FACE TO FACE WITH GOD

Good day dear friends.

Here is our study guide for today: In Genesis 3:8-10 and deeper in, we see the image of true prayer: Face-to-face conversation with God. Read this and imagine how your day would be if you could spend the night part of the afternoon with God. What would you say about your day? About your behavior? Your driving? Your relationships? Well, the good news is that you can do that through prayer!

Here is that text: Gen. 3:8 They heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the Lord God called to the man, and said to him, "Where are you?" 10 He said, "I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself."

Just talk to God! Those were profound words of instruction to this pastor during his childhood from both his mother and grandmother. Talk to God. That is a great image of one speaking and God listening. As I was hearing those words my paternal grandfather was not a praying man; he stayed away from the church mostly. It was in later years he became a Christian and the most active church member of the church in Alice. Even in his old age, he would load up his lawn mower and go over and do the mowing on the church property. But what stayed with me is that in those years, I with Nellie and our girls would spend the night with him and as we were dozing off for sleep, Popo, as we called him, would be almost hollering his prayers. Even with his door closed we could hear his prayer. He was talking to God.

The image of God walking among the Garden during the cool of the day is another image that should stay with us. To me it says we have a God amongst us, who loves and cares for us, and wants to walk with us. I can only imagine those conversations between God and His creatures before their fall. It was after their fall that this text shows God walking and looking for Adam and Eve. God knew where they were; and the humans also knew where they were: Fallen from the grace of God. They had lost those "walking privileges" with God. Prayer would take on another form.

The model remains for us though of a loving God, who through His Son Jesus Christ, modeled prayer as a way of staying connected. We cannot have a relationship with anyone is we are not connected and this is God's desire for us. God amongst us in all things, washing the dishes or the car, changing diapers, among the clattering of pots and pans, there is no area in which God is not present.

So, what do you have to say to God today? Remember the ACTS we studied yesterday: Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication.

PRAYER: Loving God, thank You for being with me today and all days. I pray that I might develop my prayer life into a stronger, more intimate talk and walk with Thee. I ask this in Jesus' Name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

e.v.

VBS: VERY BLESSED SOUNDS!

Good day dear friends.

As we pray this morning I lift up Harlingen Police Officer Carlos
Diaz, who was shot Wednesday night. During a routine traffic stop
before Officer Diaz could get out of his patrol car, a suspect opened
fire on him hitting him multiple times. Thank God Mr. Diaz is now
listed in fair condition as being in serious and critical condition.
Also, the suspect in the shooting has been captured in Matamoros,
Mexico, and turned over to US authorities. The suspect is only 18
years old and is facing attempted capital murder charges. Pray for
police officers everywhere. My son-in-law Eric is one, so this is
very personal to me and to our family. Pray for their safety and
protection in the line of duty.

Our text this morning comes from Matthew 18:14: "Let the little
children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these
that the kingdom of heaven belongs."

This week has been a great week at our church and maybe more
churches. Our Vacation Bible School is going on and man is it
noisy! But noise is good! Very good! It speaks of the life of a
church to attract enough children to make noise! From 1:30 until
5:30 our kids have been "Surfing the Scriptures." Our building has
been transformed into a beach setting and it's neat seeing surfboards
in the sanctuary, sand in our fellowship hall, and kids dancing to
surf music and "hanging ten" when the key word of the day is shared.
Kids belong to the Lord and belong in the church. It is the prayer
and hope of all that being at a VBS or in a Sunday school class a
seed might be planted that will result in something great coming of
it. Jesus knew the value of children and so in today's passage
speaks to His disciples about allowing children to come to Him and
then He says "for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven
belongs."

PRAYER: Loving God and Father of us all, we pray for the children
today. We pray that seeds of love and hope be planted in each one.
May what they hear about You bring fruit of a life lived in obedience
to You. Among the kids running through Your house are tomorrow's
pastors, evangelists, active lay members, doctors, lawyers, and such;
grant that your kingdom on earth be blessed by these. Remove from us
all any negative thoughts about noise or sand or papers left here or
there; may these be the footprints of faith! In Jesus' Name, the
friend and savior of all children we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

e.v.

JESUS COULD SLEEP ANYWHERE - I CAN'T!

Good day dear friends.

Here is today's text: Mark 4:37 A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. 38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion"

I have never taken a cruise, but perhaps I will. Let's just say I don't go out looking for a cruise. My daughter and our son-in-law and his family swear by them, as I'm sure many of you do. "Oh, the food, there's nonstop food! And things to do!" Yeah, all on a boat, in the middle of the ocean with no way to say, "Stop this thing I want to get off." I've had friends who have served in the Navy and their stories of storms at sea were enough to convince me that dry land is a better place to weather a hurricane.

Not so Jesus. I thought of this story as I awoke this morning and I found it in Mark 4. The day for Jesus started with His sharing of the parable of the sower, all from the boat to the crowd on dry land (Guess where I would have been!). Jesus then shares more stories and then they set off from shore to cross the sea. Verse 37 says that "a great windstorm arose ("squall" in the NIV) and the waves beat into the boat" (see why I don't want to do a cruise!), and "the boat was already being swamped." The disciples, who were mostly fishermen by trade, are freaking out; they fear this might be their death. But the carpenter, Jesus, is asleep on a cushion, as peaceful as He could be. The disciples awaken Jesus and ask Him if He doesn't care they are perishing and Jesus "rebukes the wind" and all is calm.

