagging your fingers at the happy couple! FYI there are still 19 states where this is still allowed. I won't name them so you don't start planning an overnight trip! (I am joking, okay!) I also add that in six states, you can marry your first cousin on the condition that you will not reproduce.

The wedding is held, in their custom, which was a big banquet or barbecue, and as far as we know, no standing at the altar to pronounce one married to the other; it was understood... or so Jacob thought. Their custom was to have the meal, having worked out all the details prior to the feast, and when it was all over, the couple would make their way to the bridal tent. Now, as to the sober condition of the groom, it does not say; and he might just have been tired and sleepy, but when the bride came into the tent, they consummated the marriage. It was at first light when hubby reached over to kiss wifey that Jacob realized that his new wife was older sister Leah, the one with the "lovely eyes!" "Hold on, Uncle Labe!" And he discovered that he had been conned. It was not common practice in that area, or among those people, to allow the younger daughter to marry before the older. Uh oh. And Uncle Labe said, "Work this week, and I'll give you Rachel, plus add another seven years for her." Gulp.

Yes, friends, two wives, with two maids thrown in as wedding gifts, and all at the low cost of fourteen years of hard work. And they all lived happily ever after? Not on this planet. We know the rest of the story, Jacob loved Rachel and he tolerated Leah. Friends, I remind us that the Bible is an honest book, full of pimples and wrinkles, scars and warts; no one perfect, nor presented as such. The only perfect person we encounter in the pages of our sacred book is Jesus. We have a story that might keep us up tonight as we discuss it with someone, or may play out as something we can't quite fathom, but remember, "all things work for good for those who love the Lord" from yesterday? This is why. The present picture may not gibe well with us, but we need to see the bigger picture of God. As Jesus spoke in Monday's gospel lesson, there are many different manifestations of faith and work before God, and they all count. We ask where do I fit in? What is it I offer to the Lord? How am I working in my family or in my setting as someone who is concerned about God and God's people outside of my realm?

PRAYER: Loving God, bless our hearts and minds to experience Your love so that whatever we may be facing or enduring, we know You are right here with us. Grant us wisdom and peace. Let us bless You. We pray in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Enjoy the feast of life; share your food and faith!

Receive my blessings of love and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

God is NOT in the Long Distance Business!

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Hear the Devotional Read here: https://bit.ly/2CwIQr5

26 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. 27 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. 28 We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. 29 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. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called; and those whom he called he also justified; and those whom he justified he also glorified. 31 What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 32 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? 33 Who will bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. 34 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. 35 Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written, "For your sake we are being killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep to be slaughtered." 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 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 NRSV)

A blessed Tuesday be yours, dear Friend is my prayer. I appreciate the email and texts I received concerning my cousin's husband, and my pastoral friend. I appreciate your concern for me. As we pray today, please lift up the name of my neighbor, Hector Cruz, who undergoes a serious procedure in San Antonio at the Veteran's Hospital. Pray also for his wife, Terri as she drives him there and back.

"Long distance call!" Remember hearing those words? Those of you who remember receiving a long distance call might remember that the responses were immediate; excitement or fear; some even might have asked, "Who's paying for this call? It's not a collect call is it?" Back in the day, long distance was big business because each call was expensive. Companies knew that for families with relatives in other towns and cities, providing them a way to stay connected was important. I remember every trip I took from home to another place my mother would say, remember to call to let me know you arrived there safely; and the code was for me to call person-to-person collect and to ask for myself. Kids, person-to-person collect meant the operator (ask your grandparents what those were) would not charge your home phone if the person you were calling was not home. And I had to pray and wrestle within myself on this deceptive trick, trying to justify that it was the cheapest way to let Momma know that I was okay.

We thank God for Him not being in the long distance business. God is in the closeness business. God is as near as our hearts, lip, and minds. And He wants us to draw close to Him at all times. Even in the most difficult of times. I've shared the story of a dear mother whose adult daughter was dying of cancer. The doctors had done all they could and the only hope she had was the Lord. But she had cried and prayed, and prayed and cried so much, she told me she could no longer pray; she was out of words. As she asked me what she could do, the Lord reminded me of this passage starting at verse 26; God knows our prayers because God knows our hearts, God knows our minds, and God's Holy Spirit intercedes for the saints interpreting our sighs which are too deep for words. Isn't that marvelous? We can never reach the point in our lives or faith that we are distant from God!

Second lesson: If you love God all your efforts of faith offered in your service to God and God's kingdom will work for good, if they are within the purpose of God's plan. That gives us a different perspective about life if we don't forget that especially when the circumstances seem challenging and difficult. Then Paul adds some theological insight designed to reassure us of our salvation because of Jesus. In plain English, God loves you so much, He sent Jesus to die for you and me.

Third lesson: God is for you and for me. Great question, who can be against us? Pity the fool who thinks they can outwit, outsmart, or beat God!

Fourth lesson: Who will bring charges against you? Who can condemn you? Answers: No one, especially if Jesus knows you as one of His; He will speak up for you and you will be found innocent.

Fifth and final lesson: God is not in the long distance business! God does not like to be separated from anyone for any reason. You can make a list if you want to, but there's one already made! Written by a man who knew personally each of these things. Hardship? It's on there. Hardship may come and may even bring a friend, but it will NOT separate you from the love of God in Christ Jesus. How about distress? Nope? Persecution? ¡Tampoco! Famine? Maybe for a bit, but a plate of food is coming right after you realize that God loves you! Nakedness? Or what you perceive as being an empty closet? No. Peril? No! Sword? Not even! Paul knew that an army made up of those foes of hardship to sword, have met their demise in God. Paul declares, "In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us!" Wait! Paul's not finished! He continues with this awesome list; "For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor power, 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." God is NOT, I repeat, God is NOT in the long distance business. And neither should we! Friend, if you feel a bit distant from God, I remind you of the old story of the elderly couple riding in those old style vehicles with huge church pew wide seats, the couple saw a young couple in a similar vehicle and seated so close together, the older man told his wife, "Look honey, a two-headed monster is driving that truck!" She laughed and said, "Remember when we sat like that? Why don't we do that anymore?" The old man smiled and said, "Well, guess who moved?"

PRAYER: Awesome Father, You are so close we can feel you if we want; sometimes life tries to get in the way and we feel far from You, but we know it is us only giving in to the challenges life brings; let us draw nearer to You is our prayer. We thank You for the message that Paul shared in this passage. We celebrate that You are not in the long distance business, because prayer is free and prayer is as close as our desire to talk to You. Help us to share this with others as You lead. This we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Draw near to the Lord and then invite someone to join you.

