Wait on the Lord!

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1 A Song of Ascents. Out of the depths I cry to thee, O LORD! 2 Lord, hear my voice! Let thy ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications! 3 If thou, O LORD, shouldst mark iniquities, Lord, who could stand? 4 But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared. 5 I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; 6 my soul waits for the LORD more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning. 7 O Israel, hope in the LORD! For with the LORD there is steadfast love, and with him is plenteous redemption. 8 And he will redeem Israel from all his iniquities. (Psalm 130 RSV) 1 Help, God - the bottom has fallen out of my life! Master, hear my cry for help! 2 Listen hard! Open your ears! Listen to my cries for mercy. 3 If you, God, kept records on wrongdoings, who would stand a chance? 4 As it turns out, forgiveness is your habit, and that's why you're worshiped. 5 I pray to God - my life a prayer - and wait for what he'll say and do. 6 My life's on the line before God, my Lord, waiting and watching till morning, waiting and watching till morning. 7 O Israel, wait and watch for God - with God's arrival comes love, with God's arrival comes generous redemption. 8 No doubt about it - he'll redeem Israel, buy back Israel from captivity to sin. (Psalm 130 The Message)

I love to swim in places where I can touch the bottom. That way if i get tired, I just stand up! And at the time of this writing, my sister-in-law Blanca and her family just visited a state park called Bottomless Lake State Park. And she sent pictures of them standing in the beach part of the lake. And since Nellie shares the same attitude about swimming we shared our fear for our family members being where they were.

In life, we sometimes hit rock bottom, or worse, the bottom falls out and we do all we can just to stay afloat. The psalmist had just had one of those days, but he knew just what to do, as should we. He turned to God and asked for mercy, well aware that God does not keep records of our wrongdoings. That's great news for any who know how we stand before the Lord. We need to be honest and admit we stand before God with our own record of wrongdoings; but God forgets when He forgives; it's us who do a way better job of remembering and judging ourselves. The key is to wait, that is, to be patient with the Lord while being patient also with ourselves. If forgiveness can be God's habit, why can't it be ours as well? And the best way to have this peace and patience comes from a regular prayer life; a truly conversational form of worship, talking and listening to God, just as He talks and listens to us. And such a life can be an example and a model for others. God welcomes and forgives all who approach Him; and God depends on us to guide people to Him and His grace and love.

PRAYER: Loving God, when we sink to the lowest, we know there is still many more levels below where we find ourselves; guide us upward and then onward. Thank You for the words of David who knew Your love and forgivness; we seek to grow to the point where we become easier on ourselves as we seek Your guidance away from evil and all temptation. This we pray in Christ Jesus, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Blessings of calm and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

paypal.me/EradioValverde

Lament for the Fallen

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1 Shortly after Saul died, David returned to Ziklag from his rout of the Amalekites. 17 Then David sang this lament over Saul and his son Jonathan, 18 and gave orders that everyone in Judah learn it by heart. Yes, it's even inscribed in The Book of Jashar. 19 Oh, oh, Gazelles of Israel, struck down on your hills, the mighty warriors - fallen, fallen! 20 Don't announce it in the city of Gath, don't post the news in the streets of Ashkelon. Don't give those coarse Philistine girls one more excuse for a drunken party! 21 No more dew or rain for you, hills of Gilboa, and not a drop from springs and wells, For there the warriors' shields were dragged through the mud, Saul's shield left there to rot. 22 Jonathan's bow was bold - the bigger they were the harder they fell. Saul's sword was fearless - once out of the scabbard, nothing could stop it. 23 Saul and Jonathan - beloved, beautiful! Together in life, together in death. Swifter than plummeting eagles, stronger than proud lions. 24 Women of Israel, weep for Saul. He dressed you in finest cottons and silks, spared no expense in making you elegant. 25 The mighty warriors - fallen, fallen in the middle of the fight! Jonathan - struck down on your hills! 26 O my dear brother Jonathan, I'm crushed by your death. Your friendship was a miracle-wonder, love far exceeding anything I've known - or ever hope to know. 27 The mighty warriors - fallen, fallen. And the arms of war broken to bits. (2 Samuel 1:1, 1:17-27 The Message Bible)

A Blessed Wednesday be wonderful to you all, ConCafe Family. And may you, dear Friend, be a wonderful blessing to God in all you do today. Please continue to hold others in prayer as has been asked of us; pray for your needs, and the needs of others in this devotional family.

If death has ever visited you, you know it comes usually loaded with bad; the memories of a lost loved one, the absence of a dear one at your table or in your family; a co-worker who brightened your work life now gone; and the list goes on and on. For some, death comes as a welcome guest, and sometimes not soon enough; a cancer patient whose last days were wracked with pain, a patient whose once beautiful mind taken away by dementia now free to be in God's presence. And, with those memories, we usually tend to erase the bad and celebrate, while we mourn, the positive memories. Case in point; David was the target of Saul's anger and wrath, the wanted victim of several manhunts in which the sole object was to kill him, so that Saul's kingdom could continue and Jonathan, his son, be his successor. Yet, David remembers only the good attributes of Saul to stay in his mind, and he sings praises with those fresh in his mind. We sometimes have attended those funerals where, the old story goes, the accolades and tributes are so strong toward the deceased the widow asks the young son to check again to make sure it was Daddy that was in the coffin.

King Saul was a public figure, and like most public figures there were those who loved him and those who could not stand him. Yet, in the time of death it becomes a time for public mourning in a positive way that sometimes helps unites the nation. David has ordered the nation to learn a song that mourns both Saul and Jonathan. The song has specific memories and commands; places where it shall not be sung, even ordering nature to withhold rain and dew from the hills of Gilboa; even springs and well should dry up as a form of mourning. Those with Jewish heritage in our backgrounds know how seriously our times of mourning are for following. I've shared how with the death of my maternal grandfather we refrained from listening to music and viewing the television for 30 days; our mirrors were covered up, and the women wore black. It made an already rough time become even rougher. David asks for women to weep for their king, reminding them of the good Saul had brought to them, and the better known refrain from other versions of the Bible, "How the mighty have fallen." Then David turns his attention to his beloved friend, Jonathan, whom he called brother, and miracle-worker because of his friendship with "love far exceeding anything I've known - or ever hope to know." Again, "How the mighty have fallen." And, with these deaths, David hopes, so have the weapons of war died a death too.

King David's saga was an interesting one. Anointed as king at a young age, defeated a giant, married into royalty, received the throne upon the death of his father-in-law and brother-in law, writer, poet, songwriter, and man of God, for the major part of his life, knew the good and the bad of life and love. His own son rose up against him in later years to challenge his throne; one of his daughters violated by another son, and his own failings as king, taking the wife of another man, then setting up the murder of that husband, and losing the child conceived in that illicit affair. I can say that David is still revered in the nation of Israel for all he did that blessed the country, and research on his life will never end. The fact that he was one of the fathers of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ also factors in greatly in this life. Another example of no perfect person has ever existed, just Jesus. Yet, God used this man, and continues to, as people turn to the Psalms for inspiration, hope, deeper faith, etc. Just like you and me, he faced so many things as I tried to list above, but still he held on to his faith and to his God, as should we.

PRAYER: Loving God, You know better than we, all about the human condition. What we have read and shared during this devotional has been about the grief, pain, and hurt that death brings; no one is immune, not even kings or queens. What is precious is faith and how we can find in You the One to cling to and depend. David knew You and knew just how to call and cry to You. May we learn those things too. Bless us where we are, and lead us to where you would like for us to be. Be with those here and everywhere who mourn; and shower them with comfort. Lead us to where we can share Your love; we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Be a source of comfort to someone today.

Receive my blessings of comfort and joy,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Excel in All Things

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Hear the devotional here: https://bit.ly/3gUkiIG

7 Now as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in utmost eagerness, and in our love for you —so we want you to excel also in this generous undertaking. 8 I do not say this as a command, but I am testing the genuineness of your love against the earnestness of others. 9 For you know the generous act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich. 10 And in this matter I am giving my advice: it is appropriate for you who began last year not only to do something but even to desire to do something— 11 now finish doing it, so that your eagerness may be matched by completing it according to your means. 12 For if the eagerness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has—not according to what one does not have. 13 I do not mean that there should be relief for others and pressure on you, but it is a question of a fair balance between 14 your present abundance and their need, so that their abundance may be for your need, in order that there may be a fair balance. 15 As it is written, "The one who had much did not have too much, and the one who had little did not have too little." (2 Corinthians 8:7-16 NRSV)

Happy Tuesday! May this second day of the work week be a blessing rich in God's grace to you, dear Friend, and all of the ConCafe Family, is my prayer. Please keep a relative of mine in your prayers, Ms. Cami Chapa, who is in need of two surgeries in Dallas, TX. Cami lives in San Marcos, TX, and lost both her parents when she was a young adult. Please continue to pray for one another, and for yourselves.