We face many storms in life. Some make us think we are perishing. Yet if we know we have Jesus with us, we should be the ones who can weather and even defeat the storms. Jesus is a calm influence in our lives. Jesus knows the outcomes of all our decisions and Jesus will not get involved unless we invite Him to. I don't believe Jesus sleeps anymore. The Psalmist in Psalm 121 said he "neither slumbers nor sleeps." He keeps a vigil over us, but we have to invite Him to be a part of our lives, every day and at every moment. He will respond.

PRAYER: Lord of all things, and Lord of ours, help me today as I weather the storms of life. You know what I am facing and I turn it over to you. Help me to see the calm that comes by inviting You. It is in Your Name that I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

e.v.

SITTING ON THE PREMISES

Good day dear friends.

Our thanks to so many who sent us emails of comfort and condolences. The loss of a pet really hurts; but your words and prayers have blessed us.

Here is our text for today: John 21:6 He (Jesus) said to them, "Cast the net to the right side of the boat, and you will find some." So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in because there were so many fish.

Throughout His ministry, Jesus used a boat. He preached from one, traveled by one, helped feed people from one, and even helped His disciples feed themselves in one. We see Jesus getting into a boat or getting out of one. He takes the disciples to deeper water or as in today's verse, tells them to fish on the other side of the boat. In all stories, it was Jesus in control, with folks doing what He said. And so it is with us, as Christians and as members of a church. Let Jesus be in control, let Jesus guide us, and do what Jesus says we should do.

We heard a wonderful sermon yesterday by our new associate, Pastor Katy Fitzhugh. She used Luke 5:1-11 as her text and she made three great points about discipleship. Her sermon was called "From Pew Sitting to Faith Living." I expected her to use the illustration of how instead of "Standing on the Promises," we're content to be "Sitting on the Premises."

Ours is a call to action and excitement about what Jesus can do. A life lived in Jesus is never a dull one. A life guided by Jesus is never a lost one. A life obedient to Jesus is always a full one.
How do we know what Jesus wants? By being in constant communication with Him, through prayer, Bible study, worship, discussion groups, sharing times, etc. If you seek to know Jesus, you'll what what He needs from you. And your life will be blessed.

PRAYER: Loving God, we thank You for Jesus. Let me and my church be guided by You. I turn over my life, my family, my church, my everything, to You. Use me and guide me. Let me see what together You and I can do. I pray this in Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

e.v.

PS Those living in the Harlingen area: Today Vacation Bible School gets underway at our church. Surfin' through the Scriptures! is our theme. It starts at 1:30 and goes through 5:30. Everyone is welcome!

GWENYTH "GWEENIE" VALVERDE

Good day dear friends.

This morning I found the body of our beloved dauchsand on Business 83 and Stuart Place, run over by some driver. Gweenie had been our dog for almost five years, having been rescued from the streets of West side San Antonio by some friends. Gweenie loved to run away and we thought the fence in our new home would keep her in, but her small size allowed her to squeeze under our fence. We had noticed she didn't like to run off after dark, so yesterday evening we fed her and we left to go visit our daughter. When we came back she wasn't home and I drove around the neighborhood and beyond calling for her but no answer. We went to bed sad, hoping and praying she would be scratching at our door this morning.

The first thing I did this morning was to look in the back yard and the front. I opened our garage door because many times that would "call" her and she would come running, but this morning nothing. I went to gas the car and as I turned onto Business 83 I saw her body.
We thank God for the years we had with Gweenie. She found her way into our hearts immediately and her death affects us much. I've gone from weeping to anger at her silliness in wanting to get out, yet realizing that was her nature.

Responding to a dying old woman's inquiry James Herriot, the late British author/veterinarian noted:

"If having a soul means being able to feel love and loyaltyand gratitude, then animals are better off than a lot ofhumans. You've nothing to worry about there."He goes to note regarding animalsjoining their masters in the afterlife:"I do believe it. With all my heart I believe it."

James Herriot "Dog Stories" chapter The Card Over the Bed .

I believe it too.

e.v.

TAKING TIME

Good day dear friends.

Here is our study guide for today:

Friday Write a card or note to a man who’s made a difference in your life. If he is now with the Lord, still write it and place in your Bible. If he’s living, mail it to him. Express your gratitude for all he did and showed to you that has blessed you.

Yesterday a Sunday school from San Marcos made Nellie's day. While we were at FUMC-SM, a new Sunday school class was formed just to pray for the church. They studied materials about prayer and spent time praying for the pastors, the leaders, the staff, the membership, and the community. They gave themselves the name, Storming Heaven's Gates. And each week they would send me and several staff members, a handwritten card saying they were praying for me and my needs.

Yesterday they remembered Nellie's birthday and shared with her how they had prayer for her during their class and this card made Nellie's day.

So, today make time to thank a man for having made a difference in your life. The reason I chose "man" instead of "woman" was due to the connection to Father's Day this past Sunday. In May we'll do the same for a woman.

PRAYER: Loving God, I thank you for those who remember me in their prayers. What a joy to have people that care enough for me to include my name in their thoughts and words lifted up to You. Let me be like them today as I pray for _________________________ and ________________. Thank you for this precious gift of prayer, in Jesus' Name I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

e.v.