Receive my blessings of love and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

CORRECTION TO THE NARRATION: I mentioned the death of The Rev. Dan Garcia, I meant Rev. Dan Rodriguez. Please forgive my error.

Mustard Seed Precious Treasure Bread

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Listen to the narration here: https://bit.ly/2CsDVHH

31 He put before them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; 32 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." 33 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." 44 "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. 45 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; 46 on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it. 47 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and caught fish of every kind; 48 when it was full, they drew it ashore, sat down, and put the good into baskets but threw out the bad. 49 So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous 50 and throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 51 "Have you understood all this?" They answered, "Yes." 52 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 NRSV)

Welcome, Monday! Bring your blessings to this dear reader and Friend. I pray you and yours are doing well, staying safe, and trying to stay healthy. I shared in yesterday's Pimples and Wrinkles, how my first cousin in McAllen, lost her husband to Covid-19. He was exposed for 14 days and the 15th day he just dropped dead. In respecting their privacy I will not name them, but ask for prayers for God's comfort with his family. He showed no symptoms and it was an unexpected senseless death. Please don't be next; take care of yourselves and those who matter to you. At this writing I have received the sad word that The Rev. Dr. Dan Rodriguez never recovered his stay in ICU and was called home on Sunday. Please keep his family in your prayers. Dan was a wonderful pastor and will be missed by many, your servant included. Please take care of yourselves! You matter too much to God, to your families, to many, and to me. Wearing a mask is a sign of discipleship; showing your love for others, especially the elderly and the very young. 65 babies in Nueces (Corpus Christi) County have the virus. Please take care and be safe. Pray for one another; pray for yourselves.

If the title of today's devotional has you smelling the aroma of fresh baked bread then I have your attention, because that's what Jesus wanted from those listening to His teachings. And the point of His teaching in this passage is that the kingdom of God matters because we matter to God. And what we bring to the kingdom matters to God as well. Some us will be like the mustard seed. We may perceive that our faith is tiny and that it won't matter or make a difference to others, but Jesus knew the power of the mustard seed! He knew it to be the smallest of all the seeds, but once planted and with the proper nutrition and sunlight, it would grow to larger realms and do just what God intended for it to do. God does that too. You may think, "I have nothing to offer God or to the world, but give God a chance and God will transform your faith and your life into what God intended all along.

Then there's yeast, a powerful ingredient of baking. Once introduced into the right mixture it helps it expand and grow and be what was intended of it. Bread made with yeast is the best kind, fluffy and tasty; just as it was purposed. Same can be said for those who have a contagious, transformative faith. They bring joy, life, laughter, hope and glee to the mundane. And when infused to the community of faith, they do wonders in helping shape the direction the community takes in reaching others for the good of God.

Then there's the treasure, hidden for some reason, in a field. It may have been forgotten or the owner died and the field in which it was located, is ignored. Then someone comes to the field and finds the treasure. The treasure makes this discoverer want to own the entire field; he goes and sells all he has so that he can buy the field. There is an element of sacrifice in being part of God's kingdom. It's a matter of giving one's all to the kingdom. It means a personal commitment to stand on the promises of God and not to just sit on the premises. There is no bench for disciples; all get called in; everyone plays and strives to win.

The kingdom is also like a precious pearl that a merchant finds and again, sells all he has to buy it. This stresses not only sacrifice, but the commitment required to faithfully and fruitfully serve the Lord. It is Jesus saying, "Don't hold back on serving God. You commit, you go forward and serve. No looking back, and no turning back; onward and upward is our commitment to God.

The last illustration the Lord shares is that the kingdom is like a fishing excursion where a net is thrown into the sea and every kind of fish is hauled in. Once on shore, the fisher sits and divides the fish; good into baskets, the bad are thrown out. This is clear and Jesus says so, "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." Friends, I cannot stress this enough, that judgement is coming. Jesus spoke of this very clearly and stresses that in this passage; God is not mocked nor can God be ignored. God has shared a standard of what is expected of us, and we need to live up to it and be faithful to Him. We will all die, and we will all be judged. We will be asked to account for our lives while on earth. Judgement will be a process of separation; the good will enter into eternal life with God, Jesus, and all the saints of heaven; the evil will be separated from God and enter into eternal suffering. Some ask, "Why would a loving God send anyone to hell?" Simple answer; God is not the one who decided for people to be sinful or evil, those were personal options and choices. Dear one, choose life and good for you and yours.

PRAYER: Awesome God, as we pray, we are aware of what You have expected of us. We know You are loving and forgiving, but You are also serious in asking of us to be the people You have called us to be. Forgive us and grant to us a new opportunity to serve You and Yours. We pray for those who are hurting, mourning, ill, or at the point of death. May Your will be done. This we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Be part of those who give of themselves to save others!

Receive my blessings of love and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

How Are You? My newest podcast found under the Media section at www.pimplesandwrinkles.org.

Christmas in July?

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Hear the devotional right here: https://bit.ly/30dDJE5

1 O Lord, you have searched me and known me. 2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from far away. 3 You search out my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. 4 Even before a word is on my tongue, O Lord, you know it completely. 5 You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is so high that I cannot attain it.7 Where can I go from your spirit? Or where can I flee from your presence? 8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there. 9 If I take the wings of the morning and settle at the farthest limits of the sea, 10 even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me fast. 11 If I say, "Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light around me become night," 12 even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is as bright as the day, for darkness is as light to you. (Psalm 139:1-12, 23-24 NRSV)

A blessed Thursday be yours today, dear Friend. I pray all is well, and that you are staying safe from this heat and staying safe and away from the Coronavirus. Our church secretary's sister-in-law's mother, Mrs. Janie Vela is in the hospital with Covid-19; please pray for her healing and relief. I also got word that Rev. Dan Rodriguez' surgery is healing well, but he is having trouble breathing and is still in ICU because of that. Prayers for Dan's healing. Please make time to pray for one another; and time to pray for yourselves. Why do we pray? Because God answers prayer!