Whether you know it or not, we grade churches. How? First, if we visit a church, within minutes, if not seconds, we have decided whether we will re-visit that church or not. And if we have been "regulars" of that church, we leave each Sunday with at least something we loved about the service, and something that did not quite meet our expectations. Sometimes, we get petty and if a certain someone doesn't greet us, or we don't sing at least one of our favorite songs/hymns, we get irritated and we ponder what our next option should be regarding our worship at that church or not. Here, we have just read that Paul, who was a strict critic of almost all things, has rated this church as "excel(ling) in everything -- in faiith, in speech, in knowledge, in utmost eagerness, and in our love for you." Quite a list! We could say, an A in Faith, an A in speech (interaction with one another), an A in knowledge (knowing the Scriptures and all things Christians); An A in eagerness, make that utmost eagerness (Not a bad thing in any church; a willingness to embrace responsbility and duty, and then doing them!); and an A in love. Yet, Paul knew there was another area in which this particular church could excel; that of being generous in their giving. Churches require the generousness of its members to continue their ministries. Yes, we know of abuses by so-called "evangelists" of the television type, who buy jets, mansions, ranches, etc., and lavish lifestyles and give the Church a blackeye. Of course, there were other so-called evangelists that came along that made church councils to appear to make decisions on statements of faith such as The Apostle's Creed, and other creeds to define othrodoxy. Not quite the same thing, but it opened a door.

Paul was aware of the great financial need of the mother church in Jerusalem. As we can imagine, it was very difficult for a Christian church to be thriving in Jerusalem, the headquarters of the Jewish faith. The persecution against Jesus did not die down with His death; and the Jews frowned on anyone going to church at a Christian establishment. And whatever else was impacting the church, a lack of funds was crippling them and Paul was aware of it and had decided to start a fundraising campaign to help them. This letter was part of that effort. and Paul wants this church in Corinth, who excels in all things, to now excel in generous giving.

Paul finds the logical place to start, the life of Christ, the perfect example of giving; as in "For God so loved the World, God gave..." Paul then shares how Jesus left all the celestial riches in Heaven for the sake of the world, coming to live among, and as, the poor. For though in poverty, Christ wanted all people to be rich in the things that really count. And Paul wants the Corinthians Church to complete the work they had started a year earlier, and bless the Jerusalem Church.

Paul also addresses the concern that some givers have, that of not having enough or the gift being large enough; Paul says it all balances out. There's a church in Texas where one family supported it for most of its life with their gifts. It wasn't until the late 80s that they realized that the money in the family account meant to support the church was depeleting fast, and for the first time in their history had to have a stewardship campaign to raise the needed money for the church. Life-long members had to learn how to give because they were never taught!

Teaching giving is a process that should start early in life. Parents have the challenge of changing the "MINE!" mindset of most infants to one of "Here, I can share." I've shared the story of a former bishop of ours, who shared how one Sunday he preached a sermon on tithing, that of giving ten percent of one's income to the Lord, and how that afternoon, he got a call from one the church's treasurer who said, "Pastor, I know you were probably about to take your Sunday nap, but I wanted you to know that someone in today's worship service left a check for $36,000." The bishop asked if the giver had left a phone number, and he had. He called the number and the young man who answered said, "I never in my life had heard about tithing, and it made me want to give 10% of a bonus I got in my job. I just moved here and this Friday I got this unexpected bonus of $360,000, so your sermon moved me to give to God what is God's! And don't worry I'm getting four more this year, and I'm going to start tithing on my regular check." What a story! What a blessing. The beauty was Paul or the bishop, did not have to explain the balance of things; this man knew in his heart that it was right to give unto God, what was God's and he felt blessed; and gave from his heart that which was truly not his, but God's. And this is what Paul wanted to teach to those in Corinth, Ephesus and all the other churches with which he had had dealings.

"Is this all? I get to keep the other part?" This is what I asked of my Mom when she taught me how to tithe with the very first job I had making $1.50 a day. Fifteen cents seemed like nothing and me keeping the other $1.35 for myself. Giving is an expression of grace, God's grace; and when we give with our hearts, we are immediately blessed and God is blessed and glorified. Giving is what gives us and our churches and ministries life.

PRAYER: Loving Father, we praise and thank You for all You have given for us and to us. You loved us enough to give Jesus and so we should love You enough to give You what is truly Yours. Receive my thankfulness and love; and help me make a difference in all that I do; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Give someone something unexpected today is my prayer today.

Receive my blessings of love and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

If you would like to support Ms. Chapa's medical needs, she shared this link with me and I share it with you: https://gofund.me/123a3703

Healer of the Desperate

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21 When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the lake. 22 Then one of the synagogue leaders, named Jairus, came, and when he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet. 23 He pleaded earnestly with him, “My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.” 24 So Jesus went with him. A large crowd followed and pressed around him. 25 And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. 26 She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. 27 When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28 because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” 29 Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering. 30 At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?” 31 “You see the people crowding against you,” his disciples answered, “and yet you can ask, ‘Who touched me?’ ” 32 But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. 33 Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. 34 He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.” 35 While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” they said. “Why bother the teacher anymore?” 36 Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.” 37 He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James. 38 When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. 39 He went in and said to them, “Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep.” 40 But they laughed at him. After he put them all out, he took the child’s father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was. 41 He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum!” (which means “Little girl), I say to you, get up!” 42 Immediately the girl stood up and began to walk around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished. 43 He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this, and told them to give her something to eat. Mark 5:21-43 NIV)

Happy and Blessed Monday to you, ConCafe Family! And a blessing bigger than your wildest dreams visit you, dear Reader, and your ministry in service to Our Lord, Jesus Christ! Please continue to pray for the needs shared with you, and to which you said you would pray; pray for one another, and pray for yourselves.

Women in Jesus' day did not enjoy a high standing in society. As others have said, they were a little above property, and maybe on the same level as cattle and livestock in the view of men. We have heard that widows with no children had no support groups, other than friends, and the options to them were limited, if they had any at all. Medical attention for anyone was scarce and luxuries we enjoy were nonexistant. Any small illness could and did lead to death for many. So, in this climate comes Jesus, the Son of God, whose supernatural powers brought healing and wholeness to those who desperately needed it. And here come two such cases to Him now. Stop for a moment and imagine this scenario. Jesus' enemies came from the temple and the synagogues; their network allowed for them to share their distrust and dislike for a man who appeared ready to topple their enterprise of controling the church business in which they were well set. So, to have the chief officer or main leader, whose name is Jairus, come to Jesus with an urgent request makes for an interesting encounter with Him. Jairus falls at Jesus' feet. For a Jew to do that was to show his complete surrender to Jesus. No one in the group who hated Jesus would dare do such a humiliating thing, to fall at the feet of one's enemy. And Jairus pleads earnestly with Jesus for the healing and life of his daughter. And he also makes a demand no other leader would have dared ask, "Please come and put Your hands on her so that she will be healed and live." I do suppose, as a father of daughters, that perhaps other Jewish leaders might have surrendered their pride and possibly their position, to request healing for their daughter. Regardless, Our Lord does go with him to see the condition of Jairus' daughter. And behind Him goes a large crowd, as was becoming the usual response of cities and towns to Jesus' presence. In that crowd was a woman who had been suffering from bleeding for twelve years. This had been a severe strain on her on multiple levels; financially, emotional, physically, and possibly spiiritually, but, it may have been her spirit that called for her to seek and find Jesus. Verse 26 says, "She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse." And something told her that perhaps, "If I just touch His clothes, I will be healed." This tells us that her need was so great that her belief was that Jesus was so holy, that all she had to do was to touch his garments and she would be healed. Thinking logically, if we approach someone who is sick with what is a contagious disease, we avoid every part of that person, including and maybe especially, their clothing. This pandemic may have taught us that in many ways. The anti-bacterial industry has made many fortunes in selling ther products. Remember when store shelves had NO anti-baterial products at all? Remember many who thought they could make their own anti-bacterial formulas? Fear of contracting Covid through touch made us be extra careful. Imagine leoprosy in Jesus' day? But imagine holiness! The woman believed Jesus was so holy and pure that a mere touch of His clothing would heal her! She was willing to risk anything at this point in her life, and so as He passed, she touched Him, and she was healed! Can you imagine the feeling of that woman at that moment? The blood flow stopped and new energy entered her body and she was indeed a new person! Yet, Jesus felt the touch and immediately asks, "Who touched my clothes?" The disciples ask, almost with shock, "Lord, you saw the people crowding against You, and you still ask, "Who touched me?" Jesus doesn't even hear them because He kept looking around to see who had touched Him. It was the woman who knew that she was healed, came to Jesus, and fell to His feet and trembling with fear, confessed it had been her who touched Him. Lovingly, Jesus tells her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering." A miracle. A victory in the life of this woman.