THY WILL BE DONE, NOT MINE

Good day dear friends.

Our thanks to God for the successful surgery of Michael McCallum. Michael was able to go home soon after his operation and recover at home.

Please be in prayer for the Hull family as we say goodbye to Martha Hull. Her service is at 11 a.m. at First UMC in Harlingen.

Here is our study guide for today:

Read Luke 22:40-44. Here Jesus prays. To whom is He praying? What is the intent of His prayer? If you said He’s praying to His Father, you are correct. Reflect on His request to God. What does that say to you about Jesus?

Luke 22:40 When he reached the place, he said to them, "Pray that you may not come into the time of trial." 41 Then he withdrew from them about a stone's throw, knelt down, and prayed, 42 "Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me; yet, not my will but yours be done." 43 [Then an angel from heaven appeared to him and gave him strength. 44 In his anguish he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down on the ground.]

This is the moving story of Jesus praying in the Garden prior to His arrest, trial, and crucifixion. It was not an easy time for Him and this is reflected both in His prayer and that which happened in His body. The prayer shows the relationship that Jesus had with God. God was His Father. Jesus felt the comfort of that relationship to share with God that which was on His heart and mind, as should we if we are in relationship with God. Jesus' prayer asks for deliverance from that which was coming. Knowledge of forecoming events are never easy for one's soul and Jesus said, "If you are willing, remove this cup from me." Cup is a nice way of saying, "Father you know what is coming and it is too bitter to even imagine what it will be like, so please take it away."

Yet the knowledge that had come to Jesus in this relationship with His Heavenly Father also allows Jesus to say, "Yet, not my will but yours be done." Respect, love, submission is seen in knowing that God as Father, knows best. We sometimes face challenges and trials that we don't understand but we can and should say, "Lord, your will be done, not mine." We think we know a better way and that way is usually the path of least resistance, of comfort, little suffering and no pain; but God knows the path which leads us deeper into that relationship we have with Him.

PRAYER: Loving God as I face the challenges and trials of today, be with me. Let me say like my Savior, 'Not my will, but thine be done.' Help me to have Your eyes, eyes of faith, which can reveal that which is from You for me this day. I lift this prayer of faith up in Jesus' Name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

e.v.

MIDWEEK PRAYER

Good day dear friends.

As we do our daily devotional this morning please remember Michael McCallum in your prayers as he prepares for a hernia operation this morning here at Valley Baptist (Harlingen).

Here is our study guide for the week:

wednesday Make this a midweek day of prayer. Pray for a deeper understanding of what it means to be a loving, responsible person. If you’re a parent, pray for the wisdom and love you need to be a better mom/dad. Pray especially for those whose relationships may be strained with their children.

PRAYER: Loving God, Father of us all, I thank you for this day. I don't know what today holds, but I know that You hold me. So, hold me tight, Lord. I ask your blessing upon those facing surgery this morning and I pray for Michael as he prepares to undergo this hernia operation. We pray for a successful surgery. Grant him the healing and relief that he needs. Bless his family, grant them peace during this time. We pray for the Hull family as they prepare to celebrate Martha's life tomorrow.

I pray for wisdom for all who are parents and those who are raising children, whether their own, or their children's children. Bring them to a deeper understanding of what it means to be a parent. May we all accept a loving, caring attitude towards children. I pray for those who may have a strained relationship with their kids; bring restoration today.

Bless the world with peace, justice, mercy and understanding. Let me be a blessing to You and Yours. I pray all these things in Christ Jesus' precious Name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord.

e.v.

EVERYTHING I LEARNED ABOUT LIFE I LEARNED IN SUNDAY SCHOOL

Everything I Know About Life I Learned in Sunday School
By Rev. Eradio Valverde, Jr.

1. The stresses and problems of life, even or especially, in elementary school can best be faced with friends who also know and love God.

2. Nothing makes life seem sunnier than sharing a glass of Kool Aid and cookies with a Christian brother or sister.

3. Nothing says you are cared for than seeing your Sunday school teacher in a room waiting and asking how you are.

4. Nothing opens up the world of faith better than learning awesome stories of super heroes from The Bible.

5. Though those days are long gone, though the great stories of The Bible were shared on felt boards*, it was the same as today’s IMAX big screen theatres.

6. Nothing would refresh one’s spirit more than to learn and sing a song about Jesus.

7. There seemed to be something about this thing called prayer that our adult teachers seem to believe as they led us in prayers. It was neat when something was troubling us, to share it with the teacher and she or he would pray for us!

8. You learned about how good it could be to drop a quarter, nickel or dime, into a bamboo bowl. The teacher said it was to help the work of Jesus and you believed her.

9. You knew that you belonged to this place on Sunday morning. The week did not seem the same if you missed one Sunday because you were sick or out-of-town.

10. Where else would you get some neat thing you had helped make, to take home and show off?

It’s early morning Tuesday, and I’m remembering with great fondness, my days in Kingsville in what seemed to be the happiest place on earth, my Sunday school room. Walt Disney may have said that about his Disneyland, but that’s only a one day vacation experience, Sunday school was a life-long experience.