Okay, this is going to sound weird, and the title gives it away a bit, but reading the scripture as I prepared for this devotional I thought about a Christmas song. Yes, in July; and my daughter and I had a fun talk about watching Christmas movies in July, and just yesterday morning I forwarded an ad from a company that was having a Christmas in July Sale! The song that came to mind, and please don't judge me! was Santa Claus is Coming to Town! You know the lyrics right? "You better watch out, you better not cry, you better not pout, I'm telling you why; Santa Claus is coming to town. He sees when you're sleeping, he knows when you're awake; he knows if you've been good or bad, so be good for goodness' sake." Yes, I am crazy, and I blame the heat! Yet, I wonder if that songwriter hadn't read this psalm before s/he wrote it?

The psalmist knew the truth about God. God is all-seeing, and all-knowing; and this is not to frighten us into good behavior, but to strengthen us as we feel weak, or hopeful when we feel alone, or blessed when we feel abandoned. The one who acknowledges God in all things will see the face of God in situations others would call dire. The one who acknowledges God has surrendered his/her life to God and has received blessings of joy, strength, and peace. That person has seen the last of darkness that overwhelms and defeats.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, bless us to be a blessing. Use us to bring light to those who feel overwhelmed by darkness. Remind us there is nowhere we can go, where You are not there first. In Christ Jesus we pray and trust, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Receive my blessings of joy and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Jacob's Ladder

Image from childrenschurch.wordpress.com

Hear the narration of this devotional here: https://bit.ly/2WknILo

10 Jacob left Beer-sheba and went toward Haran. 11 He came to a certain place and stayed there for the night, because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place. 12 And he dreamed that there was a ladder set up on the earth, the top of it reaching to heaven; and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. 13 And the Lord stood beside him and said, "I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring; 14 and your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and all the families of the earth shall be blessed in you and in your offspring. 15 Know that I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you." 16 Then Jacob woke from his sleep and said, "Surely the Lord is in this place—and I did not know it!" 17 And he was afraid, and said, "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven." 18 So Jacob rose early in the morning, and he took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up for a pillar and poured oil on the top of it. 19 He called that place Bethel; but the name of the city was Luz at the first. (Genesis 28:10-19a NRSV)

A wonderful Wednesday greeting to you, Friend! Praying this finds all is well with you and yours.

As a child, this story fascinated me a lot, as I am sure it did you as well. We have Jacob, a troubled soul, the youngest of the twins, on the run and he comes to this certain place where he chooses to camp for the night. We can assume many questions cloud his mind as to his purpose in God's plan at this point. He had a troubled childhood and youth with his parents having taken sides; Dad with big brother, Esau, and Mom with little brother, Jacob. Jacob has stolen the birthright and might have been questioning the why behind that move. Tired from the journey, he falls fast asleep and begins to dream of a ladder, actually more of a staircase, that reached from where he lay to the entrance of heaven; and on it were angels ascending and descending. God stands beside him and presents Himself to Jacob and then reaffirms the covenant He had made with Abraham, which is an important part of this dream, as is the declaration from God that He will be with Jacob wherever he goes. Then Jacob awakes and realizes that the place where he slept was holy. If you're keeping track, we've covered two hymns/songs so far. Jacob's Ladder, a longtime youth favorite of mine and perhaps yours? And "Surely the Lord is in this place." This makes Jacob fearful for he realizes that he is standing in a holy space, and as soon as he can, he dedicates that place as being "God's House" which in Hebrew is Bethel.

It is believed that what we dream reveals a bit about what we've done, who we are, what makes us nervous, a replay of joys and fears, and yes, sometimes God uses dreams to reveal comfort and purpose. The dream of this young man reveals a lot of that, but overall the comfort and purpose of God. It was important at that point of his life to hear God reaffirm what He had offered his grandfather, and to reassure Jacob of His presence with him until the fulfillment of the promises God made to grandpa. It is also important to note that God is everywhere and made more so to those people who stay connected with Him. People of prayer, Bible study, worship and small groups, Sunday school, et al, will have a keener sense of God and God's Holy Spirit at work in our lives and the place we find ourselves, and especially if we have had times of questioning and reflection. The connected one can say, Lord, with You by my side, I know this is the place where I need to be, and with You guiding me, I will know what it is you would have me do, and with Your help I will do it.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, guide and bless us to faithfulness and fruitfulness; let us stay connected to You so that we may bless You and Your work. Bless those for whom we are praying; and may Thy will be done, In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Bless those around you with grace!

Receive my blessings of love and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Adopted!

Image from agnusday.org

Hear the narration of this devotional here: https://bit.ly/3er2xNZ

12 So then, brothers and sisters, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh— 13 for if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. 15 For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, "Abba! Father!" 16 it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ—if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him. 18 I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; 20 for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; 23 and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. (Romans 8:12-25 NRSV)

May this be a tremendous Tuesday for you, dear Friend! My hope is that this finds you blessed and in a position to bless others with what God has graciously shared with you. Friends, a day does not go by without hearing of people we know who have contracted the dreaded Coronavirus, and we continue to pray. Our daughter Nellie shared of a co-worker having lost her father-in-law because of his having gone to a Father's Day celebration, where he got the virus and died. Two of our nephews work with ICE and they lost a coworker, a trainer of new agents, who because one of his students went to Houston who came back infected; six classmates now have the virus and the trainer died from it. Also, two police officers in McAllen, TX., lost their lives responding to a domestic disturbance. Prayers for their families, and their community. The needs are great, friends, but God is greater, and so we continue to pray for these and others who need our prayers. As always, I invite us to pray for one another, and for ourselves .

Mary is a friend and former coworker with Nellie, my wife. She is a single mother of two. When Mary was born, two loving people adopted her. From them she learned that while she was not born in her mother's womb, she was born from her mother's heart as well as her father's. Some years later, she wanted a child of her own and so she adopted her first child, a baby girl. Some years later, she adopted her second daughter. In our opinion, both girls are very blessed by the love Mary has for them, as is Mary for the love these girls have for her. The time flew by quickly, and now both are out of the "nest," and on their own.