Now comes a crowd from Jairus' home with the sad news; "Your daughter is dead, why bother the teacher anymore?" Jesus responds to Jairus, "Don't be afraid; just believe." And from that point on, Jesus allows only Peter, James, and John to follow Him to the synagogue ruler's home. When they arrive, there is a commotion, people crying and showing their grief. Jesus tells them that the child was not dead but asleep. This made the crowd laugh. Jesus asks them all to leave and taking the father, mother and the three disciples with Him to the room where the little girl lay, Jesus takes her by the hand and says, "Talitha koum!, meaning, "little girl", then "I say to you, get up!" At once the little girl got up and began to walk around; and the crowd was "completely astonished." Jesus gave strict orders to tell no one about this and ordered the family to give him something to eat.

Jesus is the healer of the desperate even today. God's Kingdom has always been about wholeness and healing, but we need to understand that healing comes in all forms, even through death, the ultimate healer. We cannot begin to explain how some people receive a miracle, and others do not; but we celebrate the known, that God is always with us, to hold us here, and to welcome us there. Whatever it is that needs healing, turn it over to the Lord and await His plan for you. If you need prayer or someone to listen to you, please call or email me. I don't have all the answers but together we can see what the solution God may be sharing with us truly is. Jairus did not give up, even when mourners from his home came to tell him not to bother the Teacher any longer. The woman with the need for healing had not given up even after 12 years of having her savings depleted and prolonged suffering at the hands of doctors. We should not give up either!

PRAYER: Loving Father, bless this dear reader with the answer to his/her prayers. Grant us all peace and the assurance that we are not now, nor ever, alone. Be glorified in us, dear Lord, for we pray in Thy name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Be a listener to someone in need today.

Receive my blessings for peace and wholeness,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Giant Versus Child of Faith

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1 Now the Philistines gathered their armies for battle; and they were gathered at Socoh, 4 And there came out from the camp of the Philistines a champion named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. 5 He had a helmet of bronze on his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail, and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of bronze. 6 And he had greaves of bronze upon his legs, and a javelin of bronze slung between his shoulders. 7 And the shaft of his spear was like a weaver's beam, and his spear's head weighed six hundred shekels of iron; and his shield-bearer went before him. 8 He stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, "Why have you come out to draw up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me. 9 If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants; but if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and serve us." 10 And the Philistine said, "I defy the ranks of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together." 11 When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid. 19 Now Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel, were in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines. 20 And David rose early in the morning, and left the sheep with a keeper, and took the provisions, and went, as Jesse had commanded him; and he came to the encampment as the host was going forth to the battle line, shouting the war cry. 21 And Israel and the Philistines drew up for battle, army against army. 23 As he talked with them, behold, the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, came up out of the ranks of the Philistines, and spoke the same words as before. And David heard him. 32 And David said to Saul, "Let no man's heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine." 33 And Saul said to David, "You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are but a youth, and he has been a man of war from his youth." 34 But David said to Saul, "Your servant used to keep sheep for his father; and when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb from the flock, 35 I went after him and smote him and delivered it out of his mouth; and if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him and killed him. 36 Your servant has killed both lions and bears; and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God." 37 And David said, "The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine." And Saul said to David, "Go, and the LORD be with you!" 38 Then Saul clothed David with his armor; he put a helmet of bronze on his head, and clothed him with a coat of mail. 39 And David girded his sword over his armor, and he tried in vain to go, for he was not used to them. Then David said to Saul, "I cannot go with these; for I am not used to them." And David put them off. 40 Then he took his staff in his hand, and chose five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in his shepherd's bag or wallet; his sling was in his hand, and he drew near to the Philistine. 41 And the Philistine came on and drew near to David, with his shield-bearer in front of him. 42 And when the Philistine looked, and saw David, he disdained him; for he was but a youth, ruddy and comely in appearance. 43 And the Philistine said to David, "Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?" And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 The Philistine said to David, "Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and to the beasts of the field." 45 Then David said to the Philistine, "You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin; but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down, and cut off your head; and I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, 47 and that all this assembly may know that the LORD saves not with sword and spear; for the battle is the LORD'S and he will give you into our hand." 48 When the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine. 49 And David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone, and slung it, and struck the Philistine on his forehead; the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the ground.(1 Samuel 17, Selected Verses)

Welcome Wednesday to your life, ConCafe Family, and may you, deabe filled with joy and love to share freely with all people to bring God honor and glory is my prayer for you. May our petitions to the Lord bring healing and peace for those whom we lift up. May we pray for one another, and for each other.And walk with God and share with Him your cares and needs.

This is the story everybody, regardless of age, should know. It is an epic battle unmatched to anything out there. It is, like most battles in the Bible, a battle between what God can do, versus what the enemies of God want to do against Him. It is a tale of an underdog versus a sure-fire winner in a winner-take-all showdown. It has all the elements of intrigue, and quite a prize offered to the winner of the challenge. At the very core is the battle of good versus evil. The people of Philistines versus the people of Israel. With that, the gods of the Philistines, versus the one, true living God. It was, like almost all battles, a battle for territory and power. As I said, winner take all. The Philistines represented everything God has warned His people against; to lose to them would be a terrible loss and a national embarrassment. These battles seemed to happen every spring. If it wasn't the Philistines, it was another group; all wanting to challenge the winnings of the Israelite people. Most of the groups in the area had lost ancestral lands to the Jews, and it was an annual battle to try to regain them at any cost. This year finds the challengers bringing an unexpected oddity,a giant. The actual height of this tall man ranges from 6'9" to 10 feet. He just might have been the tallest man to ever live. And not only was he tall, he was big. He had been trained since a child to be a warrior. The entire program of the Philistine Army focused on his being the most imposing figure in any battle. Goliath was trained in how to defend himself and how to kill others with a sword. His sword was specially made for him. His helmet and body armor was also made to order for a giant of his stature. The thought of the king and the generals was that just the sight and sound of this giant would frighten any enemy army to the point of surrender. The sight of his large man sure had the Jewish Army scared. No one dared accept the challenge of the giant to go one on one with him. As predicted, the challenge was simple; find a man to defeat me, and we will become your slaves; but if I prevail, and kill him, then you will be our slaves, and serve us. And then he added other insults and mockeries, all of which served to make the man and the threat more scary.

We do not know exactly how long this daily shouting match took place, but on this particular day, the child king-to-be is sent by his father to check on his brothers, and to share with them a care package from home with them. The boy is just aware of the brothers being in battle and knew that he might just be able to watch some of the fighting, but more imporatntly share with them some good food from home and time to ask about the battle. It was as he arrives that he hears the booming voice of the giant.

Now, let us look at the underdog. If this battle were happening in a ring, the booming voice of the announcer would have said, after "Let's get ready to rumble!" something along the lines of, "In this corner, the green corner, we have the challenger, fresh from the pastures and fields of Judah, a shepherd by training, with an undefeated record against all previous foes; lions, bears, and wolves; anointed as future king of Israel; trained as a servant of faith, obedient until the end, with an unwavering faith in Yahweh, the One True God of the Universe, the Pride of Bethlehem: David bar Jesse!