I shared above in ten short statements the things I remembered most about my Sunday school days as a child. My most remembered teacher was Mrs. Belen Flores. She was, in every sense of the word, an imposing, but kind figure. A believer and one who wanted us to believe as well. I wondered if she knew the kind of impact she was having on my life or on the lives of those in my class. Of those in her class, most of us would move to Houston as life changed for our dads. Of those in her class, my best friend from there would die in his high school years in a drowning accident. I know he was ready, thanks to Mrs. Flores and her desire to share Jesus in her way with him, me, and all the others in my class. Of those in her class, one would go on to mother three children, one now a lawyer, the other in college, and her oldest son died in a tragic traffic accident. I know he was ready because his mom knew Jesus, and again, because of Mrs. Flores.

I am now a pastor, and in some ways, thanks to Mrs. Flores. She laid the foundation of a faith that at an early age became very real to me, and it still is, because of her faith. She cared enough to study and prepare for our class, to get up earlier than us, and to arrive at church early enough to be the first in the class. That made it easier for us to hear her voice as she said welcome and as she asked how our week had been.

Now that I am a pastor I am saddened by the number of children who don’t know the same experiences that I had because their moms and dads don’t take them to Sunday school. I have to confess I had to be taken to Sunday school and at first, I wanted more to stay in bed and at home, where I could play with my friends who didn’t go to Sunday school. Now I think my life is richly blessed because of that one hour I spent, once a week, in the class of Mrs. Flores.

Sunday school in my honest opinion is the best deal in town. In many churches every Sunday school class is, for the kids in there laughing and enjoying being together, the happiest place on earth. And that one hour per week spent in the happiest place on earth, will come back to make those lives among the happiest ones on earth, working together to make earth a more livable place, as we look forward to the “new earth.”

Make time to take your children and yourself, to Sunday school. I know there is a class just for you. If you don’t find one, ask about starting one. The blessings and benefits you will receive are out of this world!

__________________
*felt boards were folding board with felt cloth on the front. The teacher would tell a story and add felt cloth characters to the board. Both being of felt material, the character would stick to the board. Quite a tool, some would say better than PowerPoint lessons any day!

PARENTING

Good day dear friends.

Here is our study guide for today:

Read Genesis 3. (The passage will appear at the bottom of this message if you do not have a Bible handy) In this chapter Adam and Eve become parents. The Bible says nothing about their childrearing skills other than what results the children had as you read into the chapter. Do you suppose the two tried to raise the two identically, with showing no favoritism? Why do you suppose some children “get it” and others don’t?

Okay friends, here's my mistake for the day, the passage I meant for you to read is from Genesis 4, not 3, but it never hurts to read more than you want in God's Holy Word. In this story of the first children, Adam and Eve are good parents. I believe they tried their hardest to raise both of the boys in the same way. As I said in yesterday's sermon, you try to raise all your children alike but sometimes you realize not two children are alike, nor can you force them to be. Every child is born with his/her own drives, wants, curiosities, etc., and most will act on those.

What Eve and Adam knew about God, they taught to their sons. We don't know if it was mom or dad that shared with them about giving to the Lord. In my case it was my mother who taught me when I got my first job at 9 years of age, to tithe. I made a whopping $1.50 for working from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. at Chapa's Grocery Store in Kingsville. I got paid in cash and I was intructed by Mom to ask for one of the quarters in change. So from that quarter I would set aside fifteen cents as my tithe. Mom would bring a church offering envelope with her to pick me up at six and I would place the fifteen cents, seal it, sign my name to it and the next day I gladly gave it to God. I never thought, "That's not fair! I worked for ALL this money, God didn't do a thing!" I was thankful to have the majority of the money at my disposal. I was sharing with my daughters on Saturday, that a reel-to-reel recorder on display at one of our hamburger joints, was the first purchase I made after saving up fifteen dollars. I would also treat my brother, who owes me a lot of money to this day!, to the movies and all that went with that, all with what was left over from the tithe.

Eve may have been the one to say to her sons, "Take the first and the best to God when you offer up your sacrifices." Abel did just that and Cain took what didn't inconvenience him, namely leftovers. The Bible says that God had "regard for Abel and his offering," for Abel tried to please God in his giving. He thought nothing about what he would have left if he gave God the first and the best.

This stirred up anger and causes the first murder in the Bible. What a tragic note to see that fratricide is the first murder; a brother killing a brother. Not a good note on which to start the symphony of life, but it shows the need for all of us to be guided by God in all things.
As we raise children and grandchildren, we should be guided by God in prayer. It is not an easy task to raise children. It not only takes a village, it take the universe of God's involvement to help us do our part. The great thing about our baptism is the promise that we as a church make to parents and to those being baptized, to be their community, their family, their love and support as they grow old with us.

May we seek to be God's people as we make our way through life each day.

PRAYER: Loving Father, fill us with your love today. Guide us to faithfulness and let us show others the better way to live. May we who are parents be the best we can in saying, doing, and modeling that which glorifies You. We pray this in Jesus' Name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

e.v.

Genesis 4:1 Now the man knew his wife Eve, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, "I have produced a man with the help of the Lord." 2 Next she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a tiller of the ground. 3 In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, 4 and Abel for his part brought of the firstlings of his flock, their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, 5 but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell. 6 The Lord said to Cain, "Why are you angry, and why has your countenance fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is lurking at the door; its desire is for you, but you must master it." 8 Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let us go out to the field." And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel, and killed him.

REMEMBER WHEN YOU USED TO...