The process of adoption is an act of love, for in choosing a child for adoption, in most cases, is the act of one or two persons deciding to take this unwanted child (for whatever circumstances) and make them yours. This process is not without its risks, for one never knows what kind of child they will accepting, nor what kind of adult they will become. Most adoptive parents at the time of adoption do not worry about that; they just want to bring a child into an environment of love and raise them the best they can, providing all they can for the complete wellbeing of this child. Paul, as he writes to the believers in Rome, is sharing his understanding of how God relates to you and me. For Paul, it was all about freedom; God is a God of freedom that He offers to the sinners (us) when we surrender to Him. It's at the point of surrender that we quit living to the flesh and begin living guided and blessed by the Spirit. Through the flesh we were facing certain death, and now in the Spirit, we are dead to sin and the flesh, and alive to the Spirit; we have put aside the slavery we endured to the flesh and sin, and now we have been adopted, as heirs, by the one, true, living God. We are now heirs of God, and as Paul knows, co-heirs with Jesus, perhaps enduring for now, the sufferings of this age, but set to enjoy the rich and wonderful blessings of what is to come. What we face may cause us to join creation in moaning, but we do not lose the hope placed in our hearts by the Lord Jesus Himself. It is hope that keeps us going, and it will be hope that will see us through.

My prayer, dear friend, is that whatever it is that you might be facing, be covered in the peace and patience that the Holy Spirit of Christ offers, so that in our weakness we might find strength. The Lord is with us and will not abandon us, and with Him we can face and defeat all things.

PRAYER: Loving Father, we rejoice in the promises shared through Your word found in today's passage. Thank You for using Paul to share hope with us. As we pray, we pray for the comfort and healing of those mentioned above, and for this dear reader, whatever it is that they are facing, grant peace and victory; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a blessed and great day in the Lord. Share your hope with those facing tough times today and all days!

Receive my blessings of peace and joy,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Side by Side...for now...

Image from agnusday.org

Hear the Devotional Narrated here: https://bit.ly/3fpblVM

24 He put before them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; 25 but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away. 26 So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. 27 And the slaves of the householder came and said to him, "Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from?' 28 He answered, "An enemy has done this.' The slaves said to him, "Then do you want us to go and gather them?' 29 But he replied, "No; for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. 30 Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.' " 36 Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples approached him, saying, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field." 37 He answered, "The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; 38 the field is the world, and the good seed are the children of the kingdom; the weeds are the children of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. 40 Just as the weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, 42 and they will throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let anyone with ears listen! (Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 NRSV)

Happy Monday, dear Friend! I pray that Lord's rich blessings be with you and those whom you care about. I share a word of praise for Mr. Chet Marko and his family as they are on the mend after their battle with Covid-19. Chet is not 100% yet, but expects to be there soon. His wife, and his father are doing better, and we thank God for those news. I ask continued prayers for The Rev. Rob Clopton, as he has discovered the mass near his kidney is cancerous and doctors will have to remove the mass as well as the kidney. Prayers for Rob and Sandra and all who are praying for them. Our continued prayers for those battling impatience or boredom during this critical time. Prayers also for our nephew and his entire family in the RG Valley who have been diagnosed with coronavirus. Pray for their recovery and healing. Also, prayers for The Rev. Dr. Daniel Z. Rodriguez, retired pastor from our conference, in the hospital awaiting hip surgery. Prayers for his wife, Evelí as well. Dan was one of my childhood pastors in Kingsville. He arrived single there and married Eveli during that time. Prayers for the family of The Rev. Dr. Winn Alley, retired pastor and friend; formerly of our conference; died in Illinois. Prayers for his widow, Sandy, and their children. Pray for one another. Pray for yourselves.

Many of us have seen stories of coworkers of someone who has done something really atrocious or suffered a great loss; when questioned, the coworkers answer, "I would never have suspected such a thing from him/her; they were so nice, quiet, and kind..." Jesus has just shared a teaching on how we receive or reject God's word. We may work alongside someone who does not care about God or God's people. We may even work among people who have not yet heard the word of God's saving grace. We may even have family members who fit one or two of those categories. The question becomes, what have we done to help them find the answers they may be asking.

I've shared before the story I read in a San Antonio newspaper about two men who retired the same day after about 35 years of working alongside each other. It was also on that day they discovered they were both United Methodists. What wonderful things they must have shared about work, family, hobbies, fears, concerns, but not one word about church, Sunday services, sermons, Sunday school lessons, or Bible studies. One can easily understand the old adage about not speaking about religion or politics; yet, how do we share life-saving words with those in need or perishing?

Jesus compared our life situation being like those who believe in Him as being "good seed among thorns," those who reject Him; and we wonder, how do people purposely become "children of the evil one?" Well, rather than getting into a long checklist, let's just ask ourselves; do we live a life that reflects the presence and peace of Jesus and His love towards others? Or, are we giving off indications that our choices were not only done with the Lord's guidance, and we are not truly living a life about the fullness of life. Do not be deceived dear friends, Jesus spoke clearly about what is coming. Look again at verses 41 to 43: Jesus is sending His angels to collect out of His kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, and they will throw them (He's talking about people!) into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Not exactly a vacation paradise friends. Yes, the jokes about Texas' heat are funny, but the heat in Texas does not compare to the heat of the furnaces Jesus is talking about . Jesus also said, "Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let anyone with ears listen!"

Dear one, if you truly feel in your soul that you are not right with God, right now is the time to make a change from certain eternal death to fullness of life here, and the eternal life blessed with the presence of God always. Please make the right decision.

PRAYER: Loving Father, we realize that choices made by us sometimes have not been made in love or counsel with You; forgive us for those, and lead us away from the consequences of them and into the fullness of life, as Jesus promised. Give us all the mind of Christ, the heart of Jesus, and the wisdom to make the right choices now and always. In His name we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Share a word of hope and love with all people today and all days.

Receive my blessings of love and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Don't Walk in the Dark!

Image from hearthymn.com

105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. 106 I have sworn an oath and confirmed it, to observe your righteous ordinances. 107 I am severely afflicted; give me life, O Lord, according to your word. 108 Accept my offerings of praise, O Lord, and teach me your ordinances. 109 I hold my life in my hand continually, but I do not forget your law. 110 The wicked have laid a snare for me, but I do not stray from your precepts. 111 Your decrees are my heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart. 112 I incline my heart to perform your statutes forever, to the end. (Psalm 119:103-112 NRSV)

The very first verse in this passage always calls to mind the very beautiful voice of Amy Grant and her Christian hit song by the name of Thy Word. It was influential enough that it made its way to the United Methodist Hymnal. And King David did not see penny one of that hit. Just saying. He was the author of the psalm from which the song is based; but the song is more about the safety and protection the singer feels from the Lord, while David's is about his and our expected loyalty and obedience to God. David acknowledges that he sometimes walks in the dark, but it is while in the dark that the word of the Lord that shines brightly enough for him to find his way. David also knows that when troubled and feeling lifeless, God provides life. And as a result of that, David offers God praise, along with a request to learn more about what God desires from him. When surrounded by enemies, it would be easy to stray away from God, but David knows better. The joy of the psalmist's heart is the law of God.