Did I mention King Saul offered a major prize for anyone who won against the Giant? This is the part my grandsons love to hear! Saul said that anyone who could defeat the giant would get 1) His daughter, Michal, as his wife. Not bad! Son-in-law to the king becomes his rank! 2) A huge cash prize (The actual amount is not known, but it was a king's ransom!) 3) No income tax for life! I don't know which prize sounds better to you, but number three would have meant some extra cash for our household for many years!

The battle was not much of a battle. David is asked, by King Saul, to wear his armor. David tries to put it on, but given his age and size, chooses not to wear it. And when he does come out onto the battlefield, Goliath is offended. "Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?" And the giant adds some choice curse words, cursing David by his gods. And Goliath adds this promise, "Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and to the beasts of the field." David responds, "You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin; but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down, and cut off your head; and I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and that all this assembly may know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord's and He will give you into our hand." Those were the last words the giant heard on this earth. Within seconds, David, who armed himself with a sling and five stones; put his hand in his bag and with one stone placed in ihs sling,slung it, struck the giant on his forehead and the stone sank into his forehead and he fell dead on his face to the ground. BAM!

The battle belonged to God. David belonged to God, and that little boy's faith in God allowed him to defeat the biggest champ Israel had ever faced. True to his word, the boy rushed and using Goliath's own sword, cut off his head while the entire army of the Philistines fled for their lives.

This was a fight fought with faith. The one, the unexpected, the little one, won. His faith was bigger than the giant and his strength came from God. His size never mattered in his own mind, nor did his ability. His confidence came from the Lord and an obstacle as big as the giant he defeated did not faze him one bit. God had seen all of this in this boy since he made his appearance in his mother's womb. As he lived his early life as an apprentice shepherd, then master shepherd, then as the anointed future king of Israel; God knew his strenghts and abilities, and knew he could trust him in any situation and any battle.

What is the biggest storm that has come into your life? Is your faith strong enough to find a cushion on which to sleep even as the wind blows and the waves crash? Have you found yourself taking it day to day in life finding that not everyone is on your side, and that some even oppose you? Can you still find righteousness in you to control your actions for the good? And does facing giants make you uneasy even today? Do you have a helmet big enough in which to hide? Or a sword sharp enough with which to challenge back the giant's taunts? Well, the truth is, the fight is not yours. The fight belongs to God. As God sends us forth to do His will, He comes with us and fights the battles for us. It is never easy, but with faith it becomes easier for us to trust and obey. We need to ever be the example of righteousness and good in the world. Paul's life was and is, a very good example of how to walk ever forward in obedience for the greater good, that of sharing the gospel with the whole world, knowing that at least half the world may oppose our efforts, yet onward we march. Our involvement with the world mirrors our God, who is a God of involvement and care even in the midst of a world that each day seems to share and care less and less. Because we know that God owns the world and one day, in His time, all will be made right.

PRAYER: Loving God, until that day, make us faithful and true. Strengthen us during our tmes of weakness. Grant us faith when we are down. And during those times we find that peace is hard to find, shine the light of hope brightly on us, and may we not fear sharing it with others. May we fear nothing and may we await the final victory over evil; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Live a life that blesses others with your faith.

Receive my blessings of hope and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Beat Down, But Built Up!

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Listen here if you want a fuller explanation of today's devotional by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3zqhifC

1 As we work together with him, we urge you also not to accept the grace of God in vain. 2 For he says, "At an acceptable time I have listened to you, and on a day of salvation I have helped you." See, now is the acceptable time; see, now is the day of salvation! 3 We are putting no obstacle in anyone's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, 4 but as servants of God we have commended ourselves in every way: through great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, 5 beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; 6 by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, holiness of spirit, genuine love, 7 truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; 8 in honor and dishonor, in ill repute and good repute. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; 9 as unknown, and yet are well known; as dying, and see—we are alive; as punished, and yet not killed; 10 as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing everything. 11 We have spoken frankly to you Corinthians; our heart is wide open to you. 12 There is no restriction in our affections, but only in yours. 13 In return—I speak as to children—open wide your hearts also. (2 Corinthians 6:10-13 NRSV)

Be blessed, dear ConCafe Family on this tremendous Tuesday, is my prayer! I ask God to enlsit you fulltime in His service today in every opportunity and challenge that may come your way! Lift Him high and He will lift you up! And, speaking of lifting up, please continue to lift up the prayer requests shared with you by your church, by your soul, by the nudging of God's Holy Spirit, and by things you may see as needing your prayers! God will be glorified! Pray for the older members of this devotional family! (God knows who they (we) are! Pray for yourselves too!

Who here reading this is old enough to remember Maynard G. Kerbs? Google it, kids! Some of your younger whippersnappers may remember him as Gilliigan; but on Dobie Gillis, the TV show, he, Bob Denver, was Maynard G. Krebs. He was best friend to Dobie. And the key line was whenever somone mentioned the word work, he would almost faint as he repeated it in question mode, "Work?" *Click below to see a YouTube video on one scene of his reacttion* Well, that word, work, is a key word in this entire passage, for Paul as he writes reminds his readers, and us, that we should be working together with Jesus, and as workers we be humble and appreciative of God's grace that saved us and allowed us to be co-laborers with Him in all things. For it was at time of history, and includes us even today, God found it to be the acceptable time to respond to the human need with the gift of salvation. And Paul knew all about salvation and how important it was for him and how it is for us.

Now, some of you think the Baptists own the trademark and copyrights to the word salvation, for it is a word seldom, if ever, sadly, used in some of our churches; but no, it is a universal word and it refers to the perfect relationship God desires with us. Think back to the relationship God enjoyed with Adam and Eve in Eden and that is salvation. A walking, talking and sharing relationship with God, with God listening and speaking, and humans speaking and listening to God. Friends, that was the real paradise, not the lush vegetation that we have imagined in our thinking; add to it waterfalls, flowers, flying colorful birds, etc., and you have a limited view of paradise. My childhood friend and I would think aloud such theological things and concluded Eden had to be in Hawaii. I pray that one day he has the chance to go explore it, as I do not have the real desire to travel that far for a beach!

Paul says the way to salvation is wide open, and his ministry, as should ours, offers that open way to all people, without obstacles. By obstacles, Paul is referring to long-held traditions that were considered as prequisties but no longer qualify because they are truly obstacles; and Christ does not require those. And this, Paul continues, in spite of the obstacles and challenges they found on their journey as co-workers with Christ; afflictions, hardships, calamaties, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights (were they watching me?), and hunger; for Paul found strength and relief in these things; "purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, holiness of spirit, genuine love , truthful speech, and the power of God." And the great "weapon" of righteousness for both the right hand and the left. And when confronted by dishonor, he used honor; If ill repute was mentioned, he would offer good repute. Yet, in sptie of being treated as imposters, they knew what they offered and what they were true. Considered as "unknown," they were really, "well known." Believed to be dying, and yet, they were alive; punished yes, but still alive and not dead; Sorrowful yes, but still rejoicing; poor, yes, but working to make all rich; believed to have nothing, yet possessing all things. This was the gift of Christian perception even in the face of human resistance and perceived reality for others, especially the nonbelievers and scoffers of the faith. And Paul offered all this to the people of Corinth, along with his love. And he stressed there were no restrictions to his heart; all he asked was for them to offer their hearts 'wide open," and to offer those hearts with childlike wonder and obedience.

Wow. What a powerful and timeless message. It is offered to people of all stations and statuses; for rich and poor, for hungry and full, for lost and found, for those seeking and those content with what they already knew; God's message can find you anywhere, anytime, and all we have to do is say yes to receive it and be blessed. Yes, believers still may get beat down, but like Paul, will also be built up, and we believer stronger and better than before. So, whatever this season of life has you experiencing, know that you are not now, or ever, alone; the Lord is with you, and you will survive!

PRAYER: Awesome Father, bless this dear reader and her/his desires of the heart. May we seek Your face in all things, even the suffering, and should we experience some beating down, lift us up and build us stronger; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Help someone whom you know is down; lift them up in prayer and faith!