Good day dear friends,

First a Happy Father's Day to all the dads who are reading this. I pray God's wisdom, love, compassion, and grace be with you during this day. May you look beyond the new ties, hankerchiefs, plasma tvs, etc., into the loving eyes of those who presented them to you.

Here is our text for today:

Matthew 7:7 "Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. 9 Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for bread, will give a stone? 10 Or if the child asks for a fish, will give a snake? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him!"

How quickly times flies. It seems only yesterday Nellie and I would travel everywhere in a car filled with girls. Having two daughters with us this weekend allowed us to enjoy old stories and to share those with our new son-in-law, Jorge, Nellie's husband. Jorge has done a lot for us during his weekend with us, and even as we were moving in he took one of our five-gallon water jugs and filled it. Yesterday we drank the last of it, and I said, "Remember Jorge, when you used to buy us water, and we liked it a lot?" The girls started laughing because that was their ploy, usually after school, to get Mom and Dad to buy them something like Skittles or Starbursts. It was Nellie, our daughter, who came up with it as she would say, "Remember Dad (or Mom) when you used to buy us Skittles, and we liked them a lot?" We would reply, yes. "I do like them a lot!" And Nellie would wink at me and we would stop at the store.
Father's Day is a great day to honor and love your dad. Even if your dad is now with the Lord, it's a great day to sit and remember all the good that your dad shared with you, and honor him in that way. If your dad wasn't all that good, this day can serve as a day of forgiveness when you say to God, "I forgive my dad for all that he did against me. Help me to overcome those memories and be thankful for what I learned from it to help me be a better person (parent)."
Father's Day is also a great day to remember our true Father, who is in Heaven. Re-read the text above and be thankful for what God does and is doing in your life.

PRAYER: Father, I thank You for Your love. I thank you for this day and I ask you help me be a blessing to all, especially those who call me father. Let me honor my dad today. I pray this in Jesus' Name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Be in prayer for those first-time-in-the-pulpit-preachers in their new churches!

e.v.

MOVING DAY!

Good day dear friends.

As we start our morning devotional time, please be in prayer for Mrs. Donna Steman, from our new church here in FUMC-Harlingen, who underwent open heart surgery. Donna had a double bypass performed on her, and she is recovering well, thanks to God. We also continue to ask prayer for our brother, Mr. Jodie Polk, who is home now but in need of our continued prayers as he battles cancer.

Our text this day comes from Mark 10:29 Jesus said, "Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news, {Or [gospel]} 30 who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age--houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields with persecutions--and in the age to come eternal life."

Yesterday was the "official" moving day of the Southwest Texas Conference. Though some, like yours truly, moved early, others find themselves at the mercy of movers and circumstances. The Rev. Steve Purdy, outgoing pastor of Harlingen First, won't be moved until next week, but he has to preach in his new setting this Sunday. Thus I saw he rented a large size trailer to haul needed stuff to his new home in Seguin. So I ask prayers for brothers and sisters who are moving during this time. I know the movers are all singing, "What a Friend We Have in Jesus!"
Moving is a big deal. Jesus knew that when He said the words we read above, for He knew that for His sake we would be asked to move for the sake of sharing the good news. My first move came when I was 13. It was a welcomed move only in the sense that it united our family. My dad could no longer find work in the Kingsville area and our across-the-street neighbor had been working in Houston for some time and he invited Dad to go with him one Sunday afternoon to Houston. I picture Dad like Abram having to leave behind wife, five children, his mother, sister, brother-in-laws, etc. to find work. I don't remember him actually driving off, but I remember crying and finding that in prayer I had a needed comfort. Dad worked there for six months, coming home every weekend to be with us. Sometimes he had a ride; other times he hitchhiked. Finally the day come in mid-Fall to move. I was glad because I had told my band director that I was not carrying my very heavy baritone home for the weekend because we were moving. I had overheard Mom's conversation with Dad and I was praying (hard!) for that move to transpire. Mr. Babbit pulled me into his office and promised me death if that move did not happen. Imagine my grin on Monday morning by Mom's side as she signed me out of school!
My second move was for the sake of the gospel. I left Houston for Jacksonville, Texas, to begin my education into ordained ministry. I felt and answered the call in eleventh grade and by the time college rolled around I knew where I needed to be. The move was not easy and I still remember that first night in my dorm crying into my pillow knowing that I had indeed, left father and mother, brothers and sisters, for the sake of Jesus and His gospel. Jesus' words are true. I made many brothers and sisters during that first year away from home, and yes, even had mothers and fathers watching over me, yes, even in college.

Yet today I know there are those in the Lord's work who feel some deep sadness because they are so far from loved ones. I feel it only sometimes, Nellie more often. But I look forward with faith, to the fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, granddaughters and grandsons that I will receive here. I still love mine very much and I'm thankful our oldest is near, in fact, she spent the night to help Mom and Dad make some sense of the many boxes whose contents are being questioned.

PRAYER: Loving God of all moves, I pray for safety and blessing for those who move today. I pray especially for pastors who are leaving family either for the first time or the hundreth time. Bring to life Your Son's words as they find new family and friends in the work to which you have called them and me. I pray for those family members who are staying behind, bring them peace and joy even in the midst of a move. I pray a blessing on the churches receiving us as well as those who have bid us farewell. I pray healing for those mentioned in this devotional as well as others reading this who have a need either in themselves or in loved ones. All in Jesus' precious name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

e.v.