Where do you turn dear friend when troubled beyond your normal tolerance? What distractions come your way when you're trying to find a better way? How often do you pause to reflect and read the Bible, especially when you're troubled or in trouble? David knew in Whose hands he had his faith and life in, and so do we. Let's live lives that glorify God and point others to the hope and peace that is ours because of God.

PRAYER: Awesome God, bless us with the faith that helps guide not only our feet, but also our hands, hearts, minds, and spirits to do Your wondrous work. Bless those for whom we are praying; bring healing, health, and happiness to those in need; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Help shine God's word on someone today!

Prayers for Rev. Rob Clopton, a newly retired pastor from our conference, who has some serious medical challenges ahead. Rob and Sandra live in New Braunfels.

Mother of Two Nations

Image from newlifenarrabi.wordpress.com

Hear the Narration here: https://bit.ly/2AJlKwE

19 These are the descendants of Isaac, Abraham's son: Abraham was the father of Isaac, 20 and Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah, daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of Paddan-aram, sister of Laban the Aramean. 21 Isaac prayed to the Lord for his wife, because she was barren; and the Lord granted his prayer, and his wife Rebekah conceived. 22 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. 23 And the Lord said to her, "Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples born of you shall be divided; the one shall be stronger than the other, the elder shall serve the younger." 24 When her time to give birth was at hand, there were twins in her womb. 25 The first came out red, all his body like a hairy mantle; so they named him Esau. 26 Afterward 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. 27 When the boys grew up, Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field, while Jacob was a quiet man, living in tents. 28 Isaac loved Esau, because he was fond of game; but Rebekah loved Jacob. 29 Once when Jacob was cooking a stew, Esau came in from the field, and he was famished. 30 Esau said to Jacob, "Let me eat some of that red stuff, for I am famished!" (Therefore he was called Edom. ) 31 Jacob said, "First sell me your birthright." 32 Esau said, "I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?" 33 Jacob said, "Swear to me first." So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. 34 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 NRSV)

A good day to you, Friend, with prayers for a day filled with joy and peace and gracious blessings from the Lord. I continue to ask prayers for Mr. Chet Marko, his wife, Paige, and his father, Dr. Marko; all three continue to battle Covid-19. We also got word of a death within the Gonzales community of Mr. Lee Baker. Please pray for his family as they mourn his death. Please also keep in your prayers, The Rev. Maribel Vazquez, pastor of Emmanuel UMC in San Antonio, who is having exams on her kidneys. Also, prayers for Mr. Larry Ehrig, who is undergoing exploratory surgery on Tuesday (the time of this writing) evening in the Gonzales Hospital. Pray for one another, and pray for yourselves.

Most parents of two or more children will attest to the truth of verse 23, that each child at one time or another will be his/her own nation, and/or divided as different people. The most classic example is the first family of Genesis; Adam and Eve had two sons, and both were as different as night and day; and sadly, one brother rose up and killed his brother because of the differences.

The grandfather of the twins born to Isaac, is the "Father of the Faith," Abraham. This made this family the prime target of the attention, distraction, and destruction, by the Evil One. The same was true of Adam and Eve and every family touched by the hand of God. My mother would always tell us as we grew up, "The closer you get to God, the more the devil wants you back." The drama played out in this family may resemble the drama you may have played in your own life or in the lives of your children. I remind us that there is no perfect family. Try as we might, many seek only to have their children equip themselves enough to face life on their own.

In this family, Mom longed for a child. Her husband married her when he was forty, and the story says it was his prayer that was answered, and Rebekah conceived. She probably felt very thankful that she was carrying a baby, not truly knowing that she was to be the mother of twins, but once they started moving the pain was more than she can take as we read her prayer in verse 22! Most telling is the way the story says that "Isaac loved Esau," and "Rebekah loved Jacob." This may have been because of the way the boys grew up. One chose the outdoors, hunting, being truly a hunter/provider. The other stayed indoors, close to mother, and sought to learn indoor things, like cooking, and became quite the cook. And it was his cooking skills that allowed him to cheat his brother out of his birthright.

Esau, remember, was born first. But, right on his heels, literally, that the second born, Jacob comes out holding his brother's heel. As the firstborn, in that culture, he was entitled to many things, including the father's blessing, which in those days and among that people, counted for the fullness of life for the rest of his days on the earth. And that was the main thing on the menu for that day.

Jacob makes his famous lentil stew, and baked some fresh bread. I can only imagine the aroma of both items cooking reached the fields where big brother was hard at work. He may have even thought that Mom was busy doing the cooking. As he arrived home, he discovered that lil brother was the chef of the day. And, he was making his extra-special lentil stew and fresh baked sourdough bread. "Let me eat some of that red stuff, for I am famished!" Sounds like a typical brother to brother stuff. And, not typical brother to brother stuff is what Jacob says, "First sell me your birthright." Gulp. What a price for one meal. Jacob was saying, sell me your future wellbeing for a bowl of soup and a healthy serving of bread. Esau is so hungry that he doesn't want to think about anything; his stomach as doing the thinking. And the deal is done. Jacob now owns the birthright, and Esau is now full. And empty.

One prays to have within one's home, a haven; a place for rest and a place for peace. One learns that within the family, lines get drawn for the simplest things. One's clothes, if they fit another family member, are best left in the owner's closet. This holds true for shoes. In olden days, music was more tangible; vinyl record albums, plastic cassettes, and plastic compact discs. The machines for playing those also become territorial items. And so, the haven becomes a battleground rather quickly. If not careful, one's love for things could damage the love one should have for each other.

We go back to the extravagant spreading of God's love that we studied on Monday. It's the same love that helps us win the battles over material things versus the true love we should have towards one another, especially our siblings, our spiritual siblings at church, and towards our fellow human beings on the street, at work, at school, and at play. Seek it to use it!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, we pray asking for strength and forgiveness for those times we have given preference to things instead of people. Bless us to be a blessing. We pray for those reading this who need courage and boldness to make amends with family. This we pray in Christ Jesus' name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Be bold in your love which shows mercy and forgiveness.

Receive my blessings of peace and love,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

No Condemnation!