Receive my blessing of peace and love,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Click here to see Maynard react to workl: https://youtu.be/pqzpQPDSr2s

Squall Slumber

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Listen here to our devotional for today: https://bit.ly/3gkWGxI

35 That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” 36 Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. 37 A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 38 Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” 39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. 40 He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” 41 They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!” (Mark 4:35-41 NIV)

Happy and Blessed Monday! May you, dear Friend. be filled wtih the Holy Spirit, obedient and faithful in going forth to serve our Lord! May our prayers continue to be about doing the will of God and reaching all we can for the good of God's kingdom. We pray God's will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Please pray for a nephew of ours, Mr. Julian Ruiz, as he battles a brain tumor. He is in the hosptial in McAllen and may be his final days. Pray for God's will to be done; pray also for his family. Pray for one another; pray for yourselves.

This is a well-known story of one of Jesus' miracles. He and the Twelve are crossing the Sea of Galilee when a storm whips out and causes huge waves and fear among the disciples. Having crossed the sea three years ago, Nellie and I vividly recall the vastness of the lake and the lecture by Dr. Jack Beck about how rapidly these storms appear on this water. The way it sits between mountains and the other geographical features of the area, they all work together fo make possible these storms. The geograhy is beautfiul and we could imagine, as we crossed peacefully on this water, how it must have been to be in a storm. The waves were big enough to go into the boat, even to the point of swamping the boat and making the disciples believe they were going to die. They panic and cry out to Jesus. Where was Jesus? He was sound asleep on a cushion. Jesus knew no fear, for He was a man of faith. We could even say He was faith. But the cries of the disciples awakened Him and he got up and rebuked the wind to calm down, and it did. His, "Quiet! Be still!" was all the wind needed to hear.

Though they were the ones who asked for the help, they were even more amazed than I believe they were afraid. But to be fair, they were both amazed and afraid. Verse 39 says, "The wind died down and it was completly calm." Jesus has to ask the question, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?"

The disciples continued with their questions as well; "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey Him!" Their question continues to be asked even today, Who is Jesus? And quite possibly, the second part is still as important; How does He do what He does? or What can Jesus do for me? And it's part of who you and I are, in helping them answer that question. And more so today, as we hear more and more people asking why the Church seems to be dying. The answer is manifold, and all of those answers have to do with how believers handle their lives in representing Jesus. If we live a life that says, in many ways, I believe in Jesus, it makes it easier for others to come to faith too. The most obvious way is to live a life that demonstrates love for all people. No more condemnation talk, no more labeling, no more dividing up into this group or that; just living a life that cares for and includes all people. That would be the start of a revival. And in a real way it would be an awakening up the sleeping giant during the squall that has been brewing up for many years. The ony One who will emerge from this in a real way is Jesus as we finally place Him where He belongs; in our hearts, our daily lives, our families, our communities, and in all the world.

And it's not ony the Church who needs to awaken, it is the individuals who make up the church; all of us have to make Jesus Lord of our lives and share Him and His love and what He has done for us. That will bring them to the Lord. So, our starting point is to hear Jesus ask, "Why are we so afraid? Is it something that we fear that is keeping us from faithfulness? Turn it over to Jesus; He will remove it from us. The truth is our walk with Jesus may take us into boats, ships, planes, buses, cars, trains; and we cannot fear keep us from enjoying the journey! Your life will never be the same!

PRAYER: Awesome God, come into our lives in a new and wonderful way that acknowledges Your presence with us and our journey together. May You take fear away from us and replace it with faith and awe, so that this journey may bring You honor and glory, new life to new believers, and a reawakening of Your Church; in Thy name we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Love everyone today in a way that brings blessings to God!

Receive my blessings of love and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

A Prayer of Victory!

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1 May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble; May the name of the God of Jacob defend you; 2 May He send you help from the sanctuary, And strengthen you out of Zion; 3 May He remember all your offerings, And accept your burnt sacrifice. Selah 4 May He grant you according to your heart's desire, And fulfill all your purpose. 5 We will rejoice in your salvation, And in the name of our God we will set up our banners! May the Lord fulfill all your petitions. 6 Now I know that the Lord saves His anointed; He will answer him from His holy heaven With the saving strength of His right hand. 7 Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; But we will remember the name of the Lord our God. 8 They have bowed down and fallen; But we have risen and stand upright. 9 Save, Lord! May the King answer us when we call. (Psalm 20 New King James Version) 1 God answer you on the day you crash, The name God-of-Jacob put you out of harm's reach, 2 Send reinforcements from Holy Hill, Dispatch from Zion fresh supplies, 3 Exclaim over your offerings, Celebrate your sacrifices, 4 Give you what your heart desires, Accomplish your plans. 5 When you win, we plan to raise the roof and lead the parade with our banners. May all your wishes come true! 6 That clinches it - help's coming, an answer's on the way, everything's going to work out. 7 See those people polishing their chariots, and those others grooming their horses? But we're making garlands for God our God. 8 The chariots will rust, those horses pull up lame - and we'll be on our feet, standing tall. 9 Make the king a winner, God; the day we call, give us your answer. (Psalm 20 The Message Bible)

Happy Thursday to you dear ConCafe Family; and may blessings abound in your life for joy and service, dear Friend. That's my prayer and I'm sticking to it! Friends, I ask prayer for Nellie and myself. Most of you know that for the last nine months we have been spending our weeks here in Houston; Nellie spending Monday through Friday, and me days when I could given my erratic schedule with my insurance business. We have been grandparenting our youngest grandchild, Eli Ryan Muñoz and tomorrow is our last day. We are so sad that we can't begin to explain how we will be able to be away from this bundle of pure joy. We have seen the marvels of God's creation in his every development and to hear him struggle out words, like Mama and Dada, Liam, which he has made more an EEE-am, and Monday Nellie coaxed a grandpa out of him; makes our hearts melt. Yes, I have tried to get him to say grandma, but have not yet had success. We have enjoyed his "freedom" come first by what we called a sniper crawl, now a full crawl and his attempts to stand up against the sofa are just wonderful blessings to us. We fear the distance of being apart from him and we will miss him terribly; but are grateful to have had this very special opportunity with him. Pray for our transition and safe trip home. I am fearful to put the pencil to how many miles we have traveled during these nine months. Each one way trip is 157.8 miles, and we have made the trip at lease four times a week, sometimes more when I dropped Nellie off, went home, worked, then returned early on a Wednesday or Thursday and then home on Friday. I only know that my trusty Toyota Tacoma has politely asked for new tires. And we shall once we get back into our routine, whatever that may be! We know many of you are praying and will continue to pray, so thank you, thank you, thank you!! I also ask prayers as I write these devotionals; last night I wrote a sentence that did not make sense, and a dear friend and reader asked me about it, and I was glad to correct it. Here is the correction: " from being the enemy, the followers of Jesus Christ became his friends and coworkers." Preparing ConCafe away from home means a smaller computer screen and recording equipment not up to par with the home office. But thank you for your patience!

As we draw closer to the date, I will remind you, but on July 18th I am preaching at St. Luke's of Corpus Chrisit, and I will be officiating at Eli's baptism, so pray that the Lord can still use this worn out old preacher! It has been over a year since I have taken a pulpit to preach; not that the offers have not come; I am thankful for dear friends who have understood but still ask, and so on the following Sunday after the 18th (07/25/2021)I will be preaching in our home church of FUMC-Gonzales; again prayers for the words and grace with which to be a vessel of God's grace.

This psalm was a favorite of my grandfather, Carlos Valverde, Jr. He came to faith late in his life and just threw himself wholeheartedly into serving Christ however he could. He mowed the yard of his church in Alice; ran errands for the preacher there, and prayed loudly every night for all the needs that had been shared with him. Early in my career he took me aside and told me how proud he was of me, and that one day I would be a district superintendent. I would smile and reply that I had been called to preach and while I was still able to do that I was being faithful to my calling. He died before seeing me become a DS of the Corpus Christi, later Coastal Bend District, the latter would iniclude Alice, TX. But this was the psalm with which he would pray and he loved to share verse 7, en español (Estos confían en carros, y aquéllos en caballos; mas nosotros del nombre del SEÑOR nuestro Dios tendremos memoria.). The word carros also means automobiles and that made me chuckle because he had a fondness for them. He owned some interesting cars, including an El Camino and some others. But I knew that God meant more to him than any of the cars he ever owned.