RELATIONSHIP BEGINS WITH PRAYER!

Good day dear friends.

Prayer Update: Madeline West, given a grim prognosis yesterday, today sat in a regular room, in a chair, after having morning therapy. Great things happened between our announcing her need and after church. Moral of the story: Prayer Works!

The Scriptures say that it was Jesus' "custom" to spend time alone with prayer. It was a custom that He learned from his mother and father, so at the age of 12 when he was "lost" after a trip to Jerusalem, he was actually in the Temple spending time in His Father's house, in prayer, learning more about God and God's plan for his life, in prayer. A story says that a group of tourists after touring a picturesque village asked an old man sitting on a fence near a lovely picture site, in a patronizing way, "Were there any great men born in this village?" And the man replied, "No, only babies." Jesus was a baby in his prayer life and matured in it, and so should we.

Prayer has blessed many lives for the time we spend alone with God is a time of blessing that will be unleashed later when we need it the most. As was shared in our study of the passage from Matthew 7, our "foundation" or "rock" as Jesus mentioned comes from our relationship with Jesus, not the religious things that we do. Our prayers are intended to develop the relationship we need with God. It will pay off later in great and unexpected ways!

PRAYER: Help me, dear God to make and spend time with You. Let me listen to what You would share with me, and let my relationship with You grow like never before. In Jesus' Name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

e.v.

THIS IS THE DAY!

Good day dear friends.

Last weekend Nellie and I walked around the small community of Port Aransas. It was very humid and got hot rather early in the day, but that did not deter our wandering among the tourist shops of that beach town. We didn't have a way to make hot tea in our room so we asked at the souvenir shop if there was a coffee shop in town. The cashier told us how to get there and we were only about two blocks away.

As we sat to await our drinks we noticed a sign above the door leading out of the shop. It said, "Psalm 118:24." I asked Nellie do you know what verse that is? She said, "I think I do." And I said, I think I know too, it must be, "I was glad when they said unto me let us go into the House of the Lord." But that didn't quite make sense to have it over the doorway unless the owner is deeply religious to seeing the world as God's house. I used the internet access of my phone and typed in the verse and it came back, duh, "This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." What a nice way to start the day! Enter into a coffee shop, get your morning pickmeup and then head into the world knowing that each day is a gift, handmade by God, offered to us with the only stipulation to be glad and rejoice in what God offers.

And so it is with today. This is Sunday, the first day of June. It is the Lord's day and we should rejoice in what God offers to us: A nice church family, a church home, a place to worship and be glad.

PRAYER: Thank you for this day, dear God, I accept this day as Your gift to me. Let me do all You would have me do. Let me go into Your house with gladness to worship You and praise You. I pray this in Jesus' Name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

e.v.

ALL THINGS NEW

Good day dear friends.

It has been quite the busy schedule these past few weeks and I've been unable to sit down and write a devotional like I know I need, and like I like doing. I'm rushing to finish this as the movers are set to be here in about an hour and a half. I also have to turn in the cable modem and cable box to the cable company this morning so we will be without internet for a while. I type this on our desktop computer that soon will be dismantled and placed in either the moving van or in our Suburban for the trip South to our new home.

I have to praise God for the weekend and participating in the Seaman-Haynes wedding in Port Aransas. I had never been to PA and must admit it is quite a lovely place. I had never done a wedding in Crocks (a plastic slipon sandal) or seen so many bare feet at a wedding. Of course I had to compete with the ocean's roar (okay the Gulf's roar) but it was a very nice wedding. For the rehearsal dinner we ate in the Dolphin Room of the Texas State Aquarium in Corpus Christi. That was so relaxing! Of course if you fear fish or swimming mammals, you'd be scared to death.

The verse that comes to my heart is from the last book of the Bible, chapter 21:5: "And the one who was seated on the throne said, "See, I am making all things new." While in some ways this is a sad time to be moving from a dear old family to a new dear family, we hold fast to our faith that we serve a God who makes all things new. From a timeless God who makes all things new, you know it has to be good! This applies to all areas of our lives. Last night as we lay down to sleep (except those of us who were packing) at twelve midnight yesterday ended and a new day began! Isn't that incredible. Our yesterdays all end at 12 midnight last night and immediately a new day begins. So it should be with our faith and attitude about our life and that which we face. We are from the loving hand of the God who made and controls all things. In God we put our full trust.

As we pray for one another, ask God to make all things new. We remember the needs of our brother Jodie Polk and we ask God to make all things new for him. May Jodie's healing amaze the doctor! As we pray for those mourning situations in life that seem to be bleak, may God make new the possibilities that can come from Him into even the people who think God cannot.

PRAYER: Lord God, make new all things in my life. You better than even me know what things have been too "old" for so long and now a newness is needed, so come, You who will make all things and make me new. New with love, new with hope, new with mercy and compassion, new with faith unlike the faith I had yesterday. I thank You for the newness of this day and its possibilities. I love you and praise You! I pray in Jesus' precious name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

e.v.

TRADITIONS

Good day dear friends.

Today the daughter of Mary Borm undergoes surgery to repair a broken leg. Her name is Paula, but I don't know her last name (God does!), so please pray for Mary and Paula.
Please continue to pray for all pastors who are neck deep in boxes (or should be!) as they prepare to move. In our conference alone, we have something like 60 moves, so boxes are selling briskly (invest in boxes) and movers are salivating with excitement!