Image from donotdepart.com

Hear the Devotional Read here (It usually has a little bit more of what is written) https://bit.ly/2VNaC9h

1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. 3 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, 4 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. 5 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. 6 To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. 7 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, 8 and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 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. 10 But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 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 NRSV)

Happy Tuesday, dear Friend! May the blessings of the Lord be wth you and yours today! May our prayer focus today be on those who are facing impatience. Pray for those who need a huge dose of hope in their lives. We also received a Praise Report from Edith Lucas concerning her sister, Betty, who has found out she only needs to take medication rather than chemo or radiation. We join the family in thanking God and praising Him for this report. Please also pray for one another, and say a prayer for yourselves.

The waiting is always the hardest part. There were three of us, so the waiting was not as hard as it had been only me. I knew that I deserved to be there and whatever fate awaited me I was ready. I prayed while I waited that the fate would not be one to embarrass my family. We were ushered into the office of the Dean and sat and waited some more. Finally, the dean came in and reviewed his notes and looked at us and just shook his head and simply said, "Boys, y'all should know better than this. Please don't do this again." That was it. I, we, were no longer under any "condemnation" for what we had done. I never again did what I had done, and life returned to normal.

My crime? I had become part of a group of pranksters in the dorm. I can't begin to list all the "education" I received from pulling these pranks. My crime was to pick as many aluminum soda cans in one of the dryers, putting in a quarter, turning the dryer on and running back to my room. That it was early in the morning added to the excitement because the noise was enough to wake others up. Silly? Yes. Stupid? Of course. Fun? Ab. So. Lute.Ly! But somehow, I and two other suspected pranksters had our names turned into the Dean, who was a sweetheart of a man; an ordained UM pastor, and head of the pre-ministerial department. But, what Paul writes about is dead serious stuff. To live under the condemnation of sin is certain death. And not only death in a bodily sense, it was death of the spiritual and eternal kind. To die under the condemnation of sin means an eternity separated from God. Paul is celebrating the victory of Jesus over sin and death; which meant the removal of condemnation of that certain sentence. God was able to fulfill the Law through the death and resurrection of His Son. The law served its purpose in helping humanity identify sin and to know that there was a moral mark to which we strove to keep; the law let us know that to fail or miss the mark meant we were guilty of sin.

Susanna Wesley, mother of John and Charles Wesley, and seventeen other children, once wrote to her son a definition of sin as he was making his way through college. "Whatever weakens your reason, impairs the tenderness of your conscience, obscures your sense of God, takes off your relish for spiritual things, whatever increases the authority of the body over the mind, that thing is sin to you, however innocent it may seem in itself.” (Highlights from the source from which I copied it) John was 22 at the time and this helped shape and mold him for the ministry to which he was called. To sum up this brilliant definition, the closing is best; "whatever increases the authority of the body over the mind, that thing is sin to you." If you can easily identify something you do, or take, or think you need, that has that authority of your body over your mind, then that thing is sin. And with God's help, you should remove that from your life. We have the Spirit of God within us and He helps us with our weaknesses.

And I can't help but bring this awesome hymn to mind (see? Someone else knew the victory of Jesus! and wrote this) "I heard an old, old story, how a Savior came from glory; How He gave His life on Calvary to save a wretch like me, I heard about His groaning, of His precious blood's atoning; Then I repented of my sins and won the victory; Oh victory in Jesus, my Savior forever He sought me and bought me with His redeeming blood, He loved me 'ere I knew Him and all my love is due Him; He plunged me to victory beneath the cleansing flood!" Amen.

PRAYER: Awesome God, to You belongs our victory, and our lives. We claim that victory for ourselves and for those whom we love; grant us courage, boldness, and wisdom to reach more! This we pray in Christ Jesus' name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Quit living like a Loser! You're a Winner, a Victor in Christ Jesus!

Receive my blessings of grace and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

UPDATE ON SOMETHING IMPORTANT (To me anyway). Friends, the 2020 presentation of the Passion Play in Oberammegua was canceled because of the pandemic we're going through. It's interesting to note that this Passion Play is the result of answered prayers for the bubonic plague in the 1500s! The good news is that the play will be presented, Lord willing and all this virus spreading leaves us, in 2022. I will attend a webinar on this and I will share dates and possible trips to this awesome event. Prayers please!

An Extravagant Gospel for Everyone!

Image from agnusday.org

Hear the devotional narrated here: https://anchor.fm/eradio-valverde/episodes/An-Extravagant-Gospel-fo-Everyone-egc12j

1 At about that same time Jesus left the house and sat on the beach. 2 In no time at all a crowd gathered along the shoreline, forcing him to get into a boat. 3 Using the boat as a pulpit, he addressed his congregation, telling stories. 4 As he scattered the seed, some of it fell on the road, and birds ate it. 5 Some fell in the gravel; it sprouted quickly but didn't put down roots, 6 so when the sun came up it withered just as quickly. 7 Some fell in the weeds; as it came up, it was strangled by the weeds. 8 Some fell on good earth, and produced a harvest beyond his wildest dreams. 9 "Are you listening to this? Really listening?" 18 "Study this story of the farmer planting seed. 19 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. 20 "The seed cast in the gravel - this is the person who hears and instantly responds with enthusiasm. 21 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. 22 "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. 23 "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 The Message)

A Wonderful Monday, filled with joy and blessings be yours dear Friend, and to all the people who matter in your life! I pray your prayers have been heard and answered, or at least in the process of being answered, because we pray because God does answer prayer! And speaking of prayer, this morning I got up, showered and checked to see if Pastor Matt was on yet (yes, 8:30; I slept in!). No, so I said to myself, let me hear another one of my favorite preachers, The Rev. Richard Leggett from FUMC-Bastrop. I saw the title was on Prayer and I thought, yes! This should be good! "Daniel: A Man of Prayer" was the title on the screen. Yes, I said again. I click to play and I started to recognize the voice as...mine? So, in a surprise move, Rev. Leggett used one of my old sermons for use at First UMC Bastrop's online service. The link is below. My thanks to my brother for using my sermon. I actually sat through it! ha ha!

"Lacking restraint at spending money or using resources," is one of the many definitions for extravagant. This modern version of this well-known parable I pray brings it fresh and new to you in a way that challenges you to live a life that becomes the extravagant gospel of which this passage shares. This was the Parable of the Sower on the beach as told by Jesus, and keep the definition in mind as you hear what this parable is all about.