The psalmist is celebrating faith from how he has known it. He had a lifetime blessed by special deliverances from the Lord during some very rough times in his life. After being anointed king, he went up against Goliath; won the triple crown prize of a large sum of money, King Saul's daughter, and no income tax the rest of his life; but still was pursued by his fiather-in-law who wanted him dead so that Jonathan could take over as king; not to mention countless battles with kings once he was in office; each time God pulled him through. And as a result of that faith, David became a very giving king; knowing that gratitude was very much a part of worship, and that many times means showing kindness and help to others in God's name. I saw a short video on social media about a man sharing how his little son asked why he helped so many people. He was shooting this video after helping jump start a stranger's car. The dad replied, "Because I owe so much. To God. I'm thankful for.... and he named so many things, including "Mom being cancer-free, for you, your sister," And he also said, "And when I'm gone, I'll still be with you and through you helping you pay back to God the debts you owe Him for so many special and wonderful things He has done." That may remind you of your Dad or Mom and some of what you may have seen in them; and if you're not yet showing that to your little ones, you will soon start.

This modern version just shouts what needs to be heard; "May all your wishes come true! That clinches it - help's coming, an answer's on the way, everything is going to work out." (v. 6). And the winner in all of this is God, for He is the King and everytime we need Him, He answers!

PRAYER: Awesome God, thank you for all You have shared and provided, especially during times of need. You deserve our prasie and gratitude. Let us begin to pay back with love and help to others, even and especially those we do not know! In Christ Jesus we pray, amen!

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Do unto others...

Receive my blessings for victory and peace in your life!

Pastor Eradio Valverde

God Makes All Things New!

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Listen to the devotional here: https://bit.ly/3pAkr8a

6 Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. 7 For we live by faith, not by sight. 8 We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9 So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. 11 Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade others. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience. 12 We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to take pride in us, so that you can answer those who take pride in what is seen rather than in what is in the heart. 13 If we are “out of our mind,” as some say, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. 14 For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 15 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. 16 So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! (2 Corinthians 5:6-17 NIV)

A blessed and special Wednesday to you, ConCafe Famiy and may this day be yours to enjoy and explore and explain the wonders of God's love, Friend is my prayer for you! May we continue to pray for the needs shared with us; pray for one another, and pray for your needs. Lift them in faith, expecting that God will answer all according to His will for you.

Paul speaks of faith causing confidence, and that is important to please Jesus. Paul's desire was to be in the presence of Jesus again, and as soon as he could; yet he also knew that he had a mission to fulfill and it was that of sharing Jesus with the whole world, especially even among Caesar and other rulers, and as many people as he could. And Paul stresses that a key component of faith is to know that we live our lives by faith and not by sight. In other words, we, being supernatural people, know there is a spiritual realm invisible to the human eye and it is in that realm where our power lay; knowing that one day we would be called before the presence of the Lord and be judged for all we did down here while we were at home in the body and away from Jesus. And since we, as belivers know what pleases God, that is a huge part of our message to others, especially the unknowing. God already knows how and who we are; and our conscience also lets us know that as well. Paul seeks those who know him and the believers he has brought into the kingdom serve as role models to others, and the goal of others is to model their lives after true believers. Yes, Paul says, some will think " are 'out of our mind,'" but that is all for the honor of God. If, on the other hand, we are "in our right mind," then it is for humans. The love of Christ compels us to share the news that since one died for all, therefore all should die for others as well. Christ died for everyone, and therefore, we should live our lives not for ourselves, but for Him who died for all, and was raised from the dead. Therefore, our point of view should not be a worldly one, especially when it comes to others. And especially when it comes to how we see Jesus. And this passage ends in a marvelous way, verse 17: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!" Amen!

When it comes to most of us, we prefer the new versus the old in some things. And your tastes may vary, so I won't try to compare any one thing because at least one person will say, "No, when it comes to such and such, I prefer the old." But when it comes to a spiritual life and the way we treat our souls, only the new will do. A new life, a new soul gives us the point of view that Paul has been describing; how we see all things, especially others and most especailly Jesus. When Paul had his life-altering encounter with Jesus, Jesus went from hated enemy to beloved Savior. Where once Jesus served to stir Paul to anger and action against Him and His followers, that encounter on the Damascus Road and the time he spent in prayer and fasting, changed his point of view towards all things. The enemy became the fellow followers of Jesus. The religious leaders that Paul once tried to please became the ones he tried to convert. The religious traditions and practices he once so firmly held on to, became the things he now understood to hold little to no meaning; the things that mattered more than traditions, rituals, and practices were Jesus' love and grace; His offer of a forgiveness that wiped away sin was now key to his message and ministry. Where once he was compelled to stay within the known regions of Judaism, Paul now felt the urge to preach in every part of the world, so that the world might come to faith in Jesus Christ. You talk about faith causing confidence, just look at all that Paul was able to do because of his faith in the living Christ.

Friend, your future is rooted in faith and the things yet to be done by you in whatever you have been called to do by Jesus. No limitations or obstacles can be stronger than the Holy Spirit of Jesus alive and at work in you. You have, thanks to Our Lord, the power to change the world, one soul at a time, and save those souls for the kingdom that is yet to come.

PRAYER: Loving Father, speak to our souls and make them new. Speak to our antiquated points of view and make the fresh and new, and guide us to new life in Christ Jesus. Help us right now take the first step to the transformation of the world through faith; in Christ Jesus we pray; amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Show someone how you are brand new in the Lord today!

Receive my blessings of joy and power, in Jesus Christ,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Israel Awaits Her New King!

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Hear the devotional here: https://bit.ly/3iqnqhK

34 Then Samuel went to Ramah; and Saul went up to his house in Gibeah of Saul. 35 Samuel did not see Saul again until the day of his death, but Samuel grieved over Saul. And the Lord was sorry that he had made Saul king over Israel. 1 The Lord said to Samuel, "How long will you grieve over Saul? I have rejected him from being king over Israel. Fill your horn with oil and set out; I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons." 2 Samuel said, "How can I go? If Saul hears of it, he will kill me." And the Lord said, "Take a heifer with you, and say, "I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.' 3 Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; and you shall anoint for me the one whom I name to you." 4 Samuel did what the Lord commanded, and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said, "Do you come peaceably?" 5 He said, "Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord; sanctify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice." And he sanctified Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. 6 When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, "Surely the Lord's anointed is now before the Lord." 7 But the Lord said to Samuel, "Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart." 8 Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. He said, "Neither has the Lord chosen this one." 9 Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, "Neither has the Lord chosen this one." 10 Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel, and Samuel said to Jesse, "The Lord has not chosen any of these." 11 Samuel said to Jesse, "Are all your sons here?" And he said, "There remains yet the youngest, but he is keeping the sheep." And Samuel said to Jesse, "Send and bring him; for we will not sit down until he comes here." 12 He sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and had beautiful eyes, and was handsome. The Lord said, "Rise and anoint him; for this is the one." 13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the presence of his brothers; and the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward. Samuel then set out and went to Ramah. (1 Samuel 15:34 - 16:13 NRSV Bible)

Please welcome Tuesday to your lives and hearts, dear ConCafe Family; and this day and your life, Friend. be renewed by the presence and peace of the Lord Jesus in your hearts during this day. May our decisions be guided by the Holy Spirit, and may our actions reflect the love placed in our hearts by God Himself. I ask again for your prayers for the family of Mr. Jim Dorff, former bishop of our conference; he was the bishop who selected me to be a district superintendent and who shared a lot of wisdom and calm during my years of knowing and working with him on the Cabinet with him. He had a wonderful sense of humor, and a tenderness when it came to sharing God's word with us in the intimate setting that is the cabinet. Tears would flow when he broke the break and shared the cup; he was truly invested in those sacred moments. Please continue to pray for those for whom we have been praying and may God be glorified in our lives each moment. Pray for one another. Pray for yourselves.

Last week the spoiled kids of Israel demanded a king. They were warned and strongly advised about the shortcomings of a king, but they screamed and hollered and they got their way. In what is a long story, we skip forward to today's OT reading where Saul has been removed from his office as king. Saul had his own ideas about ruling and worshiping and this overlap caused God to be sorry that He had made Saul king to begin with (See verse 35 above). It also made Samuel grieve over this, for he anointed him as king, worked with him, and died around the time Saul started pursuing David to try and kill him. The transitiion between these acts of God removing Saul and David being anointed and actually installed as king was a long process. Saul continued to reign as king but knew he was on the outs and dies in battle. An interesting note is that the day before he dies, he violated one of his own laws that prophibited witches and goes to the witch at Endor and makes her conjure up the prophet Samuel's spirit to ask what was coming his way. "1 Samuel 28:18 Because you did not obey the voice of the Lord, and did not carry out his fierce wrath against Amalek, therefore the Lord has done this thing to you today. 19 Moreover the Lord will give Israel along with you into the hands of the Philistines; and tomorrow you and your sons shall be with me; the Lord will also give the army of Israel into the hands of the Philistines." Another interesting note; there was a television series where one of the witches was named Endora. Hmm, where do you suppose the writers ever found that name? (What was the name of that series?).