Here is our text for this morning:
13 You have heard, no doubt, of my earlier life in Judaism. I was violently persecuting the church of God and was trying to destroy it. 14 I advanced in Judaism beyond many among my people of the same age, for I was far more zealous for the traditions of my ancestors. 15 But when God, who had set me apart before I was born and called me through his grace, was pleased 16 to reveal his Son to me, so that I might proclaim him among the Gentiles, I did not confer with any human being, 17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were already apostles before me, but I went away at once into Arabia, and afterwards I returned to Damascus. 18 Then after three years I did go up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and stayed with him fifteen days; 19 but I did not see any other apostle except James the Lord's brother. 20 In what I am writing to you, before God, I do not lie! 21 Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia, 22 and I was still unknown by sight to the churches of Judea that are in Christ; 23 they only heard it said, "The one who formerly was persecuting us is now proclaiming the faith he once tried to destroy." 24 And they glorified God because of me.

In case you've been keeping track, I've dedicated the last couple of devotionals to the letter of Paul to the church in Galatia. They were being misled by false teachings and Paul is angry and addressing their unfaithfulness by way of this letter. Today's part deals with Paul reminding them of just who he is, and how he came to be a Christian preacher after having been quite an infamous Jew. Paul shares how he advanced in Judaism even beyond those his own age and how he thought he was doing what God wanted, but realized he was simply concerned more about the "traditions of his ancenstors" than the things of God. God decided Paul needed to meet Jesus which he did and the rest was history.

New life comes when we put away rituals, traditions, routines, habits, playing church, and the like, and surrender ourselves to Jesus. Jesus came to offer new life, in fact, life in the fullest, and that is what Paul is wanting the believers in Galatia to embrace. What are you willing to surrender for the sake of your life?

PRAYER: Loving God we do thank you for rich histories and traditions and those things that bring some meaning to our lives, but today I seek Jesus and the things that are Yours to bring me into life and life's full meaning and purpose. I ask this as I surrender my very self to You, in Jesus' Name, amen.

Have a great day in the Lord!

e.v.

A WORD OF THANKS

Good day dear friends.

First a personal word of thanks to all who planned and participated in my farewell luncheon yesterday after church. The food was the best I had ever seen and tasted and everyone went "all out" in getting the food table to look so exquisite. A special thank you to all who shared a word of appreciation of the Lord's work through Nellie and I. I was especially touched by the bravery of the youth and children and their willingess to say very kind words of appreciation. I am proud of you! May the Lord continue to richly bless you is my prayer.

My sermon yesterday was from 1 Corinthians 3:1-9. I'll use that as the foundation for my devotional for this morning, but I will preface it with the words of thankfulness that Paul shares with his brothers and sister at the Corinth church:

I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus, 5 for in every way you have been enriched in him, in speech and knowledge of every kind— 6 just as the testimony of Christ has been strengthened among you— 7 so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ. 8 He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

1 Cor. 3:1 And so, brothers and sisters, I could not speak to you as spiritual people, but rather as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. 2 I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for solid food. Even now you are still not ready, 3 for you are still of the flesh. For as long as there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not of the flesh, and behaving according to human inclinations? 4 For when one says, "I belong to Paul," and another, "I belong to Apollos," are you not merely human? 5 What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you came to believe, as the Lord assigned to each. 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. 7 So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. 8 The one who plants and the one who waters have a common purpose, and each will receive wages according to the labor of each. 9 For we are God's servants, working together; you are God's field, God's building.

The words we read in chapter three are a bit more harsher as Paul is reminding the readers that they were called into faith of Jesus Christ, which is a spiritual first step. What has happened is they have not taken a second step or steps towards spiritual maturity. All during his ministry there, Paul shared the gospel in baby steps, for they were infants in the faith. Here it is some years later and Paul is hearing complaints from them about how they don't like their new pastor, Apollos. As I shared with the congregation no pastor likes to hear that. It hurts the body of Christ when complaints are being lifted up against those who have come to serve among you. We are called to build upon that which is left for all to carry on.

Have you taken steps towards your maturity in Christ? How do you do that you ask? By following the spiritual disciplines of prayer, fasting, Scripture reading, devotional time, time alone with God, worship, tithing, etc. That will take you into the realm of a deeper walk with Christ that Jesus mentions as "abundant life." (John 10:10).

Take those steps today! Become the people God has called you to be!

PRAYER: Loving God, speak to my heart and let me grow in faith and in spirit. Let me be guided and directed by The Holy Spirit. Take me into abundant living. I ask this in Jesus' Name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

e.v.