God loves the whole world and this parable makes it very clear. This sower who would normally have a set and well-defined plan for planting seed, follows no such plan; He sows everywhere. And like the word of God, it gets shared in so many places and to so many people, and the results have been as diverse as the settings this sower chose in which to spread the seed. God spreads His word and love to surface listeners. It may reach the heart, but not the depths of the heart. It reached the feels-good level of the heart, but not deep enough to stay there. The level that "bears all things, and believes all things" level. The sower also sows among the easily enthused who sometimes lack character, and when troubles come visiting, the easiest thing for this type of person is to move away from God. The next type of person is the one who hears but not deep enough to retain anything when "worry and illusions of getting more and wanting everything under the sun strangle what was heard, and nothing comes of it." No substance. The final soil is the person who truly hears and receives the Good News, and then produces an incredible harvest that blesses God.

The other cartoon that goes with today's passage has the two same sheep with the snarky one saying that the sower was sloppy and wasteful; to which the other replies, "This sower illustrates the careless extravagance of God's grace," to which the first one asks, "So sloppiness is next to Godliness?" This is the truth of God's love and grace; God does not discriminate, and neither should we. We are called to follow the example of Jesus Who loves and accepts all people, with no regard for anything; all are the same in God's eyes, as they should be in ours. It would make for a better world and society, and some of the headlines of today would not be headlines, they'd be the thoughts of a writer wanting something with which to scare. Jesus asks then, as He asks now, "Are you listening to this? Really listening?" (v. 9). My prayer is that you would say, "Lord, I am listening and I am changing."

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, as I pray I want to pray that I am truly listening and wanting to change my ways. May all who pray this with me hear what God is asking of each of us; that we would share in an unrestrained way the generous grace of God. Bless those who are sick, tired, lonely, worried, and lost; and let us be a part of the solution. This we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Spread the love of Jesus and His Good News among all those you know!

Receive my blessings of love and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Here is the link for First United Methodist, Bastrop, 7/5/2020 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzxMgEbhSqQ

There is No God?

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Happy and Safe (Distanced) 4th of July! See you all again on ConCafe on Tuesday 7/7/2020

There is No God? Several years ago Jim Bishop wrote in the Miami Herald an article entitled, "There Is No God?" There is no God. All of the wonders around us are accidental. No almighty hand made a thousand-billion stars. They made themselves. No power keeps them on their steady course. The earth spins itself to keep the oceans from falling off toward the sun. Infants teach themselves to cry when they are hungry or hurt. A small flower invented itself so that we could extract digitalis for sick hearts. The earth gave itself day and night, tilted itself so that we get seasons. Without the magnetic poles, man would be unable to navigate the trackless oceans of water and air, but they just grew there. How about the sugar thermostat in the pancreas? It maintains a level of sugar in the blood sufficient for energy. Without it, all of us would fall into a coma and die. Why does snow sit on mountain tops waiting for the warm spring sun to melt it at just the right time for the young crops in farms below to drink? A very lovely accident? The human heart will beat for 70 or 80 years without faltering. How does it get sufficient rest between beats? A kidney will filter poison from the blood, and leave good things alone. How does it know one from another? Who gave the human tongue flexibility to form words and a brain to understand them, but denied it to all other animals? Who showed a womb how to take the love of two persons and keep splitting a tiny ovum until, in time, a baby would have the proper number of fingers, eyes, ears and hair in the right places, and come into the world when it is strong enough to sustain life? There is no God -- or is there?

By Jim Bishop, Cited in the "Pastor's Story File." Source: Weekend Encounter, by Dick Innes, Copyright 2000, www.actsweb.org/subscribe.htm

How to Tell When You're Rich

When I was a kid in Minnesota, watermelon was a delicacy. One of my father's buddies, Bernie, was a prosperous fruit-and-vegetable wholesaler, who operated a warehouse in St. Paul. Every summer, when the first watermelons rolled in, Bernie would call. Dad and I would go to Bernie's warehouse and take up our positions. We'd sit on the edge of the dock, feet dangling, and lean over, minimizing the volume of juice we were about to spill on ourselves. Bernie would take his machete, crack our first watermelon, hand us both a big piece and sit down next to us. Then we'd bury our faces in watermelon, eating only the heart - the reddest, juiciest, firmest, most seed-free, most perfect part - and throw away the rest. Bernie was my father's idea of a rich man. I always thought it was because he was such a successful businessman. Years later, I realized that what my father admired about Bernie's wealth was less its substance than its application. Bernie knew how to stop working, get together with friends and eat only the heart of the watermelon. What I learned from Bernie is that being rich is a state of mind. Some of us, no matter how much money we have, will never be free enough to eat only the heart of the watermelon. Others are rich without ever being more than a paycheck ahead. If you don't take the time to dangle your feet over the dock and chomp into life's small pleasures, your career is probably overwhelming your life. For many years, I forgot that lesson I'd learned as a kid on the loading dock. I was too busy making all the money I could. Well, I've relearned it. I hope I have time left to enjoy the accomplishments of others and to take pleasure in the day. That's the heart of the watermelon. I have learned again to throw the rest away. Finally, I am rich.