The second part of the passage deals with Samuel having to go anoint a new king. Saddened by the loss of Saul, he was fearful of the reception and reaction he could expect from the people from that area, and especially if Saul got wind of this divine decision, but God comforts and guides him. Most of us are familiar with the story; Samuel knows the new king will be the son of Jesse of Bethlehem and as he struggles to decipher who it may be, God gives some key words that should bless us. Verse 7 says, "Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart." It is interesting to note that Saul's election was in part based on the fact that he was handsome and tall. This quote sums up Saul's appearance: “he was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and upward.” Saul's physical appearance was accentuated when he stood. ... That is the Bible's language concerning King Saul. He was so tall that his head and shoulders could be seen towering above the crowd of Jews of average height! That's tall. And even today, people tend to elect kings and other officials based on their stature; which many times showed that height really doesn't make up for integrity, compassion, wisdom, and conviction. And this certainly is true when a 15 year-old is made king over Israel. The Bible says, "he was ruddy, and had beautiful eyes, and was handsome." It doesn't mention he was tall. But, he was only 15 and more than likely was not yet finished stretching out!

It is a blessing to know that God knows each of us intimately. The Bible says that God knew us even when we were being formed in the womb; and so when it comes to the outside, like the mustard seed, it is the inside that counts. It is also based on the faith one holds and uses; and how one makes God real or not in their daily lives. So, if we use a mirror to decide for us whether we are good enough to serve God, most of us would vote NO. But, if we use the eyes of faith, with the mind of Christ, and the heart's desires; God would vote YES. Part of my personal struggle with saying yes to God when He first called me into ministry rested on what I could see in the mirror and what the tapes in my mind quoting people that thought they knew had said; usually negative. And had I listened to those voices, there's no telling the path my life would have taken. But I praise God that I listened to His voice and His guidance. It led me into ministry, into the love that my wife had for me even before saying , "I do," and the family that we were able to shape to contribute to society. The popular song of recent years said, "Oh what I would do to have The kind of faith it takes To climb out of this boat I'm in Onto the crashing waves To step out of my comfort zone Into the realm of the unknown where Jesus is And He's holding out His hand

But the waves are calling out my name And they laugh at me Reminding me of all the times I've tried before and failed The waves they keep on telling me Time and time again. "Boy, you'll never win!" "You'll never win!"

But the voice of truth tells me a different story The voice of truth says, "Do not be afraid!" The voice of truth says, "This is for My glory" Out of all the voices calling out to me I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth

Dear one, it matters not where you've been or what you have done; you're right at the point of asking, again if necessary, for God to guide you over obstacles and setbacks, negativity and fear, and onto the road that leads to blessings and victory. And it will happen only when we listen to His voice!

PRAYER: Awesome God, how far many of us have come, thanks to You; but we know there are still others lagging a bit behind where they should be; we lift those people up, along with ourselves, to rise above the waves of past marred histories and terrible memories, and into the smooth waters of faith and trust in you. Grant us victory and blessings as we seek to serve You and Yours; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Shine like never before the conviction in your heart and mind that you belong to God and with God, all things are possible. There are many who are still in darkness that await your light!

Receive my blessings of joy and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

Thank God!

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1 Thank you! Everything in me says "Thank you!" Angels listen as I sing my thanks. 2 I kneel in worship facing your holy temple and say it again: "Thank you!" Thank you for your love, thank you for your faithfulness; Most holy is your name, most holy is your Word. 3 The moment I called out, you stepped in; you made my life large with strength. 4 When they hear what you have to say, God, all earth's kings will say "Thank you." 5 They'll sing of what you've done: "How great the glory of God!" 6 And here's why: God, high above, sees far below; no matter the distance, he knows everything about us. 7 When I walk into the thick of trouble, keep me alive in the angry turmoil. With one hand strike my foes, With your other hand save me. 8 Finish what you started in me, God. Your love is eternal - don't quit on me now. (Psalm 138 The Message Bible)

Happy Thursday, ConCafe Family; and the blessings of the Most High be with you, dear Friend is my prayer for today. And speaking of prayer, please remember to lift up Mary Martha Ehrig in prayer as she undergoes surgery today in Austin. Please pray for a successful surgery, with no complications and a speedy recovery. And may God's grace be sufficient for us in all that is before us. Lift one another up in prayer and pray for your personal needs with full faith in the God who fulfills our every need.

On social media there are short videos of a little girl who automatically and very sweetly thanks everyone who does something for her. When her mother gives her a meal, she sweetly says, "Thank you, Mommy!" When her aunt gives her a snack she says, oh so sweetly, "Thank you, auntie!" And on and on it goes as she very sincerely gives thanks to all. This psalm reminded me of that little girl, who obviously has a very generous heart towards the kindness of family and friends. That stands in sharp contrast to the spoiled children of Israel in yesterday's reading, where they demanded their way and God gave in to their demands. My hope and prayer for that little girl and all like her, to never change their attitude towards the generosity of parents and providers, and most certainly towards God. The heart of the shepherd boy who saw and experienced much and saw the hand of God at work in the perils and dangers that he faced, so to read his thanks in this psalm blesses me, for he truly loved God and loved to give God thanks because he knew that in every area of his life he was richly blessed.

I wonder how many of us truly know how to thank God with geniunely sincere hearts? I believe the more of the difficulties we see in our lives and truly understand Who it truly was that got us through, we know how to say thank you with joy to God. David knew God's love, God's faithfulness; he knew the holiness of God's name and the holiness and purity of God's word. He also knew the instant response of God to our cires and requests; and he knew that he was a blessed child of God. David also believed the kings of the world, as they learned of God and God's goodness would join together in a chorus of thankfulness. From the lofty height in which we tend to place God, we should know, like David, that God can see all things; there is no distance too great in which God cannot see and respond to our needs. David knew that as soon as he walked into what he called, "the thick of trouble," he could pray for God's power to bless him with life even in the midst of turmoil. He even shared his prayer for times like those, asking God to destroy all who came against him; requesting salvation at the end. His desire, as should be ours, calls for us to ask God to finish in us that which He started. God's love, after all, is eternal and God will never quit on us; may we never quit on Him!

PRAYER: Awesome Heavenly Father, we thank You for the faith of David which shared with us and all the world that special faith that has blessed us and so many. May we never walk far away from You in anything or in any way. Guide us close to Your heart; we pray in faith in the name of He who authored our faith, Christ Jesus our Lord, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord. Seek to bless someone today with your brand of faith!

Receive my blessings of joy and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

We No Longer Want or Need God! We'll Take a King Instead!

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Hear the devotional read here: https://bit.ly/34KR6Ox

4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah, 5and said to him, "Behold, you are old and your sons do not walk in your ways; now appoint for us a king to govern us like all the nations." 6 But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, "Give us a king to govern us." And Samuel prayed to the LORD. 7 And the LORD said to Samuel, "Hearken to the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them. 8 According to all the deeds which they have done to me, from the day I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are also doing to you. 9 Now then, hearken to their voice; only, you shall solemnly warn them, and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them." 10 So Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking a king from him. 11 He said, "These will be the ways of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots and to be his horsemen, and to run before his chariots; 12 and he will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and some to plow his ground and to reap his harvest, and to make his implements of war and the equipment of his chariots. 13 He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. 14 He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive orchards and give them to his servants. 15 He will take the tenth of your grain and of your vineyards and give it to his officers and to his servants. 16 He will take your menservants and maidservants, and the best of your cattle and your asses, and put them to his work. 17 He will take the tenth of your flocks, and you shall be his slaves. 18 And in that day you will cry out because of your king, whom you have chosen for yourselves; but the LORD will not answer you in that day." 19 But the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel; and they said, "No! but we will have a king over us, 20 that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may govern us and go out before us and fight our battles." 14 Then Samuel said to the people, "Come, let us go to Gilgal and there renew the kingdom." 15 So all the people went to Gilgal, and there they made Saul king before the LORD in Gilgal. There they sacrificed peace offerings before the LORD, and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly. (1 Samuel 8:4-20; 11:14-15 RSV)

A great Wednesday be yours, dear ConCafe Family, and may this day bless you, Friend, is my prayer for you! Please be a person of prayer today as you lift up all who have asked prayers from you, for you, and for other readers. Pray for our nation, other nations, and for all who need to experience God's love and grace. We thank God for a successfull heart valve replacement surgery for Mr. Emmitt Currie. Please pray for a successful recovery. Today is June 2, 2021. On this day some years ago, my father, Eradio Valverde,Sr., was born in Mission, Texas. It was only a few years ago, that he died. I miss him a lot, but I know he's in the presence of God.