TRAVELING WITH AND BECAUSE OF CHRIST

Good day dear friends.
Some time ago I asked prayer for Shanna Itz Rodriguez who had a tumor removed while awaiting the birth of twins, well tonight she delivered a boy and a girl, one weighing 3'12" and the other 3"13" born at 8:15 and 8:16 p.m. tonight. We thank the Lord for their birth and we pray for Shanna and babies to be well. I thank all of you who prayed for them.
Today's text comes from Galatians 1:10 Am I now seeking human approval, or God's approval? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still pleasing people, I would not be a servant of Christ. 11 For I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel that was proclaimed by me is not of human origin; 12 for I did not receive it from a human source, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. 13 You have heard, no doubt, of my earlier life in Judaism. I was violently persecuting the church of God and was trying to destroy it. 14 I advanced in Judaism beyond many among my people of the same age, for I was far more zealous for the traditions of my ancestors. 15 But when God, who had set me apart before I was born and called me through his grace, was pleased 16 to reveal his Son to me, so that I might proclaim him among the Gentiles, I did not confer with any human being, 17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were already apostles before me, but I went away at once into Arabia, and afterwards I returned to Damascus. 18 Then after three years I did go up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and stayed with him fifteen days; 19 but I did not see any other apostle except James the Lord's brother. 20 In what I am writing to you, before God, I do not lie! 21 Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia, 22 and I was still unknown by sight to the churches of Judea that are in Christ; 23 they only heard it said, "The one who formerly was persecuting us is now proclaiming the faith he once tried to destroy." 24 And they glorified God because of me.
It is so easy to get caught up in trying to please people. For some if we can please the right people we believe we get something out of it. Others just for a smile or the right look of approval motivates their actions. No one could ever accuse Paul of being a people pleaser. He would have been fired long ago! Paul's desire was to serve and please God. And that, he said, started even when he was doing exactly what God didn't want him to do, namely the persecution of the Christian church. Paul's calling, as yours and mine, was to be a "servant of Christ." Paul reminds the believers at Galatia that his life was completely opposite of how they knew him now.him.
To travel well, we must travel with Christ and because of Him!
PRAYER: Loving God, thank You for sharing Jesus with us. Let us be open to the leading of Christ in all that we do. May we be led by Him in all things. Our desire is to travel with and because of Jesus Christ. In His Name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
e.v.

AN EASIER WAY?

Good day dear friends.

I appreciate your prayers for those we share through these pages. God answers all prayers! I appreciate your prayers for me while at General Conference. I needed them! I got a fever on Thursday night with chills and the works and on Friday was sent to a minor care emergency center where the experience was worse than the chills. Nurse Allstate, as she called herself, proved I was in better hands on my own than in hers! After beating my arm senseless she said she could not find a vein and poked me three times causing me to say loudly, "Ouch, that hurts!" I'm a chicken when it comes to needles but I hate pain even more. What a baby. Anyway, that blood test and others showed I was fine with the possible onslaught of an upper respiratory infection. Antibiotics did the trick and by Sunday I was fine.

Here is our text for today from Paul's letter to the Galatians 1: 6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 not that there is another gospel, but there are some who are confusing you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should proclaim to you a gospel contrary to what we proclaimed to you, let that one be accursed! 9 As we have said before, so now I repeat, if anyone proclaims to you a gospel contrary to what you received, let that one be accursed!

In his teachings, Jesus had predicted that the day would come when followers would easily fall away for diverse reasons including the hearing of a "gospel" they liked better. And such was what Paul is addressing today. Some of the "Christians" of Galatia were abandoning the faith to follow a different "gospel" and that is of following those Jews who had said that they were not truly following Jesus if they hadn't embraced Judaism. The main issue was that of circumcision and these Jews were telling the Galatians they had to be circumcised to be truly followers of God. Paul stresses there is no other gospel and becomes quite frank in his saying if anyone comes to you with another gospel that person, even if he were an angel, is accursed!

Who or what distracts us from enjoying the grace of God? Is anything worth abandoning the Lord Jesus to follow someone or something else? Do we seek an easier way, less stressful or hectic way to be a true follower of Jesus? There is none, just faithful obedience to the truth we received from Christ about Himself and God.

PRAYER: Loving God we thank you for Your truth and how You have given Your all for us. Let me quit seeking the ways that we think would free us from what we think holds us back in being Christian. As we say in our ritual, "Free us for joyful obedience." Through Jesus Christ we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

e.v.

NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER

Good day dear friends.

Please keep Paul Mayhew in prayer as he has undergone shoulder surgery in Austin. We pray all has gone well and that he is recovering well. Paul will wear a shoulder sling for about six week.

Here is our text for today from Luke 22: 39 He came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples followed him. 40 When he reached the place, he said to them, "Pray that you may not come into the time of trial."

Today is National Prayer Day in the USA. This is a day set aside for us to be in prayer. The underlying reason is, of course, to pray for our nation and our needs. And they are many. But the day also serves to remind us that we are, and should be, a nation under God. It is God in whom we trust and in whom we find our reason for life and all that we need. It is appropriate then that we read that passage in Luke, posted above, that says that Jesus has a custom of praying. In reality, Jesus had a lot of customs, of going to church, of teaching, etc. Jesus knew what it was to stay in contact with God the Father.

Jesus' favorite place of prayer was the Mount of Olives, a quiet place that lent itself for solitude and prayer. While Jesus prayed everywhere, this place was one in which he could direct his most pressing thoughts to Jesus. It was also a place where he took his disciples so taht they might be people of prayer too. In this passage, Jesus' command was that they "pray that you may not come into the time of trial." Jesus knew what lay ahead, the disciples did not. In the same way, God knows what lays ahead for us, we do not, so like the disciples, we pray.

In prayer we find that which we need to help us be the people of God, rooted in Him and receiving from Him that which we need.

PRAYER: Lord, every day should be a day of prayer for us as believers. Bless our nation and help us to be your people in all things. We ask this in Christ Jesus' name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

e.v.