By Harvey Mackay

~~~~~~~ Give Me A Direction

One Sunday my wife and I noticed an announcement in the church bulletin about a men's missions trip to Honduras. Through God's providence, I went on the trip. Upon my return home, I told my wife that we should pray about going to Bible college and entering Christian ministry. She began to cry and said that while I was gone, she had prayed for God to give me direction. When I went back to work, I received word that my department was being dissolved. That evening I asked my wife, "How strong is your faith?" She simply smiled, "You were laid off, weren't you?" Needless to say, we are serving God as missionaries to Honduras today.

Tyson Chastain, San Pedro Sula, Honduras

We Are God's Business Cards!

Image from pinterest.com

Narration of Today's Devotional: http://bit.ly/2nnDZRj

8 God is all mercy and grace - not quick to anger, is rich in love. 9 God is good to one and all; everything he does is suffused with grace. 10 Creation and creatures applaud you, God; 11 your holy people bless you. They talk about the glories of your rule, they exclaim over your splendor, 12 Letting the world know of your power for good, the lavish splendor of your kingdom. 13 Your kingdom is a kingdom eternal; you never get voted out of office. God always does what he says, and is gracious in everything he does. 14 God gives a hand to those down on their luck, gives a fresh start to those ready to quit. (Psalm 145:8-14 The Message)

Happy Thursday dear Friend! We have a praise report for Lauren Williams and that is she is out of ICU and in a private room; still needing our prayers for her healing. Please continue to hold her in prayer as well as those who love and pray for her. Please continue to pray for our nation, our world, our communities, and our brothers and sisters who are in need of God's blessings. Pray for one another; pray for yourselves.

I like business cards. A business card will say a lot about a person and his/her taste, their profession, their contact information and quite possibly what they can do. Some are printed horizontally, some vertically. Some have interesting shapes, i.e. a snow cone company with a snow cone shaped card; some are tiny, some are magnetic. This passage could be the information on God's business card. If you took verse 8 and verse 14 you have what God can do for you. The rest contains God's references and contact information. The Bible continues to be God's love letter to the world, but this passage I will claim as God's business card. It's shaped like you, because God made you. The card has no color, but as you hold it, it radiates love; and unlike any other business card, this card immediately connects you with Him.

You first notice that "God is all mercy and grace - not quick to anger, is rich in love." Add to it this description, "God is good to one and all; everything he does is suffused with grace." And you sense that this is something that more people need to know about God. You know people that think they can never be forgiven for a past sin. You also know some who think God is angry at them and never pray because they think an angry God will not "answer" His phone. What does the beautiful hymn say? "We've a story to tell to the nations!" The rest of that hymn contains what we have to share with the world because of what we have seen and experienced. "A story of truth and mercy, A story of peace and light, We’ve a song to be sung to the nations, That shall lift their hearts to the Lord, A song that shall conquer evil And shatter the spear and sword..."

And then as I think more about it; you are God's business card, as am I. We have his contact information; we're references to what God has done; and we are listed as partners on that card because of the responsibilities that we have to God and to God's people. We are those who should radiate love to all people; in us the verses above should be made real. We should be people of mercy, like God. We should be more tolerant and merciful to others, and we should tell others about God's power and glory, and do what we can do to reach others to join the Kingdom of God along with us.

The greatest message on that card (us): "God gives a hand to those. down on their luck, gives a fresh start to those ready to quit." Who doesn't need to hear that message from time to time? Are we ready?

PRAYER: Loving God, for the responsibility of being Your children, we ask that You make us bold and strong. Grant to us the wisdom and the courage to share Thy truths. This we pray in Christ Jesus' name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! May you be busy representing God today!

Receive my blessings of love and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

A Wedding Story

Image from lectionarypoems.blogspot.com

Hear the story here: http://bit.ly/2nnDZRj

34 So he said, "I am Abraham's servant. 35 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. 36 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. 37 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; 38 but you shall go to my father's house, to my kindred, and get a wife for my son.'42 "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! 43 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," 44 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.' 45 "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.' 46 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. 47 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. 48 Then I bowed my head and worshiped the Lord, and blessed the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me by the right way to obtain the daughter of my master's kinsman for his son. 49 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." 58 And they called Rebekah, and said to her, "Will you go with this man?" She said, "I will." 59 So they sent away their sister Rebekah and her nurse along with Abraham's servant and his men. 60 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." 61 Then Rebekah and her maids rose up, mounted the camels, and followed the man; thus the servant took Rebekah, and went his way. 62 Now Isaac had come from Beer-lahai-roi, and was settled in the Negeb. 63 Isaac went out in the evening to walk in the field; and looking up, he saw camels coming. 64 And Rebekah looked up, and when she saw Isaac, she slipped quickly from the camel, 65 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. 66 And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done. 67 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 NRSV)

Happy Wednesday! May the blessings of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you and yours is my prayer, dear Friend. COVID-19 is on my list! Several people that I know and care for are on the list of those who are affected by this dreaded virus. A longtime friend of my father's and mine, Mr. Trini Garza, of Dallas, TX, the first Mexican American elected to the Dallas School Board, is hospitalized with it. Mr. Chet Marko, my new mentor in the insurance business, is at home with it and all members of his family has it or has had it. This includes his elderly father. So, please dear friends, prayers for the Garza and Marko family. We continue to pray for the Gibson family as well. We lift up prayers for Rev. Jenna Purdy, daughter of a dear friend The Rev. Steve Purdy and wife, Vicki, who has been diagnosed with Stage IV Hodgkin Lymphoma. Jenna had been a pastor in various churches then took some time off and it was during the start of this new journey that they diagnosed her with this disease. She is moving in with her parents in Corpus Christi to continue treatment and needs our prayers so that she can defeat this foe. Prayers for each other, dear friends, and make time to pray for yourselves as well.

For those of you married I ask this question: What role did God play in your marriage? Did your courtship resemble in any way the courtship of Isaac and Rebekah? I've shared how I reached a point of simply telling God that my future if it was to be as a married man, was in His hands. I give up, Lord, I remember saying; I've tried on my own, and now, I'm just going to make friends and have fun. And 42 years later I still am madly in love with the woman God gave to me. Yes, the congregation at El Mesias said I stole her, and I'll gladly take that honor, but honestly, it was God and His wisdom and might that made our marriage possible.

As we read the passage for today, we have to remember the cultural and religious importance of this family and their wanting the right woman for Isaac to marry. Remember, Daddy and Mommy were OLD; make that ANCIENT when they had him as their baby boy and now with Daddy being 140 he's old enough to worry about what's next for their son. Abraham did not want just any Canaanite babe, well, not any Canaanite babe at all for his Jewish son! And as was common in those days they sought one among family. And so, Abe sends his eldest and most trusted servant to find the right woman for Isaac. This was done with much prayer and trust in God. And all they set out in their hearts as signs that God was leading them to the perfect woman were met! As were mine! The senior pastor told me that Nellie was a public school teacher, a woman of prayer, and a tither! All boxes checked; I'm ready! What was it like for yours?

Rebekah came at the right time for the sake of all. Isaac had lost his mother, and Daddy was very old, and now the future of all God intended through this chosen couple was in his hands. And to add Rebekah's hands to that future was the crowning touch for Israel's future. God was key in this marriage, as God had been key in all events leading to this marriage; and as God was key in the events that followed. I pray that whatever role God had in your life is still key to you, because in His heart, you still matter much to God!

PRAYER: Loving God, you know us and our needs. I pray for all who read this with me. Bless each person, bless each relationship, bless future relationships and bless each family represented by this person who reads this as their prayer. Heal those we mentioned above, Heavenly Father, restore health and wholeness to them; this we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Be one who shares the key of God's love in the life of someone today!

Receive my blessings of hope and joy,

Pastor Eradio Valverde