It was a tension-filled night at my college dorm. These were the days of square televisions, and our dorm had a regular-sized one in the lobby of Clark Hall. On the television schedule for the night was the lottery. Not the mega or power ones, but a more serious one. This was a national lottery to see where 18 and so-aged young men, registered in the military draft system. You see kids, when a young man turned 18, he would go to the post office, secure a registration card, fill it out and mail it to the local draft board. Once there, the young man was registered as one ready to be drafted into military service. And the government had decided that for the Vietnam War, a national lottery would be held and the "winners" were to present themselves for military service in whatever branch the US government decided. The numbers were assigend according to dates of birth. My DOB is 10/25 and the year that corresponds to it. When the numbers were being read, cheers erupted or moans. It was decided the first 125 numbers selected would be the ones drafted and taken. My DOB drew #138, so I "lost" the lottery by 13. And I was free to continue on with my education. Later I learned that as one preparing for the ministry I could qualify for a deferrment. The top prospects were classified 1-A; the last desired were 4-Fs. One could also object to serving in combat and get a CO status, a Conscientious Objector, which would mean one would still serve in the military and not have to carry a weapon. The draft was soon done away with, and talk continues about how best to ready the nation for military service if needed.

I speak of the draft because it was one of the things God shared would be coming to Israel on the day they said they no longer needed or wanted God. They were no interested in a theocracy; a system where God is the ruler; and even though God had told them they were to be a light to the other nations, a priesthood of believers, they wanted instead to be just like their neighbors and demanded a king. Samuel takes this personal, because he was the face and voice of God to the people; but God said to him, it is not you they are rejecting, it is me. Ouch. Please don't act shocked; you and I have, on various occasions in our own way rejected God. And God then proceeds to share with them the downsides to a monarchy. The very first thing God shares is that the king would have the power to draft their sons AND daughters; the sons into military service and other hard labor tasks, and the daughters into royal service as perfumers, cooks, and bakers. AND, God says, the king will have the power to take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive orchards and to give them to his own servants. He will also demand a tithe of your crops and use that to pay his officers and his servants. He can and will even take your servants, the best of your cattle and herds; and take a tithe of your flocks, and you might even become the king's slaves. Ouch again. On that day, God said, you will yell for help, but it will be too late; God will no longer answer you.

And, of course, the people said, like spoiled children, "We don't care! We want our way! And the famous, "You're not the boss of me!" And, "We want to be just like the other nations with a king to lead us and take us into battle." All Samuel could say was to try to mend the kingdom and renew it. So, joining the nation at Gilgal they made Saul the first king of Israel. And in the worship that followed they offered sacrifices to the Lord; and there was great rejoicing.

Have I mentioned that the Bible is our story? Yes, many, many, many, of the stories in this sacred book of God's contain the honest accounts of real humans, just like you and me, who too often seem to be imitating our lives. The only perfect person in the Bible was Jesus, and these accounts of struggle hit close to home. I mentioned my father above and I regret the days that I thought I knew more than him. I questioned his decisions and discipline towards me, and longed for the day I would be free from him. Then I did reach the age where, like the prophet quoted God, I longed to cry out for my Dad to forgive me and give me another chance to prove myself. Like Israel, many were the times I knew better than my Dad or Mom, or anyone; and I thought what I wanted was really what I needed; how wrong I was. In my house, my Dad was king, and his word was law. I thought I would make a better king, though I did not measure up to what Dad had or had done in his life. Funny how we don't think of those things when we're in the heat of the moment. I loved though, that no matter how I was feeling inside towards my Dad, if ever I broke down on the road he was only a phone call away; there was a comforting feeling that I was covered and protected. I will never forget the day I was the one getting the calls and me going to cover and protect. But even now I long to hear his voice and his counsel. But, I am thankful that God is, and has always been, my cover and protection. May we never say that we no longer want or need God; for God always wants and needs us!

PRAYER: Awesome God, bless us with your covering and protection. And please forgive us for the times we have said, either with words, thoughts, or actions, that we no longer wanted or needed You. We truly do need and want You. You have given us the freedom to say and do whatever we want, but we want to glorify You in all ways. We thank You for the fathers and mothers we have had in our lives, who have tried to guide us and lead us. We pray Your wisdom and counsel be with them. And for those of us who are now indeed parents; help us to be the best at listening and patient with those who are our children; In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Be the best in all you do, for God and God's children; begin with you!

Receive my blessings of love and peace,

Pastor Eradio Valverde

In God We Trust; All Others Will Rust

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Listen here to the devotional: https://bit.ly/34BtnjO

13 But just as we have the same spirit of faith that is in accordance with scripture—"I believed, and so I spoke"—we also believe, and so we speak, 14 because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus, and will bring us with you into his presence. 15 Yes, everything is for your sake, so that grace, as it extends to more and more people, may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God. 16 So we do not lose heart. Even though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day. 17 For this slight momentary affliction is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all measure, 18 because we look not at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen; for what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal. 1 For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. (2 Corinthians 4:13-5:1 NRSV)

A very blessed Tuesday be yours, dear Reader. May the ConCafe Family shine brightly in all areas of your life so that Christ may be seen in you and especailly in the dark areas of life. Bless the Lord by touching base with Him in a real way by praying for the needs of your life; in the life of your loved ones; in the lives of those who may oppose you, but especially in the lives of those who are hurting and in need of healing. Stay connected with God throughout this day.

Ultimately, we either trust in humans, or God. Paul begins this passage by quoting another man of faith, who saw more than his share of troubles and challenges. The quoted verse in verse 13, "I believed, and so I spoke" comes from David as he wrote in Psalm 116:10. Whether he was up or down, David trusted almost always in God, and when he didn't, he found out that putting any trust in humans never paid off. Yes, you might get the applause, or the pat on the back, or the "well done." But, when you please God, your reward is eternal. And when you act out of your faith in Him, we cannot begin to imagine the rewards coming to us. The more we seek to know God, the more we get to know His might and ability. And that makes our faith grow and makes it stronger. Paul's faith always took him back to the Resurrection. It was what made his life different and made him reach heights of accomplishments that blessed the entire world. Not for one moment did Paul doubt God's power to bring life to the dead; and to use that same power to bless the living facing death or challenges that seemed death-bound. And Paul faced his life's challenges, even the knowledge of his own coming death with the surety that God would raise him too from the dead. And to be in the presence of Jesus was the greatest reward Paul could hope for. As it should be for us as well! God spread His grace on all believers so that new believers might come to faith; prasie and gratitude towards God would increase, and God would be glorified. And that served to keep him above discouragement and depression. As it might us whenever we need it. And he compares that even to the inevitable; we age and mature and our bodies also age and creak, and groan; but Paul says, nonetheless, "our inner nature is being renewed day by day." And he further says this is but a "momentary affliction," when compared to the coming glory that cannot be measured. Faith, after all, the Bible says, is believing in something that cannot be seen, because what can be seen is temporary, and the unseen is eternal. And the crowning verse of this passage, "For we know that if the earthly tent we live is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens."

The question then, do we trust in God? And if we do, is it enough to help us with what we face each day, or in the time of the unexpected visit of something harsh and difficult. The title may say it all; in God we trust, all others will rust.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, may our faitih be in You; for we totally trust You. We seek to be those who bless You and who are blessed by You because You lead and guide us to stronger faith and greater strength. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Show someone how your inner nature is stronger than ever, because of your faith in Christ Jesus!

Receive my blessings of peace and love,

Pastor Eradio Valverde